Handbuilt Gardenware – Leaf Imprints in Clay
Over the past year or two, I’ve been using vintage lace doilies to make handbuilt pieces. Before this, I used some garden herbs to make spoon rests, but had not used them in a few years and had never used them with an underglaze on white clay. With the garden booming, I’ve tried different foliage to see what turns out well. Some leaves like pumpkin and okra are huge, which is why I need a slab roller or at least a day at Pullen Art Center with one. Two weeks ago, I took in a bucket of garden clippings, a bag of clay and tools, and made 6 platters and two soap dishes. I really like the round platter with citrus basil. I love seeing my two hobbies come together and am happy with the results! I used Little Loafers clay, medium green Speedball underglaze, and clear glaze. The dill blossoms look a little like fireworks when pressed into the clay. The spores on the backs of the ferns created a stunning effect.
Other projects:
Bead Tree (I) http://www.lovesown.com/2013/03/making-bead-tree-for-kiln.html
Spoon molds: http://www.lovesown.com/2013/02/making-spoons-from-mold-pictorial.html
Cake Stands: http://www.lovesown.com/2013/01/throwing-ruffle-edge-cake-stands.html
Bead Tree (II): http://www.lovesown.com/2013/11/making-bead-tree-for-kiln-part-two.html
Making Ceramic Ornaments with Cookie Cutters http://www.lovesown.com/2014/11/making-ceramic-ornaments-with-cookie.html
Lace Imprint Casserole: http://www.lovesown.com/2017/01/hand-building-project-lace-imprint.html
7 Comments
Daricia McKnight
Those are absolutely gorgeous!
Paige Puckett
Thank you!
Sherri
Hi can you tell me how you use the inderglaze? Do you water it down? Your work is beautiful!
Lori Buff
Those are lovely. Have you read the article in Pottery Making Illustrated about how to make stamps and sprig molds from plants (http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/making-ceramic-molds/how-to-capture-the-beauty-of-nature-in-your-pottery-with-homemade-texture-molds/)?
Unknown
How did you do the undergaze on these? Wipe on and wrote off extra? Or handpaint?
Kavey
That's the same question I had. These are gorgeous and I wanted to do similar on a vase but is it a case of wiping the green underglaze in or did you have to carefully paint it into the depressions by hand?
Paige Puckett
Sometimes I paint them in sloppily and then wipe off the excess… sometimes I pool the underglaze and then wipe off the excess. The smoother the surface around the imprint is, the easier it is to wipe off. I've found that using a kitchen towel is easier than a sponge.