Definitely! Take the idea and run with it. That's what is so cool about everyone posting their techniques in these public forums. Hope it leads to exponential creative growth.

Thanks so much...that's definitely my favorite part of it too. Feels like magic.

Thanks Brenda, I hope you get good results when you try it.

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It's one of those techniques that feels a little like magic.

It works well with colored slip and you can even do it with no slip at all and stain the fissures with an oxide wash after the bisque firing.

So glad you enjoyed it. Hope it works well for you.

That's a great idea. It's also possible to polish the textured surface with wet/dry sandpaper to make it safe for the table surface. Thanks for your comment!

Still haven't done the final firing...sorry!

@@gooddirtclasses8933 how about now

@@Yakkhyl kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rs5oZa2mntirZ4E.html

What percentage sodium silicate to H2O?

@@leighrobison9388 I cut it about 50/50 from the concentration it comes in from the supplier. The stronger the solution, the deeper the cracks seem to penetrate. If you get it too weak, you won't get enough fissuring to really show up. Be careful about getting the solution into your slop bucket as it can contaminate all your reclaim clay and make it behave strangely. Powerful stuff!

I used a white slip over red clay.

I described the slip more fully in a previous comment.

I think you want to heat it with the torch so the surface becomes stiff but the underlying clay is still soft and stretchy. You could probably substitute a hairdryer if you're more comfortable with that. Of course, it couldn't hurt to experiment...it's very possible that I am just an impatient potter who likes to play with fire.

We use a white slip that we mix up from dry ingredients and sieve just as we would a glaze. It's 25% kaolin, 25% clay, and the rest non-plastic ingredients...flint, neph sy, zircopax. Also contains borax. It will fire to cone 10 but works great on earthenware too.

@@gooddirtclasses8933 can you please give the ratio in detail..?

You could definitely experiment with just using your usual white clay body. A good way to make a slip from it is to save some trimmings and let them dry completely. Then cover with water overnight and pour off excess the next morning. Blend up what's left and you should have a nice smooth slip. If it cracks up too much, you could try making a deflocculated slip by adding sodium silicate to your slip prepared as above drop by drop until it thins in consistency. This way the water content can be lower in a slip that can still be brushed on. Hope this makes sense...

@@gooddirtclasses8933 it does. Thank you very much

De nada! Primero un engobe blanco y segundo una solución de silicato de sodio (approximamente medio agua y medio silicato de sodio). Es importante por quemar el superficie para secarlo sin secando todo el barro. Lo siento que no puedo hablar mejor en Espanol.

You definitely have to pay attention to the shrinkage rate of the body and the slip. Always test to see how it reacts as the clay dries and also after the firing. The slip I use is mixed up from dry materials and is 50% plastic materials (kaolin and ball clay), and 50% non-plastic (Nepheline syenite, silica, zircopax, borax).

@@gooddirtclasses8933 Thank you so much!! 💐 Greetings from Berlin.

Thanks for the suggestion...I don't do a ton of hand building, but I'll put that project on my to-do list.

The surface of the slip and even just bare clay will crack much more dramatically and predictably with the sodium silicate. Concentration will impact the depth of the cracks. I cut it one to one with water as it comes from my supplier. I generally don't generate a lot of scraps with this technique or similar pieces created on the wheel, so not a big issue for me. I agree though that if you get a great result without the need for an additional ingredient...go for it!

You could definitely do that if you were planning to glaze over the texture to render it a bit smoother and more functional. I chose to put it on the outside so I could leave it unglazed.

I took some snapshots of the final result. It was fired to cone 10 in reduction with an interior glaze high in both sodium and magnesium. It tends to form awesome little crystals.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rs5oZa2mntirZ4E.html

We mix up dry ingredients (kaolin, ball clay, flint, nepheline syenite, borax and zircopax) by weight and then add water and sieve through 60 and 80 mesh screens. We usually make it up to a heavy cream consistency for brushing, but we thin it out considerably for dipping.

@@gooddirtclasses8933 do you just thin it with water?

yes..and run it through the sieve to make sure there are no lumps.

Or maybe firing cycle, but here's the link to the finished product....kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rs5oZa2mntirZ4E.html

@@gooddirtclasses8933 Nice outcome. Thank you! Don't depend on viewers going digging through your uploads trying to find that though, just from watching one video. Disappointment at the end of the first isn't likely to get you a viewer for a second.

@StickerMT Slagging this fellow is caused by being self righteous prig. I don’t know him but appreciate how he soldiered on with those few missteps. I’m certain the point is to learn something, not be a judgmental jerk for everyone to see.