Photography in Ceramics: Transferring Images
A new technique that is gaining momentum in the world of ceramics is the art of transferring images. This is a rather simple process as long as an ink jet printer is used. Doug Gray is an artist who is most known for taking advantage of this method. His work is the image on the very left. He begins by using wet clay (the water allows the image to be easily transferred) and places a black and white photo face down on a slab. He then rubs the photo on and leaves it for a minute. After peeling it off, he uses tools to "sketch" the image onto the clay. After firing it, he adds glaze for color and then uses underglaze and wipes excess off leaving behind the color in the grooves. This method of applying images can also be easily transferred onto pottery that is already fired as seen by the image on the far right.