Commissioning a Carved Vessel
When a carved vessel is commissioned each aspect of the design is adaptable to personal preference, from the colour and form, and of course the image used in the pattern mapping process to plan out the carving. Previous clients have used favourite paintings, photographs of pets and even wedding vows.
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A commission begins with a conversation where we discus what you have in mind, this can be done in person at my London studio, over the phone or email, whichever you prefer. Although where possible I recommend a studio visit so you can have a close look at the materials and finishes available. The starting point for this conversation is often the size of the vessel, but can also be budget.
Following this discussion a detailed design document is made for you to approve.
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Designing Your Commission
Form
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The form of the vessel can be adapted from my previous works or from designs in my sketchbooks, taking into account your stylistic preferences, angular or classic for example.
The Image Used in Mapping Process
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Most images, photographs or even text can be used to inform the carving, it is worth putting careful consideration into this as it really does decide how the carving will appear.
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Busy images tend to make a more even pattern. Images with areas of sparse and dense detail create interesting variations within the carving, moving between tiny and larger triangles.
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If you are unsure of how your image will translate into ceramic, I can provide a drawing to give you an idea. You can also pay to have a tile carved in your chosen clay.
Carving Variations
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There are 4 types of carving that you can choose from. Clockwise from top right 'Origami', Micro Concave Pyramid', 'Concave Pyramid' and 'Convex Pyramid'. My most used variation is 'Concave Pyramid'.
Finish
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My pots are fired without glazes, meaning that the final colour and textures of a vessel are that of the clay. There are many clays to choose from, with various shades of black, white, terracotta, brown and grey. Other colours a finishes can be discussed, keeping in mind that any experimentation and testing required comes at an additional cost.
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If you are commissioning a large vessel there may be some restrictions with the clay that can be used, and therefore the finish.
Pricing​
The cost of a vessel is calculated by the cm² of the vessel form, an extra cost is added for the 'small concave pyramid' carving variation as it takes longer.
