Making the Foo-Foo

I went out on my ride today looking for things that I could use to decorate my planters.
I didn't really find anything inspiring or interesting.
Well, this was sort of inspiring:



For my cactus plants anyways.
So I got home and got to work on my planters.
Time to make some foo-foo:



I wasn't really getting into the pattern thing so I just sort of did the first thing that came to mind.
Most potters don't get into carving stuff on their pots. I think they get too attached to their work and don't want to alter them.
Well, like this ceramic artist Frank Boyden said, the first mark is the hardest.
I mean once you start, you are pretty much committed.
So off I went:




I wasn't too concerned with the patterns coming out perfect or anything. I just sort of went with the flow.
Simple geometric stuff seemed to work out okay:





I sort of missed the center on that last planter. The design band should be a little higher up.
While I'm doing the carvings, it gives me some time to think about the pots and how I'm going to glaze them.
Actually at this point in my pottery thingy, I sort of know what I'm going to do as far as glazing goes while I'm actually making the pot.
This really helps for if you ask any potter, sometimes the glazing is more difficult than making the piece.
I left the vee shaped planter plain. I think it will look better without any foo-foo thingys.
So anyways, there they are, waiting to get bisque fired.
My kiln is so small, I doubt if I can do two at at time. Tomorrow, I'll get back on the wheel and make some smaller stuff to fire along with the planters.
I have some other stuff to fire so I'll probably load up at least one of them tomorrow night.
I hope nothing explodes.