Decorating Technique- Marbling on Lids

I've always loved marbled paper. I vaguely recall making some when I was younger, and always love to open really old tomes with marbled paper on the interior of the books.

I made these lidded jars that were similar to the lidded jars I started with the 52 form project (not totally defunct, mind you!), except these jars are earthenware. I'm working toward an experimental firing this month with earthenware in my wood kiln (that has heavily salted walls!).

White slip in bowl

Dots of colored slip on surface

For these jars, I thought it might be fun to see if I could marble the lids. I took a shallow, wide bowl and put about 1 inch of white slip into the bowl. I then dotted the surface with red and green slip.

Bamboo skewer

zig-zag dragging of the bamboo skewer through the slip

Taking a bamboo skewer, I dragged the skewer through the slip in order to create a marbled look (I basically moved the skewer slowly across the surface in a zig-zag pattern).

Greenware lid

Going for the dip

Then I took the lid, flipped it over, and dipped it into the surface of the slip, pushing slightly until the slip reached the edges of the lid. The lid and the body of the jar were in the green state- so not bone dry, but not wet, just right in the middle.

Ta da!

Voila! It didn't pick up the marbling as I thought it would, but it made for a really fun pattern! Here is another attempt with just red and white slip:

With one bowl of slip I found I could do about 4 lids before the slip became too muddled and needed to be refreshed. I am excited to see how these might turn out in the upcoming wood-fired kiln!