Sunday, May 9, 2010

Making A Fish Platter


There's something magical about a sailfish. A fish free to swim the seas, sail the skies, fly his colors, a beauty to behold.


I begin with a sketch in my journal of the fish I want to put on a platter. Then I transfer the sketch to a piece of paper towel. I place the paper towel on the slab of clay slumped into the platter mold. I trace the outline of the fish onto the slab of clay with black colored slip.


Next I mix up a batches of mason stained slips and apply various colors to the fish. I didn't have an orange color, so I used some orange clay on the fish.


There are ever so many fish in the sea, unlimited choices to illustrate on platters. Perhaps a few turtles or birds will be next. Happy Mothers Day. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

6 comments:

  1. Your work is so beautiful!!!

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  2. You should order some of that graffito paper and some underglazes. You would love how simple the graffito is and fun to use! It's just like carbon paper but it's underglaze and it fires beautifully. I grew up going in to restaurants in Myrtle Beach with sailfish on the walls. Your picture brings back a lot of memories! One in particular was called Bay Harbor. Boy, I would love to go back there!

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  3. Linda, you keep up w/ these fish plates you'll have a set LOL. lovely work :)

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  4. Really like your fish platter. How about a Manatee platter? Hum, wonder what you would serve on it though.

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  5. Linda...so great to see your 'Florida work'...and hear about your settling in adventures..I am happy for you to be 'nesting'..:)
    Cheers, Trish

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  6. Hi Turquoisemoon, thanks so much.

    Hi Tracey, thanks, I remember your post about that, I need to get place an order for some supplies real soon. I have a lot of drawings in my journal I could transfer to clay that's for sure. The restaurant we went to in New Port Richie had fiberglass fish hanging from the ceiling, you would love it.

    Hi Kim, thanks, I was thinking of making plates coordinating but with different fish, these platters are huge. I hope they make it.

    Hi Patti, thanks, I was thinking of a manatee platter, but not sure how their big surface would look on a plate. It's kind of mulling over in my mind.

    Hi Trish, thanks, yes we are enjoying it here, if only we didn't have so much home stuff to do, I'd have more time for clay and fun. Ha.

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I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment