Coloured slip casting test 1

In order to make the series of work inspired by Leon Bakst's costume design, I did this test. This test includes shape test, moulding test, agate texture test and casting test. Here are some sketches. 

First of all, I wanted to make their components that constitute the whole piece. 

1. shape and moulding test

At the beginning, I used long plastic bags in different sizes to cast the components. The following moulds are made from them. I poured plaster into them first and tied them into different shapes with strip or rubber band. However, I was not satisfied with the shape because there were lots of grooves on them which cause trouble when I made the mould and I prefer the shape to be more rounded. 

That was why at the second time I used socks and stockings instead of plastic bags. The overcome was nice.

The reason that I moulded the first batch which I was not that satisfied is because I was not familiar with moulding. I only moulded simple objects before, so I wanted to do some tests first. 

Thinking back to it now, I think maybe I shouldn't play so safe. They are just test pieces, not a treasure. I spent too much time at the preparation that I didn't have enough time to push through the whole thing.

2. texture and casting test

I really like this kind of marble or agate like texture. I like its unpredictability, fluency. It seems nature and organic texture or structure are always catching my eyes and heart. That is why I started to work with body stains.

Royal porcelain & body stain from Tiranti

After I finished the moulds, I did a slab casting first. As a result I got beautiful texture, but it was hard to seal all the edges since the shape was quite complex.  Hence, I tried slip casting later. 

I used porcelain slip which can be fired to 1220 and picked a colour that can go with porcelain's white body and plants in the water.

Here are the making processes.

When I refined them, I let their shape lead me and scratched edges out at some places.

I left this long edge on purpose. I think this little detail is elegant and can bring some changes.

After firing, their colour became too dark for me, not as dark as the following pictures. And texture can barely be found, except the beginning two. I think I put too much green slip and mixed them too well.

Here are the compositions I arranged.

To sum up, I often feel disappointed when the work I made couldn't reflect my sketches perfectly. This could be overcame by doing more experiments or changing my way of thinking. Perhaps this is how another material speaks for itself. I think they are both true to some extend, and I will find out sooner or later after I really dig into it.

And even these pieces are not what I expect originally, they show their own characteristic. I quite like them now.

One last thing, as I mentioned I played too safe before, my tutor also has the same opinion. I am not surprised that I treat test pieces too seriously, because that is only of my habit. I kept a lot of my drawings at home, good or bad, since I was in kindergarden. 

However, in my current case, I really need to change. Sometimes just because I am afraid of ruining them or don't want to waste them, I did some decisions that do not really make sense, at least to other people. And just because of these decisions, I may not have enough time to go back to the right way.

Take this test as a example, since time issue I didn't cast enough the socks batch. Since time issue, I didn't mould the socks batch after I get used to mould making.  And then I just went to another way further and further.