Karen Sullivan on tue 6 feb 01
Sylvia,
I've seen a lot of variations with signing pots....
Look sometime at books on museum collections, some list
images of signatures from ceramics...both
contemporary artist signatures and historical pots.
Both work...signing and or stamps...I can tell the age of one
of my creations, based on the evolution of the signature...
early pots = crude, clumbsy signs.
A phase of stamps as a signature...
I now sign, when I remember, with a pencil, and
the mark looks like my legal signature, which I guess
I have spent my lifetime developing. I am used to writing
with a pencil, and it is my favorite tool for signing pots.
bamboo karen
Frank Gaydos on tue 6 feb 01
Sylvia,
One of my students uses a rubber stamp of an anchor. He was in the Navy so
it has meaning for him. Not a professional. He makes liturgical pieces, like
chalices, patton, etc. He first dips his thumb in white slip and makes a
white background for the anchor, which he has a stamp pad of cobalt oxide.
The result is a blue anchor on white slip under clear glaze.
Some potters use stamps that represent them. It may be repeated on their web
site, their 'card' their resume, etc.
Another more personal way for you is to practice on a slab of clay, no
pressure to perform. Try different implements like a pencil, or needle tool,
or wooden knife, etc.
----- Original Message ----- >
> Still, it doesn't look spontaneous and fluid, like so many of the
signatures I
> see. It gives the piece a slightly mass-produced feeling.
>
> Any hints?
>
> Sylvia Shirley
> Pittsburg, Kansas
>
>
> Sarah House wrote:
>
> > On a similar note, i am bothered to pick up a pot which is unsigned. Or
> > worse, unreadable. I like to pick up a pot and be able to tell excatly
who
> > made it. a mark or initial just doesn't get it for me. I think this is
in
> > part a potters thing, as these people are selling like crazy to the
buying
> > public, but how many repeat sales are they missing?
> > Sarah House
> > Little Switzerland, NC USA
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
>
Sheron Roberts on tue 6 feb 01
Sylvia,
I had the same problem when I first began signing pots. I was taught to =
use a pencil with worn down lead and to sign the pot while leather hard. =
Don't try to smooth out the little clay crumbs you will create. =
Instead wait until they are bone dry, then brush off. If the resulting =
edges are a bit sharp, lightly sand down with a Scotch Brite pad. =
That's what I use, I am sure there are many other ways to smooth the =
signature, but if you do this while it is still moist, you will ruin =
your signature. As far as a legible signature goes, it took lots of =
practice to get a nice flowing cursive signature. I had to force myself =
to work slowly and open up looped letters, like the S, e and o in my =
name. Now the signature on my signed pots look very much like my "John =
Hancock" on paper.
I will add, that over time I have found that small sharpened dowels, =
like orange sticks, and some pens work just as well as the pencil. Just =
depends on the shape of the nib. =20
Try practicing on a slab of clay.
Sheron in NC
(And just in case some one does not get the reference to John Hancock, =
his is the first one of the most recognizable signatures on the =
Declaration of Independence(a historical American document) So, to put =
your "John Hancock" on a paper is to sign it.)
Sorry about the history lesson, it probably wasn't necessary, but I =
can't help myself sometimes......:) I am a stickler for =
details......which is not necessarily a good thing....
Burns Christina on tue 6 feb 01
Try creating a stamp. I use to call my self an artist with an identity
crisis because I couldn't decide how to sign my name. I designed a series
of stamps and found the one that just says "who I am & that I am proud".
This might sound hoaky but give it a shot.
Letty
Bill and Sylvia Shirley on tue 6 feb 01
My signature is awful. It looks like a bratty third grader scratched her name on
the bottoms of all my pots. I hate to sign them because it looks so bad. My
question is: How do you develop a good signature for signing pots? One that's
readable yet artistic?
Maybe it's something you either have or you don't. I've tried signing faster, with
bigger sweeping motions, but it just looked stupid and illegible.
I gave up and bought a rubber stamp with my name. It's in a cursive-style font
which doesn't exactly look like my signature, but it's readable and not
embarrassing. Anyway, it makes a decent impression in the clay, but you have to
catch the pot at exactly the right moment or it's too dry or too wet. That'll take
some practice.
Still, it doesn't look spontaneous and fluid, like so many of the signatures I
see. It gives the piece a slightly mass-produced feeling.
Any hints?
Sylvia Shirley
Pittsburg, Kansas
Sarah House wrote:
> On a similar note, i am bothered to pick up a pot which is unsigned. Or
> worse, unreadable. I like to pick up a pot and be able to tell excatly who
> made it. a mark or initial just doesn't get it for me. I think this is in
> part a potters thing, as these people are selling like crazy to the buying
> public, but how many repeat sales are they missing?
> Sarah House
> Little Switzerland, NC USA
slest12+@PITT.EDU on wed 7 feb 01
bigger is better... i take up as much room as there is. maybe it's the
tool? i had similar trouble when trying to sign my name with something
sharp. i now use a chop stick sharpened just a bit in a pencil sharpener.
i sign leather hard pots just after trimming, the blunt tool raises just a
bit of a burr which i scrape off with my fingernail when the clay is dry
enough to crumble off instead of mushing back down into the signature. i
take some extra care during waxing to make sure my whole name is filled
with wax because it's a *really* big pain to try and scrub glaze out of
there. i've been thinking of making a stamp because it's faster...
susan erickson
--On Tuesday, February 06, 2001, 2:28 PM -0600 Bill and Sylvia Shirley
wrote:
> My signature is awful. It looks like a bratty third grader scratched her
> name on the bottoms of all my pots. I hate to sign them because it looks
> so bad. My question is: How do you develop a good signature for signing
> pots? One that's readable yet artistic?
>
> Maybe it's something you either have or you don't. I've tried signing
> faster, with bigger sweeping motions, but it just looked stupid and
> illegible.
>
Jeremy McLeod on wed 7 feb 01
I struggle with this "signature" as well. My signature (or initials) looks well
enough,
but I'm thinking of turning it into more of a graphic/logo and making a
chop/stamp with which to imprint my work.
Jeremy
Karen Sullivan on wed 7 feb 01
Susan...
I leave the glaze that gets into the signature, and then you have
glaze filling the cavity of your signature...and it looks great.
bamboo karen
> take some extra care during waxing to make sure my whole name is filled
> with wax because it's a *really* big pain to try and scrub glaze out of
> there. i've been thinking of making a stamp because it's faster...
>
> susan erickson
Paul Taylor on wed 7 feb 01
Dear Syilvia
I am a snob and a stickler for form, so I do not sign my domestic ware
but I stamp it with my pottery mark.
I also look at work that is signed with a signature with jaundiced eye
searching for justification of my negative preference. When I find it as I
always do - hand made pots showing all the secrets of the maker - I sleep
restfully, knowing that the world has every thing in it's place and I know
where to find it.
So if you want to impress me you are going to have to stamp your pots
so that only effete ceramic experts will be able to point to their
provenance by reading the runes in the potters stamp..
To give you a philosophical defense of my fundamentalist stand; a stamp
displays that the potter is not concerned with the approval. He is only
concerned with the function and esthetics of the pot.
But alas and alack, gone are those halsient days of heady conceit now I
realize that a stamp does not protect me from approval seeking.
Also the customers do like to worship with the cult of personality and
want to drop my name at the dinner table, especially as I plan to let
"Artimater" price my ware for me in future. I will be making expensive "coup
de rectum " pots .
-----------------------------
To tidy up the signature Sylvia and I could make a stamp. I have
described how to make one in the archive but since it may be difficult to
find I shall go through the process again.
Get a piece of casting plaster of working mold density and scratch your
signature, or anything for that matter, into it . I scratch all sorts of
stamp and sprig designs in plaster . If you are making a sprigs don't forget
to recess the shape and reverse the writing- stamps are simpler .
You scratch away and keep checking the look of things with a piece of
plastic clay. To get the sprig out I use another piece of plastic clay and
by dabing it on the sprig it pulls the sprig out with out damage.
For the stamp; you only have to do the writing on the stamp - take a clay
impression and then sculpt the clay to suit. If you can not manage your own
signature you could stylize it . As always keep it simple and carve quite
deep into the plaster - one tends to under do it.
So that's us both sorted. All we have to do now is tell gallery owners
that we are pushing out the barriers into new forms of expression, never
admit to using anything on the FDA's chemicals list and tell the gurus they
are the greatest thing since Hamada - but abouve all, don't get cynical.
Regards from Paul Taylor
http://www.anu.ie/westportpottery
There are two sides to an argument - ignorance and self interest.
> From: Bill and Sylvia Shirley
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 14:28:59 -0600
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Signatures on pots
>
> My signature is awful. It looks like a bratty third grader scratched her name
> on
> the bottoms of all my pots. I hate to sign them because it looks so bad. My
> question is: How do you develop a good signature for signing pots? One
> that's
> readable yet artistic?
>
> Maybe it's something you either have or you don't. I've tried signing faster,
> with
> bigger sweeping motions, but it just looked stupid and illegible.
>
> I gave up and bought a rubber stamp with my name. It's in a cursive-style font
> which doesn't exactly look like my signature, but it's readable and not
> embarrassing. Anyway, it makes a decent impression in the clay, but you have
> to
> catch the pot at exactly the right moment or it's too dry or too wet. That'll
> take
> some practice.
>
> Still, it doesn't look spontaneous and fluid, like so many of the signatures I
> see. It gives the piece a slightly mass-produced feeling.
>
> Any hints?
>
> Sylvia Shirley
> Pittsburg, Kansas
>
>
> Sarah House wrote:
>
>> On a similar note, i am bothered to pick up a pot which is unsigned. Or
>> worse, unreadable. I like to pick up a pot and be able to tell excatly who
>> made it. a mark or initial just doesn't get it for me. I think this is in
>> part a potters thing, as these people are selling like crazy to the buying
>> public, but how many repeat sales are they missing?
>> Sarah House
>> Little Switzerland, NC USA
>
Pamala Browne on thu 8 feb 01
After trying sharp clay tools and nothing looking decent, I tried a
pencil ------worked like a champ, signature looks just like how I write on
paper. This is on leather hard ,of course.Barely raises any clay. A pen
works too. Made me wonder why I hadn't thought of it before.
pamalab
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2001 6:58 AM
Subject: Re: Signatures on pots
> bigger is better... i take up as much room as there is. maybe it's the
> tool? i had similar trouble when trying to sign my name with something
> sharp. i now use a chop stick sharpened just a bit in a pencil sharpener.
> i sign leather hard pots just after trimming, the blunt tool raises just
a
> bit of a burr which i scrape off with my fingernail when the clay is dry
> enough to crumble off instead of mushing back down into the signature. i
> take some extra care during waxing to make sure my whole name is filled
> with wax because it's a *really* big pain to try and scrub glaze out of
> there. i've been thinking of making a stamp because it's faster...
>
> susan erickson
>
> --On Tuesday, February 06, 2001, 2:28 PM -0600 Bill and Sylvia Shirley
> wrote:
>
> > My signature is awful. It looks like a bratty third grader scratched
her
> > name on the bottoms of all my pots. I hate to sign them because it
looks
> > so bad. My question is: How do you develop a good signature for
signing
> > pots? One that's readable yet artistic?
> >
> > Maybe it's something you either have or you don't. I've tried signing
> > faster, with bigger sweeping motions, but it just looked stupid and
> > illegible.
> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Jean Cochran on thu 8 feb 01
Dear Fellow Clay Arters,
I have posted this before so, just hit the delete button if you're tired
of reading it.
When I turn a foot, I polish the foot ring. Then, using a wide flat
brush, paint on a solution of iron oxide mixed half and half with rutile
and water. Using a small stylus; on the top part of the resulting
circle, I draw my Fox Hollow logo and sign my name under it. On the
bottom part of the resulting circle, I place a number which indicates
the amount of clay I used to "throw" the piece. After bisqueing, I wax
my feet. This gives a really nice contrast between the oxide and the
clay, making anything I put on the pot very legible with a minimum of
effort when glazing.
Jean Wadsworth Cochran
Fox Hollow Pottery (in a real hollow in the woods of Kentucky where the
day is BEAUTIFUL, sunny and windy)
Snail Scott on fri 9 feb 01
At 01:25 PM 2/9/01 -0600, you wrote:
> I print.....use only my first name because unless you are a male
>>your last name is subject to change!......
>
>Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Please don't do that. Use your last name,
both names,
>a chop mark - but please, not just your first name.
>Dannon Rhudy
I certainly didn't change my name when I got
married. I do sign first-name-only fairly often,
both before and after my change in marital
condition. Mainly it's a function of the size
of the piece, and the 'seriousness' of the
piece. Small or casual stuff may only get
my first name. Somehow, though, I don't think
it's my last name that most people remember!
-Snail Scott
Andie Carpenter on fri 9 feb 01
I haven't yet seen anyone mention the tool I use - someone bought me a set of tools
as a gift, and it came with a wooden tool with orange rubber tips on either end,
like sharpened erasers. I use this to sign, and don't get any bumpiness or burrs.
Also, contrary to some posts, I use only my first name, and also, since I live in a
tourist area, my state and zip. Thus no concern about the name change, but it's
easily identifiable as mine.
: ) Andie
MD 21811
Dannon Rhudy wrote:
> I print.....use only my first name because unless you are a male
> >your last name is subject to change!......
Dai Scott on fri 9 feb 01
Hi, Dannon - I have to disagree with you about the female first-name-only
signature. I have used only my first name, which, like yours, is unusual,
ever since I started potting. My theory is that it is the only name that is
truly "mine". I grew up using my step-father's name, and in fact have had
three changes of surname since starting potting, none of which were my birth
surname. It would have been pretty ridiculous for me to continue to use a
husband's name on the bottom of my pots once I was divorced, in my opinion.
Certainly if I had a more common given name, I would have done something
other than just that name, but I've yet to run into another pot with "Dai"
on the bottom. And if I did, I doubt it would be written in the same script
that I use. Keeping my fingers crossed.....
Dai in Kelowna, BC
potterybydai@home.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dannon Rhudy"
To:
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 11:25 AM
Subject: Re: Signatures on pots
> I print.....use only my first name because unless you are a male
> >your last name is subject to change!......
>
> Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Please don't do that. There is some
> history of women signing any works they make with either a) their
> husband's/father's/brother's name, because women weren't expected
> to work/make art/pots/paintings, etc. or b) only their first name, never
> mind that there are a zillion named Mary/Alice/Rhonda/Elizabeth/Susie.
> That was then. This is now, and
> no one is going to know WHICH Mary etc. might have made the work,
> save in very rare circumstances. Use your last name, both names,
> a chop mark - but please, not just your first name. Unless you're under
> six years of age. If your name changes at some time, you can choose
> at that point to either change your signature or continue to use your
> professional name. A great many women choose to continue to use
> their professional name, and their public (if any) still recognizes them,
> no matter how their personal circumstance may change.
>
> Further, and before I get an avalanche of reminders, in MANY cultures
> women keep their own names whether or not they are married, divorced,
> widowed, or single.
>
> In the studio here, all students must use either their last name, whole
name
> or chop mark. Unsigned work is not fired.
>
> I believe that stirred me some.
>
> regards
>
> Dannon Rhudy
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
Rhonda Oldland on fri 9 feb 01
I sign my pots while they are leatherhard with a needle tool or old
fountain pen that used to hold ink cartridges. Then turn them upside down
to dry. I print.....use only my first name because unless you are a male
your last name is subject to change!
I do think that your bad writing could be a good thing. Rhonda S.C.
At 14:28 2/6/01 -0600, you wrote:
>My signature is awful. It looks like a bratty third grader scratched her
name on
>the bottoms of all my pots. I hate to sign them because it looks so bad. My
>question is: How do you develop a good signature for signing pots? One
that's
>readable yet artistic?
>
>Maybe it's something you either have or you don't. I've tried signing
faster, with
>bigger sweeping motions, but it just looked stupid and illegible.
>
>I gave up and bought a rubber stamp with my name. It's in a cursive-style
font
>which doesn't exactly look like my signature, but it's readable and not
>embarrassing. Anyway, it makes a decent impression in the clay, but you
have to
>catch the pot at exactly the right moment or it's too dry or too wet.
That'll take
>some practice.
>
>Still, it doesn't look spontaneous and fluid, like so many of the
signatures I
>see. It gives the piece a slightly mass-produced feeling.
>
>Any hints?
>
>Sylvia Shirley
>Pittsburg, Kansas
>
>
>Sarah House wrote:
>
>> On a similar note, i am bothered to pick up a pot which is unsigned. Or
>> worse, unreadable. I like to pick up a pot and be able to tell excatly who
>> made it. a mark or initial just doesn't get it for me. I think this is in
>> part a potters thing, as these people are selling like crazy to the buying
>> public, but how many repeat sales are they missing?
>> Sarah House
>> Little Switzerland, NC USA
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
Bonnie Staffel on fri 9 feb 01
Dear Clayarters,
One of my pet peeves is the unreadability of signatures on pots where they
are incised because there is no contrast. A friend of mine paints an iron
circle or wide brush mark on the bottom of the trimmed pot, and then signs
through the dark color. The signature shows up beautifully and you can read
the name. Just a suggestion.
Bonnie from Charlevoix where winter is hanging on with its tentacles of a
threatened ice storm.
Dannon Rhudy on fri 9 feb 01
I print.....use only my first name because unless you are a male
>your last name is subject to change!......
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Please don't do that. There is some
history of women signing any works they make with either a) their
husband's/father's/brother's name, because women weren't expected
to work/make art/pots/paintings, etc. or b) only their first name, never
mind that there are a zillion named Mary/Alice/Rhonda/Elizabeth/Susie.
That was then. This is now, and
no one is going to know WHICH Mary etc. might have made the work,
save in very rare circumstances. Use your last name, both names,
a chop mark - but please, not just your first name. Unless you're under
six years of age. If your name changes at some time, you can choose
at that point to either change your signature or continue to use your
professional name. A great many women choose to continue to use
their professional name, and their public (if any) still recognizes them,
no matter how their personal circumstance may change.
Further, and before I get an avalanche of reminders, in MANY cultures
women keep their own names whether or not they are married, divorced,
widowed, or single.
In the studio here, all students must use either their last name, whole name
or chop mark. Unsigned work is not fired.
I believe that stirred me some.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
Cindy Strnad on sat 10 feb 01
Dai,
Your take on names is thought-provoking. Strnad is the name I grew up with,
and now people will insist on calling me "Mrs. Strnad". Well, it's
not "Mrs.", and it's certainly not "Miss", either. And if I were to ever
marry again, I think I would still be "Ms" Strnad.
But why would Strnad be my name any more than Hill, which was my mother's
maiden name? I could be Cindy Hill deStrnad, maybe. Try writing that on a
pot! I think you and I and all the other "identity challenged" women should
make up our own surnames, don't you? I don't want "Potter"--that one belongs
to Harry now. I'll let you all know what I decide on.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com
Marcia Selsor on sun 11 feb 01
calm down Dannon!
I kept my own name because by the time I married (this time) I already
had professional recognition. Also many people are combining the two
last names of the couples into one. Koistra-Manning or Vetel-Becker
I just sign my last name. Selsor
Marcia in Montana
Dannon Rhudy wrote:
>
> I print.....use only my first name because unless you are a male
> >your last name is subject to change!......
>
> Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Please don't do that. There is some
> history of women signing any works they make with either a) their
> husband's/father's/brother's name, because women weren't expected
> to work/make art/pots/paintings, etc. or b) only their first name, never
> mind that there are a zillion named Mary/Alice/Rhonda/Elizabeth/Susie.
> That was then. This is now, and
> no one is going to know WHICH Mary etc. might have made the work,
> save in very rare circumstances. Use your last name, both names,
> a chop mark - but please, not just your first name. Unless you're under
> six years of age. If your name changes at some time, you can choose
> at that point to either change your signature or continue to use your
> professional name. A great many women choose to continue to use
> their professional name, and their public (if any) still recognizes them,
> no matter how their personal circumstance may change.
>
> Further, and before I get an avalanche of reminders, in MANY cultures
> women keep their own names whether or not they are married, divorced,
> widowed, or single.
>
> In the studio here, all students must use either their last name, whole name
> or chop mark. Unsigned work is not fired.
>
> I believe that stirred me some.
>
> regards
>
> Dannon Rhudy
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/Tuscany2001.html
Alps of Culross Studios on wed 14 feb 01
> > Andi in rainy San Diego (who has been given the green light to start
> > playing with clay again after completing chemo -- yippeeeeee).
Just to let you know it has been 15 years since I completed chemo
I love to let people know that one can have a long and healthy life despite
the big "C"
Aley
Andi Bauer on wed 14 feb 01
I started out by signing mine "Andi", but then just naturally started
signing ABauer, with the crossbar of the A connected to the B (if that
makes sense). I then put the month/year below the bottom of the A. I
kinda like the way it looks after experimenting with lots of different ways.
Andi in rainy San Diego (who has been given the green light to start
playing with clay again after completing chemo -- yippeeeeee).
miriam on wed 14 feb 01
Andi-
Congrats on completing chemo! Happy clay to you! Mimi in NJ
Andi Bauer wrote:
>
> I started out by signing mine "Andi", but then just naturally started
> signing ABauer, with the crossbar of the A connected to the B (if that
> makes sense). I then put the month/year below the bottom of the A. I
> kinda like the way it looks after experimenting with lots of different ways.
>
> Andi in rainy San Diego (who has been given the green light to start
> playing with clay again after completing chemo -- yippeeeeee).
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
| |
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