Pin marks on pottery?

[DirtRoads]

I just saw a rabbit from a well known potter that had lots of pin marks  on it.   I mean lots.  This person told me all their pottery in that certain color had those "holes".     Not really "marks" .... but holes, you know the kind you get when your glaze is off.  Would anyone really want pin holes on purpose?  

Edited March 9, 2023 by DirtRoads

[LeeU]

What an odd --and inadequate--comment from the potter. That's not even an explanation. I'm curious whether you had any comment yourself, or any further discussion with the potter? Unless the "holes" are deliberate, for some intentional stylistic, or philosophical/aesthetic statement (which should be able to be explained), I don't see why the potter would be OK with having what is essentially a defect be in circulation under their "well known" name.  

[Mark C.]

There is two kinds of Pin Holes innie and outie. the outies are usally sharp and nasty. What kind where these pin holes.

Pinholes are flaws in glazes not something one wants to see.

[Min]

 Crazing, crawling and pinholes all on one pot.  Beautiful. Glaze marries with the pot to fit in harmony. In the case of the rabbit do the pinholes add or detract?

Shino Tea Ceremony Bowl by Suzuki Tomio

 

[DirtRoads]

Actually a customer brought it in.   I didn't say anything really.      They were just pin holes, not like Min's piece.   Thanks for sharing that btw.   Very interesting.   I haven't had pin holes in years.  Literally years.    Corrected those, once upon a time.  Just wondered if this was some aspect of art I didn't know about.   A lot I DON'T know about "art", seeing as I am all about functional wares.  If I had a piece that looked like that particular piece, I would smash the thing.   They told me it was on serve ware too but I told them that wasn't possible ..... it wouldn't be food safe.  

As of late, I've had another customer wanting "copies" of the other potter.   Probably because they stopped wholesaling.    And if you use slip casted  bisque ware, well all the pieces look the same, because they ARE.    I just ignore these people and don't answer the question.  As I told them, I would put out some white rabbits tomorrow (we had sold out of sets that "matched".)  I avoid being publicly critical of anyone's work.    But tbh, I still am puzzled at those pin holes.    Yeah, I think they must have been going for an artistic effect.

I'm rethinking these slip casted pieces.    I did 100% hand building before (some wheel about 7 or 8 years ago).   But they are just so easy and fast to do .. quick money.     Sadly,  half my customers don't know the difference.     I never even made mugs much before getting the slip casted mugs.     I'm not really pushing myself out as an "artist".     I really only look at the financial side.    But always up for learning, which is why I questioned this.

Edited March 9, 2023 by DirtRoads

[Bam2015]

Interestingly, I made a couple of pots with exterior black underglaze which has pin holes & I like it. Yes, it's a defect, but an interesting one. I found out that my clear glaze and they black underglaze don't like each other. I did not use black on the inside, so not pinholes.

Betty  

 

[Jeff Longtin]

3 hours ago, Bam2015 said:

I found out that my clear glaze and they black underglaze don't like each other. 

Betty  

 

Betty, I found the same thing, none of the Amaco Black LUG/Velvet underglazes are friendly to clear glaze at cone 6.  To increase flow I add a little Zinc-free clear , to the underglaze, and that seems to lessen pinholes. (I forget why I picked zinc-free but it seems to work.)

[Kelly in AK]

If a piece is non-functional then pinholes come down to pure aesthetics (if it looks good it is good). If it is functional then its functionality is part of the aesthetic equation, and pinholes become a different “term,” so to speak. Either way, it amounts to decisions about craftsmanship, process, and beauty.

Eliminating pinholes is a good goal, challenging at times, but achievable. Forgive my clumsy way of saying it, but getting pinholes, crawling, and craters right is a whole ‘nother level. 

[Callie Beller Diesel]

21 hours ago, Jeff Longtin said:

I forget why I picked zinc-free

Probably because zinc can kill certain underglaze or mason stain colours, so it tends to be a go-to recommendation. To my knowledge, black isn’t one of the affected colours though. 

[Dick White]

2 hours ago, Callie Beller Diesel said:

Probably because zinc can kill certain underglaze or mason stain colours, so it tends to be a go-to recommendation. To my knowledge, black isn’t one of the affected colours though. 

Yes, no, maybe. We have no clue what colorants or what amounts of said colorants are in commercial underglazes. As for Mason stains (i.e., Mason brand), they do publish a reference document showing what colorants are in each stain number, but not amounts. Of the 5 black stains, 6600 and 6612 are listed as compatible with either zinc-free or zinc-contain glaze. The others, 6650, 6657, and 6666, specifically state zinc-free glaze needed. The issue is that zinc and chrome do not play well together. About 75% of the Mason stains have some chrome in the mix of colorants, so a zinc-containing glaze will alter the intended color of the stain. Hence, zinc-free being the go-to recommendation, especially for underglazes for which there is no public data.