Pugaboo Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I just finished these new mugs and wanted to share! I mentioned elsewhere that I have designed a new mug size and shape for myself using my extruder and a plate I made as well. The photos show my new design. I have fired 1 blank prototype and it looked good so decided to go ahead and paint up a couple hand painted Pug mugs. To get this started, the mugs in the pictures were created using my Scott Creek extruder with the expansion box and a hollow wooden die I designed. The handle was also made with the extruder and a commercial handle die. Once the mug body was pulled I added the slab bottom and the paddled the mug into a more pleasing shape. Well a more pleasing shape to me anyway since the extruded blank looked more like a stein than a mug. I gave it a nice round bottom portion with a waist that flows out into a nice curved lip. The handles were added added after the paddling. I didn't do anything too extreme to it as I need a surface I can paint on as well as get my transfers to adhere to but wanted more of a curvy shape to it. The Pugs are free hand painted onto the surface, I just kind of made the first one up as I went along. After I got the first one done I then decided to try the same basic design but with a black Pug instead of a fawn. I didn't try to go for an exact duplicate, that's what transfers are for, I just wanted to use the same theme but with a different colored Pug. I painted the entire circumference of the mugs since I like a design that flows all the way around, I even decorated the handle. I ran out of room to upload but I have even been working on a nice signature to hand sign my one of a kind pieces. This means even the bottom looks nice and I plan to take this even further as I see how the bottom fairs in the kiln. I am calling this design Pug Blossoms and Bees. I haven't hand painted a lot of my mugs up until now as I haven't been real pleased with my mug results, I mean they were okay but the surface wasn't right for a handpainted image they needed to be fatter to give me more room to paint. I've done loads of boxes and some platters but not mugs. The mugs are still drying so the colors in the photo will be more vibrant once I get them fired and then clear glazed. Am planning on a classic white interior and I will use Amacos Zince Free Clear on the exterior. Oh and excuse the photos I snapped some quick pics when I finished today. I like to do this when I am working with a new design because all kinds of things show up in a picture that I never noticed while I was looking at it, it's kind of a way for me to check myself. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 OH, THEY'RE GREAT! good for you! hard to believe you are still a beginner in clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Great mugs, and the illustration(s) are excellent. For some reason, I find the pug in the middle of the flower, extremely comical. Maybe it's because on one hand, it makes them look regal, or majestic, but on the other hand, I can hear them snorting in my head... Between you and The Guinea Potter, we have quite a few illustrative wares on the boards lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugaboo Posted December 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Thank you both. I'm still a baby potter in a lot of ways but I'm getting braver with experimenting and pushing my boundaries. It took 3 tries to get an extruder plate that actually worked. I paddled the seams of my boxes but this is the first time I used paddling to change the shape of Something and not just seal the seams really well. Actually the Pug Blossom concept came out of a joke... Pugs only... Ehem... Fart... Excuse me... Rose petals. So a little pug popping up out of the center of a flower was a joke. The first time I drew it though I liked the contrast between the pug and the flower so have kept using it in different ways. So it's okay to laugh at them. Maybe it will make someone smile in the morning with their coffee. I think Guinea is amazing her work is wonderful and I really like her mug shapes. If these survive the firing I'll try to remember to post the finished pictures. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Eberhardt Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I am speechless! And totally in awe of your talents! LOVE them! WANT them! And I don't even have a Pug in our family of animals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavy Fire Studios Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 These are just GREAT!! I love pugs to death. Beautiful application! ♥ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRankin Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Beautifully done and thanks for explaining your process. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Reich Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Love these! How do you get the "raised petal" effect? Feeling very acquisitive when I look at your fragrance-free puggies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugaboo Posted December 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 The petals are painted with Amaco Liquid Underglazes, Dark Red, Bright Yellow, White and Black. I painted the yellow first then did a coat of red starting at the center and worked my way out from there. Once the red was dry I go back with a paint brush dipped in plain water and scumble the red into the yellow which gives me a nice transition and introduces an orange to the mix. Once all this is dry I add white only around the edges and do the same with a wet brush as before. The final paint step is to add a touch of black on the shadow side of things. Once all this is dry I use a tool and scratch some crosshatch type lines (sort of a Mishima technique) from the centers out towards the edges, this is to simulate the veins in the petals and allows even more layers of colors to the petals. The white on the edges brings the petals forward visually and the black pushes the background back from the petals. Doing all this can make the petals look more three dimensional. I paint all the items on then wax these and add the pale blue background color using a natural sponge with large pores to give a broken appearance with the white clay showing through here and there. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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