5.11.2011

acquiring skills


after touring Brickpitt Studios here in Pittsburgh, i decided to try and attempt something i've wanted to do for years, build a reproduction 12th century persian chess set out of clay which will be fired and glazed. heather, at brickpitt, has been very helpful and i've been going over to her open studio sessions to work on the set. i finished the pieces last night, having a few false starts since i am not very conversant with that sort of modeling. my hands do not really do what my mind wishes them to do. but i am learning as i go and getting better at it.

the pieces will now dry for a week then they will have their first firing, followed by glazing and a 2nd firing. i've made extras of each in case they crack in the kiln.

early chess sets are very different from those used today. pieces were used carved from jet or bone, or made of clay and are much blockier and less stylized as the staunton set most people are now familiar with.

progress posts as i progress

No comments: