Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Test tiles

 Isn't this pretty?! One day when I was at Laura's studio she gave me a little jar of this commercial wash to try. It's Mayco's copper wash. I really like the was this looks. Thin wash on the left, thick on the right.  I suppose you could get a similar look just mixing copper carbonate or copper oxide and some gerstley borate. I have a box of broken tiles that used to be stamps I used with my kid's classes, they managed to break every class, but I kept them and they make great scraps for testing washes and glazes. I forgot how great this ladder stamp is. I might have to incorporate this somehow in my work....
 This one is nickel oxide. I used 1 tbp. of oxide and 2 tbp. of gerstley borate then add a cup of water. THese were fired to 1945f and the nickel/gerstley started to melt, you can see glassy pools inside the rungs of the ladder, pretty cool.
 Cobalt carbonate thin on the left, thick on the right, same 2 to1 ratio, this one also started to melt just a little where it was thickest.
 I love this one. Nickel oxide on first layer then on the right a thin coat of cobalt carbonate on top of the nickel, nice....
 I forgot to post this image from my last trip to the NC Pottery Center. They have a museum section and  sort of give a show and tell of how pottery is made and some of the tools used. I liked this paddle a lot.  The sign says wood paddles were used, but I swear this one looked like clay to me. I used to bring in hard corn cobs for my kid's classes and they always thought that was so funny, but it makes a pretty cool pattern.
Ornaments anyone? I shot this one for Paul Jessop, time to make the ornaments Paul :)

7 comments:

smartcat said...

The oxides add such a note of mystery to your stamps. This is definitely worth exploring.

Another thought on the house ornaments. If you go with a limited edition you should thing about selling them in a place that also sells your work. That way potential customers can see the bargain they are getting.

If I buy one of your ornaments it would stay out year round in a space where I can enjoy it in all seasons.

Tracey Broome said...

Good idea. The ornament thing plaques me every year. I want to make them, then I don't, then they take so much time, but I want them affordable, it just goes on and on.... thanks so much for your comments, gives me lots of info to think about!

Lori Buff said...

The washes are nice and would add another element to your barns. You're right, you could possibly make them for less money by just making your own wash. I have some recipes if you want them.
Thanks for the ornament reminder.

cookingwithgas said...

those stains will look great with what you are doing.
No ideas on pricing- it is always a complex mystery to me.

Laura Farrow said...

hey, I've got another red oxide from Mayco and lots of it if you want to try... xo

Susan Wells said...

Ooooo yeah. I'm loving the washes Tracey. Especially the one at the top.

Tracey Broome said...

The oxides are definitely worth exploring, thanks ya'll. Laura I got lots of RIO, but thanks for the offer.xo