Cold Finishes for Ceramic Sculpture

One of the many questions we have with clay in a workshop environment is, how do I finish this piece? With functional pottery, there is a wide variety of glazes that are beautiful, as well as functional. In the world of sculpture, we have the option to use finishes from other art mediums and apply them onto our pieces. In this workshop, we will play and explore with a wide variety of finishes – from pastels to powdered graphite to acrylic paints and so many things in between!

Come to class with an open mind and a willingness to experiment. Be ready to take notes and reference photos as we create some options for finishes that can be done with, and without a kiln. Students will create two simple faces on an armature, using a groggy sculpture clay, and some other little sample figures (think birds or flowers or creatures) out of clay on the first day. We will talk about textures and volumes, and how that relates to shadows, colors and finishes. We will let the faces/critters dry and apply some basic underglazes. The test pieces will be cold-finished on the last day of class, after a bisque firing. In my personal work, I use a blend of fired underglazes, slips or engobes, plus a variety of acrylic paints and inks. I will be walking you through my current “glazing” process, plus we will all be experimenting with some new materials. This is also a wonderful time to use any bisqued sculptures/forms created in a previous class/workshop that you want to finish.Please only bring bisque pieces that are made of a mid-range (Cone 5-6) clay, so that we avoid any kiln troubles! Bowls and other smooth forms can be fun to experiment with these finishes, but of course, these are not functional finishes for pottery. On the other hand, a medium-texture surface on a piece can be very fun for playing with new colors and materials! Bring to class any photos of interesting finishes you’d like to achieve, and we will have discussions on the best possible way to arrive at that finish. We will learn from each other as we try out new things, as the possibilities are literally endless!

I will bring a variety of already bisqued forms for us to use and add color to, but please bring your own pieces (bisqued, Cone 5-6 clay!) that you want to experiment on. Day 2 of the class is when we will get to play with bisque fired pieces brought from home, and will be for all color/material experimentation without the kiln. Day 3 we will add finishes to our bisqued pieces that we made the first day of class.

Supply List:

Favorite clay tools, wooden modeling tools, clay wire Texturing tools, ie, mats, rocks, hair rollers, anything! Plastic (for covering your sculptures) Foam (for cushioning your sculptures) Pipe armature (if you already have one! Don’t worry if you don’t, there will be extras) Any favorite “art” supplies, like acrylic paints, watercolors, pastels, or even underglazes for ceramics. Archival materials are preferred, but let’s try whatever you have! An open mind and a playful readiness. These techniques can be fun, but often need a little refinement to really get it dialed in. Box to assist with travel of your amazing pieces!