Dorodango IV

This is number 4. Almost perfectly round , not as shiny, but no hairline cracks.



This is number two. shinier but hairline cracks.


Below is the other side of this ball. I had added some water and now i cant get it smooth and shiny again.



Making Dorodangos has proved an interesting past time, but I will spend less time on it. It is a Zen activity and I will continue. It is nice to hold while siting at home. Now i would like to see what happens when I use same technique on wall plaster. i think a black polished clay wall in small sections could be cool looking. But it scratches easily.

I have learned :

- Yes clay can become shiny, it makes sense.
-at some point you can only smoothen and you can't restructure it won't bind together
-sometimes add more water.
-drying speed is important, otherwise cracks
-experience, experiment
-when adding dust don't polish
-has to be in bags
-in beginning get the water off, dry with cloth, later dry with clay dust
-it cracks try to add another layer, you cant close it.
-the broken one shows clay was not all mixed.
-only polish after fully dry