DIY Network

Soup Tureen and Ladle: Glazing Creating a Soup Tureen and Ladle, Part 4 of 4 From "Throwing Clay" episode DTHC-212

	Figure A
	Figure B

Master potter Bill Van Gilder is making a soup tureen and ladle. He began by throwing and trimming a large bowl with a gallery, a lid with a notched opening for a handle and a ladle cup. Next, he pulled three handles and attached one set to the sides of the tureen, one to the lid and one to the ladle cup. He draped the ladle handle so it would dry in a graceful curve. When dry, he trimmed the handle and cut a hole for hanging the handle.

When the pieces were bone dry, they were fired for 10 to 12 hours in the bisque kiln, reaching a temperature of approximately 1750 degrees. After cooling for 24 hours, the pieces can be removed and readied for glazing.

One of the ways to pull all the pieces together and unify their form is with color. Bill uses a variegated blue at the bottom and on the top of the lid. In between the blue, he uses a shade of nutmeg. Where the colors overlap, they will create a softer, more neutral shade of blue (figure A).

1. Bill applies wax-resist emulsion to all the surfaces that will connect or touch. He first waxes the lid, then the back and top of the handle and the base of the ladle cup where it will touch the kiln shelf. He also waxes the gallery and the foot of the tureen (figure B).

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	Figure C
	Figure D

2. The tureen is glazed first; Bill ladles nutmeg glaze inside the tureen, coating the interior surface thoroughly. He pours out excess glaze, making sure to tip out any glaze trapped in the handles. He holds the tureen still for a minute so the glaze will dry without running (figure C).

3. He glazes the inside of the lid in nutmeg glaze and dips the top of the lid in the glaze, creating a circle of color along the rim. Creating a perfect glaze circle takes practice; Bill works slowly and carefully to create a uniform band of color (figure D).

4. By contrast to the lid, the ladle is quickly dipped in the nutmeg glaze.

5. He fettles, or cleans, the waxed areas on all the pieces before dipping them in the blue glaze.

6. Holding inside the tureen ledge, Bill redips it in the blue glaze up to the base of the handles.

7. Next, he puts a wide wax band on top of the nutmeg glaze; this wax band keeps the blue glaze from sticking to the nutmeg glaze. He leaves a small band of nutmeg exposed; it will blend with the blue to create a ring of softer blue. He dips carefully, making sure none of the glaze seeps into the interior of the lid through the ladle notch. A missed spot is touched up with a finger dipped in glaze (figures E and F).

8. He dips the ladle handle in the glaze and blows gently to clear the hanging hole of glaze.

9. When the pieces are dry, he fires the tureen with the lid in place.

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

10. To stabilize the round ladle cup in the kiln, he presses a small ball of clay on the unglazed back of the ladle. The clay will come off easily after firing (figure G).

11. He loads the kiln for the high-temperature firing, firing the raw glazed clayware for 10 to 12 hours at temperatures reaching approximately 2250 degrees. After cooling for 24 hours, the tureen and ladle are ready for use.

RESOURCES :

Kilns
L & L Kilns
Website: www.hotkilns.com

Clay
Highwater Clays
Website: www.highwaterclays.com

Extruders
American Art Clay Co. Inc. (AMACO)
Website: www.amaco.com