Few questions about clay, packaging and right base for small sculpture

[LOBI]

I have white clay and I am planning to make few small sculptures. 

Please can you advise>

- which base (material? color?) to use for a sculpture in blue color

- which base (material? color?) to use for a sculpture in white color. Not sure that would be the best match?  Black marble would fit with small white sculpture?

- if I use white clay and I want sculpture to be in white, should I buy white color or just use glaze? 

- I would like to gift sculpture in nice premium box and put sculpture in box surrounded by sponge . Do you know where could I cut sponge in a shape of sculpture 

thank you 

[oldlady]

hello, lobi,  and welcome to the forum. 

 i am referring to only your last question.  you do not show a location so i may be talking about something you do not have if you are not in the USA.  to shape a shipping container to your sculpture, put the sculpture inside a clear plastic bag.  use a box for it that is at least 2 inches bigger all the way around the sculpture.  using six plastic bags and a spray can of insulation foam, put one bag of foam in the bottom and while the foam is still wet and expanding, seal that bag.   put the sculpture in the center of the box on top of that bag of foam.  when it stops expanding, do the same for each of the 4 sides and then the top.  the sealed bags will each conform to the outer box and the inner shape of some part of the sculpture.  

it is a little hard to explain but i hope you can imagine it.   the result will be a box that has insulating foam completely surrounding the sculpture in different bags so they can be removed to reach the sculpture for unpacking.    this should prevent breakage as well.

[Min]

@LOBI, what type of surface do you want on your sculpture? Do you want a glazed surface or unglazed? If you just want a white sculpture with no glaze on it then a white firing clay alone might suffice. For blue you can add ceramic stain to the white clay or use a blue underglaze on the sculpture. If you decide to glaze your sculpture a transparent glaze will hide less detail than a matte glaze.

[Sorcery]

I believe they are from England...

Loss On Bloody Ignition!

But seriously, it sounds like the sponge needed is more decorative than shipping. I would just use a really spongy sponge that will shape itself around the piece.

If the colors in this @LOBI are the same pale blue and dark blue for you. These are the same as the colors of Standard 365 Porcelain and Mediterranean Blue Mason Stain. Light blue wet mixed color, dark blue fired.  It's a nice blue.

Sorce

[Sorcery]

Sorce