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Post by mohawkpiper on Aug 10, 2015 14:38:44 GMT -6
Think I got it pretty much down keeping the crystal glaze from running into the chattered part. 13" diameter 13 3/4" diameter 15 1/2" diameter 16 3/4" diameter with a crystal in the center that wasn't allowed to fully grow on one side due to other crystals but has a radius of 2.5" which would have put it at 5" if it were allowed to grow without colliding. and i got lazy on this one below and didn't clean the edges before putting it in (because it was pretty flat on the rim so I didn't think it was needed) but I now know I do need to clean the edges because the one above had a pretty decent angle on the rim and a tad more glaze but I cleaned the edge on that one and it didn't flow over. So must clean always going forth... as this one did drip over... poop... 18" diameter G
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Post by Arnie Benton on Aug 10, 2015 15:22:58 GMT -6
Hi Greg -
These are really nice. Are the gold and white stoneware glazes?
I think the lesson on flowing is that glazes are more likely to flow if they're connected to other glazes and more likely to stay put if they have to overcome inertia or whatever it's called that holds bubbles together.
Are those pieces flat on the bottom or do they have a slight curve? The deeper color in the center makes me think they're curved and might do better with less glaze applied to start with. I haven't been very successful applying less glaze to the center and more around the center - too often I just end up with a thin center and an indentation. I think less glaze overall works better. I use a loading of .35 most successfully for shallow bowls. I don't have a measuring gizmo to translate that into thickness.
Arnie
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Post by tileman2 on Aug 10, 2015 16:31:58 GMT -6
Greg:
Absolutely stunning young man- bravo!!! Now for some suggestions that have nothing to do with glaze or form. In marketing; you have developed what would be called a "signature" collection. They are obviously unique and highly specialized: to my knowledge you are the only one doing them- hence "signature" collection. Give some thought to keeping production an a minimum and a price two to four times higher than normal plate prices. You would also do well to create a specialized signature on the back of each one: and possibly limit the line by: 1 of 200..etc.
Tom
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Post by mohawkpiper on Aug 11, 2015 14:20:41 GMT -6
The orangy color and white color in the chattering are washes. So for the white it's zircopax and gerstley borate and the orange is rutile and gertley borate. The black brown color on the chattering is a black stoneware glaze just really really thinned out so it has the feel of a wash. I totally hear ya on the flowing thing. The washes dont seem to do that though as i brush them on pretty wide and go over where the crystal glaze will be and i dont clean them up before applying the crystal glaze. They are slighly curved. Prior to these ones i put on less overall and i didnt get enough flow into the center and the sides werent the color i wanted (cuz glaze too thin) so i apply liberally and more so than i would a vertical pot. i like the color where they pool (cept the first one) and as long as the pooling doesnt crack the piece i am happy. so im happy haha . The orange one was actually refired cuz of not enough glaze the first time. Tom Wallick does chattering on his crystal pieces. Or maybe he does the sodium silicate thing, I'm not sure. Albeit it has a different look than mine and is gone about differently. I think they are different enough that you can tell ours apart from each other and i am pretty happy with the way mine are going. At least i hope they are different enough. His are much grander! I admit i suck at marketing and if i raise the prices they dont sell at the fairs so i am pretty happy with what they are set at. G
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shoji
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by shoji on Aug 11, 2015 14:49:45 GMT -6
Greg those are really good. I don't know how much you are selling those for but at that size I would think about $200 to $225. Tom W. uses sodium silicate and iron washes on his. i think you definitely have something unique and the craftsmanship is spot on.
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Post by tileman2 on Aug 11, 2015 16:41:13 GMT -6
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Post by mohawkpiper on Aug 12, 2015 10:34:17 GMT -6
Thanks. I've sort of adopted the pricing scale that others mentioned in an old thread on the old forum of measuring the width and height and having a multiplier. For the platters it is just the diameter with a multiplier. Then I adjust slightly occassionally if I feel it needs. The plates are pretty much in that range from $175 to $250 based off size and I get rid of a few pretty much at each show. The smaller ones are actually harder to get rid of because they arent as impressive but I had to do a bunch for a little while to get it all figured out and not waste as much material while doing so.
G
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Post by Koz on Aug 12, 2015 13:38:23 GMT -6
Yo G,
Yeah nice job on those, very well executed.
Great contrast but not over done and not too busy.
You have successfully merged what could be considered two very different styles.
If you are getting good money for those at shows, ride that wave all the way to the beach then paddle back out for another swell.
If you start to deal with galleries, you would have to wholesale them plus deal with all of the fun that goes along with the wholesale route.
Just trying to establish accounts with galleries can cost you thousands in show fees, then you get to deal with fussy gallery owners who want things just a certain way or receive the pieces and don't like them in the lighting of their store, the hastle of shipping and breakage, and a host of other challenges, like trying to get them to PAY YOU.
It can suck your soul out through your nose. You might as well surf with sharks.
Been there done that, probably ain't goin' back. I deal with a few galleries that are reasonable and pay on time.
Stick with retail, and get the money they are worth, even if it is just a few at a time.
You deserve it.
Koz
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Post by mariewright on Aug 13, 2015 5:16:38 GMT -6
Wow Greg - those suckers look outstanding! It looks like you've really got that technique dialed in! It's good to hear that they are selling for you too - though not at all surprising - those babies are really stunning. Great job I went to a Tom Wallack workshop, and he does not do the chattering - he has a clay that gives that cracked effect when you hit it with a blow torch and then stretch it. He has tried to do it with other clays, but it does not work on the other west coast porcelains that he has tried. Cheers, Marie
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Post by jfox on Aug 13, 2015 8:57:15 GMT -6
Nice work Greg, as usual I second what Koz said I sold 90% wholesale for more than 40 years, mostly like the produce man off the back of my truck, there was a time it worked really well but these days it is tuff,I have some good accounts that appreciate me , some that go back 30 years but for the most part you are just a commodity.sell cheap sell fast or over the railing you go.the last five years ive moved up to about 30% retail really like selling to someone that actually wants your work I'm working on a plan to get entirely out of wholesale, but when you have to pay the bills you gotta do what you gotta do. Im loading my truck for a trip to LALA land as we speak
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Post by wmcampbell on Aug 13, 2015 12:02:20 GMT -6
Koz says that wholesale is not for him. I find that it is the place for me. While I do have a store and retail a lot, I am not willing to spend my life at art/craft shows. Driving my work all over and setting up in parks, or gyms is not it. I have developed a strong following. I have stores in nearly every state. Look on my web page. www.campbellpottery.com and click on find a gallery. Type in what ever state you are interested in. I have not had to go back to a wholesale show in years. These customers just keep ordering. They also pay me. One of the good things about small shops is, that if they do not pay, the amount lost isn't so great that you can't survive. Retail takes a lot of time, and customers can be a pain. They also can be wonderful. Solving the sales problem is a lot tougher than making the pots. Bill Campbell
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Post by Koz on Aug 13, 2015 12:27:15 GMT -6
I've been right down the row from Bill at wholesale shows, and he is very successful at it.
He's been in it since before my mama was wipin' my nose, and has a huge factory that can satisfy the demand of galleries at a very competitive price.
I hand throw about 90% of what I would wholesale in crystalline.
I know Bill does a lot of slip casting and ram pressing (not that there's anything wrong with that) and can really crank things out with the space he has and the number of employees and kilns he has.
I'm still willing to hit the road for retail shows as it works for us and I don't mind the time it takes and the work involved. I got the back and stamina for it still, and 18K in three days is worth it I think. All the time I'm gone our retail store is open and my relatively small staff of 5 to 6 people are kept busy with the things I throw in advance, plus the work they can generate for themselves. I'm glad Bill is NOT setting up next to me at retail shows. I can't compete with his price point. I don't know of anyone that can when it comes to crystalline. Go ahead and try if you don't believe me.
Bill built his business for himself from the ground up, and he deserves the success and reputation he has earned. I'm sure he is there everyday and I know he has pulled all-nighters to baby sit kilns that need their bottoms wiped.
Just sayin' Piper, it's a dog eat dog world out there and it can feel like you're wearing milk-bone underwear when you are doing it mostly by hand, one kiln load at a time, all by yourself, at half the price of what you really WANT to get for your work.
But, if you can get some wholesale accounts, and get the money you need, then the numbers will hold the truths and it could be worth it for you.
Better go get back on that sittin' spinny thing Piper....That's where I'm headed.
Koz
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Post by tileman2 on Aug 13, 2015 15:51:34 GMT -6
When I mentioned retail: I meant high end retail-specialty shops. (not galleries) If these plates were done as part of a serving placement; including platters, cup- complete place settings: would estimate a four piece set around $2500.00 retail. Which means it would be a 60/40 split. The trick is negotiating the contract, which includes the ability to remove aging stock. The best way is to do simple floor samples; customers would then order according to need. Then you are not stuck with an expensive amount of inventory. You can however maintain an inventory of bisque or greenware: for quicker turnover. Delivery would be 4-6 weeks, with payment due within 14-30 days of delivery. Given your background in graphic arts; a catalog would be easy for you to produce. The store would only need one place setting as a display to sell off of. The next issue is tracking current color/decor trends. You could spend a fortune hiring a decorator to give you popular color palette trends: or you could cheat like I do. Go through the catalogs in your area and see what colors are hot. Buy current issues of Better Homes & Gardens, or other local decorator magazines: they are the trend setters. Keep your colors in line with the popular trends: which equates to faster sales. The common mistake is to make colors you like, instead of making colors the consumer demands. The one thing high end consumers want is bragging rights. They want pieces no one else has; so they can show them off. Back when I was building 50 houses a year: I listened closely to what people liked: but more importantly what they did not like. Liking it got them in the door; not liking it got them out the door. You want to market to those in the $150K annual income and above. I still remember the kitchen remodels back in the 80's: people were spending 500-750K just for a kitchen. You can sit the price very high, and then come down. If you sit the price low, then its very hard to raise it. Personally, I see these plates in the 350-400 dollar range. Then again, it depends if you view them as plates, or works of art.
Tom
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Post by sherri on Aug 13, 2015 18:18:40 GMT -6
Those are freakin' gorgeous Greg! I have to admit - when you first introduced the chattering and crystals, I wasn't all that into it. But now that you've got such complementary colors going, I love it!
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Post by Koz on Aug 13, 2015 20:29:34 GMT -6
Better git yer skinny raley huckin' ace back on that sittin' spiny thing there Piper....
There's gold in them there hills!
Bein' as if an all ya gotcher sef a good mule an' ain't skeerd uh spendin' some time panin' late into the nite under a few 40 watt bulbs neath the canvas panin' tent.
Gosh what's a boy to do with so much advice from folks that have been there and back but ain't doin' what you are?
Ur so fresh.......
How fast an' how many of them thangs kin' you make in a day anyways?
Heh heh...Don' let the besturds git ya!
Koz
P.S.
Why are all you people trying to copy my avatar picture? I mean really....gawsh....
That's me on my deck over looking the lake with the clouds rising up around me because I'm just so successful and amazing. Go ahead and look it up in any state. You'll see....
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