My work needs some grit to it to make it strong so thought it was about time I try to decide what clay body I will use for my forms. I ordered a number of sample sizes of crank clay and a few samples of vulcan black clay to try out. In all I am testing 12 clays of various colours, textures and properties to see what works best for me. The test tiles have a mixture of smooth and rough texture to see how the clay responds to the application of slip, oxides and glazes.
Picture 1 - Raw clay
Picture 2 - Bisque firing
Picture 3 - Applying oxides and glazes
Picture 4 - Glaze firing
I have really enjoyed testing the above clay bodies and evaluating them to see what finish they bring, next step is to apply my coloured glazes to see how it is effected, however the application of oxides and lava glazes has been beneficial so far. The fact that I have made a decision is very fulfilling. So my clay body will be high fired grogged raku clay enhanced with vulcan black and white porcelain slips. Once I have further developed my form, it will be useful to start to use these clays in my makes to identify any issues and concerns.
The results of my tests are documented in the following twelve pictures, arrows identify positive outcomes.
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