Birds. Planning.

This is a fan shaped dish with a bridge handle from the early 17th century Japan. Mino ware.

I've got it up here to show where I got the idea for my birds from originally.

Mine are different, but I guess you can see the similarities.
Planning.
I am trying to approach the decorating process with some structure but still have it be spontaneous and quick. Today for instance I had a board of cups to draw on. I sat down and tried to get my mind quiet and be in the moment. (That meant getting Karma out of the shop for awhile). I picked up the cups and looked at them. I studied the slip pours and the marks on the cup. I thought, "what would work on here?" Then I'd quickly do a little sketch of my subject in my journal. I might have to do 3 or 4. I wasn't drawing the cup. Just the bird or fish or dog or whatever. Once I had that, I did a little rough in with pencil on the cup, and then worked over that with my incising tool. I try not to think too much and to let the tool have it's say in the mark making. I like to get it done quickly too.

My hope is that this will lead to more confidence in the drawing and less fear about screwing up. It will also probably eliminate me from putting things in weird places on the pot or just generally sabotaging myself. Better composition will result. I hope.

I didn't take any pics of those cups and they are already in the kiln, but I'll get some images of the process up later on. I just wanted to share what I'm doing and that it's helping.