Your Attention Please… April 23, 2009
Posted by Mitchell in Art.trackback
We interrupt Kitty Health Watch ’09 for this important announcement: I have created ART.
BEHOLD!
This kind of work is called scrafito (or sgrafito). It’s done by painting an unfired work with a colored slip (underglaze) and scratching through it with a stylus to reveal the light clay body underneath. The work is then fired to the bisque stage and the top clear glaze is sprayed on. The piece is then fired again for the final lustrous, glossy version.
The flower parts and main leaves I sketched out before-hand during meetings at work. I transferred the general outlines to the piece by tracing around the carefully positioned drawings which left faint impressions in the underglaze. The rest I just winged as I went along. I really like the way these turned out, but I know I can actually do a lot better. Alas the semester is drawing to a close and I’m already behind on the final project. This summer I’m switching back to watercolor painting. Maybe next fall I can audit the cermics course again and dedicate the entire semester to exploring scrafito on a variety of forms.
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The Center of the Anomaly 
Dude, that is COOL. I’d find myself getting really hyper-anal about it at times and at other times totally locking up with decision-making disorder (add that line? was taking that away a bad thing? is is all a piece of crap?)
Very cool. This sounds like you’ve really found a technique that resonates with you.
Those look good, Enas!
I like the floral work, and the glossy black look.
Well played, sir!
Thank y’all! I appreciate the kind words.
LK – I used to have that problem ALL the time. Increasingly though I’m relying on my instincts – just let go and let whatever happens happen. I’m usually pleased with the results. That handle on the first one was just such a thing. I just made a zig zag cut right there without even thinking about it and at first I thought I made a mistake. Then I thought “well I can just loop this and make a handle there”. Now it’s one of my favorite things about it.
As Yoda would say “Relax and let the Force flow.” 😀
Sweet.
Awesome! I am in envy of your artisticry!
Thanks Muslihoon & Sobek!
Exqusite.