On time for re-potting...

JLDoggett · 03-15-2009, 02:26 PM

It appears that you carved away the clay leaving the dragon in bas relief. Or is that just a trick of the camera?

Mattbonsai · 03-15-2009, 04:14 PM

Ravenna!

Yet Another brilliant batch! I too really love the dragons, How detailed can you go with the dragons? I'm assuming that some of the detail goes during firing?

If I was to draw a pot, with sizes, etc, would you be able to make me one? for a fee of course!

Loving the pots

-Matt-

Ravenna · 03-15-2009, 07:23 PM

@Mortalis, way to go - keep on experimenting...

@ Jim: nothing carved here. I first made the pot out of slabs of clay covered with the darker coloured clay. Then I made the dragon (it is just one Matt) out of a lighter coloured clay and fixed it on the pot.

@ Matt: The dragon hasn't really changed during the firing. I guess I could make you a pot but you should be aware of a few things:

1. Most importantly: I am just a beginner so you risk being disappointed by the pot.

2. I make those pots during classes which I pay for. The more complex the pot the more lessons I would have to "use up" for the pot. While I wouldn't charge you the price of the class - after all I would still learn something - I would have to charge more than the mere material is worth as it would get rather too expensive for me.

3. You would have to pay the postage

4. This is the first time I have ever made a dragon so I would have to experiment on making the dragon more detailed.

5. I only have classes once a week with the teacher where I can make those kinds of clay and she has only 4 pupils all in all. That means it takes quite some time before the kiln is full. So if I started making a pot now it would probably take 3-4 months till it was fired - i. e. too late for the re-potting season this spring.

6. with pottery you always risk that things don't turn out the way you planned (actually it mostly does). So that is a risk you take irrespective of the fact that I am a beginner...

Freaked you out now?

Mortalis · 03-16-2009, 01:26 AM

Here is my newest pot, much better after actually reading a little how to on polymer clay. Mine is the normal one. My wife made the other one that is more interesting.

Mattbonsai · 03-16-2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravenna

@ Matt: The dragon hasn't really changed during the firing. I guess I could make you a pot but you should be aware of a few things:

1. Most importantly: I am just a beginner so you risk being disappointed by the pot.

2. I make those pots during classes which I pay for. The more complex the pot the more lessons I would have to "use up" for the pot. While I wouldn't charge you the price of the class - after all I would still learn something - I would have to charge more than the mere material is worth as it would get rather too expensive for me.

3. You would have to pay the postage

4. This is the first time I have ever made a dragon so I would have to experiment on making the dragon more detailed.

5. I only have classes once a week with the teacher where I can make those kinds of clay and she has only 4 pupils all in all. That means it takes quite some time before the kiln is full. So if I started making a pot now it would probably take 3-4 months till it was fired - i. e. too late for the re-potting season this spring.

6. with pottery you always risk that things don't turn out the way you planned (actually it mostly does). So that is a risk you take irrespective of the fact that I am a beginner...

Freaked you out now?

Nope, not at all

, I was actually thinking for next year (because I'm away from home at the moment, not alot of potting going on this year), I'm sure I can save enough over the year, good to hear it should be possible, I'l start thinking up ideas, best get one of the first custom pots from a future master potter

-Matt-

Ravenna · 03-16-2009, 05:14 PM

Hi Mortalis,

I can see that you are slowly finding your way with your material. I just wondered whether it is intentional that your pot has sharp edges like that? If not: at least with "normal" clay" you can smooth it over with your hand and/or a tool or to have fewer edges you can build the pot using slabs of clay. Have fun exerpimenting.

Hi Matt,

seems like you are a courageous man.

You being a moderator I assume you have access to my e-mail address: just send me your drawing and I will tell you how many million pounds you will have to pay for a pot like that from ME.

But seriously: send me your design ideas and I will tell you whether I think I can do that or not. And if we find something you like and I can make I am sure we can agree on a reasonable price (without you starving yourself for the rest of the year in order to save the money).

Mortalis · 03-21-2009, 10:45 PM

Oh yeah I did that because I thought it would look interesting. In fact I am thinking about making some more with that same look. Yeah you could smooth it over with your finger. I also found out that with polymer clay you can use mineral oil to soften it the way you would with water with normal clay.

noissee · 03-23-2009, 11:25 AM

mortalis, where do you fire your pots?

Ravenna · 03-23-2009, 03:59 PM

okay Mortalis... I get the feeling that working with the polymer clay may be rather different from working with real clay but may be I am wrong...

Well, here is my latest pot... again: comments whether positive or negative are welcome

Mortalis · 03-23-2009, 04:53 PM

Ravenna: Polymer clay can do most anything normal clay does. You can put it on a potters wheel, carve it with normal clay tools ect.. Just you get a plastic pot when done. I am sure anyone skilled with normal clay could do the same things with it.

noissee: Polymer clay only needs 275 degrees to harden. It turns into PVC plastic when baked.

03-15-2009, 02:26 PM	#11 (permalink)
JLDoggett Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Hampshire, USA, Posts: 630	It appears that you carved away the clay leaving the dragon in bas relief. Or is that just a trick of the camera? __________________ "Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and wrong....because sometime in your life you will have been all of these" And I further resolve to click on an ad, each time I visit, to help support the site and to be welcoming to lurking guests when you join! After all, you're already here.

03-15-2009, 04:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
Mattbonsai Tree Hugger In Training Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cheshire, GB Posts: 801	Ravenna! Yet Another brilliant batch! I too really love the dragons, How detailed can you go with the dragons? I'm assuming that some of the detail goes during firing? If I was to draw a pot, with sizes, etc, would you be able to make me one? for a fee of course! Loving the pots -Matt- __________________ -Matt- http://www.cheshirebonsaisociety.org.uk/index.html R.I.P Our Great Friend - Prowler, 24th November 2008

03-21-2009, 10:45 PM	#17 (permalink)
Mortalis Darkness abides him. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 132	Oh yeah I did that because I thought it would look interesting. In fact I am thinking about making some more with that same look. Yeah you could smooth it over with your finger. I also found out that with polymer clay you can use mineral oil to soften it the way you would with water with normal clay. __________________ "I'm ready to meet my maker, whether my maker is ready to meet me is another matter" W.Church hill.

03-23-2009, 04:53 PM	#20 (permalink)
Mortalis Darkness abides him. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 132	Ravenna: Polymer clay can do most anything normal clay does. You can put it on a potters wheel, carve it with normal clay tools ect.. Just you get a plastic pot when done. I am sure anyone skilled with normal clay could do the same things with it. noissee: Polymer clay only needs 275 degrees to harden. It turns into PVC plastic when baked. __________________ "I'm ready to meet my maker, whether my maker is ready to meet me is another matter" W.Church hill.

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03-15-2009, 07:23 PM	#13 (permalink)
Ravenna Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Switzerland Posts: 204	@Mortalis, way to go - keep on experimenting... @ Jim: nothing carved here. I first made the pot out of slabs of clay covered with the darker coloured clay. Then I made the dragon (it is just one Matt) out of a lighter coloured clay and fixed it on the pot. @ Matt: The dragon hasn't really changed during the firing. I guess I could make you a pot but you should be aware of a few things: 1. Most importantly: I am just a beginner so you risk being disappointed by the pot. 2. I make those pots during classes which I pay for. The more complex the pot the more lessons I would have to "use up" for the pot. While I wouldn't charge you the price of the class - after all I would still learn something - I would have to charge more than the mere material is worth as it would get rather too expensive for me. 3. You would have to pay the postage 4. This is the first time I have ever made a dragon so I would have to experiment on making the dragon more detailed. 5. I only have classes once a week with the teacher where I can make those kinds of clay and she has only 4 pupils all in all. That means it takes quite some time before the kiln is full. So if I started making a pot now it would probably take 3-4 months till it was fired - i. e. too late for the re-potting season this spring. 6. with pottery you always risk that things don't turn out the way you planned (actually it mostly does). So that is a risk you take irrespective of the fact that I am a beginner... Freaked you out now?

03-16-2009, 05:14 PM	#16 (permalink)
Ravenna Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Switzerland Posts: 204	Hi Mortalis, I can see that you are slowly finding your way with your material. I just wondered whether it is intentional that your pot has sharp edges like that? If not: at least with "normal" clay" you can smooth it over with your hand and/or a tool or to have fewer edges you can build the pot using slabs of clay. Have fun exerpimenting. Hi Matt, seems like you are a courageous man. You being a moderator I assume you have access to my e-mail address: just send me your drawing and I will tell you how many million pounds you will have to pay for a pot like that from ME. But seriously: send me your design ideas and I will tell you whether I think I can do that or not. And if we find something you like and I can make I am sure we can agree on a reasonable price (without you starving yourself for the rest of the year in order to save the money).

03-23-2009, 11:25 AM	#18 (permalink)
noissee Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: florida panhandle Posts: 206	mortalis, where do you fire your pots?

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