Chaffinch & Dog Rose Tiffany Scull

Because Tiffanys decoration is created using slips and clay at leather hard, she is only able to work on one piece at a time. The drying process starts as soon as work begins and slowing this down is crucial as it makes more time to create such complex designs.

First, detailed pencil drawings are made of the animals and their habitats that are intended to decorate the next pieces with. The forms are thrown using a white stoneware clay which are turned whilst leather hard. The smooth forms then go through several different processes creating a 3D effect on the clay surface. The raised surface of the design then has several blended layers of different slip colours applied which are unique to Tiffany and have been developed over many years.

At the final stages contrasting slip colours are added and all the details drawn on using sgraffito with different handmade pointed tools. Each piece is then left to dry slowly before the two firings. After the first bisque a clear glaze is brushed onto the main themes leaving the rest of the piece matt creating a tension between the glazed and unglazed surface.

The final glaze firing is to 1180°c in an electric kiln.