Refining, Attaching and Throwing this Week

Well this has been a most productive week for me in the ceramics room!

I spent a few days of reading break up at the campus, and it was like having the school as my own private studio, and I was able to get a lot accomplished. I have finished up my first project, the monkey drums, and now that I have worked out the majority of the kinks (thus far at least), am in full swing with the construction of my djembe drums.

Monkey Drums!

Here are all four of the monkey drums! I am really happy with how they turned out,
and I enjoy the chunky hand built character and quality they have.



I made one smaller matching set, one single long handled larger drum,
and one double handled larger drum.



 

These are the matching pair of smaller drums, which I used an opposite red and black slip trailing technique, that I then scratched into on the handles.

This is the two handled slightly larger drum. When I attach the hides on either side, I may seal some clay beads inside,  turning it into a sort of rattle drum!

 I carved into the exterior of the entire drum, creating a very interesting and tactile texture.

This is the larger long handled drum that I used a combination of black and green slip on, 

which I then carved a Navajo inspired pattern into.

Slab and Slump/Hump Mold Djembe's!

Here is my first larger hand built djembe with the base and the bowl successfully attached!

It fit together like a dream, and a simply used the access clay left around the opening to join it on the inside. I then inverted it overnight, and stuffed it with plastic bags so it didn't sag or collapse.

I used my plain paddle with a piece of burlap wrapped around the outside to achieve the texture on the outside of the drum, and plan to finish it with a simple glaze that accents the beautiful aesthetic. 

The marbled djembe drum has been beaten out with a plain paddle, and is in the process of drying to the leather hard stage so I can attach the base to the bowl. I have also decided to try angling the bowl of the drum so that it sits at a slight angle facing the player.

I have started throwing a few djembe silhouettes on the wheel, and have two large drum bowls, and one base so far that I will attach. I was also inspired by this video by Chris Scamehorn to attempt to throw one drum in a single go. I hope to have a total of two hand built slab, slump/hump mold djembe's, and two wheel thrown djembe's.

Cheers until next week!