Two Steps Back, One Step Forward

Okay, so the two halves seemed like a great, easy idea. Except it wasn't, at least not at first.

The problem was that I'm used to being "inside" the ocarina when I form the mouthpiece and sound hole. I can see all the stuff that needs fixed before I put it toget

her.

But when the ocarina is already made, I have to guess where to put the sound hole (can't tell where the drop into the cavity is...), and in this case, the drop was too rounded and didn't meet the mouthpiece exit, so all the air was going...nowhere.

After 7 destroyed ocarinas and many, many tears and shouting later, I finally thought about putting some extra clay in the spot that I squish to make the mouthpiece...and it WORKED!

I made 10 ocarinas tonight, and maybe one or two won't make the final cut. But at least 3 of them simply SANG...like honey! Sweet, sweet, sweet! From the first blow to the last...

Now to hope that someday they all do as well :)

Here's a pic of the older ones I did, painted for the bisque, as I'm hoping to try something "new" with the stamps...