Letters from the studio
I am still not sure I have it right, but it is closer. Looking back, the earthy approach was the right call. The glaze looked grey in the bucket and came out deep blue.
Notes along the way
Test tiles are boring until one of them changes all of it. I keep a short list of things to try next; wedging clay is near the top. I keep notes on every firing, even the disappointing ones. Most problems with the wheel turn out to be problems with time.
- Note the date and the weather
- Do less loading the kiln, more testing glazes
- Compare against last summer
- Start with tableware and nothing else
- Budget twice the time you expect
The short version
Clay remembers every mistake you make with it. I would rather do one thing with care than five things in a hurry. Most problems with bowls turn out to be problems with time. I tested the earthy version first. It did not last.
If you only take one thing from this, make it the part about stoneware.
test tilesmugsthe wheel