New Nerikomi pattern block

It is time to make new Nerikomi pattern blocks for next year. This pattern needs slicing and laminating, repeatedly 3 times to get the result!

Took me a while to figure out how to do it, and the dimensions of each blocks to eventually make the final block size 16x30cm, 18kg of porcelain, suitable to use to build my work. 

It is well wrapped and rest for a few months before use. 

 

 

Cracked vessels

 

As my porcelain Nerikomi work gets bigger and taller, I have more pots that cracked after final firing, at 1200 degrees, result of stress build up in the layering of coloured porcelain technique. At the moment, over half develop cracks!

This year, this Nerikomi pattern has the most cracking problem, out of 5 pieces fired, only this one survived!

Embrace, Nerikomi 'Lightning'

Nerikomi pattern blcoks

Working on new nerikomi pattern block for next group of works. Some with spirals, some wavy, and some with speckled squares.

Wavy pattern:

With speckled square patern:

Spiral pattern:

Shrinkage

 

 

Before and after glaze firing - after glaze firing at 1220C for 12 hours, it is sad to see how much the vessels shrink during the fierce process, 18% reduction (e.g. 40cm to 34cm in height)!

Of course on the other hand, I am grateful that they survived, without cracks and not warped.

New forms

 New form with wings,  new form like seashell, feeling very creative in Spring!

 

 

 

 

Nerikomi pattern number 80

Every year I make a few new nerikomi patterns, always different never repeated, this is the 80th pattern!

Part of the joy of using nerikomi technique is to create these mind boggling patterns.

 

Ceramic Review Mar/Apr 2024 issue 326

Very pleased to be invited to write for Potter's Secrets in Ceremic Review 326. The third time I contributed to this magazine. 

 

 

Nerikomi - The Art of Coloured CLay by Thomas Hoadley

Just launched in the USA, a book about the history and application of nerikomi technique in ceramics. I am honoured to be 1 of 26 artists, worldwide, included in the book. 

From the auther of the book, Thomas Hoadley: Your work is unique in the world of Nerikomi.

Available from Bloomsbury, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Nerikomi ‘Cubic’

 

 This tri-colours 3D effect is often used on fabric and card. It took me 3 years to figure out a way to make it into my nerikomi pattern 'Cubic' !

I love the visual effect.

 

 

After making over 70 nerikomi patterns, I still enjoy the challenge of working out how to build the pattern I have in mind.

Nerikomi 'Dimples

 

A curved /rounded nerikomi pattern shows a fluid movement and allows variation of colours, compared with the rigid arrangement of a geometric pattern.

The downside is there will be more warping of the work, very noticeable in big size pieces. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The way I work .......

 

Nerikomi technique

The Pattern Sheets of different thickness of white and black stained porcelain are layered in a special sequence to form a block. This block is cut along the side or at an angle at different thicknesses and re-layered to form another block, to arrive at the desired pattern.

Thus the black and white pattern goes from the outside of the ware through to the inside – it is not painted on. Every pattern is unique and cannot be replicated exactly, and only a limited pieces can be made from each block of pattern.

The attraction of using nerikomi as a decoration technique is that the effect is beautiful and striking, with lots of detail for the eyes to follow. Yet, it requires a technically minded person to work it out.

My interest in the nerikomi technique reflects my dualistic character, being artistic enough to appreciate beauty in all forms of expression whilst also having a rational scientific mind, able to engineer complicated geometric forms. 

The block of pattern is then rested for at least 6 months to let the moisture level to equalise.

The Formation A thin slice is cut from the final block, rolled thinner to give an organic touch to the pattern. Templates are cut out, and the pot is then hand built.

The newly made pots are placed in a closed box to allow them to dry slowly, over several weeks, depending on the weather. This helps to reduce distortion and cracking. The loss during this drying process is high, the result of both the delicate nature of porcelain and the amount of cutting and joining when forming the pattern.

Once biscuit-fired, the pieces are polished with sandpaper in water, the work is meticulous. Polishing removes any smear marks made while rolling out the slab of patterned porcelain, revealing the sharp lines and squares of the pattern.

The pots are finished on the inside with transparent glaze, the outside is sanded but unglazed, for a matt finish and smooth texture.