My design ideas are making their way through the kiln. These pieces have been glazed now so I can see the final results of my decorating techniques. I’ve used a black slip which needs to be applied in lots of thin layers to get a good clear black. I’ve started to enjoy the brushstrokes and more faded effect of my first attempts when the slip was applied with less layers. It’s surprising how something unintended can spark your ideas. It’s something that often happens in pottery as so many of the techniques are unpredictable.

My time at the potters wheel has led to me have quite a few new coffee cups at home! These little cuties each have their own surface design but work together as a collection, brought together by the black slip and sgraffito technique. I love a collection of individual designs, as you may have noticed from my Textile Inspired Cup Collection!

I’m exploring ideas of layering as I work on this new project. With this bowl I began with slip and sgraffito on the lower section. I then painted designs at the top. These show the almost watercolour nature of the slip when used to paint. I worked back over the painted designs by scratching into them. It’s an interesting piece to add to the development of this style. I see areas for improvement but I’m enjoying the movement that the painting has created. It’s good fun experimenting and designing through making like this! You can see more of my progress on my instagram page