Natural dyeing is a multi-step process, and one that needs to go rather smoothly if the best results are to be obtained. So yesterday I set out for a “trial run” using a product I found at a craft store. These were tea bags (tea and coffee make a nice tan-brown natural dye too), with […]
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I am so excited and full of curious anticipation to start my “kitchen scraps” dyeing. I can already imagine the possibilities when using the fibers together with my ceramic pots. I’ve prepared two skeins of wool yarn by washing any residues out with a warm water and dish soap bath. As you can see, they […]
Ever since I took that Natural Dyeing workshop I’ve been anxious to start weaving again. I came up with an idea to combine my pottery and some simple coil weaving. My plan is to start with a rather unremarkable clay bowl shape and pierce the rim for a needle to pass through. After bisque firing […]
My Pet Urn construction started with two round pots stacked atop one another. I also had to throw a lid for the top, another first time for me. The lid had to be measured to fit perfectly, with a flange on the inside to keep it from ever sliding off. The next phase was to […]
I had the amazing opportunity to take a one day workshop in San Diego with weekend with fiber artist Brecia Kralovic-Logan. I’ve always enjoyed weaving, either baskets or on a loom, and have wanted to delve further into the craft. And I’ve dabbled in dyeing while teaching and for my own creations. So […]
One of my hidden agendas for taking a ceramics class was to create an Urn for my pet ashes (which are currently sitting in plastic bags on my bookshelf). About a year ago I had hand built one, but unfortunately it blew up during the glaze firing. So I set my sights on […]
Back in the ceramic studio this month to expand on my basic wheel throwing skills. In this session we are increasing the size of the vessels by combining smaller thrown pieces together. I’m pretty sure this is the only way my pieces are going to get much larger. I’ve found that softer clay […]
I sat down today to “play” with my new set of Derwent sketching pencils. I tested the pencils’ range by using light to heavy pressure in my scale. You can see the difference using a “H”, or harder core compares to the “B” pencils, or the softer cores. After looking at how they each performed, […]
A friend of mine, who wants to start drawing, asked me why the sketching pencils have numbers and letters on them. Those are what’s called a Graphite Grading Scale. The scale is a code to tell the hardness and blackness of each pencil. Simply put, the number next to an “H” relays the hardness of the core. The […]
In ceramics, form is very important. After all, this is a 3-dimensional media. But I find I lean toward the plethora of options to decorate the surface of the ceramic vessel. Along with all the possibilities glazes have to offer, there are several other techniques to try. My favorite is Sgrafitto. The […]