This was my 4th ever try at pottery, I totally sucked the first 2 times. The 1st try was 20 years ago, my clay sculpture was so ugly that I still remember how disappointed I was in my absence of pottery talent. 2nd try was 3 years ago, I made 3 mini pots, fired them in the kiln and glazed them, and totally hate these ugly creatures, even now. I decided to give up on clay. And then came Misty with her online workshop "Full Circle" and inspired me to try the clay again. This time I pulled off a very cute owl, and 2 weeks late I actually got 5 functional pots for my art room tools. Yeaa!
I used to use this plastic container for my brushes and now made a duplicate out of air drying clay. So much more character!
I just want to share where I learned to make a face from air drying clay, in this small simple well explained workshop of Jennifer Rizzo. She just rolls small balls and sausages in her hands and press them into face to create cheeks, chin, lips, eyes etc. So simple!
Ok, I admit, I bought these stones at the craft shop to insert into my pot while the clay is still wet. They can be easily made, but it saved me some time:
This weird one I call "Organic Pot". I found this organic matter (some kind of coral) also at the craft shop. I first made and dried the pot, then smudged modelling paste all over it and pressed the grass into the paste. Once dry, I treated coral with Poertex (hardening agent), it didn't solidify it but made it harder. After it dried, I trimmed excess of he grass and painted pot in raw umber and grass in Renaissance Gold acrylic. If I had to do it again, I would add color to the modelling paste before smudging it on the pot, because later it was very hard to get into all white spots around the grass, trying to paint the pot.
Easiest way to make a cool pot is stamps! I rolled slab of clay into this old carved wooden tray and when I lifted the slab - the print was on the other side of it. Put the sides of slab together, attach round bottom - and you got the pot. Will definitely do this one again, such a time saver. I also pressed some wooden beads into clay for extra texture.
Last pot: I made it plain and simply so I could paint on it like on canvas:
My clay owl-woman with pocket in front:
