Slip casting:

I attempted the process of slip casting for the first time, we added a deflocculant into some liquid clay and poured it through a sieve to get rid of any grit that was left. To create our slip casts we had to select a mould and pour the slip up to the top and let it sit for about 5 minuets, once we could see it thickening around the edges we poured the excess out and let it sit upside down for 10 - 15 minuets and once the clay had turned matt we could clean the edges and remove the slip cast from its mould.

So far I have made around 5 separate slip casts, all with white earthenware clay and I believe that the white earthenware clay has a ver ice and pure look after it has been fired, they look clean and pristine and when looking at the finished piece, the clay has managed to pick up imprints and indents from the mould such as instructions and warnings from the yogurt pots that the moulds were created out of and that these details are able to stand out well against the white tone of the clay. I believe that this gives the slip cast sense of authenticity and allows them to look and feel natural and reflect the world around them, as if they would be something that you could find laying around your house or sitting in your kitchen. 

I tried several different methods of cleaning the tops of my slip casts. for some I attempted to use a clay knife to cut the rough edge, however, when I attempted this I didn't cut the clay in a straight line causing the top to look gnarled and raw as if an animal had been chewing on it. It think that it looked like an amateur piece of work, it was rough and childish and to me it didn't feel complete. For my second attempts I decided to leave the tops completely untouched as I wanted to see if this had any effect on the atmosphere and feelings that the slip casts would convey, when looking at the fired pot the were still rough and gnarled, however, they felt much more natural than my previous ones, I believe that the sharp edges invoke an atmosphere of aversion and unfriendliness, they feel isolated as if they are pushing you away and telling you not to come any closer. I then decided to use the grinder to smooth of the top of one of the pots and when looking at the final product I think that the atmosphere has completely changed, all of a sudden it has gone from something raw and unfriendly to something that is prim an proper. I think that by grinding the top down I have been left with a result that looks far more clean and professional and I believe that this looks like something that could be found in a shop, something that people would pay for. It was interesting to experiment with the different tops, however, I think that the best result is the clean tops as it has a cleaner, more put together look.