More Practice

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I drew on these tiles last night.  I have been thinking about what it is exactly I like to do as far as decoration goes.  I really enjoy the sgraffito process, but I don't like being very uptight and precise with it. Some of the pots I made in the last part of the year were a bit too controlled for me.  I think I learned some things from making them, for instance the feet on my bowls and plates really improved.  And I think I learned more about space around the decoration too.

Last night I decorated all these tiles without any layout. It was fairly spontaneous, but it certainly helped that I had been working in my sketchbook for the past few days.  I used a bamboo quill to draw with instead of the usual needle tool.  Some of these are poor, others have potential, and a couple are pretty good.  I found a new element yesterday. It's that line with the perpendicular lines.  It sort of represents grass but I'll use it in other ways too. (It's in the cow tile, and the washline, and a couple others).  I also put some spirals in too.  These little things are encouraging.

I have more tiles to decorate today.  I am going to use the brush and black underglaze.  Or maybe even try a few with a cobalt wash.   I know I like other people's pots who use a brush to decorate.  I am trying to find out if it's my thing too.  I do like the variety of line I get with the brush.

The thing in the back of my mind that keeps rearing up....COLOR.  How to use it, how to use it minimally, or subtly.

One step at a time.