Reliquary Glaze Application Assesment: Mythical Magic

Jennifer Lawrence

3-8-11

Overall Objective:

This reliquary was to reference a book given to me by a friend of mine: The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges. I desired to reference another object of significance to me. The mermaid barbie that I grew up defines qualities of my personality in which makes Borges book particularly significant to me. I therefore wanted to have a mermaid come to life in this book. My goal with this project was to utilize glazing and texture to create fluid and wet things: waves, the fin of a mermaid. Furthermore, I wanted all glazing to either reference the specific texture-such as pages of a book, fin, waves, book binding- or exaggerate a wet and dipping feel-which was accomplished with the book binding.

Below are pictured the few test tiles in which I based my application for the reliquary on.

For the sake of clarity, I will number each as if there were no other test tiles. This will allow me to explain further the Application and Results process.

Test Tiles:

Test Tile 1

Test Tile 2

Test Tile 3

Test Tile 4

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Application:

Test Tile 1 & 2: Test Tile 1 is actually a test tile made years ago for the shop to show the effect of coats of Sudee Yellow with Clear Copper Carbonate Green on top of it, and Clear Purple over them both. Our shop stopped making the Clear Copper Carbonate Green; therefore, I did not create this test tile. I mixed Pinnell Simple Gloss in order to achieve something similar to the discontinued green glaze. Test Tile 2 is my test of the Pinnell Simple Gloss painted on with three coats on top of the Andrew Martin black underglaze. I drew the black on with my calligraphy quill.

• Pinnell Simple Gloss 1000g batch: 550g Gertley, 300g EPK, 150g Silica Flint, 70g CuCo3 (Copper Carbonate).

Test Tile 3: For the fin I painted three layers of black slip before the bisque firing. Once bisqued, I painted on three layers of Majolica, then three layers of Clear Texture Broken, then three layers of Chartreuse Stain.

Test Tile 4: For the waves I painted three layers of green slip. After bisqued, I painted three layers of Varda's Texture Blue, then painted three layers of Sudee Blue. At the tips of the waves I painted three coats of Blue Majolica.

*Book Pages-I did not do glaze testing for the book pages. I knew that I wanted to use Majolica. I painted on two coats.

*For the details on the mermaid's eyes I used a crow quill pen to place Majolica in for the white of the eyes. Then, still using the crow quill pen, scratched away a circle small enough inside of the Majolica to place the Chartreuse stain in for the irises and then Andrew Martin's underglaze for the pupil. For her Eyebrows and "necklace" I used the Andrew Martin underglaze with quill. For hair I painted the Andrew Martin underglaze as well for a matte course hair like quality.

Results:

Fin-The results mirror the test rather accurately.

Waves-Not enough Blue Majolica was applied to have the same foamy effect. However, the amount of glaze that was applied allowed for a pooling in the "deeper" parts of the waves. This created a glassier and more dynamic effect in the "pooled" areas and a matte feel moving toward the tips of the waves and then glassy yet again at the tips-where the Blue Majolica was placed.

Book-The glazing for the book binding came out way different than the test tile. This most likely has to do with the fact that I mixed one of the glazes myself, and also because I applied the glaze very thickly. Layering the different glazes on very liberally allows for the wet and dripping feel desired.

Book Pages-I only painted on two layers of Majolica in order to maintain the texture. It, however, was not enough glaze to remain uniform. One can see the red clay underneath.

Details on Mermaid-I knew as I had completed the mermaid's eyes that the Majolica, when fired, would move; I, therefore, was hoping that it may drip out of the "eye sockets" and run down her face to increase the uncomfortable feel that she already possessed. This did not happen, instead it just marred the realistic quality of the irises and pupil that was achieved prior to glaze firing. All of the Andrew Martin application remained flat and unmoving as expected.