BRUSHSTUFF #1

COONTAILS, YUCCA AND BIG BUCKS!

THIS POSTING IS ABOUT CERAMIC SURFACE DECORATION THAT USES BRUSHES OF VARIOUS TYPES                       TO GIVE FLUID GRAPHIC MARKS OF GREAT EXPRESSION. I HAVE CHOSEN TO SHOW A FEW DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO USING BRUSHES. IN THE NEXT TWO POSTINGS, I WILL SHOW WHAT MARKS TO EXPECT FROM DIFFERENT BRUSH TYPES AND HOW TO USE BRUSHES MOST FLUENTLY WITH TIPS FROM A LIFELONG BRUSHWORKER'S EXPERIENCE.

THE EARLIEST BRUSHES WERE LIKELY MADE FROM THE SOFTENED ENDS OF THE DESERT PLANT YUCCA LEAVES THAT HAVE HAD THE SOFT GREEN TISSUE REMOVED, LEAVING THE FIBROUS STRUCTURE OF THE LEAF FOR MAKING MARKS. THESE  CONTINUE TO BE USED IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY BY MANY GROUPS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY IN THE PUEBLO AREAS OF NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA. THE DEGREE OF REFINEMENT OBTAINABLE BY THESE PRIMITIVE FIBROUS TOOLS IS ASTOUNDING. 

SEED JAR - ACOMA, NEW MEXICO

YUCCA LEAVES STRIPPED OF SOFT MATERIAL, LEAVING FIBROUS "BRUSHES"

YUCCA LEAF DECORATED PLATE - PANAMA

YUCCA LEAF DECORATED OLLA - ZUNI, NEW MEXICO - 19TH CENTURY

BY FAR THE MOST PREVALENT  MARK MAKING  FIBERS FOR BRUSHES ARE THOSE THAT COME FROM FUR-BEARING ANIMALS. THE LATE PAUL SOLDNER, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AMERICAN CERAMIC ARTISTS, OFTEN USED THE TAIL OF ROADKILL RACCOON TO ACHIEVE HIS SIGNATURE CALIGRAPHIC MARKMAKING. IN NORTH AMERICA, RACCOONS ARE ONE OF THE MOST COMMON OF ROAD FATALITIES, SO FREE BRUSHES ARE THERE FOR THE TAKING!

RACCOON BACK END

PAUL SOLDNER - RAKU FORM WITH COONTAIL CALLIGRAPHY  

PAUL SOLDNER - RAKU FORM WITH COONTAIL CALLIGRAPHY   

PAUL SOLDNER - RAKU FORM WITH COONTAIL CALLIGRAPHY  

PAUL SOLDNER - RAKU BOWL FORM WITH COONTAIL CALLIGRAPHY  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LINDA ARBUCKLE OF FLORIDA USES A VARIETY OF BRUSHES IN HER SUMPTUOUS AND COLORFUL WORK IN MAJOLICA. BELOW ARE SHOWN SOME OF HER FAVORITE BRUSHES AND A DESCRIPTION OF HOW SHE USES THEM.

LINDA ARBUCKLE - Brush Stories  

3, 5, 7 I sometimes use if I do non-majolica slip work. Others are all for majolica

1. fat liner, good for stems. Synthetic with good bounce.

2. multiple kinds of hair mop. Points up well, holds a lot of liquid. Good for leaves. Inexpensive, but good.

3. flat goat or sheep. Good for small ground areas.

4. Japanese brush. Good for thin-to-thick strokes, sideways dabs. Nice spring.

5. Hake goat or sheep. For large ground areas in majolica or slip

6. French China mop, squirrel. Soft, lovely watercolor brush with good spring. Holds a lot of liquid. Expensive, but deluxe.

7. Like 5, but smaller.

8. French quill, squirrel watercolor brush. Soft, supple. Great for long blade-like strokes or lines.

9. Squirrel dagger liner. Nice for bamboo leaf strokes and the like. Good for long pulled lines that taper.

10. Flat watercolor brush. Good for filling in small areas w/flat color, making blocks of color.

11. Small dagger liner. Good for thick-to-thin line work.

12. Brush from the late Keith Lebenzon. Elk, handmade. Wonderful spring and loading of color. One of my special favorites.

Not pictured: I’ve been using some size 1-2 synthetic long liner brushes from the art supply store in town. Not as nice as some other bristle types, but inexpensive. The right ones can have some snap.

LINDA ARBUCKLE - MAJOLICA PLATE WITH PLUM DESIGN 

LINDA ARBUCKLE - MAJOLICA PITCHER WITH FALL FRUIT DESIGN 

LINDA ARBUCKLE - MAJOLICA EWER WITH PLUM AND LEAF DESIGN 

I STARTED MY ART CAREER IN DRAWING, PAINTING AND PRINTMAKING, WHERE BRUSHES WERE MOST OFTEN MY GRAPHIC TOOL OF CHOICE. THEY HAVE ALSO ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR CERAMIC SURFACING AND DECORATION. OVER A LONG CAREER, I HAVE COLLECTED PROMISING LOOKING BRUSHES FROM MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. AT MY LAST INVENTORY CHECK I HAD 873 OF THEM! THE MARKMAKING POTENTIAL AMONG THEM IS STAGGERING. I ALSO USE TRAILERS WITH VARIOUS SIZE TIPS AND VARIOUS Q-TIPS FOR CIRCULAR DOTS. ROUND DOTS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WITH BRUSHES. I WORK IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STYLES, USUALLY ALL ON PORCELAIN. I OFTEN USE THE COLORS AND FORMS OF PLANTS IN MY GARDEN AS A READY SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND IDEAS.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE CLEMATIS SERIES

CLEMATIS "NELLIE MOSER" - THE COLORS AND TEXTURE OF THIS PLANT
WAS THE SOURCE FOR A LOT OF VARIATIONS ON 3D FORMS AND "PORCELAIN CANVAS SUBSTRATES"

THESE ARE THE TOOLS THAT I USE TO PAINT THE "CLEMATIS SERIES" WITH.
THE SECOND FROM THE LEFT WAS MADE BY THE LATE KEITH LEBENZON. IT USES HAIR FROM THE NAPE OF THE NECK OF THE ROOSEVELT ELK. THIS HAIR HAS THE LEAST FRICTION ON THE WHOLE SKIN AND PRODUCES A SUPERLATIVE MARK. KEITH TOLD ME THAT THERE IS ONLY ENOUGH OF THE FINEST HAIR TO MAKE 6 BRUSHES ON A WHILE SKIN. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THESE BRUSHES ARE RARE AND COMMAND "BIG BUCKS". IT WAS WORTH EVERY CENT!

RH - PORCELAIN PLATE - "CLEMATIS SERIES"- THE BASE GLAZE CONTAINS 10% TIN OXIDE. THIS GRANULATES THE COLORS THAT ARE PAINTED OVER. THE SOFT GREY-PINK PETAL COLORS MAKE USE OF THE THIN COPPER-GLAZED BRUSHMARKS FUMING INTO THE GLAZE BENEATH  - CONE 10 REDUCTION

RH - GLAZE PAINTING - "CLEMATIS SERIES" - PAINTED ON TOP OF AN UNFIRED GLAZE SURFACE, MAJOLICA STYLE THAT HAS BEEN ADJUSTED FOR CONE 10. THE PORCELAIN-LIKE SUBSTRATE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY FIRED AT ABOUT CONE 14. SINCE THE SUBSTRATE HAS NO ABSORPTION, IT IS PUT ON TOP OF A KITCHEN WARMING TRAY TO EVAPORATE THE WATER FROM THE GLAZES.
CONE 10 REDUCTION

RH - FOOTED PARABOLIC BOTTLE - "CLEMATIS SERIES"
 - CONE 10 REDUCTION

_______________________________________________________________________________

THE SOUTHWEST SERIES.

THIS SERIES OF MY WORK IS INSPIRED BY POTTERY OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST. THEIR WONDERFULLY GRAPHIC WORK WAS THE FIRST POTTERY I EVER REMEMBER SEEING IN A MUSEUM WHEN I WAS 8 YEARS OLD. BLACK, RED AND WHITE HAVE BEEN MY FAVORITE TRIAD OF COLORS FOR 65 YEARS. I'VE TRIED EVERY VARIANT OF THESE THREE COLORS THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMAGINE.

IN THE SOUTHWEST SERIES, THE DRY GREENWARE FORMS ARE SPRAYED WITH WHITE TERRA SIGILLATA, POLISHED WITH A SOFT CLOTH AND BRUSH DECORATED WITH A VARIETY OF BRUSHES USING BLACK-BRONZE PIGMENT. THIS IS THEN FIRED TO CONE 9 IN OXIDATION. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY PAINTING AND TRAILING WITH A CHROME RED LEAD GLAZE AND RE-FIRED TO CONE 010. ALL FIRING WITH THIS SERIES IS DONE IN AN ELECTRIC KILN IN OXIDATION.

SOUTHWEST SERIES PIECES ARE PURELY DECORATIVE AND NOT FOR FUNCTIONAL USE.

RH - FOOTED PARABOLIC BOTTLE - "SOUTHWEST SERIES".

"FAN" WATERCOLOR BRUSHES AND HANDMADE HOVEY #8 BRUSH
USED WITH TUCKER POTTERY SUPPLIES SLIP/GLAZE TRAILER

RH - CLASSIC FORM VASE - "SOUTHWEST SERIES"

RH - TRIFOOT PLATE - SOUTHWEST SERIES.
THIS EXAMPLE SHOWS CONTROLLED LOCALIZED FUMING OF CHROMIUM RED GLAZE ON TOP OF TIN-OPACIFIED TERRA SIGILLATA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BRUSHSTUFF #2 IS ABOUT USING BRUSHES AND WILL MIRACULOUSLY APPEAR IN A MATTER OF A FEW DAYS. HAPPY READING!  STAY TUNED!