Clay: Iron Oxide and Commercial Decals

I had this Duncan plate laying around, which I intended to use as a plate mold. But as a rookie ceramicist, I was startled and displeased by shrinkage, especially of porcelain clays. For example if I’m cutting a slab porcelain plate, it needs to be a 12” diameter to shrink down to a 10” plate. I discovered that with Coleman porcelain (which also warped AF). And so I used the Duncan plate as a test pot to see if there was enough iron oxide in the laser printer I use to make water slide decals.                            

The iron oxide in the toner cartridge is at least 30% or enough to make an image on to ceramic. A cone 04 firing was hot enough for the image to be permanent and not rub off. I particularly love this quote from Frida. And I especially loved this image of Kahlo on a rooftop in NYC (I imagine Brooklyn), smoking a cigarette in her blue dress. Next I want to figure out how to add color to these red brown images. But in the meantime I can add color on this plate by adhering colorful floral commercial decals to this plate.            

I also couldn’t stop fussing with my sea mug and adhered an Isak Dinesen quote to its interior.  

 And so here’s Frida so far.            

But I’ve just found even more flower decals, and of course I’m gonna go maximalist with them. I also need to figure out where to cone 016 slow fire her.