Knobbed Hornbill Ceramic Sculpture

I started this piece last summer during an online workshop. It has spent a lot of time sitting between stages. I finally got it to the ceramic shop this week for its final firing. I just picked it up a few days ago and am really pleased with how it turned out. I don’t have a kiln so I must out-source that step. This piece now lives in my bedroom. I love the large size and fully intend to make more pieces in this scale. Thank you for taking the time to look.

Some in-progress shots:

The black underglaze is wiped back to be left only in the recesses:

Completely covered in black underglaze:

Underglaze is applied and re-fired (I should have underglazed it before the first firing but kind of forgot.):

The first firing is complete (the bisque-fire):

Sculpting finished. Time to dry:

Initial form:

26 Likes

Jamami, jambalaya, jambone, @JoyfulClover!! Sheesh, I can’t even type without stutter-screaming. Look at this masterful work of wowness! You are going to love it!

Hey! I see freaky hearts, I’m looking out for their project post. Your work is awesome!

2 Likes

I love the colors and the lifelike way the head is canted. The black underglazing was a good call. Really beautiful!

I do love it, @Magpie.

2 Likes

This is stunning! I am so impressed with your skills. The dream is a kiln in the garage. I just need to get a garage first.

3 Likes

That is crazy amazing.

2 Likes

YOWZA! You have really captured this bird. Such an amazingly lifelike representation!

2 Likes

Beautiful job.

I prefer bisque firing before underglazing. Then I can draw the design in pencil, and if I don’t like how the painting is coming out, it’s much easier to scrub it off.

But if I’m doing a wet clay technique like sgraffito, or want a background that won’t mix into the foreground, or am in a hurry to get the piece done, I’m happy to slap the underglaze on raw clay.

2 Likes

I prefer to apply it for the bisque-firing because I use the technique of wiping back the black underglaze. This way the initial color stays put. :slight_smile: I love sgraffito though. I need to get ahold of some colored slip so I can do that for some pieces. My absolute favorite step is carving leather-hard clay. It is so friggin’ satisfying.

1 Like

Thank you everyone. I love the weird birds as much as the more commonly known varieties. I would love to do a whole series of hornbills one day… :blush:

1 Like

I sometimes can’t believe that this is clay…the way you glaze it almost looks like it is carved from some exotic wood…I love that you choose unusual and and almost fugly birds…they are so interesting and haunting…like a blast into the past…

Amazing work, just amazing! I hope someday you do that odd prehistoric looking bird I have been seeing around the internet…not even sure what it is called, but it looks like something from the dinosaur days!

I think you have a lot of subjects…I did not realize how many varieties of hornbills that there are!

2 Likes

Underglaze is basically colored slip. Works great for sgrafitto.

2 Likes

This is epic! Amazing work!

2 Likes

I think you may mean the shoebill stork? I did one on a plaque in college. One of my favorites. :slight_smile:

2 Likes

An amazing sculpture!

2 Likes

Oh, well there you go. It’s been fifteen years since I took a ceramics class in college. I got back into it a couple of years ago and I feel like some things I am learning again for the first time. :slight_smile:

1 Like

I seem to do ceramics for a few years, then move away from.whatever kiln I’m using, then start up again years later. I get into different techniques each time.

2 Likes

How amazing!

2 Likes

Wow! What a lot of work and talent went into this.

2 Likes

This is absolutely stunning. I’m floored. Its amazing. I am in awe of how you got the eyes to have such an intelligence and life to them.

1 Like

This is so impressive, your skills are incredible!

1 Like