Nasturtium Fireplace Tiles

I've been diligently recording various stages of my work recently so I can post them on here.... from new cartoon animal jewellery to a rather nice nasturtium fireplace I'm doing for a client.

Really anything that is around when I remember to grab the camera!

There will be eighteen 16cm tiles to this masterpiece and it'll be tubelined (piped liquid clay) with glazed infills.

Um, sounds good!

After agreeing a design with the client, I print each tile out and trace onto a raw clay clay tile I made earlier...nothing has been fired yet.

Good old carbon paper is all you need for this! Look closely and you'll see the lines on the clay.

then comes the part that requires a mightily steady hand... which I didn't have as I'd been glugging coffee as per!!!

Note to self... plan ahead wiv da caffiene. (I'll no be doing these in the mornings then.)

So, not too bad already... tubelining is one classy technique that is appearing like a rash all over my work!!! At least it's great until you get an air bubble in the bottle - then it parps slip all over your virgin clay.

Swearing is allowed and encouraged when this occurs.

Okay... said tile is consigned to the mercy of the kiln gods....

and then... voila.. clay is now ceramic. It's not the same, oh no.

Please note that I don't normally do one at a time! I'm using this one as a test... it may take a few goes to get the colour bang on at a later stage. That's a couple of soap dishes and a ring under there. Can't abide a half empty kiln.

Another episode soon in the exciting series of ' Work in Progress...'

Etsy

I can tell these posts will be sporadic. At least for a while...

2010 has been, shall we say, a challenge to my entire well being so far.

Pauses for long sigh.

However, on the upside, I have opened an Etsy shop - everybody say "yeah"!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CeriWhiteStudios

It's going to take a while to fill but there are a few lovely items in there at the mo and it's fun getting down with the Americans (US handmade artisan site for those unfamiliar). Nice to be enthusiastic about something and to spell things weirdly!

This here Stripey soap dish isn't on Etsy yet but I'm just making some as they've been selling well, especially in the rather fab Concrete Wardrobe in Edinburgh.
I'm also doing some plain kitchen tiles for a client in Cherry, Terracotta, Cream and Soft White. They've been very patient while I tackle the afformentioned challenges and are coming on now.

This is what I was reduced to when it was minus 10 degrees for weeks though:

Yes, drying clay strips in the living room, and it STILL took days! Very happy see /feel? the temperature rise as production becomes a little less a.c.h.i.n.g.l.y s.l.o.w.

Aw jings, it's after midnight and the kiln needs checking.

Byeee.

The kick-off...

Right, just to get this place looking less empty, here's picture or 2 of my work....

Ist up we have Mr Stag... handsome (all the lady deer say "aaaaaaaahhhhh").

He's is a 15x20cm earthenware tile. Truly a Monarch of the Glen.

I do other sizes and versions but this is my fave.

Next, because I wouldn't wish give the impression that it's all classic and windswept with me.... Round coasters and pot stands:

Finished with cork backing to protect the furniture from the scrapie ceramic as well as that dribbly tea mug. This is orange/spots pot stand (inspired by my dog... he's not orange but he is spotty) and turquoise/honey blob coaster (a glaze combination which is a bitch for going wrong!)

Last up for now, because this is exhausting and messy... a Jellyfish Tile, framed:

This one is about 7x21cm sans frame.

I think that's all for now as I have to feed the dog and the novelty of trying to position these pictures has worn off for one evening! Phew.