I started with 1.5 lbs of clay and threw these tumblers on my pottery wheel at my home studio. I tried to make them so that when they stand next to each other, they sort of mimick one another. I like this concept and would like to play around with it more in the future both with mimicking and with the negative space between the forms. I started teaching one of my drawing classes this week at our local community center and I was talking about negative space. This must have been what prompted all of this.
I then trimmed the bottom of the cups and applied a dark green slip to the outside. Once the slip dried, I carved away the designs. I didn't do any planning. Just sort of doodled as I went. I did the "sunflower-y" one first and I feel it might be a bit too busy. I prefer the other one, with the larger dark areas. I think it's less busy.
Once I fire these for the first time, I'll glaze them. I can't wait to see these completed. Oh, FYI "Sgrafitto" is the technique of carving away the slip, leaving behind a design. :)