Ceramic Affirmation Plates

I have an awesome project for you this week! Straight from mi corazon! I spent last week at the iLoveToCreate studios and taught a ceramic mug class for an event called Ceramajam. My good friend, Laura, from http://thepeculiarpalette.com taught a class too - a mixed media piece. I was lucky enough to take her class and make a cool plate! Even if you don't do fired ceramics, you can do this style on canvas or glass, whatever inspires you! Ok, let's get started...

Rebel Rider Skateboard Bank

Designed by Suzie Shinseki

Save your money in a bank that’s bad to the bone! The Duncan® Oh Four™ Skateboard Bank looks smokin’ with Concepts® Underglazes and your creativity.

Materials List

• Home Decor Bisque Designs
  
  

  Skateboard Bank 8" x 4" x 2.625"

• Duncan® Concepts® Underglazes for Bisque and Majolica
  
  

  		CN 022 Bright Saffron
  		CN 052 Bright Tangerine
  		CN 253 Dark Black
  		CN 331 Light Olive

• Signature Brushes
  
  

  		SB 803 No. 4 Liner
  		SB 807 No. 6 Fan Glaze
  		SB 811 No. 8 Round

• pure•brilliance® Clear Glaze
  
  

• Miscellaneous

  •   Pencil
  •   Foil or foam plate for palette
  •   Paper towels
  •   Graphite paper
  •   Container for water
  •   Potter’s sponge
  •   Toothbrush or stiff bristled brush 

  Instructions

  1. Wipe ware with damp sponge to remove bisque dust.
  2. Place graphite paper between bisque and pattern. Position top of skull design over the coin slot. Trace over pattern to transfer design onto bisque. Remove pattern and graphite paper.
  3. Using the No. 8 Round, paint Light Olive around eyes, nose and teeth. Fill in larger areas of skull using the Fan Glaze brush. Let dry then paint two more coats of the Light Olive on the skull, letting dry between coats. Let dry.
  4. Paint in flames with three coats of Bright Saffron, letting dry between coats. Referring to photo, brush a coat of Bright Tangerine over the flames, starting at the base of the skateboard and working the color up toward the tips of flames. Color should be heavier at the base and lighter as you move toward the tips.
  5. Paint the flames on the wheels as well. Let dry.
  6. Using the No. 4 Liner, paint a Black line around skull eyes, nose, teeth and around flames. Fill in spaces with Black. Let dry and repeat with two more coats, letting dry between each. Repeat on wheels.
  7. Use the Liner to paint a crack on skull’s head emerging from the coin slot. Refer to photo.
  8. Dip toothbrush or a stiff bristled brush into the Black and use finger to flick bristles to spatter paint over skull. Let dry.
  9. Use Fan Glaze to brush two coats of Pure Brilliance® over entire piece, letting dry between coats. Let dry.
  10. Stilt and fire to witness cone 06.

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Ceramic Travel Mugs featured on The Pioneer Woman's blog!

We love the blog of Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman. And we gasped with delight today when we saw these eco-friendly ceramic mugs on her site (that are similar to ours)! She is giving a shout out to a designer on Etsy who custom paints them. Aren't they beautiful?

Here is the store of Yevgenia, the artist. And here is the link our version so you can ask for them at your local ceramics store! Enjoy!

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PORTOFINO: Using photos for ceramic inspiration

Paulette Adams is a ceramic artist that uses our Duncan line. We came across this blog post and were smitten with her skill of capturing the spirit of a photo and transferring it to a plate!

Visit her site, Summerland Cottage Studio, for more inspiration!

Portofino dish design has been fired, then a clear glaze added and 2nd firing completed.This photo taken from the ship upon arrival and was my inspiration

and here is the end result.

Gauze painting

This is technique we use with our Duncan Concepts® for ceramic pieces, it creates a vintage, weathered look on the surface. But we also know that this effect works great in other mediums as well. Aside from bisque pieces, you could use this application with our Tulip® Soft Fabric Paint™ on canvas art, journal pages, book covers, canvas bags, shoes and more!

TIP: If using fabric paint, you would need to remove the gauze before the paint dries.

Check it out and give it a try! Let us know what you do with it!

Quick and Easy Ceramic Spatter

Meet Madison...a new www.ilovetocreate.com blogger!

We have a wide range of bloggers here on the www.ilovetocreate.com team and we'd like to introduce a new blogger to our family...Creativity Confessions!

Creativity Confessions is the blog of Madison Gellar, one of our new team members in our Duncan Ceramics division. Madi is super friendly, smart, and enthusiastic and her energy can be felt throughout the entire building. Her blog definitely shares that same energy!

So, we thought we would ask Madi a few questions to get to better know her, her inspiration, and her style!

What do you hope to achieve with your new blog?
By detailing my adventures into the world of ceramics, I hope to inspire and encourage others who, like me, doubt their artistic abilities and are too intimidated to give ceramics a try!

What's the most exciting thing you've learned about the world of ceramic arts thus far? Is there anything that has surprised you?
I've been surprised by how easy and fun it is! Obviously we have tons of projects for highly talented ceramicists at www.ilovetocreate.com , but there's also plenty of fun and easy projects for those of us just starting out. Duncan really does make it easy to experience creativity and the excitement of personal accomplishment.

Do you have a favorite product within the Duncan Ceramics line? What is it and why?
So far the Crystals Glazes are my favorite product line. They're super easy to use, and the finished, fired product is so unpredictable and awesome! Each result is different, so you can't really "mess up" with crystals. As a beginner, I like that :)
We hear you are a fashionable gal, what kind of styles and trends are you totally addicted to right now?
I'm totally into "bohemian chic". I love anything from Anthropogie. I would live in their store if I could :) I'm super into tie-dye and ombre tees, especially in this summers' pretty pastel hues.
Are there any ceramic projects on the I love to create web site that you totally love and best represent your personal style -or-- you want to try yourself?
I love the "A Plateful of Peace" project. I think the marbleizing technique is super cool. I think that will be the next one I try. I also love the "Contemporary Cool" collection from the latest bisque brochure, but I'll be awhile before I try that one!

What do you do exactly in your job? Give us a little scoop as to what you do on a day to day basis.
In a nutshell, I do whatever I need to to support and promote the Ceramic side of Duncan Enterprises. That includes helping to develop new products, supporting regional account managers, Duncan Ambassadors, and distributors, helping to develop advertising, pricing, and packaging, and attending various trade shows to promote our awesome Duncan product!

We see that you were really inspired by your first ceramic experience, why do you think you didn't think you were creative and how did it feel to complete a project and have creative success with it?
My "art" growing up was ballet. My few attempts at drawing, painting, and crafting were horrible failures, so I just assumed that meant I wasn't creative. It feels awesome to have completed my first few projects, and it has definitely boosted my confidence. This kind of creativity might not come as naturally to me as it does to others, but Duncan has helped me to see it's a talent you can learn, and I'm definitely invested in learning as much as I can!

Be sure to add Madi to your RSS feed or follow her here on Blogger as she rediscovers her creativity and shows you how you can to!