Making A Vision Come To Life

Many artists choose to use clay as their method of transfer. It is a material that can be molded into any shape or size with just the hands alone. This allows for individual creativity to thrive in this medium. Shapes express feelings, size suggest the amount of feeling an artist has for this particular piece.

The work of an artist conveys a message from the artist to the person admiring the piece. Each piece of art starts as a feeling or idea in the mind of the artist. That person’s mind then translates the feeling or idea into a vision of a finished art piece. Each vision is an individual translation of how the artist thinks or feels. Once the vision has gained enough definition in the mind, it is time to transfer it into a form that can be seen by, and shared with, others.

Many artists choose to use clay as their method of transfer. It is a material that can be molded into any shape or size with just the hands alone. This allows for individual creativity to thrive in this medium. Shapes express feelings, size suggest the amount of feeling an artist has for this particular piece. These elements are combined to express the base of the vision as it has solidified in the mind of the artist. Modifications may take place as the piece is created. This is one of the ways in which clay is a valuable tool for artists. Ideas can change or be enhanced as the form takes shape. Clay is a forgiving material that continues to change shape until it is dried.

Once the artist has the perfect form for their piece, it is allowed to dry and is fired in a kiln. This solidifies the form and creates the base for color applications. While clay does come in many different colors, many artists prefer to use glazes to color the art after the first firing. This gives a greater range of colors, tints and shadings for each piece.

For the artist who wants a repeating pattern or a smooth piece with a textured look, ceramic decals and ceramic transfers can be added before the final firing. Whether decaled or hand painted, the artist has the ability to offer a greater depth of emotion and image to their piece. The final firing of the art piece takes place when the last layer of glazing has been added. Firing time is dependent on the type of glaze applied. Once done, the artist has a colorful form to share their vision with others.