Progress/Process

Hey all.  I wanted to share with you some of my process in creating my ceramic sculptures.  

But first I wanted to update you on my studio progress.  Check it out!  I can hardly believe how dark, dirty, and gross (I know I keep saying this) this studio was when I first began tackling it.  Now it is a bright, mostly clean, mostly uncluttered space.  There is still much that I plan to do.  We want to paint the styrofoam and the peg boards that aren't already white and most likely add some more shelving or storage.  But most importantly, I have my kilns hooked up and I've just finished my first bisque and I have my first glaze firing up as I type!  

So on to process.  Currently I've been making these three dimensional letters that will eventually spell out stuff at my upcoming show (September!!).  The first step is that I build the letters from slabs (using templates I made ahead of time) and let them get bone dry.

 Then I take little ink drawings I've done from many sources.  These are from photographs I took while in Paris last September.  

And I etch the drawings into the surface of the letters.

 Then I fill in the grooves with black slip.  It doesn't matter how messy I am in this step.

The final step is to scrape away the top layer of clay and slip surrounding the drawings.  This only leaves the slip that ended up in the grooves! 

Ta-da!  Cool drawing-on-clay technique.