by Eleanor Hendriks
A while ago during a pottery class focussed on glazing, I joked with my students about the Pottery Lottery. Playing the Pottery Lottery (PL) is what I call it when we put glazes on our pieces without really knowing what they are going to look like. Students almost always play the PL because they haven't had enough experience with the glazes to know how they might work.
A while ago during a pottery class focussed on glazing, I joked with my students about the Pottery Lottery. Playing the Pottery Lottery (PL) is what I call it when we put glazes on our pieces without really knowing what they are going to look like. Students almost always play the PL because they haven't had enough experience with the glazes to know how they might work.
I provide tile samples of the glazes we use in my studio but there are so many variables in glaze application that the tiles give only a small part of the possibilities. Even more unpredictable results come when glazes are layered or mixed.
During a class with some students who were really spooked by the PL, I lead the way by putting glazes on some of my own pots in combinations that I had never tried before.... and this time I WON the Pottery Lottery!
I used underglazes under a glaze that might have been opaque and hidden all my painting -but it didn't -in fact it has a soft aged look that I will probably be repeating.
I used underglazes under a glaze that might have been opaque and hidden all my painting -but it didn't -in fact it has a soft aged look that I will probably be repeating.
I spilled one glaze over another and rather than cleaning it off I went ahead and splattered a third glaze on top of that. There are some fabulous subtle patterns where the glazes met that I will try to repeat on some other pieces...
I would never have thought of putting these two colours together -I did it by mistake at the end of a long late night (early morning actually) glazing session -and I LOVE it!
These strange rivulet patterns come from layering glazes with wax in between to prevent the top glaze from covering the entire pot. The result is fascinating -and nothing like what I expected!
And on this piece I think I won the lottery twice -the outside is an amazing array of colours...
...and the inside is just stunning!!
Of course I would be celebrating my Pottery Lottery wins more vigourously if I could remember which glazes I put where!! Oh why Oh why don't I write these things down!!!
These strange rivulet patterns come from layering glazes with wax in between to prevent the top glaze from covering the entire pot. The result is fascinating -and nothing like what I expected!
And on this piece I think I won the lottery twice -the outside is an amazing array of colours...
...and the inside is just stunning!!
Of course I would be celebrating my Pottery Lottery wins more vigourously if I could remember which glazes I put where!! Oh why Oh why don't I write these things down!!!
3 comments:
I love your term "Pottery Lottery". So perfect! I most often play pottery lottery on beads but every so often I play it with larger pieces, too.
Too fun Elan!
georgeous work. GEORGEOUS. In my next life, I want to come back as a potter.
:0)
Very fun - I just played "pottery lottery" before my big show!
Not the smartest thing, but I did get some good combos (but also a couple of doggies). The cool ones sold, the doggies didn't and will be reglazed this week.
I have been thinking that I needed a transparent glaze over underglazes - thanks so much for sharing your results!
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