|
View Larger Image
|
|
"Pampas Vase,” 23.75 in. (60 cm) in height, stoneware, with layered slips, salt fired to Cone 8–10, 2005, by Paul McCoy, Waco, Texas.
|
|
October 3, 2007
Layering with Deflocculated Slips
by Paul McCoy | Read Comments (2)
In Monday’s Ceramic
Arts Daily we profiled Paul McCoy and how he unites content and form while
creating his complexly layered vessels. Today, Paul explains his use
of deflocculated slip to build up and color the surfaces of his pieces.BackgroundInfluencesProcessesBACKGROUND
The slip I use for building up and coloring the
surfaces of my pieces is a deflocculated slip. The base slip is Robin Hopper’s
basic white slip, which is the best general-duty slip I’ve worked with to date, adhering very well to any
clay body I’ve ever used, even when applied very thickly. I deflocculate it
through the addition of Glass Magic®, a sodium silicate in powdered form, which
can be purchased at any major grocery store. It’s used in dishwashers to
eliminate spotting on glassware.
INFLUENCES
Daniel Rhodes introduced me to this material and
I prefer it to the liquid sodium silicates available through most ceramic
suppliers. I add approximately one rounded tablespoon of Glass Magic to each
1000 grams of slip I’m mixing, dry mixing all materials (including the Glass
Magic) prior to adding water very slowly, so as not to make the slip too thin.
The slip is screened twice through a 60 mesh screen prior to use.
PROCESSESBecause the slip is deflocculated, it dries very
fast, even more quickly if a heat gun or blow drier is used, allowing me to add
layers very rapidly until I achieve the depth of surface I desire.
 Also, if I’m
using variously colored slips to emphasize the layers achieved in the surface,
I’ll slowly turn the wheel one way for the application of a given color, allow
it to set for a few minutes, and then turn the wheel in the opposite direction
for the application of a slip of a different color. Because it’s deflocculated,
each layer stands up well, allowing for the variously colored layers to remain
visible.
For application, I’ve found that the inexpensive
Chinese natural bristle brushes, which can be found in the painting department
of any hardware or home improvement store, work the best, as the bristles are
not too long and maintain a degree of stiffness, which facililtates the
character of the application I’m trying to achieve. To color the slips, I use
30% of any Cerdec body stain (manufactured by the Ferro company). Cerdec does
make the inclusion stains and most of their colors hold their color very well
all the way up to Cone 10 in heavy reduction, although the colors will shift in
salt- and wood-firing applications.FOR MORE INFORMATIONSee a term you weren’t quite sure of? Then visit
the Ceramic Arts Daily Glossary. Also, check out the handbook, Glazes: Materials, Recipes and Techniques, that covers a wide range of materials, recipes, and techniques used in the glazing of work by both studio potters and ceramic artists.
Read more about these related topics:
Glazing Techniques & Glaze Recipes Ceramics Decorating Ceramic Art Techniques Ceramic Artists
|