Brian Reed Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I have been working on some testing on the Tenmoku Leaf bowl like the one pictured. I have tried several ways to accomplish this and the best tests came out when I placed a green leave into a freshly dipped and still wet bowl. I would glaze the stoneware bowl with my tenmoku and immediately place a green leaf in the still wet glaze. I tried other ways like brushing the leaf in on top of dried glaze and even dipping the leaf in the glaze. There were other ways I tried it also. The best way was the way I described with pushing the green leaf into wet glaze. However I biggest problem is the leaf I have been using. Does anyone know the preferred leaf for this? I assume a broad thick leaf, but wondered if anyone here knows which is best? This being a Japanese or Korean technique I assume John may know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coyle Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I'm not sure the type of leaf is too critical, but you might try leaves of different dryness and see if improves anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 The leaf pattern looks to me like a white glaze on top of the tenmoku. I'd dip a leaf into a white glaze and lay it in the bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 I agree with Neil on the white glaze leaf dip. As the leaf burns away the patten will be left Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 When doing your testing, make sure the leaves have the same age, moisture contest, and collection location. The amount of soluble fluxes ,Na+ and K+, are dependent upon the freshness of the leave, location of the tree, and the season in which the leaves are picked. This would be especially of import if no white glaze were used on the leaf, as mentioned above. I think the white glaze on the leaf would be easiest. If you were to try without the white glaze, it would be interesting just to soak the leaf in a KCL, potasium cloride solution, before placing it on the glaze to maximize your fluxing effect of the leaf. It is a beautiful effect. One that would be worth perfecting. Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 John Britt just published his explorations about this in one of the mags...... PMI I think. The technique, done in the traditional manner,.... is a pretty highly guarded secret. I have theories... but no knowledge. I don;t think John Britt's info is the way it is traditionally done... but he is getting some reasonable results. best, .....................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biglou13 Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 I think John Britt has a mini digital book on sale about this technique Yes he does. https://www.etsy.com/listing/151790350/e-book-the-quest-for-the-illusive-leaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Can also use a newspaper cut out coated with the white glaze and applied to the pot. If the cut out has vein slits yo can apply more white thro' the slits after the cut out has been applied. If you don't press the cut out smooth on application you get that lovely undefined image. I don't think broad and stiff leaf is the way to go if going on with the real thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Reed Posted August 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 I can try the white glaze, but that seems odd to me, but I will test anything. I did not share that I am getting OK results with the Maple leave, but it does not leave a large enough impression. I leaves about a quarter size impression and wanted to know if a different leaf would make a bigger impression. the size of the leave does not matter as I covered one bowl with so many leaves they were doubled up and hanging over the sides and still in the end it was a few quarter sized impressions like the one above just smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 My thinking on this one was to take a veined leaf, soak it in a tin oxide or other oxide wash, then lay it in the bowl and fire. Haven't gotten around to trying it, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 The book is under 10$-that may be less than the testing from scratch. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 If you enlarge the detail on Brian's bowl it looks like a boil through glaze combination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 This is quite different to the image on J Britts ebook site. If it were white over tenmoku placed on a near vertical side, would this not move? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 When using fresh leaves there is always a problem as they dry ... they either shrink or lift off the surface or you have to push them too hard etc. One way to avoid this problem is to soak the green leaves in a bleach/water mixture. This dissolves the green of the leaf leaving only the skeleton and veins. They are much more pliable and can be easily soaked in other colorants and glazes. The pattern stays as delicate as the one on the pot you like. Each type of leaf demands a different time in solution ... thin, soft leaves dissolve much faster than thicker, tougher ones ... so just stay near the mix and get ready to rinse them off for use. You can keep them on a damp towel until ready to use. The one in the image looks like it ripped a bit, but even that helps the pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 I was wrong on the John Britt article I emntioned above.... it was in Ceramics Technical magazine, not PMI. best, ...................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 I did some surfing and found an article on Konoha-Tenmoku, the technique of leaf bowls. http://www.squest.co.jp/satomi/satomi2e.htm The master potter, Katsuhisa Yosuda, refined his leaf bowl technique between 1979-90. If someone wants to call him and ask for his recipe and tricks of his bowls, I bet would gladly give up his secrets........Right?.......... We then would all know how to do this technique.....lol Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Miller Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 I think Chris has the best place to start. I can't imagine the ash of the leaf doing all the heavy lifting in the photo above, but bleaching the leaf sounds like a great start. The bleach's sodium would even be an added flux, aiding in the process, perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aodenkou Posted September 25, 2014 Report Share Posted September 25, 2014 In "Modern Japanese Ceramics", Cruger, Cruder, & Ito, Lark Books (2004) p. 29 "If a leaf pattern is placed on a tenmoku-glazed surface and covered with a transparent glaze, the leaf silhouette remains". The photo in the book appears similar to the one above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mss Posted September 25, 2014 Report Share Posted September 25, 2014 I gave this a try with fresh young birch leaves (very thin), layered onto fresh tenmoku glaze. However, the areas with the leaves turned out as completely naked clay after the firing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayjay Posted September 25, 2014 Report Share Posted September 25, 2014 I gave this a try with fresh young birch leaves (very thin), layered onto fresh tenmoku glaze. However, the areas with the leaves turned out as completely naked clay after the firing! Worked for me, sort of, it wasn't Tenmoku though, and it left an ashy residue fired onto the shelf. Sycamore leaf with a white glaze brushed on both sides and just laid on, (needs more testing for me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebekah Krieger Posted September 26, 2014 Report Share Posted September 26, 2014 If we are getting into leaves or paper cutouts this might be fun to try with a paper doily as well... Hmm you got my mind going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebekah Krieger Posted September 26, 2014 Report Share Posted September 26, 2014 If we are getting into leaves or paper cutouts this might be fun to try with a paper doily as well... Hmm you got my mind going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 try a long tray with a row of dancing long dress ladies across it. cut the ladies hand to hand and foot to foot the way you fold paper and cut out sailors in a row. sponge or brush or spray a background color, decorate each lady's dress differently and spray the final clear over it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aodenkou Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 John Britt's new book on mid range glazes has a way to do this (p.90) abriviated directions.....bisque ware, as second coat is just about dry place leaf, dry, re-bisque, when cool rub mixture 50/50 of EPK and titanium dioxide, rinse, glaze Fire. A ton of info in this book, I plan on testing a number of the glazes presented, this looks like one of thos books that everyone will eventually have......well worth the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam S Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 If you're looking for larger leaves with strong vein lines acanthis or hydrangea would work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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