thanks for the kind words - i sent you some JPG's of the tools i use. aside
from the "found" tools i use SolidWorks design software to make the other
unusual tools. helical gears are fun to use - but SO expensive!

the japanese lanter was made using alot of little clay bricks. it's an amusing
process and i've used it to make the lantern, bird baths, planters, etc. i
started the technique after i got board making a coil pot in a pottery class.
i made a log cabin instead. after a few log cabins i decided to squash the
logs and cut them to make a stone brick house instead. after seeing the result
that was coming from the process i just made whatever struck me at the time
using the brick layer method.

my step kid is a grown man - mostly good at drawing but dabbles in clay
sometimes. it sure hurts to see someone take to clay so easily, do so well at
it like he does, yet he doesn't want to do any clay work or work at it much at
all.

i've yet to try the silicate method mentioned, as well as "dusting" of a pot
like i've also heard. i hear if you 'dust" a pot with dry clay powder &
stretch the pot out you'll also get a crack apearance from the dust stretching
out and fresh clay below getting exposed.

it's on my list of things to do some day...

see ya

steve


Subject: Texture
From: Cee White
Date: 8/31/2003 12:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

Steve,

I'd love to get that jpg showing your texturing tools. I want to reply
online. Your work is awesome and varied. Would you share how you
textured that Japanese lantern? And your son's mermaid is an
impressive sculpture. I have to assume he's an adult who's been doing
art for a while?

I appreciate Uncle John's starting this texture thread. I'll try the
sodium silicate solution and also the internal stretching and forming.

Lana Wilson was at the 2003 NCECA Conference. Her texturing was
fascinating. Her old book isn't presently available. The Joachim
Chavarria is the best one I've found.

Fun things to do..........

Thanks, guys.......

Cee White


On 31 Aug 2003 16:07:25 GMT, (Slgraber) wrote:

i've been throwing pots with texture from only the inside for about 15 years
now. sometime way back a potter told me there are two primary throwing
styles
- eastern and western. western shapes the outside, eastern shapes the
inside.
(not sure on accuracy, but there are ALOT of people shaping only from the
inside).

some level of trimming can occur after throwing. everyone wants to retain
texture all over - to the detriment of the overall shape of the pot - but
try
to trim a bit anyway. texture's cool but don't forget basic shape.

meanwhile it's a BLAST throwing pots from the inside with texture! i used
rollers to apply texture. paint rollers, pastry cutters, some pizza
cutters,
the wall papper guys use some roller with gear teeth that pepper a pot and
can
make it look like woven rope. toy truck tires are awsum to use. old saw
blades, tupperware cake decorating tools, dentist tools, forks from the
kitchen.

i talked my old company into buying a rapid prototype machine that can
"print"
3D parts from the computer screen. the laser additive process makes parts
to
tight tolerances (+/- .005 inches) and is very useful in the engineering &
manufacturing world. it ALSO helped me make TONS of other texture tools
that i
couldn't have done otherwise. drop me a line and i'll gladly send you a JPG
file of texture tools i've used. the result on pots are beautiful! an
added
result is glazes stick very well and i seldom have glaze runoff problems.

here's some very old pictures of my work:
http://www.butlerwebs.com/art/slgraber-pottery.htm

see ya

steve graber











steve graber