Throwing a number of test bowls

I decided it would be interesting to experiment with applying oxides and slips directly onto leather-hard clay, exploring how they respond at that earlier stage in the making process.

I threw a series of bowl-shaped vessels on the wheel and then began altering the surfaces using a variety of tools. Some were traditional, others less so — including a meat tenderiser and a lemon zester. Each tool created a distinct texture, from rhythmic indentations to fine, linear marks, giving the surfaces plenty of depth for the oxides and slips to settle into.

I’ve applied oxides and slips to all but one of the bowls. That final piece I’m deliberately holding back. After bisque firing, I plan to apply copper oxide just to the bird motif, wipe it back to leave colour in the recesses, and then layer a copper red glaze over the top before placing it into a reduction firing.

I’m particularly interested to see the contrast between the pieces treated at the leather-hard stage and the one altered after bisque. It feels like a valuable comparison — not just in terms of colour response, but in how the surface quality differs depending on when the materials are introduced.