NAEA Face Mug

• Print
• Email

Details

Last Updated: Thursday, 29 January 2015 21:01

Designer: Marcia Roullard

 

Instructions

Construction:

1. Make a clay slurry with the low fire clay for the project. To make a slurry, pinch off small pieces, or balls of clay, place then in a small bowl, add water just enough to barely cover the clay. Let it sit until it can be stirred, microwaving a minute or two helps the process.
2. With a rolling pin on canvas, roll the clay, 1/4" thick, between the stats of wood. Let the clay rest for approx. 30 minutes, this will make it easier to handle.
3. Wrap the cylinder with copy paper for an easy release.
4. Cut the rolled clay 5 1/2" wide by 14" long. Use the quilters ruler for easy measuring and the needle tool to cut the clay.
5. Wrap the clay around the paper wrapped cylinder, overlap the edges of the clay, cut through both pieces of clay with the needle tool, check for fit, re-wrap if needed and cut again. Score the edges of the clay, brush with the clay slurry press the ends together, then smooth the seam with a rib.
6. To make a handle, roll the clay between 1/2 inch slats or put two pieces of 1/4" clay pieces together while the clay is wet, cut out strip of clay, bend it to a handle shape, let it sit so it keeps its shape. Once it has stiff enough, score and attach it to the mug with the clay slurry.
7. Remove the clay from the cylinder, it should slip off with the paper. Score the bottom, place on a slab of clay, trace around the bottom of the cylinder, score and add the slurry around the traced line. Place the cylinder over the scored area, cut a little larger than the cylinder with the needle tool. Push the excess clay into the cylinder at the bottom.
8. Find the center of the front of the cylinder and mark it with a faint line. Mark another line in a horizontal crossing the center line, about 1 1/2 inches from the top of the rim. The center line is for placement of the nose and lips and the horizontal line is placement for the eyes.
9. For the eyes, to make sure they are the same size, roll a ball of clay, shape the ball into an elongated oval, then cut it in half, score and slip to attach the ovals to the lines on the cylinder giving them space between for the eyes.
10. For the eye lids, thin the clay, cut our an oval shape large enough to fit over the eyes, cut it in half, use for both eyes. To get the layers of skin under the eyes, roll thin coils, place under the eyes with the slip/slurry, draw with the side of the needle tool trough the coils.
11. Roll coils for the brows, attach with the slip.
12. Form the nose with a piece of clay, using your fingers to sculpt. Attach to the face between the eyes on the center line. Lips are done the same way.
13. The handle is probably ready to attach to the side of the mug, use the scoring and slip technique to attach. Make sure that there is a hole in the nostril of the nose to let air escape during the firing.
14. Let dry thoroughly, fire to cone 04.

 Glazing:

1. Thin SC-11 Blue Yonder with water (3:1). Use CB-604 #4 Soft Fan to brush over the entire mug. Let the color wash over the mug to avoid brushstrokes. When dry repeat with additional coat.
2. Sponge off color from the cheeks. Sponge on SC-2 Melon Choly to the cheek area.
3. Deepen the areas around the features of the face by floating SC-12 Moody Blue.
4. On a palette, with a palette knife, thicken SC-12 Moody Blue with AC-310 Silkscreen Medium to the consistency of peanut butter. Use the small chevron silkscreen with the shiny side up. With your finger, apply the thickened Moody Blue to the face. The area above the eyes needs to be painted on with a brush.
5. Using CB-106 #6 Script Liner, brush the eyes with 2 coats of SC-16 Cotton Tail. The irises are a mix of SC-11 Blue Yonder and SC-16 Cotton Tail.
6. Using Cb-106 #6 Script Liner, brush the lips with 2-3 coats of SC-74 Hot Tamale.
7. Thin SC-12 Moody Blue with water (3:) and brush the inside of the mug using a CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, brush the thinned color a couple of coats.
8. Brush the inside and out with two coats of S-2101 Clear use the CB-604 Soft Fan.
9. Fire to cone 05/06.