You might not have been talking about them, but I will. Well, it does sound kind of dirty.... so let's go with "Lipstick on a Pig".
Anywho...
I've been playing with F413 base with red copper oxide, cobalt carbonate and manganese dioxide in the ratio 3:1:1.
Red copper oxide is such cool stuff. It just doesn't want to be in the glaze.
Looking at it in action kind of reminds me of what some of my older Woodstock era hippie type buddies describe doing mushrooms to be like.
Now I have no experience with that but guess maybe these mushrooms would kill you, and probably enough red copper would too. Who knows?
I've been playing with this combo and recently fired a series ranging from 6% to 1% red copper. Looking at the pieces together shows some real interesting progressions. Like the higher the copper, the wider the low temperature bands grow. And the higher the colorant concentration - the deeper the coloration. Seems like pretty obvious stuff, especially if you've read all the books out there, but until you do it, it really doesn't sink in. At least not into my thick head.
There has been talk and talk and talk before about how "Start trying stuff and you will learn as you go." I say AMEN. I've been at this as a part time hobby / obsession / give it all my spare time hobby after my other couple pursuits for about 4 years now and am learning like mad. I mean I think I've gotten to the point of being able to recognize what some of the common glaze additives do, what changes in firing schedules do and few other basic things. But I still don't know squat.
I've labeled 1030 pieces, have taken 2 books worth of notes and probably done 250 - 300 firings. (I know many of you do that much in your sleep.) But every time I sit down to go at it I realize I am clueless on many things.
Anyway, here's the crystals / lipstick / turd / pig part.
I think I can spot a turd and pig at this point. I am however retarded when it comes to avoiding them. Maybe retarded isn't the right word. Let's go with "time limited". I do however think I'm getting better at the lipstick thing. It's all a function of just plain digging, scratching and giving it h.e.l.l
Enough babble. What the h.e.l.l you ask. Where I 'm trying to get to is to say I have been just trying and trying and torturing a lot of stuff and think I can see some of the relationships. I intend to keep experimenting.... and learning. I just wish I could give it more.
Here take a peak at these pieces and tell me what you think. They may never look this way again.
