Preparing for My New Kiln and Testing

 I tried to match the lines and the texture of the plaster plates in every figure. The movement of the dancing figures is more clear because of the small bumps on the surface. The girl’s portrait is simple and calm, but it shows expression with the natural roughness of the material. Some details were tests to see the limits of the material.

These works are not just drawings; they are also important steps for me to understand how the plaster and glazes work together on the ceramic surface. When I fire them in my new kiln, I will learn more about the relationship between the material and the form.

Recently I have been making tests on different plaster plates to make molds. They are not dry yet, so I can’t finish or use them. But I bought a new kiln! It is coming from a factory in Germany, so I need to wait a little. I don’t want to fire these tests in my old kiln because I want to wait for the new one to make the first adjustments and tests.

When my new kiln arrives I plan to work mostly at cone 9-10 temperatures. I will try new glazes and clays to find the best results. The part I like most is not making many products but spending time trying and testing. Now, I keep the works I like and that work well, but I don’t make many copies yet. That time will come with the new kiln.

Because of the warm weather, the small plates are almost dry, but I will wait to fire them until my kiln arrives. After the first settings and firings, I will start to fire these tests.

Testing Clay as Grog

 A few months ago I decided to make my own grog. I started by drying out some of my red and black clays then crushed and sieved them into different particle sizes. After bisque firing the crushed pieces I mixed them back into fresh clay and made a series of small tests.

Visually the grogs from both clays behaved quite similarly once mixed in. At first I thought the red grog had completely melted away but after the second firing I could still spot both the red and black particles—though only if I looked closely. Especially under a thin layer of transparent glaze, it was hard to distinguish them in the final pieces.

Texture-wise the grog size made a noticeable difference on the surface feel but in terms of color or contrast the results weren’t as striking as I had expected. I used fairly high grog ratios but I enjoy pushing materials a bit and seeing what happens when control gives way to play.

These kinds of small tests often start spontaneously in the studio, but end up leading to more serious thoughts. I’ll keep experimenting with different ratios and glazes to better understand how the material responds.

 

I’m heading to Istanbul soon to spend some time with my little niece and enjoy a short break. I’ll also see my family and I’m taking some of my latest pieces fresh from the kiln with me. I’m already looking forward to getting back and trying out some new glaze tests but for now I’m ready to relax and enjoy the holiday.

 

A Ceramic Apple Grater for My Niece ^^

This week I’m heading to Istanbul. In my bag I’m taking a small ceramic gift I made for my baby niece. She’s almost ready to start solid foods and my sister asked me to make her an apple grater. So I gave it a try and made one out of ceramic. It’s small and textured and I shaped it with care. I’m really hoping it’ll be useful.

The apple puree grater wasn’t really planned but somehow it ended up looking a bit like a pomegranate^^

I’m also taking a soap dish that just came out of the kiln. It’s a simple piece but I like how the glaze turned out.

Wood Ash + MG1 Base Glaze + Pigment -2

I added some of my wood ash to this matte white glaze recipe along with a bit of blue pigment and here’s how it turned out.

I’m uploading a few photos below to document the results.

 

A dog figure...

 A dog figure that is not yet fired and without its head... For now it’s just a body standing on its paws. I started with the body first because a solid stance is the foundation of everything. With the head and expression to come next this figure will gradually come to life

Back in the Studio, Testing Wood Ash -1

I’ve made an exciting decision for my return to the studio, I wanted to try a wood ash glaze experiment. I’ve been collecting wood ash for some time now (mostly from oak) and finally decided to sift and prepare it for glaze testing.

As I read more about wood ash glazes, I realized that it's not just about recipes or chemical ratios. It really all starts with the tree itself—where it grew, what kind of soil it fed from, how many seasons it lived through, all of that shapes the ash it leaves behind.

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Some trees reach deep into the ground and draw up magnesium while others take in potassium from the upper layers of the soil. When the wood burns the organic parts disappear but the minerals remain. That powdery residue is what we call wood ash and when it's added to glaze those minerals come back to life on the ceramic surface. Sometimes they create a glossy, glass-like finish, sometimes a rough, matte texture. There's always a bit of surprise a bit of personality.

I see wood ash glazes not just as a method but as a way to approach nature with a humble, learning spirit.

This time I didn’t create a new glaze recipe from scratch. Instead I added the wood ash to two glazes I had already prepared: one of them is a clear glaze I often use and the other is a matte glaze that I was particularly curious about. If you’re planning to experiment with wood ash as well please remember to protect yourself during every step. Do not inhale the ash or touch it when wet.

Ideally ash should be washed before using it in glaze tests. This helps to remove soluble salts and other unwanted materials. But (once again :( ) I forgot to wash it. So these tests were done with unwashed ash.

I don’t have photos from today’s results yet but I’ll share them in the next post. However at the end of this page you’ll find some images from a previous wood ash test tiles. In those test tiles I used a special recipe designed specifically for that batch of ash so I’m expecting very different results this time.

Be aware that this type of glaze tends to be quite runny. If you skip the washing step like I did, the glaze may form pinholes on your test tiles. This is due to the release of gases during firing from the unpurified materials in the ash.

One of the new tests this time also includes a version where I added a pigment to the recipe. Again, that’s something I’ll cover more in the next update, once the firings are done.

Thanks for reading ^_^ I’ll share more soon.

Hoi! Merhaba! Ben Ezgi Comert.

Eski Blogspot gunlerini ozleyenler var mi, iste o havayi biraz hayatima katmaya calisacagim. Simdi hayat biraz degisti Seramikle ugrasiyorum, ellerimle bir seyler yapmayi seviyorum ve bolca deneyler yapiyorum, sanirim cogunlukla bununla dolacaktir burasi da. 

Haydi baslayalim ^^

Hi! Hello!

Are there any of you who miss the old Blogspot days? I’m going to try to bring some of that vibe back into my life.
Life has changed a bit now. I’m working with ceramics, I love making things with my hands, and I’m doing lots of experiments. I think this space will mostly be about that.

Let’s get started! ^^