Aim: To express visually the history of the book through an illustrated tunnel ceramic book form. Exploring light and colour using china paint and lustre and decals. A desire to keep the book experience alive - a separate being from electronic forms. Create a ceramic book that stimulates the senses.Method: Slabs; press moulds; slip casting - most likely this will be the best method for reproduction. Stoneware clays, porcelain. - CHANGED PLAN! Keraflex is the material I will be using. I made a couple of moulds but came to the quick conclusion that using porcelain slip will be too fragile to cut and manipulate in such thin sheets.
The piece will be unglazed. Using different firing techniques for various sensory stimulation's and use of texture - CHANGED PLAN! Using Keraflex will limit me to firing techniques and texture. I will be using colour and depth of field. Scale will vary on each book form.
Outcome: An array of stimulating, sensory, intimate book forms both displayed on table plinths and wall hangings. - (MAY HAVE TO RETHINK THIS! I'll try out both and see)
Bought a huge batch of A3 .5mm keraflex (omg expensive!)and ordered 43 China paints + a 'wet' and a 'dry' oil last week - all has arrived safely, though I was worried when one of the boxes arrived damaged! Luckily this box had been packed with padding where as the others weren't.
So far I have two tests made up of the first books (in cardboard mock up) and I have tested out the Keraflex in a first firing. Fragile stuff!
Bought a huge batch of A3 .5mm keraflex (omg expensive!)and ordered 43 China paints + a 'wet' and a 'dry' oil last week - all has arrived safely, though I was worried when one of the boxes arrived damaged! Luckily this box had been packed with padding where as the others weren't. So far I have two tests made up of the first books (in cardboard mock up) and I have tested out the Keraflex in a first firing. Fragile stuff! I am going to have to buy some new shelves for my kiln as they are not in the best shape... bits of glaze and crap stuck to some shelves - they'll need grinding... one page stuck to the top shelf (which came from another kiln...) I didn't see there was some glaze on the shelf which it stuck to.
Ah well. Moving on, I am playing with the china paints this week and testing out 'Australian Open' as an oil medium. This is a 'wet' oil and so far seems OK and has a pleasant aroma (it's the gum turps that is stinking out the house).
Ah well. Moving on, I am playing with the china paints this week and testing out 'Australian Open' as an oil medium. This is a 'wet' oil and so far seems OK and has a pleasant aroma (it's the gum turps that is stinking out the house).I've been thinking hard on how to 'bind' the books - They won't be bound in the traditional sense as each page will be free standing. So I was thinking of presenting them on a polished wooden base with maybe slots cut in and dowels for supports... however I was recently thinking that maybe I could make the base out of unglazed terracotta - I'm still thinking about it. I'll have to make one out of each and see which suits best.
