MadDog & CrazeeCangaroooo Neckpieces

As Promised... here's what Ms. Merryweather and I made yesterday...

We have normally been using red clay to create our Porcafamiliar, and having a little bit left over fashioned a small madDog necklace... which we popped into the oven along with the roast chicken!! It dried and cooled in no time. First I painted the entire thing with a layer of slightly watered down white gouche (find this in any art shop). Then added some colour using some of MacKenzie oh so Rosies poster paints - just a touch. The paint will dry within 2-3 minutes as it is waterbased. Next a quick coat of high gloss varnish - I bought a tin from the DIY store for about 3 euros - the varnish is what brings the whole thing to life. It takes a few hours for this to dry. Once dry, thread a cord through the head... a hole you poked through with the end of a thin paint brush, or similar, when the clay was still moist, and hey presto!

First MadDog neckpiece ever created!!

I didn't have a chance to photograph this prototype as it was wanted by a freind immediately, and he is flying back to the UK with it around his neck as I type this! However, we did make two more yesterday. I present to you...

madDog002 & crazeeCangaroooo.

We tried a different clay, the white 'airdry' type. Its more expensive than the red clay, but I don't find it as easy to work with, and it takes forever to dry. I must admit I did pop them into a warm oven to help them along, but you need to be careful as this may induce unwanted cracking-up!! I also prefer the red clay as it shows through slightly upon glazing.