Stephani Stephenson on wed 12 feb 03
I have wonderful small book called "The Clay Modelling Handbook:
Learning from the Masters"
by Mario Molteni. Printed in 1992 by Clarkson N. Potter , inc., NYC, and
originally published in Milan, Italy.
there are some lovely photos and a clear easy description of mostly
modelling techniques.
What intrigues me is his description of a terra cotta coloring and
'glazing' technique which I have never heard of or read about anywhere
else. (used on sculptural pieces primarily)
He starts with fired terra cotta, dusty red and still absorbent, as
much fired Terra Cotta is.
First he describes how to lay in a 'ground' coat , almost like gesso is
used as a 'ground' for a painting. This is to prevent the terra cotta
from absorbing successive color coats too quickly . It serves to seal
the clay.
The 'ground/sealant coat he uses is whole milk. which is applied evenly
by brush to the Terra cotta in 2-4 or more successive coats
(whole milk contains casein , which will act a sealant in the Terra
Cotta)
The surfaces in the photo do seem to turn white with the milk coats.
He then uses ready made tempera paints or possible gouache
if powdered pigments are used he recommends adding a fixative, such as
diluted Elmer's Glue or white glue .
also shellac and denatured alcohol mixture can be used as a fixative for
the pigments though this needs a few days to set before applying. Color
is applied in washes, letting surfaces dry in between coats.
Once all tones are as you want them, let dry 2 hours, then sponge on a
final coat of either the glue/water fixative or the shellac /alcohol
fixative.
here's the interesting part. Molteni suggests letting the work dry for
2 days, then sprinkling the surface of the piece with alcohol
and setting it alight with a match. (of course caution, caution
,caution)
The alcohol burns with a low blue flame until it is consumed.
Supposedly this 'sets' the color
finally the piece is waxed, with floor wax or beeswax containing
furniture polish.
Apply wax with a brush, then with a woolen cloth, rub it till you get
the shine you want
The photos are lovely and I love the simplicity of the materials.
I tried this once years ago, but haven't pursued it much though it is
interesting me again.
Any one else heard of it or tried it?
Stephani Stephenson
Carlsbad CA
steph@alchemiestudio.com
In San Diego where we've had 2-3 inches of water last day or so, and
another 24 hours of it to come, they say. All up from the south. By
the way the Town and Country is now on the waterfront ,Tijuana is
adjacent to the gaslamp district., and the trolleys have been replaced
by sloops and gondolas......JUST KIDDING!
NCECA restaurants , info and CLAYART faves
Also links up to the NCECA events and exhibits webpage.
http://www.alchemiestudio.com/sandiegoclayartfaves.htm
Online version of the San Diego Historic Tile and Architectural
Ceramics, Self Guided Tour: http://www.alchemiestudio.com/nceca.htm
Elca Branman on thu 13 feb 03
The magic of Clayart!!!
I just finished a series of terra cottas, 11 figures and was about to
face up to finding a way to make them look like those early italian ones
and bam, your message appeared...Thank you, thank you
On Wed, 12 Feb 2003 20:28:26 -0800 Stephani Stephenson
writes:
> I have wonderful small book called "The Clay Modelling Handbook:
> Learning from the Masters"
> by Mario Molteni. Printed in 1992 by Clarkson N. Potter , inc., NYC,
> and
> originally published in Milan, Italy.
> there are some lovely photos and a clear easy description of mostly
> modelling techniques.
>
>
>
Elca Branman,in Sarasota Florida
elcab1@juno.com
http://www.elcabranman.com
________________________________________________________________
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Sharon Armann on thu 13 feb 03
Stephani,
I have used skim milk to fix a clay/sand mixture on some of the adobe =
walls in my house. I made a finely sieved powder (like face powder) =
from the local soil from which we made the adobes and mixed it with =
water to the consistency of heavy cream or maybe a little thinner and =
used my hand to apply it to the adobe bricks. After it dried, I =
sprayed skim milk on to "fix it" to the adobe. I used skim rather than =
whole milk because I had read somewhere that the fat in whole milk could =
attract insects. The skim milk walls have been standing since 1987 and =
the skim milk seems to have worked as the clay/sand coating has stayed =
in place, and doesn't rub or wash off. Plus no insects except for a =
wandering scorpion now and then but nothing stops them.
Also on other adobe walls in our house which have a 3-coat white plaster =
job, I used a paste bees wax applied with a rag and then buffed with a =
hand buffer machine. The wax turned the white plaster a pearly gray and =
makes it look like leather. But never tried the wax over the unplastered =
walls that have the clay/sand/milk coating.
Probably a good thing I hadn't heard about pouring alcohol on it all and =
lighting it -- sounds like fun. I would be interested to hear your =
results if you try it on a terra cotta piece.
Sharon Armann
Phoenix
Russel Fouts on fri 14 feb 03
Stephni,
Susan Peterson describes something similar in one of the appendices of
"The Art of Clay", minus the milk pretreatment.
Russel
-----------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 20:28:26 -0800
From: Stephani Stephenson <>
Subject: Terra cotta finishes: tempera and milk
I have wonderful small book called "The Clay Modelling Handbook:
Learning from the Masters"
by Mario Molteni. Printed in 1992 by Clarkson N. Potter , inc., NYC, and
originally published in Milan, Italy.
there are some lovely photos and a clear easy description of mostly
modelling techniques.
What intrigues me is his description of a terra cotta coloring and
'glazing' technique which I have never heard of or read about anywhere
else. (used on sculptural pieces primarily)
He starts with fired terra cotta, dusty red and still absorbent, as
much fired Terra Cotta is.
First he describes how to lay in a 'ground' coat , almost like gesso is
used as a 'ground' for a painting. This is to prevent the terra cotta
from absorbing successive color coats too quickly . It serves to seal
the clay.
The 'ground/sealant coat he uses is whole milk. which is applied evenly
by brush to the Terra cotta in 2-4 or more successive coats
(whole milk contains casein , which will act a sealant in the Terra
Cotta)
The surfaces in the photo do seem to turn white with the milk coats.
He then uses ready made tempera paints or possible gouache
if powdered pigments are used he recommends adding a fixative, such as
diluted Elmer's Glue or white glue .
also shellac and denatured alcohol mixture can be used as a fixative for
the pigments though this needs a few days to set before applying. Color
is applied in washes, letting surfaces dry in between coats.
Once all tones are as you want them, let dry 2 hours, then sponge on a
final coat of either the glue/water fixative or the shellac /alcohol
fixative.
here's the interesting part. Molteni suggests letting the work dry for
2 days, then sprinkling the surface of the piece with alcohol
and setting it alight with a match. (of course caution, caution
,caution)
The alcohol burns with a low blue flame until it is consumed.
Supposedly this 'sets' the color
finally the piece is waxed, with floor wax or beeswax containing
furniture polish.
Apply wax with a brush, then with a woolen cloth, rub it till you get
the shine you want
The photos are lovely and I love the simplicity of the materials.
I tried this once years ago, but haven't pursued it much though it is
interesting me again.
Any one else heard of it or tried it?
Stephani Stephenson
Carlsbad CA
steph@alchemiestudio.com
In San Diego where we've had 2-3 inches of water last day or so, and
another 24 hours of it to come, they say. All up from the south. By
the way the Town and Country is now on the waterfront ,Tijuana is
adjacent to the gaslamp district., and the trolleys have been replaced
by sloops and gondolas......JUST KIDDING!
NCECA restaurants , info and CLAYART faves
Also links up to the NCECA events and exhibits webpage.
http://www.alchemiestudio.com/sandiegoclayartfaves.htm
Online version of the San Diego Historic Tile and Architectural
Ceramics, Self Guided Tour: http://www.alchemiestudio.com/nceca.htm
-----------------------------
--
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75
Http://www.mypots.com
Home of "The Potters Portal"
Over 1800 Pottery Links!
Updated frequently
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Eric Suchman on sat 15 feb 03
Hey all,
I would add my two cents here by suggesting the use of egg tempera to
colour the clayform. Sealing it first with either the milk (casein) or
rabbitskin glue, then true gesso (rabbitskin glue and chalk{whiting}), then
the egg tempera, after it has cured it can then be varnished. I'd be
willing to bet there were quite a few pieces from antiquity that were done
similar to this. Egg tempera medium can be mixed with watercolours by the
way.
Eric in Oceanside
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