Slip casting through cheese cloth?

[memurphyiii]

Hi, I recall a video from a few years back where the artist was doing a type of slip casting by pouring slip through a cheesecloth that was suspended from a frame. Does anyone recognize the video or have you tried this technique? I would like to try this and wanted to get any pointers. Best, Ed

[PeterH]

Are you talking about this sort of process?

Hammock Crockery Molds
The Catenary Pottery Printer Produces Bowls in Sagging Fabric
https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/catenary-pottery-printer

More photos of the pots in https://design-milk.com/innovative-catenary-pottery-printer-gt2p/

PS I have a very vague memory of somebody else who made very large very shallow circular vessels this way, without the hype (or the mime artists). They used  a very taut mesh, and had no noticeable undulation at the rim.

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by PeterH

[Jeff Longtin]

Welcome to the Forum Memurphyiii.

Looks like an interesting method. Also looks tedious.

An alternative would be to pour a thin slurry of plaster into a plastic sheet which is suspended in a catenary form.  You'll want to experiment with different kinds of plastic, though. Plastic garbage bags tend to be super soft and simply conform to the plaster. Stiffer plastic does a nice job of retaining its "crinkled" look while holding the plaster. (Think Saranwrap or stiffer.)

I've tried it a few times, actually, when I have excess plaster from a pour. It creates a very irregular shape. Then make a plaster mold of the resulting plaster form.

Nice thing about this method is that you can compare forms. Sometimes the resulting form has lots of wrinkles and is very complex/cool and sometimes too complex and too hard to mold. (i.e. too many undercuts)

You need to make sure you're pouring just a thin plaster slurry when you make that initial form. Otherwise, the plaster just pools at the bottom of the plastic and you have a simple rounded plaster form.

Good Luck

[Tamra]

I only have experience at the present time slip casting with Porcelain fired to Cone 8.

I strain with a kitchen strainer.  You can purchase finer metal cloth for straining too at Jewelry supply stores and can place the metal cloth (used for enameling) over the ordinary kitchen handheld strainer.

Good Luck!

Tamra