Linda Arbuckle CERAMICS
workshop supplies

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List of things below I suggest you bring for our class. May vary depending on the venue. Please be sure to mark your tools with your name or some sort of identification. We will be using terracotta and firing to cone 04-03.

For workshops where students are bringing terracotta bisque: a red clay that fires to cone 03-04 is good. I prefer very fine (90 mesh) grog, or un-grogged. If you have clay w/grog, rib any trimmed areas smooth after trimming. The small air pockets caused by dragging grog will hold air and make pinholes in the finished glaze. See the handouts page for clay recipes if you're mixing your own. Otherwise, ask your local supplier for a clay suggestion for cone 03 majolica work.

We will be using AMACO GDC majolica decorating colors, available at the workshop.

• brushes: for majolica: a range of watercolor-type, hake, Japanese, etc. Hake brushes are good for background color application. Need not be expensive, but several sizes and shapes would be helpful. Plus an inexpensive Japanese brush for wax resist work pin/needle tools
• plastic palette, or a retired ice cube tray or styrofoam egg carton, but find something white so you can more clearly see colors.
• mini-whisk for mixing up small amounts of colorants
  
• shop towel, apron
• x-acto knife, scissors, straight edge/ruler
• plastic palette for using and mixing colors
• plastic spoons - several for mixing and spooning out colors
• food coloring: one small bottle of any color to color wax resist is helpful
• sandpaper: small piece of 400 grit wet-and-dry sandpaper
• slides: 5 slides, pictures or a sample of your ceramic work if available to share w/us
• sketchbook (one already in progress is good)
• If you're driving and have space: old newspapers are handy
• small jars - several for tableside use of wax resist and maybe a color or 2 we'll mix(1/2 cup/4 oz. containers by Rubbermaid are great, or recycled yogurt containers, baby food jars, Duncan glaze jars, or whatever with lids).
• bulb syringe (infant enema w/removable nib)
• tiles - 3 or so to make color tests on for future reference. 6-inch square, at least 3/8" thick are good.
• small water containers for clean water and to wash brushes
• sponges: working and cleanup. A small sponge for cleaning up waxed motifs
• packing material for taking your work home.

• cut-off wire
• banding wheel is very helpful when building forms as well as decorating
• Kemper mini-extruder if you're handbuilding
• serrated rib for scoring
• fettling knife
• hump or slump molds if you need them to handbuild your work
• hair drier or heat gun to speed up things (optional)
• respirator or particle mask (safety)

• 2 pieces unsized canvas or cotton duck for rolling slabs (? 30" x 36")
• scraper (plastic or metal, 6" to lift batts, smooth clay)
• Sur-form (small, curved shape) rasp (hardware store item)
• wooden paddles for shaping
• small bucket
• plastic to cover work in progress
• flexible metal rib, shaping ribs,
• rubber kidney - flexible rib for smoothing. I prefer the Sherrill Mudtools Rib in red.