Designing and making mugs was a great challenge for me, I had to sit and try out lots of cups and mugs with hot drinks as I don’t really use them – I’m one of those odd balls who doesn’t drink tea or coffee!
There is many stages in making each mug, this is a part somewhere in the middle. First a slab of clay is rolled and then the wallpaper pattern is applied to both sides. Using paper templates I cut the clay like dressmaking. For the mug there is the “rainbow” and a flat circle for the base and the “doughnut” for the handle. The mugs are made in 3 pattern and colours, blue deco, ruby damask and green seeds. The pattern in the video is seeds, it looks different in wet clay (which is my favourite look) I often cut a mix of different piece from each slab and many pieces at the one time.
Once the clay is at the right consistency I can piece them together.
These mugs will be left again until the dry a little more, then the joins and seams will be compressed and tidied and my signature circle handle is added. The mugs are then dried completely before a bisque firing. The colour is then applied and washed off and a glossy clear glaze applied before the final 1100′ firing.
{I found it really interesting to watch this video and see my making from a completely new perspective}
I’ll be giving away a pair of mugs in the next monthly newsletter draw so make sure your name is in the hat
Do you have a non tea or coffee hot drink you’d recommend, tell me in the comments below
