This is a process to bypass a lot of the complexity of making plaster moulds for slipcasting or press moulding. It might be possible to press the clay directly into the silicone, but the silicone is flexible and won't absorb moisture. These will be quite limiting compared to plaster.
Overall, this is a moderately complicated project, but is easier and will hopefully give better results than most introductions to plaster!
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsIts been a while!Old Forge Creations2024-01-05 | 2023 wasn't a great year for managing to produce YouTube videos. In fact, it set the bar so low that I'm certain I can do better this year.
I have a few fun things in the works at the moment, so hopefully there are still a few of you who want to watch excessively nerdy pottery videos. I have to tell you ALL about my new pugmill, as well as a deep dive into mixing attachments for cordless drills. If that appeals to you, you're my kind of person!Instagram Account Suspended (for 48hrs) - Why it happened and what I learnt from itOld Forge Creations2023-03-23 | Read more: oldforgecreations.co.uk/blog/instagram-account-suspended
Slightly different method of adding narration for this video, which definitely made it easier to record and edit. I have two far more interesting videos in the works, hopefully I'll have those ready soon!
I retract the recommendation for LastPass Authenticator. It seems the company is less secure than I thought, and there are plenty of other options for authenticator apps that back up.
This was done with a small plaster lump and a small tub because I didn't want to saturate my main drying/damp boxes, and didn't work perfectly as result. For more info about damp boxes, check out this infographic: instagram.com/p/CeoZmzQLgT8
Overall, I'm impressed with how effective and user friendly it was to get started with. The precision carried over well to clay, and I'm looking forward to more advanced projects.
Text from xTools:
EU Store:Christmas Mega Sale! Year-end savings: Up to 50% off (08/12-26/12, GMT+1)
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsFirst look at the xTool M1 and RA2, and how Ill incorporate a laser/blade cutter with pottery.Old Forge Creations2022-12-09 | Very first look at the xTools laser and blade desktop cutting tool. There will be a part 2 very soon with actual tests, but wanted to get this video out while the Christmas Sale was still running.
Disclaimer: I was given this for free in order to test and review, which is what the 'Includes Paid Promotion' tag means in this context (i.e. I wasn't paid money and xTools had no control over the content, but the video wouldn't exist without the gifted item)
The packaging materials I recommend are RanPak or bubblewrap with the highest % of recycled material you can find (NOT oxodegradable/biodegradable), and starch packing peanuts. These are generally enough to survive all but the worst journeys.
0:00 Intro 1:00 Considerations 3:20 Basic Idea 5:55 Wrapping/Padding 12:20 Void Fill 18:35 Boxes 21:30 Paper Tape 23:40 Fragile Sticker 24:40 Demonstration 25:10 Label Printer 25:35 Couriers
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsShipping Pottery - Should you include a gift?Old Forge Creations2022-11-26 | The short answer is that it depends, but that no gift is better than a bad gift. If you do include something, it should be considered and appropriate. Read more:
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsMaking a Ceramic Gloop Foot Creature (Toddler Narration)Old Forge Creations2022-11-10 | This little creature is a rest for a tea strainer (for loose leaf tea). The legs it stands on are made entirely from a very thick glaze that becomes just fluid enough to flow out of holes in the base at the peak of the firing, then cool and solidify into glass before they have time to flow any further.
0:00 Intro 0:45 Basics - Techniques 1:58 Basics - Handle Shapes 3:05 Basics - Sizes 3:52 Basics - Combining Aspects 5:48 Basics - Attaching Handles 8:08 Basics - Drying / Handles Cracking 11:27 Deep Dive 13:35 Deep Dive - Centre of Gravity 14:50 Deep Dive - Torque 15:10 Deep Dive - Points of Contact 16:00 Deep Dive - Leverage 18:00 Deep Dive - Balanced Force 19:00 Deep Dive - Tipping To Drink 20:10 Deep Dive - Cross Section 21:40 Deep Dive - Compression 23:50 Deep Dive - Sliding / Friction 26:20 Deep Dive - Hand Sizes 28:00 Deep Dive - All Coming Together in a Handle 31:45 Deep Dive - Inclusive Handles
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsFloating Pot with Glaze Drips for Legs - Full ProcessOld Forge Creations2022-08-27 | This little creature is a rest for a tea strainer (for loose leaf tea). The legs it stands on are made entirely from a very thick glaze that becomes just fluid enough to flow out of holes in the base at the peak of the firing, then cool and solidify into glass before they have time to flow any further.
There are a full descriptions of each process as subtitles. Please let me know if there's any questions you have that aren't covered in them though!
--- 0:00 Preparing the clay 0:56 Throwing the piece 2:17 Throwing the support 3:14 Trimming 4:55 Drilling holes 5:45 Making clay beads 7:11 Bisque firing 7:33 Making the gloopy glaze 10:22 Applying the glaze 12:58 Glaze firing 13:40 Results! 13:51 What it does
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsCasting Two-Tone Glaze Test Tiles #shortsOld Forge Creations2022-08-17 | I'm trying to make it quicker by casting the black slip layer in both moulds at once rather than painting it on, but I haven't quite figured out the best timing to get a super clean edge. I think I want the thinnest possible layer and to let it sit for a little longer.
These are designed to fit inside specific 50ml containers and displace most of the volume, allowing me to dip the test tiles in very little glaze. The two colours of clay allow me to test how the glaze works on light and dark clays with a single tile. One side in each colour is smooth and the other has raised dots, to show the glaze in multiple conditions.
A full description of the process is available as subtitles.
The design comes entirely from the stamped pattern in the surface, and the glaze flowing over it. There are no stages missing from the glazing process.
The 400ml ones I normally use for my glaze tests are unavailable at the moment, but they're from Wilko (in the UK) and it might be worth searching on there if you're reading this in the future and want them.
You can read more about the thought process behind it on my most recent blog post (link below), but essentially it’s starting out as somewhere I can gather all the different strands of educational content into a single place. Anyone who wants to support the creation of more content of that type can subscribe to the Patreon and pay a small amount of money to be notified directly when the content goes live.
I will still be putting the same content out for free, if you can’t subscribe to the Patreon then all you’ll be missing is having it in a single location. I really appreciate any support for it but I fully understand that not many people have room in their budgets at the moment. This is purely an opt-in for people who want to and can comfortably afford it. Please don’t feel any sense of obligation, and feel free to carry on enjoying the content as usual.
One way to support my educational content for free would be to send the link to someone else who might be interested. I put info out there to be useful, so I want as many people as possible to see it!
They're really quick to make, dip in 100ml of glaze, and provide a perfect test canvas. They're designed with a flared drip ring, where the downward slope kicks outwards slightly at the bottom, then doubles back ever so slightly upwards. This should mean that drips can hang cleanly, but I haven't managed to get one to run quite enough for that yet. The stepped foot makes them super easy to hold and dip neatly without wax resisting.
So they're actually faster and easier to make and glaze than the thrown ones I usually do. I can also use these as the free gift tumblers I was talking about a few days ago, so they're less wasteful than normal test tiles.
Unfortunately, while the outsides are perfect, the inside surface isn't quite right with the homemade casting slip I'm currently using. I'll keep tweaking it though. Slip casting is a case of balancing a thousand different variables that interfere with each other, so I'm sure this won't be the last issue I have to try and solve!
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsSlipcasting Moai glaze test tilesOld Forge Creations2022-04-01 | These were initially just intended as a way to test the mould making process, but they've worked so well it seems like a shame not to do something with them. So in the shop update tomorrow you can buy a randomly glazed Moai tile, with all the profits going directly to Toki Rapa Nui, a charity based on the island that preserves the society and environment of Rapa Nui.
The basic process of casting is to pour liquid clay (casting slip) into plaster moulds, which will suck the moisture from the clay starting from the outside. The longer you leave the slip in, the thicker the walls end up.
The initial mould was designed in Blender and resin printed.
These were also cast in the slip I made myself from my throwing clay, which seems to be working really well so far.
Let me know if you have any other questions about it!Year of the Tiger Slip Mug - Satisfying Pottery ASMROld Forge Creations2022-03-25 | For examples of my work that's been glazed, check out my Instagram: instagram.com/oldforgecreations
A gloop glaze is essentially a glaze with extra silica and alumina, making it more viscous than a normal glaze but more able to melt than a clay. The result is a glaze that can be applied at ludicrous thicknesses and will behave like treacle at the peak of the firing and slowly gloop down before freezing in place.
I've wanted to play with a gloopy glaze ever since I first saw potsbyryan's (instagram.com/potsbyryan) floaty gloop pieces, but wasn't sure how to incorporate it into anything.
I figured using it to make feet for something that needed elevation, but wouldn't be moved much, was the most practical possibility.
I applied alternating layers of colour (not that you can really tell) and suspended the whole thing above coloured clay fragments. This gave the glaze something to stick to, that looked more interesting than silica sand or kiln wash.
I'm really happy with how the feet worked. I think the overall piece could be done a lot better, but the concept worked exactly as I hoped.
The glaze is a gloop version of the FirstFive recipes:
The viscosity and movement is partly due to thickness and partly firing temp and duration, so you might need to adjust it. Derek at www.glazy.org has done great work on gloop glazes (this is based on one of his recipes) which shows the variation possible.
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For 10% off everything in my shop use the offer code YOUTUBE
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsConnecting a Squarespace Form to the Shop CSV UploadOld Forge Creations2022-01-26 | Firstly, if you're a maker with work to sell or someone looking to buy something handmade, the Other Makers shop is up again for Valentine's Day
It's free for anyone who wants to use it, and is just a way of connecting makers and customers.
The bulk of this video is an explanation of how to set a similar thing up yourself. It's going to be a very niche topic, but for a tiny handful of people it might be useful.
This blog post explains in much more detail and has the example spreadsheet I talk about in the video
Wikipedia describes it as “a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust. It is marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. It is a type of pneumoconiosis. Silicosis (particularly the acute form) is characterized by shortness of breath, cough, fever, and cyanosis (bluish skin). It may often be misdiagnosed as pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), pneumonia, or tuberculosis.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsThrowing a batch of Swirly Mugs - Satisfying Pottery AMSROld Forge Creations2021-12-09 | I've bought a new mic for my camera, so the sound quality is slightly different. I'm not sure it's an improvement though.
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For 10% off everything in my shop use the offer code YOUTUBE
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsGlazing a Blizzard Mug #shortsOld Forge Creations2021-12-01 | I'd like to say that I planned just how perfectly full the tub of glaze got when I dipped to the full depth, but that was as much luck as judgement.
I decanted the glaze into the smaller tub because I'm down to the last of this batch, and by using a container that's closer to the mug size I get more starting depth and even more as the mug displaces some glaze. In this case I very nearly displaced it over the edge, and was only saved by surface tension.
The car dent puller (link and description on the Recommended Tools page of my website) is great for this as it doesn't require additional space in the way tongs would.
With the right sized tub I can carry on dipping pieces until I've used basically all of a glaze mix, which is very handy for the limited edition glazes like this one.
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For 10% off everything in my shop use the offer code YOUTUBE
Link to tools: oldforgecreations.co.uk/recommended-toolsOrder Lottery ~ A new way of selling my work ~ First ThoughtsOld Forge Creations2021-11-11 | This ended up being a longer video than I intended and the very abridged version is essentially that I tried a randomly allocated order lottery alongside the normal shop update way of selling.
Jump to 8:05 for more info on how I did it, but essentially I collected a list of people who would like to place an order and weren't able to place one in the timed update, then randomly picked as many orders as I had capacity for. It means there was a way of avoiding the stressful timed update, or a second chance if you didn't manage to place an order.
0:00 Intro/Background 8:05 Order Lottery Description 16:40 List of Other Potters
For 10% off everything in my shop use the offer code YOUTUBE
0:00 Intro 1:16 Test. Test. Test. 9:25 Pay Attention To Thickness 11:07 Weigh The Application 15:13 Understand Your Glazes 17:20 Make The Most Of Tests 18:34 Don’t Rush 20:44 Be Consistent 23:36 Prepare Your Bisqueware 24:34 Let Them Dry 26:05 Use Drip Catchers