Handbuilt Sea Life Planters

 

sealife EL grouping crop web

Products Used

Bisque
  •  earthenware white clay

Color
  • See below instructions

Decorating Accessories

  • See below instructions

Miscellaneous Accessories

  • See below instructions  
Designer: Carmen Allen
 
 
Instructions

SQUID – HAND BUILDING

  1. Begin with about a 1# ball of clay and pinch out into a pinch pot. Keep it tall and narrow for the squid’s body with a cone at the top (top of the squid’s head, but the bottom of the pinch pot).
  2. Roll out a slab about ¼” thick and apply MT004 Swirls.
  3. Cut out fins from the textured slab and attach to the pinch pot by slipping and scoring.
  4. Cut a hole out of the top for hanging.
  5. Let dry completely and bisque fire.

SQUID – GLAZING

  1. Apply 1 coat of EL-207 Gold Mine.
  2. Apply 2 coats of EL-118 Blue Grotto to the inside and outside.
  3. Use a CB-604 #4 Soft fan to plop PC-601 Clear Cascades, PC-602 White Cascades, and EL-118 Blue Grotto. Let dry and repeat.
  4. Apply squiggles of SC-15 Tuxedo randomly.
  5. Use a pipe cleaner to clean any glaze out of the hole in the top.
  6.  Let dry completely.
  7. Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06.

JELLYFISH – HAND BUILDING

  1. Begin with about a 1# ball of clay and pinch out into a dome-shaped pinch pot
  2. Roll out a slab about ¼” thick and apply MT009 Scallops.
  3. Cut out fins from the textured slab and attach to the pinch pot by slipping and scoring.
  4. Cut a hole out of the top for hanging.
  5. Let dry completely and bisque fire. 

JELLYFISH – GLAZING

  1. Apply 2 coats of EL-117 Waterfall to the inside and outside of the piece.
  2. Use a CB-604 #4 Soft fan to plop PC-601 Clear Cascades, PC-602 White Cascades, and EL-117 Waterfall. Let dry and repeat.
  3. Use a pipe cleaner to clean any glaze out of the hole in the top.
  4. Let dry completely.
  5. Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06.

OCTOPUS – HAND BUILDING

  1. Begin with about a 1# ball of clay and pinch out into a long bulb. Try and bring it back in toward the top.
  2. Roll out and attach coils to extend the bulb and finish the octopus’ body.
  3. Attach small balls for the eyes and add a coil to create a brow or socket for the eye to sit in.
  4. Cut a hole in the top for hanging.
  5. Let dry completely and bisque fire.

OCTOPUS – GLAZING

  1. Apply 2 coats of EL-107 Amber Ash to the inside and outside.
  2. Apply 2 coats of EL-133 Autumn.
  3. Wipe away any glaze on the eyes and apply 2 coats of SC-15 Tuxedo and 1 dot of SC-16 Cotton Tail as a highlight.
  4. Use a pipe cleaner to clean any glaze out of the hole in the top.
  5. Let dry completely.
  6. Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06. 

PUFFER FISH – HAND BUILDING

  1. Roll out a slab that is about ¼”-1/2” thick and apply MT007 Divots.
  2. Cut out 2 circles and slump over a bowl so that the texture is on the outside of the domes.
  3. Once they have set up for about 20 min and a bit more stable. Take each half of the dome and press together. We wanted a more oblong/oval shape for the body. So, in order for the pieced to fit together this way, the edges needed to be trimmed accordingly.
  4. Once both pieces can be aligned, slip and score the edges to attach.
  5. Cut a larger hole out of the top for plants to come out of and a small hole directly beneath for hanging (the rope will come up out of the plant hole to hang).
  6. Attach fins, tail, mouth, and eyes and add texture and details as you please.
  7. Let dry completely and bisque fire.

PUFFER FISH – GLAZING

  1. Apply 3 coats of EL-136 Lapis Lagoon to the entire piece.
  2. Apply 1 thinned coat of EL-134 Mirror Blue.
  3. Apply 2 coats of EL-121 Copper Adventuring to the fins. Wipe away any base glaze if you want to see the brown otherwise, it will just be green (we left a strip at the top of each fin).
  4. Wipe glaze off of the eyes and apply 1 coat of SC-16 Cotton Tail.
  5. Apply 2 coats of SC-77 Glo Worm and 1 coat of SC-26 Green Thumb to the rim of the iris.
  6. Apply 2 coats of SC-15 Tuxedo to the pupil and add some dots of SC-16 Cotton Tail as a highlight.
  7. Use a pipe cleaner to clean any glaze out of the hole for hanging.
  8. Let dry completely.
  9. Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06.

NAUTILUS – HAND BUILDING

  1. Roll out a slab that is about ¼”-1/2” thick and apply ST128 Zebra.
  2. Cut out 2 circles and slump over a bowl so that the texture is on the outside of the domes.
  3. Once they have set up for about 20 min and a bit more stable. Take each half of the dome and press together. Slip and score to attach.
  4. Cut out about ¼ of the dome. Keep the edge curved.
  5. Attach a triangle to the top of the opening as the hood.
  6. Roll out some spheres and attach the eyes.
  7. Cut a hole in the top for hanging.
  8. Let dry completely and bisque fire.

NAUTILUS – GLAZING

  1. Apply 2 coats of EL-122 Malachite to the inside, hood, and the bottom crest (up about 1”)
  2. Apply 2 coats of EL-123 Patina to the rest of the body. Overlapping a bit with the malachite that is on the bottom crest.
  3. Wipe any glaze off of the eyes and apply 2 coats of SC-16 Cotton Tail. Add SC-15 Tuxedo as the pupil.
  4. Use a pipe cleaner to clean any glaze out of the hole in the top.
  5. Let dry completely.
  6. Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06.
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