As suppliers and potters, we're always on the hunt for new pottery tools that really make it a game changer in the studio. It's tough, but someone has to test out the gadgets... *smirking*
For us, the newest find was the Drawing Ribs by Mudtool. If you love texture on your work, this is the new "treat yo'self" gadget. Adding texture to your work really helps with your glaze-game, especially in conjunction with Celadon glazes. If you're into applying slip on the inside or outside of your work like me, the sharp, precise edges of these Drawing Ribs work best to carve into the slip. Check out this guy's video (at 4:15 minutes) of him creating texture with slip.
Although the Drawing Ribs may seem similar to the amazingly-priced, practical, hard-working serated rib(my favourite tool if you can't tell), the Drawing Rib differs with its spacing and pattern of grooves along the edge, allowing more variation with line. And bending the Drawing Rib can help distort the grooves even more!
Sorry serated rib, you're just a little too boring for texture.
But, I think the real magic in all of this is its ability to curve on the INSIDE of a bowl... Now that's a game changer!
There isn't really anything else out there that has the fine detail or metal grooves to bend effortlessly around curved objects like the Drawing Ribs. Not even a potential idea for a thrifty-do-it-yourself-pottery-tool my brain could muster up. I'd say, give 'em a try! Especially because they're all on sale right now. Oh, did I forget to mention that?
Expires March 1, 2017.