After firing...

Here are my screen-printed pieces after firing, some of the colours are very different now, and I will have to put more consideration into how the colours are layered so the lighter colours don’t disappear.

I have found printing the plain colour backgrounds the most difficult part of the process, I either have too wet clay to print on and the colour does not adhere to the surface, or I don’t get the pressure quite right and it comes out patchy. That said it has brought about some interesting mixes of pale and bold colour, which I wouldn’t have seen.

Screen Printing

For my final term I am working with screen-printing straight on to ceramics. This is a technique was shown to me by ceramicist Vicky Shaw, and it gives some beautiful results, offering lots of layering possibilities.

One of my screens

The screens have my drawings on them, which I can layer in different colours and sequences. The process has been really exciting, if a bit unpredictable. My technique isn’t quite there yet, and I still have some kinks to work out, but here are some photos of my first attempts.

Before Firing

It is difficult to know how they will turn out after firing as the colours can change drastically, like in the image below.

After Firing

Close ups

I will update with pictures of these after firing soon.

V&A Ceramics

I visited the V&A during the Christmas holidays, specifically for there huge ceramics collection so I could get some inspiration, I can honestly say I have never seen so much ceramics in one place, it was immense.  Here are some photos of my visit.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park Visit

Here are some photos from my visit to the Yorkshire sculpture park, if you have not been I would really recommend a visit; the gallery is surrounded by some beautiful woods and parkland great for wandering around on a day out.

The gallery houses a mixture of smaller art pieces such as paintings, ceramics and jewellery, which are shown in the indoor galleries and large sculptures are displayed outside and in the larger gallery.

Barbara Hepworth

Antony Gormley

Ursula von Rydingsvard

Emily Sutton

An amazing piece to see there is ‘Seizure’ created by Roger Hiorns, it is an installation of the inside of a flat which is covered in copper sulphate crystals that are the most vivid blue, really beautiful, and you can walk inside and feel like your in the centre of a geode.

Unfortunately I don’t have my own photos as there is no photography allowed of the piece so this is from the internet but more can be seen on the Yorkshire Sculpture Park website. (http://www.ysp.co.uk/) 

Seizure, Roger Hiorns 2008

Best 3 pieces of advice...

1. When I was feeling a real lack of interest in the work I was producing, and overloaded with different advice and conflicting opinions. I was told simply to "Make what you want to make". 

And it really makes sense. Yes I would like to do well in this course and get the best marks possible, but I want that to be for my ideas and designs not for those imagined by another.

Advice is useful but you need to rely on your own judgement.

2. Another piece of advise I was given was to "remember to put these shape holder thingies in the tops of your boxes otherwise they will warp and then the lid won't fit"... and thats an issue everyone can relate too.

3. My final bit of advice is "Be excellent to each other." (Bill and Ted) because sometimes films have the best advice.

I hope these are useful you as well.