Complimentary Color Glazes

Before the oil glazes.
She looks nice but I want her color to really intensify.

"When complimentary colors are in motion so that they weave in and out or across each other's paths upon the field of vision, then the contrasts between them are intensified far beyond what occurs when the colors are stationary."

~Walter Sargent
"The Enjoyment and Use of Color"

Adding complimentary colors to your canvas (flat or 3-d) is one of the simplest and most effective methods that can be used in order to make the colors appear richer and more vibrant.

Place the color (in this instance a purple because the horse has "orange" hues to it) in areas you wish to intensify. A glazing method is my preferred method of application because I like to have the base color show through the complimentary color. The glaze allows the base to show through slightly. I placed the lighter purple inside the "dapple" and the darker purple around the "dapple" to achieve more intensity. Glazing took several hours, but the effect is much more intense than what was originally presented.

Purple colors mixed on a white palette.

Light purple right in the dapple.

Adding a darker color around the dapple and
then slightly blending all together.

Purples were also added to the face to help
intensify the color and bring out details.

What transpired after a few hours of glazing.

Glazing Woes

Sake set in white and moss green

Since attending my church's fall outing I have had the Christmas fair on my mind. When it was suggested I participate in this seasonal event I thought of all the unfinished vessels that could lend themselves nicely to such an occasion once finished. I have so many vessels that remain unfired and unglazed because I really don't like glazing. I have a difficult time applying glaze. I find my color combinations to be lacking and overall I can't seem to quiet my mind when I am glazing.

Opps!

But the other day I sat down determined to make a bit of headway in the backlog of my ceramic ware. The scene was business as usual with me and glazes. Me, the table and floor covered in droplets of glaze. Ceramic ware with run off spots and lids that confused. How the heck was I going to glaze a lid and not have it stick to the kiln? I figured out that if I propped the lid on a kiln prop I could paint both sides. Of course, who knew that one lid would FALL halfway through the cone 06 firing and land on it's side? Certainly not me! Of course, it happened to the one lidded vessel I loved; the pink one I had hoped to push some sticks through the lid and really give it a Japanese look.

Lidded vessel

Of course the sake set came out nicely and although I froze when I got to applying glaze to the outside I decided that nothing says "orient" better than a black ink brush drawing so I've decided to china paint the outside of this set. In the end, given my glazing history, its the safest route. I can see beautiful trees on this already and once I have a few other projects near finish in the studio, I'll start this one.

So, I'm no closer to participating in the holiday festival, but I am learning some hard cold lessons in glazing and that will most definitely benefit later on down the road.

Glazed and Confused

Glaze everywhere!

It's been a week of glazing here. I have so many vessels that need color that I promised myself I wouldn't throw any more clay till I had glazed a good portion of the finished pieces. So, I seriously sat down and dug my heels into the art of glazing.

Glazing is most definetly a very difficult aspect of making pottery for me. I'm not only a clutz when it comes to hand application, I'm so sloppy with my pouring and dipping methods that I'm now rather confused as to what I should try next in order to get better results. I believe I will just have to face the fact that practice is the only answer and in practicing quite a few really nice vessels will be ruined. Of course, the ones that get ruined are always the important ones.

My RESS Sponsor Award 2008

This vase came out fairly well. I'll be honest, I'm not 100% happy with it because the glazing portion just didn't turn out as I had anticipated. This was not the color I was aiming for in the least! But, I guess you can say it has a very "earthy" and "pure potter" feel which is appealing in its own way.

Carefully now....careful!

Between all the glazing and finishing up of last commissions my studio is now in "disaster" mode. I really hate when it gets this way. See? Isn't it a mess?

Messy studio

We have company coming tomorrow and I'll need to clean up down there tonight. People always want to come down into the studio and look around so I have to be ready for it. But first, my attention will be spent on Alboronzo. I was fortunate enough to obtain another copy and have a color selected for this bad boy already. He is prepped and primed and now I just need some quiet time alone to work my color on him. He is going to be amazing!

Quick shot of the soon to be CMed Alboronzo

A Reprieve

Scarlett (n progress) coming along nicely

The heat wave finally broke giving us a reprieve and it is much more pleasant inside and out. My enthusiasm for work has returned and I'm excited to dive into some glazing work again. I have several pots and small ring holders that are awaiting my paw....errm, I mean,*cough* touch.

Naw, just kidding. I've been looking at so many pottery sites and am excited and more optomistic today about my glazing skills. I'm currently taking a small break from the Scarlett resin. She is coming along nicely (chestnut varnish appy), but I need to view her with fresh eyes so today she will have a vacation day.

The vessels that I recently finished are enjoying life carrying liquids, small flowers and even some fruit. Seeing such a bright red display of cherries here for the picking sorta makes one forget I missed a spot of glaze on that bowl. I'm really enjoying this bowl now.

Fruit looks better in hand thrown bowls

I can't end without mentioning that the breeze has been delightful today. Nothing goes better with a delightful breeze than bubbles. I'm not sure how I got this shot but alas, there it was when I downloaded. (All I did was run it through iPhoto, turn it a faded sepia and blur the edges.) I love that his fingertips look like they are taking control of the big bubble. Simple pleasures.

My bubble man