[QotW: How did you originally find the Ceramic Arts Daily Forum, and how do you search the forums when looking for specific information?]

I originally  found it first through Pinterest. I had a brand new IPhone 4 in 2008 and a baby to nurse, so there was a lot of time spent holding still but kinda bored. I was missing making pots, so I was looking at them instead. There were articles and links to questions on the forum that got me thinking about how to answer them. At the risk of sounding like a weirdo, as a learning exercise I have always talked to myself in my own head as if I were teaching a class to myself. It’s a good mnemonic device that helps cement your own understanding.

I hadn’t really intended to ever create an account or chime in, and lots of other folks seemed to have most of the questions handled pretty good. After a while, I had a sense of who the community members were and what they were most knowledgeable about. None of the regulars at the time was doing any kind of commission work though, and someone asked a question about it. It just so happened that I was working for a company that worked exclusively with bespoke glass customers, so I had a good model of how to make commissions financially viable. So I wrote a novel for my first post, lol!

[Gerstley and EPK]

After the last time it went off the market, I managed to come into most of a 50 lb bag. I’ve wound up using very little of it. I use more frit 3124 and 3134 because I find frit recipes easier to fix bucket behaviours with. 

[Enamel transfer issue with glaze]

A high bisque/lower glaze is a cycle that’s designed to eliminate a lot of clay-based flaws in glazes, so I don’t think it’s your chosen firing cycles. I agree with Min that your glaze is likely beginning to re-melt in the decal firing, especially since the glaze is mature at 1100 C. I think you’re on the right track in trying the lower decal firing temperature first. If that doesn’t work, you may need to change your clear/base glaze.

[Kiln wash all over the inside?]

Was the glass kiln operator the first owner of the kiln, or was it second hand to them? This is an oddly shaped and overpowered kiln for a glass artist, even if the controller would help offset some of that.  The differences in temperature throughout the height of the kiln present real problems for glass artists, who need finer cooling control than those of us working with clay.

I could sort of see justifying spraying a pottery kiln to use with glass with ITC if they thought it would help increase that cooling control, but it would have been much, much easier and less expensive to buy a glass kiln in the first place. . 

If you’re slumping, fusing or annealing, normally you’d use kiln wash on a shelf or a mould, the same way a potter would. Some warm glass folks will forego even kiln wash in favour of kiln paper sheets, because the texture from a brushed on wash can transfer to the piece. 

[Times article on pottery workshop popularity]

If anyone is past their 10 article limit, try typing the name of the article directly into your browser. Often you can bypass the paywall on articles that have been made available for promo this way.

It’s interesting to see both the pros and cons of communal studios in the comments section. The upvotes on the assorted comments are revealing too. The person who was complaining about perfume only has 1, after 3 weeks of the article being live. The more positive ones have a LOT more.

[QotW: What are your non Ceramic plans for the Summer]

Hoping to renovate the bath/shower in our main bathroom. I really want to be rid of some ugly tile and 1970s blue bathtub! Depends on how much I can bring in from the farmer’s market though.

Other than that, I think we’ll spend a week camping out in BC at a spot we know and love to go to every year.  Other than that, I think we’re just going to lay low a bit. We’ve had a crazy spring with family events and husband’s work travel. 

[Precise application of Mayco Gold Lustre]

If this doesn’t work, and you have a lot of pieces with these designs that you want to make, Milestone does offer custom decal runs. They silkscreen their gold decals, so the lines are nice and crisp.

[Resources on formulating a clay body]

It’s less common now to learn about formulating your own clay body because 1) there’s a lot of really good commercial clays readily available, and 2) mixing your own clay on the regular is a lot of backbreaking work. Soldner mixers are the right height ergonomically for no one. Word to the wise: have a look into how to mitigate some of the bending over and lifting of heavy wet clay out of the mixer when you’re setting it up. 

Lincoln 60 was one of the ingredients in the beginner cone 10 stoneware we all mixed up in college. The Lincoln was included because it gave a wider particle size variety to the epk and ball clay. This gave the clay a really good green strength and made it very forgiving shrinkage-wise, on the wheel and when making attachments. It will add quite a bit of speckle to the end result, especially if you’re firing in reduction. That speckle will bleed through all glazes, so using it exclusively will give you a very heavy 1970’s Peter Volkous look. By itself it’s suitable for sculpture, but not for functional ware. 

If you haven’t found Digitalfire.com yet, it’s a really good free clay and glaze chemistry resource, and there’s a few articles on formulating clay bodies that are good jumping off points. Definitely be sure to check the links to expanded info at the bottom of the page.  I like glazy.org as a calculator, but I still prefer Digitalfire’s materials database. I find it contains more material provenance. 

 

 

[Black stoneware look chalky when dry]

I poked around on the manufacturer’s website and on Dick Blick to find the MSDS. 

They’re pretty cagey about any kind of material content, only saying that it passes a number of safety tests for non-toxicity, so getting an indication of what could cause a chalky texture from ingredients is a non-starter. They do have lots of other good technical data available though, which is really nice to see. 

A couple of customer reviews mention a chalky feeling to the fired clay, but nothing like a hazing or scumming effect like you see with some earthenwares. Does it wipe off or change with wet sanding?

I agree that firing a test to maturity to see if it disappears is a good idea. If that doesn’t solve the problem, reaching out to the manufacturer would be a good next step. They do seem pretty responsive, and website translation is pretty good. 

[Glaze as Glue]

Glaze formulation is going to be less important than the mechanical join I think, if you’re set on doing it with glaze. As you already mentioned, where there’s more glaze, the join is stronger.

If you’re building pieces with the intent of glazing them together, can you leave some textured spots to increase the surface area where the pieces will attach? Thinking of a slip and score principle. 

[Galleries]

I think a few people have suggested similar methods over the years, although I can’t remember who would have suggested selling under 2 different names for the lines. 

Most of us who make dinnerware and other functional stuff do some form of more art based work at some point, although not everyone goes with 2 separate and concurrently produced product lines. I see more jewellers and graphic artists have 2 different names for their bread and butter vs art lines like this, but it’s not unheard of. 

I think getting in with an established interior design firm with a wealthy clientele is a very good way of finding someone who can help you realize a higher price point. I can see it having some positives, in that they’ll be used to a certain set of professionalism rules, and payment timelines. I think being familiar with the business and their reputation both on the client and vendor end is a really smart idea. 

[Price increases]

I have a few thoughts on this. 

First, if your COGS have gone up, you can’t just eat that and continue to, well, eat. If you are selling your work at more places than just the one gallery, you should be increasing your prices across the board to factor for that alone. Inflation stories aren’t new to anyone at this point, it’s happening globally, and we all have to contend with it. It’s a function of capitalism, and we all live under it. Sigh. 

Regarding the actual end price of the mug, there’s actually not a lot of functional difference between a $28 and $36 mug price point. A $28 mug isn’t an impulse purchase (mostly), and $8 isn’t going to break the bank of people who are already buying a nice mug. My price points were at a similar place a couple of years ago, and when I had to increase, I was surprised at how much people *didn’t* balk. If they liked it enough to buy it at $25, they were fine paying $30, and later $35. It can decrease the number of mugs you sell, but you also wind up being more profitable on those ones. It turns into a nice get more for less work situation. 

That leads me to my last thought: a 30% increase all at once can be a lot. As stated before, we can’t really eat that cost, but big jumps are off-putting for everyone. What you could consider is doing a partial increase now and another one later in the year. If people are forewarned via your social media or email newsletter, they tend to be more accepting. What I’ve seen a lot of folks do is frame it in terms of “due to ___ I have to increase my prices, so if you want to take advantage before it goes up, be sure to shop before (date of increase).” Breaking it up could look like increasing 15% to $32 after the 4th of July (because that’s the closest holiday), and if you can afford to hold off until fall, framing the next one as a Black Friday thing. Those dates are just suggestions. They can be adjusted based on what fits your sales style and customer base best.

 

[Heads up if you make and sell butter dishes!]

@Tami Ann using the keywords was how my friend got flagged on Etsy. The practice at the time was to keyword stuff the title, so she was using all the possible names for a butter dish. Remember, hers was a dome style, not even a French butter dish. I suspect someone just did a keyword search for the copyrighted term and send a cease and desist to everyone using it that wasn’t them. 

[Porcelain molds versus Ceramic molds]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

The difference isn’t in the mould, it’s in the different kinds of casting slip you pour into them. You can get porcelain casting slip, or ones with other formulas. If you want to switch between different kinds of casting slip, just be mindful if cross contamination could be an issue. In some cases it might, in some cases it won’t matter.

[Honey Flux glaze firing blue]

Aha! The clay body is a buff one, which means it’s both a thickness thing and a reaction with the iron in the clay. 

The simplified explanation is that whatever’s in honey flux, it behaves very much like a rutile blue glaze. The blue colour isn’t from a pigment, it’s from how light refracts back through the glaze and into your eyes. So thickness and the colour of the background the glaze is on will affect the end results. A thinner application and a lighter background will make this glaze look like it does on the Dover white clay example Lee posted above, and you can see what thickness did to your buff Anasazi. If you put this glaze on a red or black clay, you’d need only a very thin layer to get that same blue/white variegation effect that is on the chess piece in your last picture. 

If you want it to look like Lee‘s version, you’ll have to use a different clay, or apply a white slip/underglaze to your existing one. 

 

edited to add: given that the MSDS lists zinc in the materials, cooling time may be a factor as well. If the kiln pack was tighter on one firing than the other, that could also account for the difference. Zinc tends to allow glazes to stay more fluid for longer periods, giving them more time to either continue any chemical reactions or to just smooth out.

[Thickness Of Raku Pieces]

The big caveat to anything raku is that for every rule, there’s an exception that proves it. But in general:

Thickness isn’t a guarantee that something will live. A poorly constructed but chunky piece can still break.  You want to think clay body, and construction methods. 

Clay body can have a big influence on your results. If you’re using a clay that is sold as a sculpture or raku clay body, it’ll withstand a lot more thermal shock than one that isn’t. I’ve seen people create small, very thin-walled pinchpot style animal figures out of a groggy raku clay with minimal problems. I’ve also seen thick walled stoneware pieces shatter within the first few minutes of the firing. I wouldn’t suggest using a typical talc based casting body: they’re relatively friable after the bisque compared to their green strength.

You want to think about construction methods that are as structurally sound as the design will allow, and have as even cross section as possible. Curves>90* angles. You want to allow even heating/cooling over the whole piece, and avoid one side of the piece heating or cooling faster than the other. If cracks appear in a drying piece, I would not recommend repairs: start again. It will forever be a weak point, and throwing pieces into a reduction barrel can enlarge it. 

Some of the ideal thickness decision is going to depend on the scale of the piece too. 3/16” for an object that fits in your palm could be just fine if you’re working with a groggy open body. If you’re using a porcelain (which is doable) you’ll possibly want to go with a thicker cross section. Additional thickness is only useful if it adds reinforcement, not just for its own sake.

[QotW: Do you sharpen, if so how, or do you toss when your trimming tools need sharpening?]

The Kemper ones are great for pumpkins. But not so much for clay.

[QotW: Do you sharpen, if so how, or do you toss when your trimming tools need sharpening?]

I sharpen my trimming tools with a chainsaw file, and I do them when they feel like they’re starting to drag or I have to push too hard, similar to my kitchen knives. 

I use a Do All for most things, and I find they last about 18 months-2 years before the square edge is too worn to keep an edge. They’re about $20 Canadian, so I figure that’s pretty good value. Dolan doesn’t ship internationally.

[Vase and bowl value]

@missys at the bottom of the comment box, there is an option to either drag photos from your desktop to attach, or you can click on choose files and follow the prompts. If your photos are on your phone, the easiest way is to log into this website through your browser. The comment box view will be similar, and most newer phone models will automatically prompt you to choose a suitable file size, similar to how you’d email a picture. 

[Galleries]

The last art gallery I was in was probably 20 years ago in a different economic climate. The owners were good human beings, but the rent on the place wasn’t feasible and they wound up closing down. Everyone got their work back, but not any outstanding payments from the previous month. 

I don’t make high end art work, and I’m not personally motivated at all by ego or prestige, so I don’t really feel the need to chase down opportunities like that. But I am keenly aware that others don’t share my opinion. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be in a gallery, but I haven’t seen it be a particularly lucrative income stream from anyone in my generation (Gen X) or younger working in clay. I’ve seen it bring travel and teaching opportunities and other fun things to some, which can be something. But no one I know who makes full time does galleries for anything other than an ego rub. And if that makes someone happy, give ‘er!

IMO if the gallery insists on the artist being responsible for any shipping fees, including return on items that don’t sell, I’d rather sell it wholesale and not worry about when I’m going to get a consignment cheque or how much it’ll be.  

[Honey Flux glaze firing blue]

I think an important question is what other glaze is the Honey Flux being used with? It’s not supposed to be used alone. 

[selling site]

To answer the question most directly.:

Personally I do a combination of online (my own website) and in-person. The online is a supplement to my in-person income, and adds up to the equivalent of a medium sized show every year. I don’t promote it as much as I should, or it would be doing better. I discontinued my Etsy shop because I found I was directing 60% of my own traffic, and 100% of my conversions were from my own sources, not Etsy. Also, they started charging a percentage fee on money collected on shipping and I thought that was absurd.

The Longer Answer:

There is no online marketplace that is a set it and forget it scenario. There are only marketing methods that work for you and your business and ones that don't. What works for you depends heavily on what you need your business to do. The ideal thing for a side hustle or an invested hobbyist will be different from full time business best practice. 

There's no getting away from putting some time and effort into marketing, whatever level you’re working at, and the payoff always takes way more time than anyone likes. You can either do the bulk of your marketing yourself, or you can pay someone in some capacity to help you with getting your product into your customers' hands. Paying someone else can look like using Etsy, paying in-person show booth fees,  paying for social media ads or some combination thereof. Usually the lower the price point to entry, the more work you have to do yourself.

In terms of actual software or platforms, your best bets online remain Etsy if you want convenience or to add an income stream, or your own website if you want to own your digital assets.

If you're building your own website, use one that's designed for e-commerce. If I were building from scratch, I'd tell people to save time and energy and go straight to Shopify. Square is less money and is serviceable if you need a lower cost entry point, but customizations are very limited. As someone with a Square website, it’s kinda ugly, tbf.

Whichever platform you use, it's heavily advisable to make sure you also build an email list. You can add social media platforms according to your energy levels and what you find fun or helpful. 

 

 

[Which side of plaster bat do you use for drying clay?]

Another thing you can do is cover the slab with a layer of fabric: an old sheet or pillowcase, size depending. 

[Speedball artista]

I’m going to tag @neilestrick because he’s better at this stuff than I am, and I suspect it’s a minor adjustment. Cranking a wheelhead toddler-style shouldn’t do any damage to it. 

Worst case scenario though, you’re still within the 2 year warranty period. 

[Temporary/removable bond for glazed ceramic cookie jar turned urn?]

10 hours ago, helzb3th said:

who'd have guessed they'd be asking such weird questions l

It’s less weird than you think. If you make pots for a couple of years, you  get asked about urns. We have several older threads on assorted guidelines for dealing with cremains.