Finished Leaf Plates and Decorative Plates from this Summer

The summer session at Shadbolt always seems so short, as the studio is closed from late July until mid September.  Which makes my season for leaf imprinting on clay short also.  So this session I decided to make some clay bowls from hosta and hydrangea leaves.

I ended up with 4 leaf plates, all built from a slab of B-Mix clay :

Here they are, starting from largest to smallest :

1) This hosta plate is adorned with a little frog.  It's funny that I didn't keep notes on the glazing, but I guess I was in a rush that day.  I seem to remember using Matt Green glaze on the frog, leaving his eyes unglazed, in Yellow and Black underglaze.  I then waxed him and dipped the leaf in Tam's Green.  I really like how the Tam's Green turned out.  It is a very natural color for a leaf.  The little snake underneath is unglazed, with Yellow and Black underglazes to accent the eyes and snout.  He's a sweet little snake, and works nicely as a foot for the plate.

2) This hosta leaf plate features a single ladybug, which is finished in Red and Black underglazes.  He is very cute.  The foot is itself a little leaf.  The plate was hand brushed in a Green underglaze, and the bug waxed (he's not shiny), then then whole thing sprayed in Clear.  It turned out a cheery aqua colour.  Not too different than a blue hosta leaf, but I think I prefer the Tam's Green result better, myself.

3) This hydrangea leaf plate is adorned with two ladybugs.  It is the same aqua green color, which was created from the Green underglaze sprayed with Clear.  The bugs are also glossy, so I sprayed them clear.  Here are the little ladybug faces, just after applying the Red and Black underglazes :

4) This little hydrangea leaf plate features a single ladybug, and a swirly foot (for someone who is scared of snakes).  When I waxed the little bug, I ended up dripping a bit of wax on the plate.  So instead of scraping it off, I dropped a few more spots, and I really like the effect, it looks like little spots where the leaf has been damaged by an insect or disease.  I will remember this for another time.  It is Tam's Green, and the ladybug was waxed before dipping, so it is a matte finish.  Very nice all around.

I also played with a few other slab built ceramic plates, decorated with stamps and snakes and such.

5) This little snake plate is wrapped in a snake on the top, as well as adorned with a tiny snake on the underside.  I love it so much, I could scream.  I really want to make more like this one.  It features some of my handmade stamps, in various patterns, enhanced by Deep Blue and Khaki glazes before being sprayed Clear.  And the snake as well as underside, I brushed in Green underglaze before spraying with Clear.  I really like the color combinations.  Both snakes' eyes are Yellow and Black underglaze, although the Yellow has pretty much faded out, even though it is a high fire underglaze.

6) This tiny bowl is adorned in red roses, but bears a little surprise underneath.  I love it too.  The little snake is so unexpected on this one.  It is Red underglaze, Deep Blue glaze, and sprayed Clear all over.  Beautiful vivid colors.

7) This little plate is decorated with my handmade stamps, the colors highlighted with Deep Blue and Khaki glazes (the Khaki was also brushed on the back and rim), and then the whole plate is sprayed Clear.  I have a feeling my sister Rose would like such a plate, so I'll check with her first before giving up this little beauty.

I still have more photos to post, but I'm running out of steam tonight, so I'll stop at the plates for now, and post the remaining photos another night.