more masks...
I actually downloaded dozens of pictures of different iconic masks from around the world, and then realized I was still more interested in my own exploration of the human face, and the whole metaphor of hiding one's true self with masks....
I discussed this in some detailed last week (just a few posts down, if you missed it).
But here are my latest masks that were just finished:
(click on each to enlarge) left is the clay sculpture... right is the finished piece:
you'll notice that I rubbed in red bronze glaze into the wrinkles and then wiped the higher surfaces clean and finished with a clear glaze so that the face is the natural clay color and only the lines in the face have the shining colors (I was hoping for more reds...like lava breaking through).
(click to enlarge) Here I was going for an unformed/baby like face... and I used something called 'oil spot' (although I think of it as oil slick... ) it is a glaze which is very unpredictable and shines in rainbow colors (the photograph does not do it justice) and I thought was kind of primordial ooze like....
(click to enlarge) This one I painted the clay face on the left with white iron speckled slip (a liquid clay that adheres to the unfired clay) and then I glazed it only with the clear glaze which often crackles, and you can see it crackled a LOT here (I love that) but I don't know why it discolored in so many places... glazing is unpredictable.
And now for something completely different....
(click to enlarge) Okay, I know this one is wacky... but I wanted to experiment with some of the darker glazes
I used some black slip on the clay mask (left) as well as some 'crimson' for the tongue, but then I found on some other pieces that the crimson slip was coming out as a fairly liverish looking pink...which isn't terrible, but I wanted something more bold, so when I glaze for the final firing I used some Valentine Red glaze (very expensive stuff, but I didn't use too much, as you can see)... I used a variety of different colors of black & brown on the face & ears but I was a little disappointed with the brown (it came out more as a beige clear...which is why the eyes and muzzle are not darker). But all in all it was fun and interesting to do.
So those are my latest finished pieces, it will probably be two weeks before I have more to show... I'm getting a lot done but it is slow work because each stage has to be dry and complete before we can move on to the next stage....
I discussed this in some detailed last week (just a few posts down, if you missed it).
But here are my latest masks that were just finished:
(click on each to enlarge) left is the clay sculpture... right is the finished piece:
you'll notice that I rubbed in red bronze glaze into the wrinkles and then wiped the higher surfaces clean and finished with a clear glaze so that the face is the natural clay color and only the lines in the face have the shining colors (I was hoping for more reds...like lava breaking through).
(click to enlarge) Here I was going for an unformed/baby like face... and I used something called 'oil spot' (although I think of it as oil slick... ) it is a glaze which is very unpredictable and shines in rainbow colors (the photograph does not do it justice) and I thought was kind of primordial ooze like....
(click to enlarge) This one I painted the clay face on the left with white iron speckled slip (a liquid clay that adheres to the unfired clay) and then I glazed it only with the clear glaze which often crackles, and you can see it crackled a LOT here (I love that) but I don't know why it discolored in so many places... glazing is unpredictable.
And now for something completely different....
(click to enlarge) Okay, I know this one is wacky... but I wanted to experiment with some of the darker glazes
I used some black slip on the clay mask (left) as well as some 'crimson' for the tongue, but then I found on some other pieces that the crimson slip was coming out as a fairly liverish looking pink...which isn't terrible, but I wanted something more bold, so when I glaze for the final firing I used some Valentine Red glaze (very expensive stuff, but I didn't use too much, as you can see)... I used a variety of different colors of black & brown on the face & ears but I was a little disappointed with the brown (it came out more as a beige clear...which is why the eyes and muzzle are not darker). But all in all it was fun and interesting to do.
So those are my latest finished pieces, it will probably be two weeks before I have more to show... I'm getting a lot done but it is slow work because each stage has to be dry and complete before we can move on to the next stage....