Terra Cotta: My musings on...and resulting actions with.

[Kanorin]

Experiments in “Alchemy”...

Will report back with results...

THIS is a WHOLE “different” obsession! View attachment 340979

I wonder: Is he attempting to turn mud into clay, clay into gold, or yogurt containers into freeform slabs?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Just some things I’ve been working on.. gifts mostly.. also a tiny zen garden for my youngest who is REALLY impressed with his older brother’s... these are all just dry/drying.. pre-fye-yehr.
Most of them represent me attempting a new technique.. or trying to hone my ability in areas where I am weak... so they are like.. holiday “homework” pieces..

 

[sorce]

Note, I suck at mugs.

You know how a log tapers when you roll it?

I think it would be cool to use those tapered ends as your handle.


I like those round tops.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

like those round tops.

But they don't "drink" well.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

But they don't "drink" well.

Sorce

Cool Idea! You got my brain calculating in that direction now.

Hehe! I made a “cream-pourer”-style impression in the right handed drinking side.. but I’m not sure i‘d trust the union of my handle with any warmed beverage.

 

[sorce]

cream

Lol! That's exactly where MY mug building skills are!
But my cream pourers pour like shit too!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

 

[HorseloverFat]

So my lid broke... again... at 9 hours in.. destroying all of the pieces (so it goes) Soooo today, making a new one... trying some aquarium filter fiber and DE “fines” tempering.. and some thick, starchy fabric strips for support.
Considering, also a smaller diameter, but taller chimney, and angled relief/spy hole.. for optimum.. um.. witnessing?

 

[HorseloverFat]

I feel like, for observatory science’s sake.. I have to “record” the fact that I threw my first ACTUAL
clay-related temper tantrum today... (Very UNlike me) just standard, “I should be much better at this by now..” and “constant failure wearing me down”-type thoughts...

I had to realize that, in this world, lies a very steep learning curve between you and success... and the much more “natural” way I have geared my approach STEEPENS it even more... I’m ok, now.

Sidenote.... those cones that I had purchased are actually 06 (or 04,05,06 in succession, you know)
glazing cones.. they will work great for me.....

Also, I have been hearing of using charcoal as a temper... has anyone tried this?.

 

[sorce]

Realize you are on a near impossible mission.

Don't allow failure the wrong place in your life.

Failure in your case just means another trip to the lake with the boys and another sticker! Sounds good to me!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Realize you are on a near impossible mission.

Don't allow failure the wrong place in your life.

Failure in your case just means another trip to the lake with the boys and another sticker! Sounds good to me!

Sorce

Hehe! Yes! I had to remember that all of mine (and others) successes are BORN of MANY failures... the higher “run/batch number“.. the better my processes, and product becomes...

 

[leatherback]

Realize you are on a near impossible mission.

They making million-dollar movies out of that!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Deeeeeep breath.....

Aaaand we move.. on.
I didn’t take much time on the “presentation”... because I’ve been hurt before.

 

[sorce]

When I made my Woofire Kiln I'm the yard, I stacked peach cans for a chimney, looks like you could use Standard soup cans.

The more chimney length, specifically, warm chimney length you have, the better your draw, better draw more oxygen, more oxygen more efficient burn, that YOU get to decide to make inefficient for reduction.

Rather than having a short chimney and trying to blow more air in the in hole.

Looks good.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

peach cans ...Standard soup cans.

I had considered this.. i have been saving roughly 1/3 of my cans.. and cigarette packs.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Some shape work.. just honing joint skills and trying some new batches with some new temper and/or additive ideas.. the “wonky brother” has perlite fines (amongst other “thangs” in the mix and was plastic when working.. just wet with the slip).. trying to find the most efficient ways to utilize the raw clays that I have access to.

 

[sorce]

Been wanting to show you my "non failure". Truth, I am so good at failing now I don't even consider it anymore. When this remained on the shelf when I picked up the pot, I just looked right to seems for airgaps or bad connections.



Perfect! And it tested vitreous! That's 2 wins!

I'd probably still be crushed if it wasn't for Big Willie! It's hard to transition.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Been wanting to show you my "non failure". Truth, I am so good at failing now I don't even consider it anymore. When this remained on the shelf when I picked up the pot, I just looked right to seems for airgaps or bad connections.

View attachment 342923
View attachment 342924
Perfect! And it tested vitreous! That's 2 wins!

I'd probably still be crushed if it wasn't for Big Willie! It's hard to transition.

Sorce

This eases some anxiety for me, as I have seen this (but MY clay’s version)... upon observing the BROKEN pieces.. there appears to be no reason FOR the breaks...

But my pieces ARE firing.. the breaks are running THROUGH my union points like it is one solid piece, not breaking AT the unions.. so I am assuming that is a good thing.... for me, now... “failed” bisque-firings mean two things:

1: More grog.

2: Tester tiles for my glaze experiments

 

[HorseloverFat]

My mother used to run a small pet shop. She could not compete with Walmart in a geographical location such as this. All the “storefront” product remains in basement storage, however, and I often “snoop around” and see if there is anything I can use for my various projects.

I found this today. Now I know this might not mean much.... but to someone experimenting with low-fire glazes (it’s own animal)... it’s a neat find.

 

[leatherback]

Truth, I am so good at failing now I don't even consider it anymore.

The most succesfull people in the world have mastered failing. You fail. you learn from it. You try it in a different way.