Making the Black and White Kaleidoscope Mini Vases

This next project is a set of three 3 3/4" matching black and white vases decorated with kaleidoscopes.

I begin by mixing a bit of pearl clay into the white to add a little sparkle.

Next I will make a brain cane. A sheet of white is sandwiched between black. After rolling to the 5th setting on my pasta machine, I form the cane by making accordion folds around the center.

All finished. The white stripe running down the side will help me to line up when assembling the kaleidoscope.

Next I make a jellyroll. A very simple cane - a sheet of white stacked on black, rolled thin, and then rolled up.

Here I have added a few extruded canes to the brain and jellyroll and wrapped them partially in a black sheet. Next I smooth the sides by rolling and then it's time to reduce.

The reduced cane is first cut into six pieces, then I press the sides giving them a triangular shape. And finally I cut each sixth into thirds.

The assembled kaleidoscopes. They are all from the same original cane, but because of its triangle shape there are three different ways of arranging them. I decided not to use the one on the far left because it was a little lopsided.

I make one more jellyroll and reduce it really small. Then I cut the kaleidoscopes and jellyroll into thin slices and press them randomly onto the vases.

After baking I pop them off.

Now I cover each vase in a thin layer of black clay, so when viewed from the inside it's all black. A wide band of white around the center and they're ready for the baked cane slices.

I press in all the slices and then prick the white with a large upholstery needle to facilitate small black balls later. And then it's another trip to the oven.

And now, for the last part - adding the sea anemone squiggles. A thin film of liquid clay spread over the surface helps them to stick to the baked clay.

The black dots have been added. Only two more vases to go…



...And here they are all finished and together.