Channel Title: Ceramic Review Channel Description: Ceramic Review is the magazine for contemporary ceramic art and craft, and is read worldwide. Combining both practical and theoretical features, while presenting the latest news and views on ceramics internationally, it is an invaluable resource for ceramic artists, potters, collectors, curators, students, and anyone with a passion for and interest in ceramics. Discover more and subscribe at ceramicreview.com Header image: detail of crystalline glaze by Matt Horne, who shares his clay recipe in the Nov/Dec 2018 issue of Ceramic Review (CR issue 294). Photo courtesy the artist. <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: John Pollex Description: John Pollex takes us step-by-step through the processes and techniques he uses to make and decorate his painterly pieces. 1. I use white earthenware clay for my work, making mostly plates, slab pots and teabowls that I throw and handbuild. My large plates measure 30cm after firing. When the clay arrives it is usually too soft, requiring me to leave some out to stiffen before I start making. 2. When the thrown pieces become leatherhard and I have trimmed the bases, I brush three layers of black slip on them. The reason for this is that during firing some of the colours can slightly burn out if not applied thick enough. A black background provides the base with more substance than a white one. 3. I weigh out 25g of body stain/underglaze colour before adding it to 10g of water in a 450g yogurt pot. Once the stain has dissolved, a creamy white slip is then added to make the base slip ready for painting. The consistency of the white slip should just slowly run off a spoon. 4. Plotting out an image is usually done in white slip with a brush or sponge. This is purely improvised at the beginning and continues throughout the work. At this stage, one of the things I like to do is add ambiguous pot and body shapes. 5. I construct my palette of base slips from the following colours: two blue, two green, purple, pink, white and yellow, with a neat orange made from yellow and red stains. Alongside these, I add small amounts of body stain with a brush, which gives a good tonal range of each colour during the work. 6. The colours are arranged with their corresponding neat stains in small jars alongside them. I then stir all the slips, getting them to the correct consistency before starting. The thickness of the slip is similar to yogurt and just about runs off a spoon. 7. I use a variety of brushes mostly obtained from a builder’s merchant. I cut back the bristles so the slip can be picked up easily from the palette. Brushwork often leaves interesting marks and shapes on top of already established areas with improvising being a continuous activity throughout the work. 8. I cut the sponges to various shapes and sizes using an electric bread knife. I am very particular about which edge of the sponge I use to apply a colour. I sponge the base colours on first before adding more with a selection of mixed tones from the same colour. 9. This display cabinet stands behind where I usually paint my pots. I often refer to it before I start, looking to see what finished colours to use before beginning to paint. It shows most of the range of pots I supply to galleries. 10. Once a pot has had its colours added, it is ready for a thick spatula application of white slip to be applied on top. This will almost certainly obliterate the original marks and design underneath. 11. To make the thick white slip, an amount of clay about the size of an orange is taken straight from the bag. I soften it up by spraying water on it and mixing it with a fork until it comes to the right consistency for applying with a spatula. 12. I usually work with a spotlight on either side of me to provide a clear view of the colours. This set up shows the layout of palettes alongside a bucket of water for washing out brushes and sponges. This is essential as brushes and sponges need constant cleaning. 13. All the spatula work is done on a turntable; this makes it easier to see the image from different directions during the placing of the thick white slip. I use an indoor plant spray to stop the work from drying too quickly under the heat of the spotlights. 14. At this stage, most of the thick white slip has been added, covering the original colours but leaving just enough colour underneath for later. I already have an idea by this point of how the neat colours will look when I add them next. 15. Most of the plate is now covered with slip from the spatula and is beginning to show a slightly raised surface. Deciding the direction to apply the spatula work is spontaneous as the whole image is still in progress and becoming more painterly. 16. I now begin to move to the final process of adding the neat coloured stains to the surface of the piece. This is when I can get an idea of how the finished item will look. I always work on more than one pot a time, giving my eyes a rest from each image in between. 17. After some time considering the results of the various stages, I now slowly decide if the work is finished. All the neat colours have been added using sponges and spatulas. The piece is then allowed to dry slowly before a bisque firing. 18. A finished pot showing the colour palette and surface textures achieved by using the sponge and spatula technique of applying different coloured slips. Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Print + Digital One Year, £48 & Digital for £20.99 - https://bit.ly/3sLComl Videography Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Jeremy Steward Description: Potter Jeremy Steward shares the techniques and processes he uses to create his wheel-thrown teapots Subscribe to Print + Digital One Year, £48 or Digital for £20.99 - bit.ly/3gKbh5j Videography: Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Roger Cockram Description: The potter takes us through the processes and techniques he uses to throw, alter and glaze his coastal-inspired pieces. Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Print + Digital One Year, £48 & Digital for £20.99 - https://bit.ly/3sLComl Videography Layton Thompson Roger's Step-by-step guide: 1. I throw my forms on a potter’s wheel in the usual way. The porcelain recipes I use are sometimes ones I make myself, consisting of china clay, FFF feldspar, quartz and white bentonite, and sometimes the Audrey Blackman recipe, which I believe is familiar to many. 2. For this small teabowl form, I start with a slightly concave shape. This will be balanced when I introduce a spiral to the form, applied from the inside outwards. 3. While the form is fresh on the wheel, I use this simple curved tool, made from a length of copper tubing, to produce a spiral up from near the base. 4. One of the characteristics of natural water is its movement, the spiralling that occurs from strong currents or the wind. Adding a spiral to a piece is one of the ways that I can capture this feeling of movement in the finished form. 5. A small amount of turning follows and a foot is thrown on. I like to do it this way because it gives me flexibility for the width or height of the foot I choose. This taller pot shows the spiral more clearly. 6. The same technique can be applied in other forms. I have thrown this simple bowl and used a straight profile so that the rhythm of the spiral can be seen more clearly. 7. In this case, I use the edge of a ruler to create the spiral. I need the wheel at the right speed in order to raise the ruler up the form at the right speed to create the shape I am aiming for. I have to press outward just enough. You must ‘go for it’... it’s a practice game. 8. A small amount of clay is left at the base, for turning away when the clay is firm. 9. Some simple turning cleans up the base of the pot, a foot is thrown on and my stamps are applied. I like to use the stamps impressed into tiny balls of clay. This seems to make the piece more personal and it doesn’t press into the form of the pot. 10. The finished form – damp and firm is ready for glazing inside. This is done when the clay is about the stage one might add slip to the inside. 11. In order to once-fire the work, the glazes have white ball clay in the recipe and no china clay. My base glaze is a pale blue-green celadon colour. To get this, I reduce the kiln quite strongly up to Orton Cone 10/11. 12. I simply fill the form and then pour the glaze out. The glaze might need to be slightly thicker for a bisque pot, but not much. I worked in stoneware clay for 10 years after college and learnt these techniques then. They seem to work in porcelain with little modification. 13. The work needs to be bone dry before carefully dipping the outside of the form. I have also used pouring for the outside, or even on occasions simply brushed the glaze on in a couple of coats. 14. Another technique that comes out of observing the sea, is to sometimes make a bowl an oval shape. This works best for large forms and is best achieved in the few minutes after I have glazed the inside of a round bowl form. 15. As the water from the glaze gently soaks outwards into the clay body, it softens just sufficiently for me to gradually encourage the form to change shape and persuade it into an oval. I have about 5 to 10 minutes to achieve this. 16. The idea is that on the finished piece a view across the form shows the undulating rim inspired by the swell of the sea. 17. After the base glaze, I apply other glazes, added in layers with mop brushes. I choose to apply them in a way that reflects a sense of depth, the colours and the sense of movement that I observe in the sea. 18. The glazes I brush on as first for the lower layers are designed to move the glazes that go on last. Through the fluxes and different melting points and interaction of the glazes, I seek to give a sense of depth in the surface and the varying colours of the mix. 19. The glazes are carefully chosen to give these varying effects and the possibilities seem endless. Sometimes the shallow water near the shore shows the red seaweed covered by a white foam at the surface. Sometimes the deeper water offshore on a sunny day suggests a rich mottled blue. </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Florian Gadsby Description: Ceramicist and Instagram star Florian Gadsby takes us step-by-step through the processes and techniques he uses to make a collection of angular vessels. Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Subscribe today and keep updated with the best in ceramics. Print + Digital One Year for only £48! Digital Only for £20.99! To subscribe, head to https://bit.ly/3sLComl </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Lorna Fraser Description: Ceramic artist Lorna Fraser shares the processes and techniques she uses to create one of her intricate handmade flower heads. Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Subscribe today and keep updated with the best in ceramics. Print + Digital One Year for only £48! Digital Only for £20.99! To subscribe, head to https://bit.ly/3sLComl </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Iku Nishikawa Description: Are you interested in learning how to mend broken ceramics? Our Masterclass for Issue 321 features the Japanese potter Iku Nishikawa. She shares the processes she uses for repairing broken ceramics using yobitsugi, incorporating the techniques of easy kintsugi (kan-i kintsugi). Here are the steps Iku follows to mend a broken ceramic piece: 1. Sand any sharp parts of the broken edges of your chosen item with fine sandpaper. Sand all the edges evenly, otherwise it will be noticeable later into the repair. 2. Mix the epoxy glue following the manufacturer’s instructions of the particular variety of glue you are using. 3. Apply a thin layer of glue on the exposed broken sections using a wooden spatula. 4. Then stick the pieces together. When you find the position where the pieces align and fit, squeeze out any excess glue by pushing gently and hold until the glue has set. Do not remove the excess glue just yet. 5. Once the glue has set, mark out the shape of any missing areas onto a piece of glass. I am using stained glass in this process but you can use ceramic, sea glass, wood, etc. 6. Cut out the piece of stained glass using a tile nipper. 7. Mix the epoxy glue again and apply it to the exposed edges of the piece of stained glass. Place the piece into the gap and hold firmly until it is stuck. 8. Once the piece of stained glass has stuck and the glue has hardened, you can now remove the excess glue with a sharp knife. Gently scrape off all the glue that is visible on the surface, then dig the knife into the grooves of the joins to remove any excess. 9. Clean the surface with alcohol such as acetone, but be careful not to use in excess as it can weaken the glue. 10. Mix the epoxy putty thoroughly following the manufacturer’s instructions. 11. Using a wooden spatula, fill the gaps in between all the joins with the epoxy putty then smooth the surface. I use water to help with this process, but do not use water excessively as it can stop the putty from hardening. 12. Clean off any excess putty. 13. When the putty has set, sand the surface until it is smooth and retouch with extra putty if necessary. 14. Prepare your base urushi. If it is too thick, mix it with turpentine using a spatula. The thickness of the urushi depends on how comfortable you are with the material, but it is easier to handle when it is thin. I am using black urushi as a base so you can see the contrast when I apply the second layer. Bengala (dark red) urushi can also be used for the base layer as they are the same, the only difference is the type of pigments used in the mix. 15. Using a fine brush, fill the grooves and seal the putty with the urushi. If you want a smoother surface, repeat the application at least three times, leaving 24 hours between each application. 16. Place the item in a humid box and leave it to set for about 24 hours. To create a humid box (muro) you also need to include a cup of water. Urushi needs about 80–85% humidity at 25°C to set, but this also depends on the condition of the urushi you are using. 17. After the base layer has set, prepare the bengala urushi in the same way as the black version earlier. 18. Paint over the black urushi with the final bengala layer. To enhance the colour of the metal powders used later, I usually use bengala urushi under gold and brass powder, and black urushi under silver. 19. Place the item in the humid box again for 15 to 30 minutes if you are using brass, or 30 to 60 minutes for silver and gold. The exact timings depend on the thickness of the urushi you are using and the conditions in the humid box. A test piece is recommended for precious metal powders. When the surface of the urushi is half set, you are ready to apply the metal powder. 20. Open the metal powder package and place a paper weight on the wrapping. Using a soft dusting brush, called a ke-bou, gather a small amount of powder on the brush, then sprinkle it over the urushi joins by gently tapping the brush. Please do not touch the urushi at this point. If you apply the metal powder too early, it will sink into the urushi, if it is too late, it will not stick well. There is no way to check these timings, you know when the time is right through experience. Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Subscribe today and keep updated with the best in ceramics. Print + Digital One Year for only £48! Digital Only for £20.99! To subscribe, head to https://bit.ly/3sLComl Videography by Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Ant & Di Edmonds Description: Ant Edmonds shares the processes and techniques he and his wife Di use to create their Pueblo Indian-inspired pots for issue 327 of Ceramic Review Subscribe to Print + Digital One Year, £48 or Digital for £20.99 - bit.ly/3gKbh5j Videography: Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Tom Knowles Jackson Description: The potter Tom Knowles Jackson takes us through the processes and techniques he uses to make a scalloped and faceted dish for issue 325 of Ceramic Review Subscribe to Print + Digital One Year, £48 or Digital for £20.99 - bit.ly/3gKbh5j Videography: Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Gilles Le Corre Description: The potter Gilles Le Core takes us through the processes and techniques he uses to make a faceted bowl and sgraffito-drawn platter for issue 326 of Ceramic Review Subscribe to Print + Digital One Year, £48 or Digital for £20.99 - bit.ly/3gKbh5j Videography: Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: John Dawson Description: John Dawson takes us through the techniques and processes he uses to make an agate ware bottle in three pieces. Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Subscribe today and keep updated with the best in ceramics. Print + Digital One Year for only £48! Digital Only for £20.99! To subscribe, head to https://bit.ly/3sLComl </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Petra Steward Description: Petra Steward takes us step-by-step through the techniques and processes she uses to slab-build and decorate a butter dish with lid </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Martin Pearce Description: Martin Pearce shares the techniques and processes he uses to hand-build organic forms. Videography by Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Georgie Gardiner Description: Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Print + Digital One Year, £48 & Digital for £20.99 - https://bit.ly/3sLComl The ceramicist demonstrates how she throws a bellied form and decorates one of her Daisy vessels using paper resist. Videography: Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Patia Davis Description: Patia Davis takes us through the processes and techniques she uses to wheel throw and slip decorate one of her screw-threaded jars in CR 328. Subscribe to Print + Digital One Year, £48 or Digital for £20.99 - bit.ly/3gKbh5j Videography: Layton Thompson </video> <video> Ceramic Review Masterclass: Tricia Thom Description: Ceramicist Tricia Thom takes us through the processes and techniques she uses to create one of her wheel-thrown porcelain moon jars, which she makes in two halves and joins. Ceramic Review has been the international magazine for ceramics, ceramic art and pottery since 1970. Subscribe today and keep updated with the best in ceramics. Print + Digital One Year for only £48! Digital Only for £20.99! To subscribe, head to https://bit.ly/3sLComl </video>

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Ceramic Review is the magazine for contemporary ceramic art and craft, and is read worldwide. Combining both practical and theoretical features, while presenting the latest news and views on ceramics internationally, it is an invaluable resource for ceramic artists, potters, collectors, curators, students, and anyone with a passion for and interest in ceramics.

Discover more and subscribe at ceramicreview.com


Header image: detail of crystalline glaze by Matt Horne, who shares his clay recipe in the Nov/Dec 2018 issue of Ceramic Review (CR issue 294). Photo courtesy the artist.

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