Half your wood and half your hay
You should have left on Candlemas Day.
Phil saw his shadow this morning so we have to dig in for another six weeks of winter. I personally will be dancing and singing if it only lasts that long. There have been many St. Patrick's Days (The day I usually plant my peas) when the ground has been covered in snow and/or ice. This winter has been so strange that I am counting on nothing!
Due to all my family goings on I have fallen behind in my teapot project. I'll get back to it this week. Meanwhile I have enjoyed giving the bird pot his feathers and generally cleaning him up.
I have been having some fun with my new underglaze pens. I found these two whistles in white earth which are seconds. The first one is painted with Speedball low fire glazes and outlined with the next to finest tip.
The second one has the underglaze directly on the bisqued clay. When they are dry I'll test with various clears to see what I like.
There is a big difference between working on paper and working on glaze or bisque. Paper is smooth whereas clay has more tooth. Part of it also may due to the difference between working flat and upright. A little glycerine added to the underglaze may make it easier to work. I often do this with my mason stains to get an ink-like brush stroke.
This post will be on Sunday Ceramics. Here's wishing you happiness for the coming year, Kim. Sounds like the birthday was a good one.
Enjoy your Sunday, and as always, thanks for stopping by..........*s*
I like underglaze because it is predictable. You are having a lots of fun with it! They look so sweet! : )
ReplyDeleteHi Midori....I think the underglaze may give me the fluidity of pen and ink, which is not the same as brush work, as you well know!
DeleteOur seasons here have been very strange as well. It has been a very slow start to summer with the garden still thinking it was spring and being all sleepy, The honey bees were very late arriving as well and then BAM instant heat hits us in January with a string of days to burn the eyeballs out of our heads. strange. I too am not counting on anything this year either. Thank you for the birthday wishes, :)
ReplyDeleteHi Kim.....From what I read you guys have been broiling. Toes crossed that relief comes soon!
DeleteI always enjoy your paintings whether on paper or clay. I don't think even 'Phil' can predict this winter. Strange indeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks Judy.....I consider that a very nice compliment indeed!
DeleteDearest Suzi,
ReplyDeleteOne never knows what the weather will be like... Today we took a long walk in 70°F weather and that all in one week with icicles for two days and 16°F.
Enjoy your bird pot and underglaze pens. Looks great that pot and you are right about upright work on underglaze compared to flat paper surfaces making quite a difference.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hi Mariette.....This is actually pretty normal N.E. winter weather. It was in the high 40's F yesterday. We woke up to snow. It was originally predicted as rain, but it went to the east a bit and so snow!
DeleteHi Suzi, I must answer to your comment placed just now! First of all thank you very much for your encouraging words! Inside me I would love to go on! --- You have just given me a great idea what we could do the upcoming summer. A food film festival, Jane Austin and Shakespeare! That sounds fun! I will ask some friends whether they would participate! ---- Your work is so artistic! I love how you explain the glazing! See that talent! And that bird pot is simply WOW! Enjoy the snow if you can! In the mountains we have had lots of snow but down here at 550 meters it was only rain all the time! Pretty wet and dull! Have a good day and keep on being creative! Christa
ReplyDeleteHi Christa....perhaps a blogging film festival? or something?
DeleteI like what you are doing with your new tool! Check out my blog, I just got back from a workshop with Josh DeWeese... he uses these little bottles and tips decorate his pots.
ReplyDeleteHi Michele...Thanks; I know what you mean about too many pictures. I still tend to do little sketches in my notebooks on important points. There's something about pen in hand on paper fixes it more firmly in my brain.!
Deleteit is when you get the snow on Easter and mother's day that you start to lose patience with winter :)
ReplyDeleteHi Gary.....which is why this is the furthest north I will live. I have many photos from family in NH, VT, and NY where there is still lots of snow on the ground at Easter! Oh please!
DeleteLove those sketchy pens, these make for interesting designs on your work. xox
ReplyDeleteHi Corrine....It always surprises me how using a new tool can change the way you work.
ReplyDelete