Sunday, October 25, 2009

Dorer la Merde

Pardon my French, but I had to find a polite way of stating this project.

I had grabbed a double handful of yunomi and chawans that weren’t going to be heading to the studio door and set down at my bench for an experiment. I needed works to explore a gold luster… I read up on it and it seemed kind’a strait forward, but everything does until you discover the hidden nuances that trip you up… well, me anyway.

I haven’t taken the time to appreciate gold lusters. I know what I like, (I'm not always sure why), but I do know that if done wrong or for the wrong reasons it can muck-up a perfectly fine piece, and if done to merely spackle over shoddy workmanship it’s just “gilding a turd”.
This experiment falls across that range pretty well. I wanted to see how the gold luster would play on surface a few of the different textures in this group of test pieces. I liked a few of the results, now I just have to judiciously apply what I learned.





9 comments:

cookingwithgas said...

Interesting and well done- not overdone at all and adds to the work.

Unknown said...

I have a what appears to be a tear drop of this gold on the yunomi I got from you at Witchopolosa, and I must say, I like randomness of its placement and and form. It has the appearance of a golden mistake. It is a small treasure that I enjoy every time I hold the yunomi. Just my 2 cents.

Rob Addonizio from Taiko-Earth said...

I must say, I love how you have taken your ware/art to the next level with this technique.

Very interesting and effective!

Anonymous said...

looks like the gold worked well, without a hitch. even if you didn't intend it, there's something compelling about the finished pieces you posted. i really like the 3rd one down. now that the cat's out of the bag, are we gonna see more of this luster work?

Luke said...

I've only used gold luster on a couple pieces, and sometimes it's just the perfect little touch. I like the way it works with your blue pieces here.

Thanks for following me - your work is great!

Nick said...

Beautiful and great work, love how it adds just that little bit extra!! What sort of luster do you use? Been looking and everything seems discontinued or unavailable.

Bonetcha said...

Golden shit! loooooooooooooooooooooool! i love this concept! :))))))) i love you my cousin!


Fred*

ang design said...

totally cool it does add just the slightest of layering..nicely placed..

Anonymous said...

Hi Zygote,

I'm wanting to do some gold luster on some of my more sculptural pieces, but I am daunted by the teeny, tiny gold bottle that cost a bundle. I've heard this stuff is difficult to work with. Do you have any helpful hints?

Thanks, Lucy