Using Macquettes to explore texture and surface.

Rob has been trying to encourage me to explore different surface textures and develop some special effects type glazes that can work with the forms. The aim of making these small maquettes is to develop ideas that could potentially be incorporated into some larger pieces. I still had some concerns that this may develop into pieces that became cartoon like versions of fungal forms or could look too literal but I was open to trying and am glad that I did as the process was really enjoyable and some interesting things emerged. 

It was interesting to see what I could do by adding to, piercing and marking the clay whilst still working within the parameters of the ellipse form, some felt more successful than others and it led to the development of other ideas. 

In the above examples you can see that I have also combined two different types of clay a smooth black stoneware body and a basic porcelain body. I like the contrast of both the tones and the materials. Contamination of colour was a challenge and weight of some of the additions would certainly be an issue that would need further consideration should some of these be scaled up and incorporated into a sculptural piece. I am hoping that some of these can be developed as small versions of my bigger forms, individual works that can become pieces of sculpture in their own right.