NKPdesigns

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Coral Beauty Ceramic Bead

This red glaze bounces nicely off the white of the porcelain clay bead body. It combines with the ruddy stoneware sprigs to make the coral reds radiate.

I did not apply black underglaze to these sprigs like I did most of the others.  At first I was not sure I liked this effect but I have come to like it, especially because it does bounce the light in the manner it does.  Using a certain color of clay body to achieve a certain color effect reminds me of painting with watercolors.

Before I was into pottery, painting was my thing and I painted in watercolors. Someday I plan to include a small 'gallery' of my paintings on my website.  Someday ... there's that word ... but really, someday.  Maybe soon.  Next year?  We'll see.

Back then I had a large palate of watercolors and took my time working through a book by Nita Leland titled "Exploring Color". There are 88 exercises in the book and it took me a long time because I kept going back and trying different palette combinations.  If you are an artist and you love color, I highly recommend this book. Not only is it a ton OH fun, you will never forget what you've learned.

3 comments:

  1. Great post Natalie.....I too did watercolors in my previous life!!! Actually, I haven't painted in over 3 years and I hate that I haven't. Anyway, I will look for that book. Sounds like it would help and inspire me to get back to painting. THanks

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  2. Again I drool! *om-gosh*

    Love the color, goes so nice with pale blue or sage green :)

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  3. Natalie, I love this color. I was lucky enough to win some of your sprig beads in a similar color. I've never used watercolors. But I did an acrylic painting of my three girls and I in the style of Monica Stewart's Unity. I asked an accomplished friend to do it for me but she was much intimidated by it. So I picked up my craft acrylics and did it myself. I am NOT a painter. But I have to say it came out quite good. I'd love to see your work.

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