Never mind! The Potter is keeping her chin up by making lots of fab creations. Today has been Green Man making day so I thought I would share with you the making process.
We start with a scrunched up bit of old newspaper!
I say WE, but this is the royal "we" as I actually have more of a supervisory role!! Anyway the scrunched up bit of newspaper helps to form the shape of the face, making it protrude without having to add layers of clay, which would make the face both very thick and heavy. Both problems, one as very thick clay takes forever to dry out and causes cracking in the kiln and the other as it becomes very heavy so is more difficult to mount.
Once the clay has formed the base shape the potter starts to add facial features.
The potter has just looked over my shoulder at these pictures and told me not to include this one as the face looks "really odd" but I thought I would as it shows the progression the face makes from just flat clay with a small mound in the middle to a face. Each of the facial features are added individually and moulded into the base clay.Once the face is complete (this is where I usually stick my head over the potters shoulder and tell her the nose is too big/small! or she should add a moustache!) The leaves are added.
And "ta dah!" a finished creation. Tomorrow the clay will be leather hard and the potter will scoop out some of the extra clay where it was added to make the features to keep a more consistent thickness throughout.
This plaque along with the others made today (including one that looks a bit like a pirate.. complete with goatee and a colonel mustard moustache!) are going to be fired (in a week or so when they are fully dry) and then we intend to Raku fire them.
We are hoping it will be a bit dryer tomorrow, fingers crossed.
