yappystudent

Are you going to be making your own molds too, or just getting a feel for the process? Have fun either way!

By slipware I meant slip decorating. That's what they call it on Youtube searches, oops. At any rate it's good fun, TY!

Rain much better than smoke.

Does this mean you are sketching? 

Will you coil build? 

Luckily no smoke on the coast. Slab over a bowl I found as well as using the big maple leaf press mold, and ty for asking. 

Glad you did not have to contend  with the smoke.  Looking forward to seeing your new works.

I wish you a very good recovery from the sprain. I hope the cat and the view from your studio offer some quality time while you stay off that foot. [I broke a foot a few years ago and was very lucky my dog was a bulldog who wasn't much for long and speedy walks anyway].

Ouch! Be careful of the strain. 

best,

Pres

TYVM for the well wishes. It was very exciting at the time but I'm almost back on my feet. Overextended with a fruit picker on  a steep overgrown slope, feet went out from underneath me, and to my surprise once I got rolling gravity was in control. Badly sprained right foot, much of my left leg scraped and bruised black. Managed not to hit a short metal stake that used to hold up washed-out retaining wall but lots of partly-trimmed brush trunks poking out. Did not hit head, neck, or my back on the concrete at the bottom.  Advice: don't overextend, or pick fruit wearing shorts. 

@Igusten: I do have quite a few in the freezer already, the skunks are enjoying the nearly full 5 gallon bucket sitting up under the tree at present. I'll make a stab collecting it tomorrow. 

@Denice: The idea of your toe makes me cringe. Ow.  

@Gabby thank the powers that be for lazy animal companions. whenever I'm sick or hurt the big cat abandons me completely, the little one sticks to me like glue to the point of annoyance. 

@Pres ty and I'll be careful. 

You can put the work in your home oven at it's lowest setting,  I do this sometimes when we have a long humid period.   I have also heard about speeding up drying in a microwave but I have never tried it.    Denice

How big a kiln did you acquire? How much work do you have time to do in a typical week? (This is one reason I won't ever have a kiln. I make only a few pieces a week)

Thanks for the advice and the link. Mainly I'm just grumbling but the advice is appreciated. I have watched that video and some others, but that's not exactly what I'm trying to do. Her work is more Majolica, I'm trying to adapt Maiolica and go for something like an 'ancient but refined' (?) look. I'm working on three different experiments that are Maiolica/Majolica-like. It's hard to describe even to myself but I'll know it when I see it. The oxide was an impulse because I figured it would give me nice clear black, stable lines to paint underglazes over at bisque stage. I also tried one with black underglaze outlining on sandy clay, and another with a smooth black clay body with lighter values of slip painting. All are still in the greenware stage but I'm enjoying the process, except for the oxide. I may have to take a trip to buy black mason stain and ask the pottery store folks about the other materials you mentioned for outlining. Here's an image of the oxide (right) and underglaze (left) pieces as-is: 

Have you thought about pseudo mishima where you wax over a glaze and scratch in the drawing and fill with underglaze? It looks like what you are doing may work with that technique.

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Sounds like a good suggestion. I'd certainly have more control over my outlines that way. 

Wow what a bargain,  I thought we had a pretty good price at $1.99 a pound,  they have to be shipped a long way so I think that is the best they can do.    Bing cherries are suppose to build up your immune system so eat as many as you can.      Denice

Congrats on the shop sink. I don't know what I would do without mine. (I think lots of people may be preparing for summer craft shows. I teach a Summer intensive starting tomorrow and going for five hectic weeks, so I will be less present until end of July).

Good luck with the teaching position. 

Actually I am running out of things to say, and most of my posts strike me as being redundant. 

Looking forward to seeing a photo!

It was mainly bisque and tests, but one was my first attempt at majolica -birdbath that's going into a yard sale tomorrow. Has a crack through the center, which I 'fixed' with aquarium sealant. I'll post a pic of it ASAP. ty for the encouragement

Still looking for the images of the bird bath. It did sell at the yard sale despite a crack going right through the bottom (sealed with aquarium silicone). 

I made a small mosaic  small mural  18"x24" several years ago, it was for a arched inset in a wall.  I made a pattern of the arch and cut the tiles with in the arch.  It was a one time firing so I went ahead and glazed it at the leather hard stage.  The pattern I painted was a big help in putting it back together,  just like a jig saw puzzle.  with the shrinkage of the tiles I got the grout space I needed.     Denice

The pattern sounds like a great idea.