Crown 9 -- getting even more close

  

All made from clay, except for their clothes and the stick holding sign. The figure on the top of capital building should be in the kiln for bisque stage.  Need to fasten the denim dress side, and work on sign holding adhesive appearance.  Testing now to see how it sticks..don't want to make it permanent..the sign holding aspect.

The piece was "quieter" without the signs and the clothes of course, but wanted the current day "reality" to step in and make some noise...discord of discourse.  Based on Constitution/law, rather than "personality."

Crown 9 -- getting closer

Ok, not there yet, but closer.  Now for their signs and a flag or two.  Going to get a bit more animated!  Ceramics.

Crown 9...the center work

The people and the eagles are going to circle the outer ring of the crown. Picture in case it doesn't make it out of the kiln in one piece!

Crown 9..in work

This one it taking more time, but learning some things, which is one of the main points perhaps. 

Animal Kingdom Crown...in glaze process

I was going to make it two colors, like animal silhouettes, but then thought, hmm, try for real. 

Some touch ups here and there, and then to fire. 

 

Animal Kingdom Crown -- Clay / Ceramics

Fired but not glazed yet. Deciding if simple or "real" animal colors. Plus, what kind of plant to put in the center to make it "wild" animal kingdom..and hide some of the inside work that was not so smooth!  

Crown of Thorns -- in Clay / Ceramics

The latest to make it through the glaze process in the crown series in clay. Debated on shiny or more true wood tone, but went shiny to sit with the other shiny ones in series...the thought line smooth with the shine, but perhaps altered with contrast of this one to the others.

 Have extra thorns that will accompany with a hopefully simple but true statement involving compassion (via a few less thorns)  --  or something like that.   As it is now, one can put it on their head...with thorns inside, that wouldn't work.

Animal Clay / Ceramic Crown -- Animal Kingdom -- in progress

A rainy Saturday morning allowed for indoor activity..and idea that was recently brewing took shape.  Part of the crown series with which I am playing...this one is for the Animal Kingdom.  Below are two of the steps, with photo on top and at very bottom as it dries. 

Crown Four -- Ceramics with Pattern Detail

Used a paper cut as glaze stencil for design. Glaze as pattern element a change up from the glass and stones of  the other crowns in the series. Yes, it fits. 

Crown...of Thorns

Ok, another crown in the series. Hoping it dries slow enough to make it through to firing. Made a little tent to help slow it down some...the thorns don't have wax resist on them, so poked around and found some hair styling oil to put on them....hmmmm...messing something up, or solving it?!  Gad, I am leaving it for a few days, so won't be around to keep an eye on it... have to build up a surround so when the balloon starts losing air, the crown doesn't crash down. 

St Wencelas Crown -- In Ceramics with glass

Vaclav IV  (Charles IV) crown on display for his 700th birthday at a palace I visited recently...a palace open to the public, but, nonetheless, a palace!

Anyhow, the crowns there inspired me to make a series of crowns...this is the 4th in the series.  His coronation crown, which he had made to honor Saint Wenceslas (St Vaclav). Totally tricked out in real life too...gems and pearls basically in this array, though the real crown used sapphires, a ruby, spinels (like a ruby), emeralds and pearls.

My version here is in clay -- fired  -- but not solid gold as the real one is rendered!  Yes, it fits the head, but a bit heavy.



The original below right...

 

                                                                                                                                                          Here below is how it looked as the clay was drying.

Crowns...a study in ceramic crowns

Crowning around with more ceramic crowns.  A friend suggested to try to make ten of them  -- investigate the study / technique in more depth than one or two would provide.   Spray paint for one to achieve the gold more in line with the project than using gold luster glaze (which w/b prettier, but will wait until perfect execution of the base/stones)

Have some less traditional, and one very traditional (!) in mind.

Ceramic Crowns ..with "jewels"

Queen bee?!

Crowns...ceramic..awaiting their jewels