Newsletter sign up
  • |
  • WebStore |

You need to upgrade your Flash Player Download the new version here. Get Adobe Flash player

 
Minnesota Clay Connection
 
 
Corelite Kiln ShelfNew MKM Rollers4Clay
Potter's Pen ArticleNew Dirty Girl Tools
 
 
 
 
CoreLite Shelves
 
CoreLite Advantages
Lighter Flatter Stronger
 
Need Kiln Shelves? Act Now!
 
CoreLite Kiln Shelves
 
Prices on CoreLite Kiln Shelves are going up. Place your order before May 18th to receive the current pricing.
Click Here
 
 
Potter's Pen
 
Potter's Pen Decoration
 
Click Here to see the pen colors.
 
 
Pretty as a Picture: Tips for Using Underglaze Pens on to Draw on Clay
 
Drawing is having a bit of renaissance in ceramics these days. Artists are drawing on everything from functional ware and sculpture to tile. And there is an endless variety of ways to get the line onto the pot including some relatively new ceramic drawing tools that dispense underglaze, oxides, or glaze similar to a traditional pen. These pens are fast and easy for general mark making and also give more control and make less mess than a brush.
 
Minnesota Clay Co. USA offers the Potter's Pen. The Potter's Pen features a pressure-activated valve that "doses" underglaze onto your ceramic surface and feels similar to drawing with a marker once you get the hang of it. The pen makes a 1 mm line, but wider lines can be made by drawing more slowly or by increasing the pressure on the pen body. The pen works great for text and pattern making, including repetitions of polka dots and contour shading lines. The pen can fill in larger areas or with a little practice can be used to make delicate lines. As it is underglaze, it won't flux in the firing, so signatures or marks made on tests tiles can be put on the back (or bottom) without a problem.
 
The underglaze that is dispensed looks and feels like the jar version with a matte finish and can be covered with a clear glaze if a shiny finish is desired. All 19 colors are non-toxic and stable to cone 9, except the rose pen, which is stable to cone 4.
 
Tips for Use
  1. Shake the pen vigorously before starting.
  2. Hold the pen in the middle, press the spring-loaded tip to the surface of your piece, and gently squeeze the middle to draw a line or make a dot. Consistent pressure must be applied in order to achieve a fine, smooth line. This can be hard on your hand over time.
  3. The longer you hold the pen in one place the more liquid will continue to come out, making your line thicker or your dot wider.
  4. To stop the flow, reduce pressure on both the tip and the sides of the pen body.
  5. If the pen becomes difficult to work with, try cleaning the tip. Remove the cap and hold the pen upright with the tip up (so it will not spill). Remove the tip and rinse it under water while depressing until the tip rolls freely. Replace the tip (and cap) back on the pen body.
  6. For both pen types, if the liquid seems too thick, add a little water to thin the underglaze.
 
"Originally published on February 23rd 2011 http://www.ceramicartsdaily.org.
Copyright, The American Ceramic Society. Reprinted with permission."
 
 
New! MKM Rollers4Clay
MKM has created new rollers. There are 9 new 1.5cm rollers and 26 new 3cm rollers. Each roller is made of a fine-grained hard wood and treated with teng oil for durability. All rollers fit into the same handle, and can be easily and quickly changed out for a roller with a different design or width. The items below are stocked items.
 
How-To-Use Video
 
Handle        
Rollers4Clay Handle Creamer made with MKM Rollers4Clay RS-016 Code: MKMRH1 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Rope Coil        
RS-017 Rope Coil 1.5 cm RS-017 Pattern
 Code: MKMRS017 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Double Rope        
RS-018 Double Rope 1.5 cm RS-018 Pattern Code: MKMRS018 $9.95 Buy Now
         

Twining Strands

        
RS-019 Twining Strands 1.5 cm RS-019 Pattern Code: MKMRS019 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Narrow Rope Twining        
RS-020 Narrow Rope Twining 1.5 cm RS-020 Pattern Code: MKMRS020 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Diagonal Up Left        
RS-021 Diagonal Up Left 1.5 cm RS-021 Pattern Code: MKMRS021 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Honeycomb        
RS-022 Honeycomb 1.5 cm RS-022 Pattern Code: MKMRS022 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Wide Grid        
RS-023 Wide Grid 1.5 cm RS-023 Pattern Code: MKMRS023 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Embossed Flowers        
RS-024 Embossed Flowers 1.5 cm RS-024 Pattern Code: MKMRS024 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Zig-Zag & Triangles        
RS-025 Zig-Zag and Triangles 1.5 cm RS-025 Pattern Code: MKMRS025 $9.95 Buy Now
         
Large Diagonal Zig-Zag        
RM-018 Large Diagonal Zig-Zag 3 cm RM-018 Pattern Code: MKMRM018 $13.95 Buy Now
         
Plaited Bands        
RM-019 Plaited Bands 3 cm
 RM-019 Pattern Code: MKMRM019 $13.95 Buy Now
         
Art Nouveau 1        
RM-021 Art Noveau One 3 cm RM-021 Pattern Code: MKMRM021 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Honeycomb        
RM-022 Honeycomb 3 cm RM-022 Pattern Code: MKMRM022 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Medium Grid        
RM-023 Medium Grid 3 cm RM-023 Pattern Code: MKMRM023 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Wild Organic Abstract        
RM-024 Wild Organic Abstract 3 cm RM-024 Pattern Code: MKMRM024 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Curvy Zebra        
RM-025 Curvy Zebra 3 cm RM-025 Pattern Code: MKMRM025 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Fern Leaves        
RM-026 Fern Leaves 3 cm RM-026 Pattern Code: MKMRM026 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Gingko Leaves        
RM-027 Gingko Leaves 3 cm RM-027 Pattern Code: MKMRM027 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Tri-Spirals        
RM-028 Tri-Spirals 3 cm RM-028 Pattern Code: MKMRM028 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Cavorting Dolphins        
RM-029 Cavorting Dolphins 3 cm RM-029 Pattern Code: MKMRM029 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Crowing Roosters        
RM-030 Crowing Roosters 3 cm RM-030 Pattern Code: MKMRM030 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Wild Horses        
RM-031 Wild Horses 3 cm RM-031 Pattern Code: MKMRM031 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Butterflies        
RM-032 Butterflies 3 cm RM-032 Pattern Code: MKMRM032 $13.95 Buy Now
       
American Bison        
RM-033 American Bison 3 cm RM-033 Pattern Code: MKMRM033 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Diagonal Up Left        
RM-034 Diagonal Up Left 3 cm RM-034 Pattern Code: MKMRM034 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Diagonal & Triangles        
RM-035 Diagonal and Triangles 3 cm RM-035 Pattern Code: MKMRM035 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Cobbles        
RM-036 Cobbles 3 cm RM-036 Pattern Code: MKMRM036 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Twin Rope        
RM-037 Twin Rope 3 cm RM-037 Pattern Code: MKMRM037 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Wide Rope        
RM-038 Wide Rope 3 cm RM-038 Pattern Code: MKMRM038 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Double Helix        
RM-039 Double Helix 3 cm RM-039 Pattern Code: MKMRM039 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Big Rope
Narrow Strands		        
RM-040 Big Rope Narrow Strands 3 cm RM-040 Pattern Code: MKMRM040 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Brick Work        
RM-041 Brick Work 3 cm RM-041 Pattern Code: MKMRM041 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Loose Braid        
RM-042 Loose Braid 3 cm RM-042 Pattern Code: MKMRM042 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Flowers        
RM-043 Flowers 3 cm RM-043 Pattern Code: MKMRM043 $13.95 Buy Now
       
Basket Weave 2        
RM-044 Basket Weave Two 3 cm RM-044 Pattern Code: MKMRM044 $13.95 Buy Now
       
 
 
New Dirty Girl Tools
 
We have six new products from Dirty Girl Tools. There is The Bean which is a tiny rib, shaped like a bean. Next we have the angled comb which can be used for texturing and scoring. Finally there is four new wood tools that you can also get as a set of four.
 
The Bean!      
The Bean! Code: DGBEAN $5.00 Buy Now
       
45° Angled Comb      
45° Angled Comb Code: DGCOMB8A $8.25 Buy Now
       
45x60 Wood Tool      
45x60 Wood Tool Code: DGWT4560 $6.50 Buy Now
       
45x45 Wood Tool      
45x45 Wood Tool Code: DGWT4545 $6.50 Buy Now
       
60x30 Wood Tool      
60x30 Wood Tool Code: DGWT6030 $6.50 Buy Now
       
45x45x45 Wood Tool      
45x45x45 Wood Tool Code: DGWT454545 $6.50 Buy Now
       
Wood Tool Set      
Wood Tool Set Code:DGWTSET $22.00 Buy Now