Reflecting on the development process in relation to context

I feel I am working efficiently so far in developing my project as I have been generating a number of lines of enquiry by experimenting with how I can translate my drawings onto ceramics by using two different types of mono printing techniques, sgraffito, inlay, resist and using stamps as a way of relief printing my images onto clay.

In these images below you can see one mono printing technique and also how I've been using stamps in my work.

I have also started experimenting with how I can join my slabs together so therefore I am on track to be able to start constructing some vessels. I have also been developing how I manage my creative process as when I’m in the ceramics workshop I always ensure that I am maximising my time by working on a few pieces at once so when I’m waiting for one thing to dry I can work on something else, therefore not wasting my time.

I have been testing out and practicing my mono printing technique on both ivory stoneware and red earthenware clay to see how the coloured slips I’ve been making differ on different types of clay and which ones I prefer. I have then used these test tiles to experiment with what adding glaze on top of the coloured slip looks like.

Here are some examples of mono printing on ivory stoneware and red earthenware clay.

I’ve also been using lino printing on paper to try and achieve the same kind of surface I get by mono printing onto ceramics in my drawings. I have then been using these lino printed images to construct models of vessels I am planning to make. This is so I can better understand the dimensions of the slabs I need to create to make up these vessels so my slabs will fit together effectively.

Here are some images of the models I've made.

I’ve also been testing out different ways of how I can join my slabs together. When I created some of my test tiles which used plaster stamps to transfer my image onto the ceramic surface the action of pressing the plaster stamps into the clay caused the originally straight edges of the slabs to warp and were raised in places. I really liked these uneven and warped edges of the slabs so I decided I wanted these to be accentuated when I constructed my vessels. Therefore I’ve been experimenting with using two relief printed slabs and two flat slabs to construct my vessels as this means that I can join the flat slabs onto the relief printed slabs, with the raised edges I liked so much, and therefore not having to cut off this edge to join the vessel together. I am going to use this method to make my final vessels. 

This image shows the two relief printed slabs on the left and the two flat slabs, which have a negative mono printed image on their surface, on the right.

These two images show how I've been starting to join my slabs together.

I have been using my drawings and the shapes of my abstracted stamps to inspire the shapes of the slabs that make up my vessels. However so far the experimental forms I’ve made by joining two slabs together have warped slightly once they’ve started to dry out after I stood them up. I’ve learnt from this that I must have joined these slabs together too early when they weren’t leather hard enough so in my next experiments I will ensure that I leave my slabs long enough to dry out so they don’t warp when I join them together.

In this image you can see how the slab on the left has warped slightly.

At my midpoint review Sharon and I talked about how I could improve the way my sketchbook works as before the midpoint review I was working in an A4 sketchbook which limited the size of my drawings. It also limited the amount of images and drawings I could see at one time so I was struggling to develop my designs fully as when I turned over the page in my sketchbook I found it hard to keep developing the drawings that had been on the page before. I am now working on A2 pieces of paper so I can have more drawings on one page and from now on I’m going to work in a much larger sketchbook. Sharon also asked me to start making card models of my vessels in order to help me to start thinking more three dimensionally about how my vessels will be constructed. She also asked me to consider the words dynamic, stability, groupings, top edge, dimensions, scale, detailing, construction and joining. So after my midpoint review I started to develop how I could join my slabs together as I have already previously talked about and also the idea of grouping really excited me. Therefore I am going to start to consider how the vessels I make interact together so maybe I could create a surreal skyline with my vessels. I am also going to consider the scale of my work and making sure I pay enough attention to detail.