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Brody Ceresa
FINISHED PROJECTS
Planning
Photos
Description of Process
Before working with clay, I made a design on my computer of a geometric shape that included my initials: B, J, & C. Then, I made a rectangular shape out of clay that comfortably fit in my hand like a pencil. I let this clay sit in the sun for a while to become leather-hard, which made it easier to engrave the design with a needle tool. Once it had been carved and gone through the kiln, I cleaned it up with the same tool.
Reflection
Overall, I am happy with how my maker stamp turned out. The design is visible when stamped into greenware, but there are some changes that I would make to improve it next time. First of all, even though you can see what is carved into it when soft clay is stamped, by the time it is coated with glaze and fired, the stamp is hidden. Also, since I cut the design into the clay instead of adding it on top, I have to press the rectangular shape of the stamp into my piece to make it work which increases the overall footprint of the symbol. To solve these issues next time, I will shape my insignia out of thin strips of clay then attach it to the base of the stamp.
Planning
Photos
Reflection
Description of Process
For my useful slab with underglaze, I made the sgraffito soap dish. To do so, I made a simple rectangle, which I attached two long strips of clay to the under for feet, and then I poked holes down the middle to help the bar of soap dry out. Next, I coated the top with three layers of dark green underglaze and let it dry. After that, I carved out my sgraffito pattern, and then fired it. Before the second firing I covered it in clear glaze
This slab is by far my most practical piece, and I use it every day as a holder for a bar of soap in the bathroom. I like how sgraffito looks in general, but for my piece, I think it could be improved. In the future, I will make my lines a more consistent width and make a cleaner pattern. Also, the rectangle shape is a little shabby, so I could improve that too.
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