So looking back over the decades I think that almost every single pot that I have ever made has always been decorated in some way before it is glazed - and in a few others I have used the glazes to make a decorative design. Yet I love pots that are simple, undecorated and have a well designed form. Why can't I make those?
We did our March gas firing on Tuesday. We tried some Malcolm Davis Shino in this last firing - but again did not get any carbon trapping. Just could not get the kiln into heavy reduction at 012.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKWv0qrdwnhLjSv8kdF31xnfemvlEPsMphxGv-dTgNbgQdGr-gIBqsOJPkv8DUo99e1u-GLsxhV-tngpTQoNwgiY6JqMLpTg5FUnyegH4vyc7w6MQ4IzTAg3oUgFMCtH_fPjaZY_lx5s/s400/Mar+09+(30).jpg)
However did get a orange and light grey on some test bottles - orange for the waxed areas - so that might be a start in the right direction. The bottom half of the bottles is a temmoku.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PUcodbVPWFKuY8ZlGLpL1Tum-CgMCJED-YvHnnJCWQWdYrsstkjX1Tv6FlfFBi2pvltjXyPhrug05KBvuWOQhqwgoapxkLYkt5YDHNzDyovQJR893udocsmNug2105dDNbVOxpBVd1E/s400/Mar+09+(37).jpg)
My porcelain plates with the stony yellows - did not turn out that great - one slumped though it is hard to see in the pic. I trimmed it too thin on one side - I guess it just dried unevenly beofre I got around to trimming it. I rather like the diagonal lines, though both areas should have had the lines going in the same direction. I may do more of them on plates.
The other I had glazed too thickly with the stony yellow so the water blue underneath is not vivid enough.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qeqa-xgoEHVKxpOQ9tV8wODjcm2DdkdDczr9aqd_H1KZk9oYfmHAyQlDxA-NYV-q5g0E_5GogXIozSs0EKcb-Fby_RX8-DZi-Fvj3HxRRg6ZdtQb4x1oT8DXIfx5Wm2b_hsnGfAl8Iw/s400/Mar+09+(7).jpg)
I think also I could have had more layering of other glazes - such as Hannah ochre and Blue as the yellow area is rather boring. They still all look sprayed - somehow I will have to develop more transition areas when I switch from one color to another.