Slip Painting Again

Slip painting is harder than it looks, let me tell you. Or maybe I'm just not doing it right? If you look closely you can see how my lines look slightly imperfect *ok, let's not belabor the fact that it's more than slightly*..what do most people who slip paint so to keep their lines, etc. looking perfect? Is it just lots and lots of practice or something else?
I tried to correct my mistakes by using one of my half round files and sanding the edges, but it's still not quite perfect. Maybe I should embrace the idea of Wabi Sabi and be happy w/ what I've accomplished? Hmm, maybe that's a better idea, lol.
Still obsessed w/ this style- is it too odd? I hope not since I'm compelled to keep doing it. It's starting to feel like a stylized type of architectural line drawings..only w/ numbers and other symbols worked in.

Now the main thing I'm worried about is trying out shelf firing a la Angela Crispin and Catherine Davies Paetz on the hollow forms- has anyone done hollow forms successfully this way?

Slip Painting Experiments

Tried to slip paint w/ Copprclay for the first time today, I think I still need to work on getting the consistency just right..The leaf had three layers and the rest around half a dozen layers of slip- thank goodness I have a handy-dandy mug warmer to dry my pieces lickety-split.

My hand developed a bad habit of shaking at inopportune moments while trying to do close work on my fern, hence the slightly odd placement on some fronds. Is frond the right word? anyhoo, it was fun and I still need to settle on a design for my BIG hollow forms.

WIP- Faux Bone and COPPRclay

Must hurry, Z is waking- coloring on faux bone, still working on them. Only had a chance to snap these shots real quick..be back later.

Carving Practice- Numbers

Thought I'd get some carving practice in since I haven't tried it yet for metal clay. These are back sides of pieces I haven't fired that have just been sitting around. I carved them in order: 7, 9, 3 and lastly 5. It's easier when the number is bigger w/ the size of nib I was using- a #1 on my Speedball cutter.
The numbers were free-handed w/ pencil onto the copper clay, this was pretty fun and relaxing..as long as you don't mess up, lol.
Another thing I'm wondering is whether it's a little easier to carve the pieces when the clay has just dried instead of these pieces that have been waiting for weeks to be fired? Hope to get around to testing my theory this afternoon if I have time.
Not sure what it is about using odd numbers, they seem to look better to me for some reason.

The bracelet is fired and I'm so happy that all the links stayed together! The links' width is 1 mm to give you and idea of thickness.It's light and airy- I measured and it can be worn on the last link at 8-1/2" and fits me on the next to last length at 7-1/2".
The beadcaps are 9 mm, Copprclay daps like butta! I'm going to put a couple on a bead and see how the hole corresponds to a 3/32" mandrel. I tried to get a good pic of the bracelet on, but my camera died after only getting one shot..gotta find some more batteries.