Summer Geranium Vase

Designer: Tim McPherson
Project Time Span: 1.5 hour
Skill Level: Basic

Instructions: Project instructions below. Mayco encourages you to vary colors, patterns and techniques to create your own designs.

1. Begin with properly fired shelf cone 04 Bisque. Moisten a clean Sponge and wipe Bisque to remove any dust.
2. Place some FN-004 Red into a small cup and add a little bit of water to slightly dilute it. It should be the consistency of a coffee cream. Pour this into the vase and roll around to completely coat the interior of the vase. Drain out the excess Glaze and keep vase inverted until it has lost its shine. Wipe off any Glaze from the outside using a damp Sponge. Allow to dry.
3. Using a CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply 2 Coats of FN-001 White on the outside. Allow to dry.
4. With a pencil and AC-230 Carbon Carbon trace on the pattern.
5. Thin a small amount to SC-73 Candy Apple Red and block in the flower areas.
6. Using a CB-404 #4 Pointed Round, block in the leaves with 2 Coats of SC-52 Toad-ily Green.
7. Side load a CB-404 #4 Pointed Round in SC-87 Ruby Slippers and add a band of color to the leaf about 1/3 from the top edge.
8. Side load a CB-404 #4 Pointed Round in SC-39 Army Surplus. Shade the outside edge and create creases from the top to the center of the leaf, about 5 or 6 to each leaf.
9. Deepen the outside edges with a CB-404 #4 Pointed Round side loaded in SC-36 Irish Luck.
10. Using a CB-404 #4 pointed Round, load one of the following colors, then change as you complete the flowers: SC-74 Hot Tamale, SC-73 Candy Apple Red, SC-82 Tuscan Red or SC-87 Ruby Slippers. Create each blossom with a pressure stroke, keeping the tip of the brush to the center of the flower, creating 4 petals for each flower. 
11. Continue with all the above listed red colors, allowing the blossoms to overlap. Start from the outside for the flower cluster towards the center.
12. When completed, add a dot of SC-6 Sunkissed to some of the flower centers.
13. Using a CB-110 #10/0 Liner, add the stems with 2 Coats of SC-39 Army Surplus.
14. Using a CB-110 #10/0 Liner, add the veins and squiggly lines in the background with SC-36 Irish Luck.
15. Using a CB-110 #10/0 Liner, add some detail lines to the flowers, and if desired, outline and detail the leaves.
16. Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06.