Salt Pigs, Batch 1

After more than a month, I finally got a chance to trim and design my salt pigs! They're so kawaii! I honestly cannot stop looking at them. :)

Here are the salt piggies after trimming:

They're a handful to trim, primarily because of the circular shape. I had to use a stoneware funnel to cup these babies.

And after the trimming process, I had to finally do what I intended: create the openings. I particularly have no design in mind so I just cut based on the shape of the mound. I have to remember not to cut too much at the bottom and at the top. (It sounds easier; I should have made bigger mounds.)

And when I'm done with the openings, I made the feet. I opted to give the first one four big strong feet as it was heavy--I wasn't able to properly shape the sides of the salt pig. The opening isn't as big as the others as well, which led me to the conclusion that I might need to make a spoon for this one.

(With a spoon, he will look like  a monster warrior. Cute!)

And the other small one got cute little monster feet (reminiscent of the tea cup I got from Jon last year). I added the broken design, my version of the kintsukuroi.

Its so small--only as big as my equally diminutive palms. :)

I had to stop my studio time after finishing the two mounds, leaving two more unfinished salt piggies. I cannot wait to finish the other two for the first batch. - 3/27/2014