Glazed Clay Toad Abode and Mushrooms

Hand Built Slab Clay Toad Abode Before Firing

I've been gardening a lot lately so I decided I wanted to make something in pottery that I could put in the yard. I actually broke the top swirl off so I had to fix that (the second one didn't come out as well). This photo was taken before I attached the three sections so they are sitting a little bit off.

Clay Slab Hand Built Pillow Box

I just started a new session of pottery after taking most of the winter off and. Our instructor suggested that we all try to make a pillow box. The boxes were created by starting with a square, marking the center of each side and joining the edges on either side of the mark to each other. Then this is repeated on the three other sides before a hole is cut in the top to make the box.

My First Mugs Thrown On The Wheel

I started creating pottery about a year ago, and I am now at the point where I am trying to  actually plan beforehand what I want to make on the wheel.  Up until now I would take my ball of clay and make whatever came out.  One of the first projects I made was a slab built mug.  It came out way too large so I've been wanting to make one on the wheel.  I made these a couple of months ago and they came out fine but the glaze on both mugs ran (luckily the green one didn't run off the mug like the teal one did).  I will probably try to make a mug again, but for now these are doing just fine.

Half Of My Finished Pots From My Third Session Of Pottery

This session I decided to focus only on the wheel and I ended up making 11 thrown pieces. Most of them were small like these. I know to expect the clay to shrink a significant amount but I am always surprised how much it shrinks. In the batch that didn't get fired yet I have a couple larger bowls.

Green and Tan Wheel Thrown Small Bowl

Yay! I finally threw something that looks like a real pot!

I made this during my second pottery class but didn't get it back until recently.  The pot came out fairly well, I could have smoothed the middle a bit, but the disappointing part of this pot was the green glaze.  It looks great when looking at it straight on, but I must not have let it drip enough and there is a big blob of glaze on the top of the pot.  Live and learn.

 I've left it at work and it is the perfect size for oatmeal (doesn't fit much else).

In this photo you can see the excess of green glaze on the side.  I always leave it with this side facing the wall...

Bisqued Wheel Thrown Clay Pots

I just finished my second session of pottery, and in the second to last class (last class to make stuff- last class is glazing) I finally started to be able to make stuff on the wheel by myself! I had tried a couple of other projects during the class, but I pretty much just concentrated on the wheel.  I am signed up again for the next session and am very excited- hopefully I dont forget how to do it from now until then.

Green Engobe Clay Coasters

I covered these coasters (which didn't come out perfectly round) with a green engobe (colored clay), scratched a design into it and then after they were bisqued, covered them with a clear glaze.

Clay Nesting Bowls Made From Molds

This is prior to either of the firings.

Second Thrown Piece Of Pottery

Glazed First Thrown Clay Pot

Finally Glazed The Rest Of My Pottery Pieces....

I missed the last class of the pottery class I took in the spring, so I made up the class tonight.  We glazed all of the pieces that we hadn't glazed yet in this class.  One of the item I made was a box with a  lid, and since the teacher fires both pieces together (the top on top of the box), I would have only been able to glaze a part of it (so they don't stick together), so I decided to leave that one natural and only do a clear glaze in the inside.  For the other pieces that I did glaze- I feel like I need a lot more practice.  I have a tendency to get way too much glaze on the pieces which makes it hard to pick up to put a second glaze on, because I end up wiping off some of the glaze.   I also have a tendency to pick up the piece by the glazed side instead of the unglazed side.  I think I tend to do that when the glaze is lighter than the clay.  One piece in particular that I grabbed while still wet has 'touch up' glaze on it, and I'm wondering if it will look even when it comes out of the kiln. 

Can't wait to see how they all came out!

First (Successful) Thrown Bowl

Today was our first day on the wheel. On my first attempt I managed to have the clay fly off the wheel, then the pot it was uneven because I kept moving my hands too quickly and at the end when we were cutting excess off the side, I choped the whole thing in half.

My second attempt came out better - obviously with the teachers assistance. 

Smoothed Out Vase Built Out Of Coils

As I was building this (row by row) I really didn't have an idea in mind of what I wanted to make.  At the end, the top was a bit floppy, so I ended up pulling some of it in.  Out of all of the techniquies we practiced in the class, I think coil building was my least favorite.  I didn't like the unevenness of building with coils (we made them all by hand) and the coils are a pain to smooth out!

Round Purple Engobe Painted Coasters

Glazed Clay Tray- First Time Glazing

Since this was our first time glazing, we had to use three different glazes to see what happened when the glazes worked together. None of my glazes seem to change too much when overlapped, but there is a spot of brown that got on the 'raspberry' section of it that ended up turning gold (it is very odd how glazes combine after being heated sometimes).  The purple (the middle color) and the raspberry were both thicker glazes- I prefer the denim blue glaze, because it came out thinner after firing and you get to see the actual texture of the piece better.  If you're interested to see the unglazed piece it is here.

Clay Box With Lid



The stamps on this side aren't completely straight but oh well.  The inside came out pretty smooth though!



The stamp left bits of black in the stamped out sections but i think I'll that will all burn away.

Big Clay Mug

Didn't press my stamp in quite enough.  I tried re-doing it a couple of times but think I just ended up making it worse. We'll see how it comes out after it is glazed.

Clay Tray- First Piece From Pottery Class

I rushed a bit so it's not all even. :(  The 'handles' are off center on purpose (after i messed one up putting it on) but the squiggles around the star on the top are very crooked and the lines on the sides are different widths from the edge. The lady next to me kept telling me I'm too much of a pefectionist, which can be very true.  

The tray is now glazed.

Fimo Clay Frog

I made this clay frog in elementary school with Fimo Clay.