CLAY EXPLORATIONS · 2 MIN READ

Learning to look: line, texture and form

A simple invitation to notice more in a handmade object.

Start with the silhouette.

Place an object where you can see its outline. Follow the curve of the shoulder, the edge of the rim and the way it meets the table. Notice where your eye pauses.

Read the surface.

Look closely for carved lines, brush marks, impressions or changes in glaze. In sgraffito, a maker scratches through a contrasting surface layer to reveal the layer below. A line can carry both an image and a trace of the hand.

Let light do some of the work.

Move the piece into soft side light. Raised textures cast small shadows; a glossy glaze reflects its surroundings. Sketch what you notice, without trying to make a perfect drawing. Observation is its own kind of exploration.