Wednesday, March 26, 2014

River Birch Inspiration

Gary's cousin's wife sent me some  napkins from Finland; one of them had an illustration of a birch tree. I was inspired to make a river birch dinner plate.

The other day I mixed up some slip and luckily I found my glass petri dishes.

Yesterday I mixed up small batches of various colors of mason stains; turquoise, sage green, leaf green, chartreuse, seal brown, tangerine.

I'm storing the stained slips in wide mouth mason jars.

I'm curious to see how the colors turn out after firing. Meanwhile the plate is in the cabinet drying nicely. I think I'll make a few more of these river birch plates for a set, same colors but each slightly different. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

14 comments:

  1. Ohhhh, I love it. How do you know what amount of mason stain to add to the slip? I've never worked with them, but did buy a bit to experiment with.

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  2. Hi Barbara, thanks, I just mix it by eye, it's about two teaspoons to one cup of slip. I brush it on green wet clay (works for me) but a lot ofother potter's use it on leather hard or bisqued pieces.

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  3. That is a beautiful plate. What temp will you fire it to. I'm looking forward to seeing a set.

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  4. Linda, this is beautiful! Wonderful!

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  5. So far so good. Very nice design on that plate.

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  6. Hi Suzi, thanks so much, I'll fire it to cone 6, I hope the chartreuse gives some color, I've had trouble with that one in the past being rather dull looking.

    Hi Turquoisemoon, thanks, hope it turns out ok, we shall see.

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  7. No idea what you're doing, so I'll wait to oooh and ahhh when it's done.

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  8. What a delight. A set of those plates would be incredible.

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  9. Hi Joanne, thanks, I am mixing a colorant int liquid clay and painting it on a more solid clay and when it is fired the coloranty is like a painting but it will not fade with age, much like patterned plates you've seen in so many places. Wait and I will post the results.

    Hi Elephant's Child, thanks, not sure if I should chance chance and make several more or wait to fire this oen and then make more, such is the dellmna.

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  10. Hi Gigi, thanks, I hope the plate doesn't warp, like you say so far so good.

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  11. VERY cool, Linda.. I am inspired to mix up some slip with stains..Thank you!..looking forward to seeing the finished plate.. Cheers, T.

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  12. Hi Trish, thanks, kind of pain to make all that slip and mix up, messy and all, but well worth it in the end as they last quite a long time used this way.

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  13. nice plates. we must be on the same wave length...I just put some slab plates in the kiln...love the birch trees...

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  14. Hi Charlene, thanks, I know birch is over done but I just couldn't resist when I got the napkins from Finland. I am out of practice and hope the plates don't warp flat.

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