More Organic Material and Slip

I used both surface decoration and silk cocoons dipped in porcelain slip for these pieces. I chose a more heavily grogged black stoneware body, I then applied white porcelain slip followed by sodium silicate to the clay slab, once both layers had dried I stretched out the slab on a board creating fissures and cracks and colour contrast. I then cut and formed the ellipse's before adding the silk cocoons. I had ordered the cocoons online, I soaked them in the porcelain slip before hand so they could absorb as much as possible and hopefully the hollow shapes would be left once the cocoon had burned away.

Below are the two pieces I made before firing.

Here are the pieces after firing, they were single fired to stoneware temperatures. The porcelain slip shells have held their shape really well so I was pleased with the results of these pieces and can see the potential in utilising organic matter to create texture and shape in future pieces.