Tig Dupre on fri 3 dec 04
Dear Mudbuds,
I get many of the credit card applications which include a plastic card with my studio
name on them. They make great disposable smooth and textured ribs. I also have a
fair collection of old earrings and large buttons I get at "thrift" shops, to use for
stamps and texturing. Same with old crochet, lace, textured wallpaper, and cloth.
I keep several plastic painting pans, and paint rollers of varying sizes and
textures. Use them for coating kiln shelves with wash, rolling slip or glaze onto
pieces, or texturing clay with thick slip.
Every time I change the wiper blades on my car, I save the reinforcement metal strips
to make tools from. Have several roadkill tails drying. A few old couch cushions for
sponge material that gets made into throwing sponges, cleaning sponges, and stamping
sponges.
But, the strangest thing in my studio I think, is the 24" diameter plastic globe off a
street lamp that was knocked over by a drunk driver. The globe bounced off the street
and into my yard and rolled behind a bush, from where I retrieved it a day later. I
use it for making large bowl forms, platters, bottles, all sorts of things. Plus, it
excites conversation...
My co-workers at the office will bring me popsicle sticks, pieces of broken gears and
glass, old credit cards, stones with neat texture to them, and a worried look that I
might be going around the deep end. I bring them a mug with their texture or tool
marks in it, and they don't worry quite so much.
I do not think any two of us touch clay in the same way. Our tools and personal
processes reflect our individuality. And that, my friends is what makes us such a
lively, interesting group!
Best regards,
Tig Dupre
in Port Orchard, Washington, USA
William Sheppard on sat 4 dec 04
Clifton Wood's flexable curve he uses for judging the curve of a
handle BEFORE he actually starts to shape it in clay is a great "wierd
tool" for clay work. Thanks Clifton, I have been drawing curves on thin
cardboard and cutting out handle designs trying to get the right look.
Takes forever.
I have a tool that is made of a set of adjustable short lengths of wires
clamped togeather that was sold to copy the curved outline design of wooden
moldings. Is that the same thing as your flexable curve tool?
I am seeing more of my wood working tools crossing over into my
ceramic tool box. First the rubber hammer and now the french curve thingy.
William A. Sheppard
http://www.patyoungceramicarts.com
William Sheppard on sat 4 dec 04
Remember Logan started this thread, the answers may really be silly.
I hand model Holly Leaf candle holders, sharp leaf points and all.
I make and seperately glaze small red holly berries that I place in
between the holly leaves of the candle holder base. To keep the holly
berries from rolling around in the glaze firing I have previously made
small indentations into the base while the clay leaves are still damp and
soft.
To make these indentions I use a very old, red PLASTIC SWIZZLE STICK
with a Santa Clause climbing down a chimney on the top end and a small
round knob on the stiring end. I use the small round knob end to made the
needed indentions, OF COURSE. Hey got to keep this process all in the
correct holliday tradition, right.
A Halloween swizzle stick would not work even though it also has a
round knob on its end.
I just had an opportunity to give a guided tour of St. Petersburg,
Florida's growing Art Culture to a visiting friend. Heck, I was amazed
myself how fast it is growing. We even got to visit the St. Petersburg
Clay Company.
William A. Sheppard V.
http://www.patyoungceramicarts.com
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sat 4 dec 04
Hi William,
The arrange of paralell same-length ('Piano') wires, set in
a holder...I allways knew as a "Profile Comb."
.
Which is used,
usually, for recreating some situation where you are going
to have to cut something to fit something else in certain
circumstances, or, to match roughly, some profile or
silohuette which one is working on to match another, subject
to more refined means as one proceeds.
Having to cut things, such as in running Wainescoteing where
there are
pipes comeing out of a Wall, or kerf-fitting or Copeing a
Base or Crown moulding into
an existing ( or sometimes differing ) one in a corner,
without them getting to be
mitered. The profile Comb may be used to make a rough
traceing, which is then refined by fitting and scribeing
once one's piece is cut close to fitting, to refine the fit
one is after impirically.
Catalouges show them associated with mouldings, but in
practice they are often used for other things also, if they
are anymore
used at all...
Phil
el ve
----- Original Message -----
From: "William Sheppard"
> Clifton Wood's flexable curve he uses for judging the
curve of a
> handle BEFORE he actually starts to shape it in clay is a
great "wierd
> tool" for clay work. Thanks Clifton, I have been drawing
curves on thin
> cardboard and cutting out handle designs trying to get the
right look.
> Takes forever.
>
> I have a tool that is made of a set of adjustable short
lengths of wires
> clamped togeather that was sold to copy the curved outline
design of wooden
> moldings. Is that the same thing as your flexable curve
tool?
>
> I am seeing more of my wood working tools crossing
over into my
> ceramic tool box. First the rubber hammer and now the
french curve thingy.
>
>
> William A. Sheppard
bonnie staffel on sat 4 dec 04
Referring to the large street plastic globes, they are or were made near
Charlevoix. I met an employee a few years ago and he gave me one which I
had cut in half. Used it as a press mold to make some large ball sculptural
pieces using a fine cloth for a separator. One thing I also learned with
ball forms, is that you can rotate the clay work as you progress making it
almost a closed form as long as you can get your hand or finger inside. I
would also make a matching forms in each press mold and slip them together
when they became firm. I know of a sculptor who uses the orange marking
cones from roadways to make interesting shapes. Basic shapes like this open
up a world of creativity on the part of the artist, additions can be added,
holes left in areas, textures can be added to the small slabs before they
are pressed into place.
Happy potting.
Bonnie Staffel of Charlevoix
http://webpages,charter.net/bstaffel
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
Potters Council Charter member
Mark Strayer on sun 5 dec 04
I have several pieces of rough sawn cedar planks that I use to press a wo=
od
texture into some of my hand built pieces.
-M
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