Ever read an article or watch a video of someone elses studio practice and you think  Everybody knows that or everyone does that.  But best of all it’s fun to have that eureka moment when you see something that you never thought of or had forgotten you used to do that. There are so many studio practices that we have that we sometime forget that what comes naturally is a totally new concept to others.

During the summer it can get too hot to work in my studio so I use that time to work out new ideas, I do this by keeping a sketchbook of new ideas.  I use notes of possible glaze combinations, drawings of pots that I see or pots that just my imagination.  Pottery Making Illustrated has a different group of sketches of pots in each issue on the very last page.  They are a great source of inspiration.   

I also use mock ups paper, tar paper or cardboard to work out design I use a shrinkage ruler to get dimensions after shrinkage.  I also will binge on some YouTube Videos from some of my favorite potters and ceramic artists.  I recently watched a video from Vaughan Smith.  Was about the exploring different shapes of mugs and finding one style that is special for your studio.  It was so informative and can you excited for exploring more.  

Watch his video here Vaughan Smith exploring mug shapes

Hope you find this helpful and let me know if you have any studio practices you would like to share, send them to my contact page and while there sign up for my news letter.  

You have heard mention Bill van Gilder several times in my blog I always appreciate his willingness to share his knowledge.  I may have forgotten another great resource, his videos are sent right to your mail box.   What a great ideate sounds like it’s really has taken off for him.  Please join me by getting a email with great information and a video as well.  Sign up here bill@tipstoolsandtechniqueswithbillvangilder.com    While you are at his website check out some his great tools.   I’m not associated with Bill van Gilder Pottery, just a potter who likes his information and thinks he should be acknowledged for all his help and his string of information.  In the future I’ll list some other video resources I find useful    Any questions or comment or sign upper my newsletter  Use the contact page

See you in the next blog.

One of my biggest pet peeves is people not keeping up with their web pages and things getting out of date. Well as you noticed I haven’t been having any new work for the past several months. Thanks for all your concern I have been working on several new shapes and also have had my share of failures as well.  I have enough work for several firings, but several other non studios projects I have ben working on have kept me away from completion.  Mainly some house hold projects including some home improvement and updates DIY.  So keeping coming for the weekly blog posts and look for some new pieces in the fall.  Don’t miss anything by aging up for my newsletters use the contact page  see you in the next page.