More Playing with Clay

The studio was closed today for Remembrance Day (the Canadian equivalent of Veterans Day), but I had a bit of fun playing with clay at home this morning.  I had two goblets I had assembled, and was thinking to finish them with the twisty vines and leaves like the last goblet, but I was not as pleased with their shape, they looked a bit clunky.  So I decided to carve them instead, so I could lighten up the parts which looked too heavy.  I think they have the feel of rough hewn wood (or stone).  They could look pretty cool, if I don't ruin the effect with my choice of glaze.  I may even try one in iron oxide, and only glaze the inside and rim of the cup.  We'll see.

...and in sunlight (it was beautiful weather today!) :

I also have my first pierced sphere (see this post and this one also), made from white clay, which I will glaze and have fired to Cone 10 (rather than raku fired, like the other two pieces).  I decided to decorate it with underglazes, and then will spray with a Clear glaze.  So I first taped it off, so I could get some nice clean lines :

Since I won't get the beautiful black lines which I do from the raku firing, I decided to paint a section in black, and the other with a bright red :

Then I used Forest Green underglaze near the base, and Purple (although I'm pretty sure it will be Blue when fired to Cone 10) on the sides.  Here it is, upside down :

...and then right side up again :

I think it could turn out pretty nicely.  I can't wait until next week; it is our final class, and opportunity to finish glazing all remaining pieces.  Then sadly we will be locked out of the studio for a couple of months, until pottery classes resume in late January.  I don't know what I will do during that period.  If I don't play with clay on my kitchen counter, I think I will go crazy.