Raku bowl

[mark sanger]

Hi all

I hope you are all well.

Been a while since I posted so here is a new piece.

I gain my inspiration from all areas but have for a long time had an interest in the far east and in particular Japan and the ceramics/metal work and other related items.

I have for some time wanted to replicate Raku ceramics which is where by a kiln is heated to a high temperature with the pot being placed inside with different additives which burn off giving a smoke like effect to the wall of the ceramic.

Different additives are added for different colours etc. Even by using the same technique you will never get an exact copy of finish due to the way in which the smoke attaches to the pot.

The techniques for the colouring for this piece were taught to me by Nick Arnull after I attended his workshop for a two day course on texturing and colouring techniques. I had a great time and came away newly inspired with my brain straining with new ideas.

Thanks Nick.

This bowl I have had sat around for ages so used it for an experiment to try out my newly learnt skills.

I wanted to produce an ancient looking stone bowl weathered and tarnished that had been discarded. Carrying on my interest at the moment with ancient Japanese artefacts/metal and stoneware etc

Materials

Bowl 190mm dia x 75mm high, made of pine, textured to look like stone, acrylic artists and house paints, finished in satin acrylic lacquer.

Comments welcome

 

[wizer]

Absolutely love it Mark. Right up my side passage, this one. The colours and textures work just right for me. The form is perhaps a little chunky but still pleasing. Can't wait to see some more.

 

[CHJ]

Texture looks like coarse Plasma Sprayed Metal to me Mark, not to sure about the intense colour changes, would prefer them a little more subdued but that's not a critique on the attempt to match the source of inspiration, just my personal taste.

Something completely different from your recent output, quite a surprise.

 

[mark sanger]

Wizer

thank you.

It is my first attempt so there is much room for change and getting better.

The bowl had been sitting around for months and I used it for this exercise as it was made of pine.

The form of it is based loosely on a tsukubai which is a stone basin out side of a tea room building in a Japanese garden where people wash their hands before th tea ceremony.. They have thick rims. not sure why may be because they have very cold winters and I guess they may crack, not sure though.

Thank you for your comments,

 

[mark sanger]

Chas

Thank you for your comments. I am happy with all comments good bad or indifferent. It helps me to progress.

This for me is the first attempt and while I am happy for a first attempt it is such a new discipline and it will take me I think quite a long time before I get the hang of colours.

This one has 11 different colours applied numerous times and three different type of painting techniques.

I hope with future attempts I can better the colour effects. Long road a head me thinks.

 

[Bodrighy]

The only problem I have is I don't know how you did it. I am really struggling with decorating my work and so any ideas and tips would be useful. Be a long time before I achieve this standard mind but now I have come over to the dark side of decorating I am going to have to really go for it I suppose. Life is full of these slippery slopes :lol:

Pete

 

[cornucopia]

sorry Mark not this time
I understand your intention to produce and a weatherd old look but these colours dont seem to blend and work well together- imo

 

[mark sanger]

Pete

Thank you for your comments.

This technique I have just started and have a long way to go before I know what I am doing myself.

This for me is a play of ideas that I learnt and am trying to get to grips with it.

My advice would be to go on a course with Nick as his knowledge of colouring, texturing etc is vast and I only scratched the surface. But as laymen I would say just play with ideas and see what happens even if it does not work I fond I learn a great deal.


George

No worries it is a radical idea for me to jump into and there are many variables The top colours are not meant to blend but be a result of an accelerated burning process once the base colour is built. Depending upon the mixtures used you can achieve soft muted colours or an explosion of bright colours.

I do appreciate you comments as all comments, good bad or indifferent help me to explore new ideas and look at what I am doing.

The great thing about this effect is that you can go back over it and change it again and again and again until you are happy with the result.

I know this will develop greatly from where it is now. Keep on my tail and thank you again.

 

[wizer]

Mark have you seen the work of David Marks in America? He works a great deal with patination techniques.

 

[stevebuk]

i seem to get oxidization, rust and slowly crumbling metal, not sure if thats whats intended but its what i see and feel.
Would the bowl have any use mark, other than decorative?
i think i need a few more looks as yet.

 

[mark sanger]

Hi Wizer

No I have not looked at David Mark's but I certainly will do and thank you for making me aware of him, I will look.

Steve

Thanks for your comments. If you don't like it just say, I certainly do not take offence at what others may feel is a negative comment. We often learn just as much from what others may feel is negative than a good pat on the back.


The colours I agree give a feeling of rusting metal. This certainly was not the intention to start with and the reds and orange colours were meant to reflect pottery.

However I like to go with the flow so to speak ( 12 years in the Police being told what to do when to do it have made me a bit of a rebel,:lol and as the colours developed I too recognised rusting metal. But instead of thinking this was different than what I had set out to achieve I just went with it taking on board Philips " what if" mantra. I learnt a lot from it, there are things that I will alter but for me it is an honest piece ( not amazing) developed as I went along without constraint.

It was not my intention to make a piece to be sold or even to reach a final result. Yes I had ideas about where I wanted to go, but I wanted to play and try something new while I make my other work for orders etc. It is the start of new ideas which I hope will get better and be developed.

It is important for me to have a mind escape and this for me is playing with new ideas and techniques. Even if they turn out not as planned I learn a lot.

Does it have a use.

Umm that is an interesting question. It is my passion to make items that are visually enjoyable. So other than being a bowl to sit on the side to look at no. But is there a need for anything else. ?.

But it could be used for anything. I'll throw it at the cat later and see if it works :lol: :lol: no need to contact the RSPCA it is just a joke peeps.

Thank you again for commenting I appreciate it.

 

[wizer]

here you go Mark:

http://www.youtube.com/user/djmarks44

 

[mark sanger]

wow

Thank you Wizer.

You are like a library for YouTube wood vids.

 

[boysie39]

I think I have stated before that I am not aan admirer of wood staining or hideing the grain in any way.
But strangley enough this piece does float my boat,I think it may have something to do with it being chunky.
I remember many years ago as a lad going to school and there was a forge that we passed and outside was a trough that the smitty had made years before and had been made of metal lead concrete and who knows what else, it looked a lot rougher looking than your piece Mark but I seem to remember that all those colours were evident.
I dont know if that was your intent but it brought it to my mind as soon as I saw it ,that was what a blacksmith had made many years ago ,only on a far bigger scale and the materials he used had produced colours like yours.
I dont know what way this reads to you but it is ment as a complement to you. REgards Boysie.

 

[BMac]

This is excellent. Like Boysie, I don't go for colouring wood but this time it works for me. I think the colours, texture and chunky style compliment each other well and make this a very attractive piece.

I hope you are keeping records of exactly what you do because this type of replication is hard, even with the instructions.

 

[mikec]

Hi Mark,

Wow this is a new direction !!

While the colouring may be open to discussion the intent certainly seems to have been achieved. If I had seen the piece without any explanation, the last thing I would have thought about its origin was a piece of pine. :shock: :shock: :shock:

Regards,

Mike C

 

[mark sanger]

boysie,

Thank you. I think you must be starting to convert to the dark side if you are beginning to like coloured work :lol: :lol:

My intention with this piece was to put into practice what I had learnt with Nick. To experiment and play and to attempt a raku fired appearance which looked aged. I guess I wanted it to look as far away from wood as I could get.

I do take it as a compliment, but I am also happy for people to disagree and not like pieces as this fuels ideas and debate within myself, thank you for your comments.


Bmac

Thank you for your comments. Yes I am keeping notes and this was one point that Nick made clear. It is a major part of the process.

However I do not believe in being to conformist so I generally throw the book away after a while, so to speak.

Mike

Thank you.

I was cautious about posting this piece as I knew it would cause possible debate. But that would just stop me getting honest comments.

It is a new direction and one that I am going to develop a lot more. I will run it along side my other more accepted work as this sell regularly and I am not sure some of the galleries are ready for this yet.

I will test them out soon.

Thank you all again for your comments.

 

[Jenx]

I like it, Mark ....
To my eye, its not so much metallic.. it reminds me more of the large stones from the beach, that have that almost 'marbelled' effect ...

Different , and pleasing !

Its good to sometimes 'surprise' people too....
I really love your 'signature' work, but this butters my parsnips too :wink: 8)

 

[Lightweeder]

Hi Mark - from a personal taste point of view, I'm not fussed about the colouring, but the texture and the shape are stunning.

LW

 

[Paul.J]

Well Mark for your first attempt at this particular method of colouring it looks fine to me.It just doesn't look like timber at all,especially Pine,so it is a good use of that wood
But can i ask if your customers or feedback from them,want to buy a piece of wood that has been coloured to give a metal/stone appearance.
Wouldn't it be as well to buy a metal/stone item if that's what they are looking for :?: