Peeking Dragon Egg

Handbuilding

1. Begin with about 2 lbs. of low-fire white clay.
2. Create 2 pinch pots, one slightly taller and thinner than the other. These should be slightly thicker than a normal pinch pot, about ¾ in. thick.
3. The shorter, wider pinch pot will be your base. Sit the taller, thinner pinch pot on top so that the open sections make one sphere.
4. Connect the 2 pinch pots by pulling clay from the bottom pinch pot up and over the connection point and up the side to make a smooth transition.
5. Now that air is trapped inside the sphere, roll the top and bottoms into an egg shape. Be sure to create a flat spot so it won’t roll away.
6. Next, texturize the dragon egg to your liking.
7. To create scales, it is easiest to sit the egg on the bigger side and use a pallet knife press 3 indentations into to the top section of the clay in 3 sections.
8. Continue pushing the pallet knife into the space between the 2 previous knife pushes to create a scale pattern.
9. Once scales are completed, hollow out a space for the dragon eye to peak out.
10. Use a toothpick to carve in cracks around the space for the eye.
11. Cut a hole in the bottom of the egg so that air can be released.
12. Dry and bisque fire to cone 04.

Glazing

1. Paint 1 messy coat of SC-15 Tuxedo over the entire piece.
2. With a damp sponge gently wipe off the surface so the black stays in all the crevices. (Technique: antiquing)
3. Paint 3 coats of CG-992 Mint Chip over the egg except for the eyeball and cracks.
4. Wipe off any CG-992 that may have gotten on the eye of the dragon.
5. Paint the eye from the inside out using a liner brush paint 3 coats of SC-15 for pupil, then SC-6 blended into SC-75 into SC-74 working out for a marbleized effect.
6. Remove any glaze in the cracks near the eye with a tooth pick and then paint 3 coats of SC-15 with a liner brush.
7. Let dry and fire to Cone 06.