u/KUSTceramics

A lot of people ask how these are made, so here’s the process.
Every whale begins as slip-cast ceramic. I use plaster molds to create the main body and the separate parts, like the fins. Once the pieces are ready, they’re assembled by hand into a single sculpture.
This is where the creative part really begins. I carve all of the flowing lines and textures by hand, so no two whales are ever exactly alike. Then I add the small details and carefully drill hundreds of tiny holes that will later let the light shine through.
After that, the whale dries slowly. Once it’s completely dry, I refine every surface, smooth the transitions between the assembled parts, and finish all the small details before the first firing.
The first firing is at 950°C (1742°F) in an electric kiln.
After that comes glazing. I use a spray glazing technique, applying multiple layers to build soft gradients and deep ocean-like textures that would be difficult to achieve with brushing alone.
The whale then goes through a second firing at 1050°C (1922°F).
Only after the final firing do I install the electrical components and lighting. That’s the moment when it finally stops being just a ceramic sculpture and becomes a glowing whale lamp.

A lot of people ask how these are made, so here’s the process.
Every whale begins as slip-cast ceramic. I use plaster molds to create the main body and the separate parts, like the fins. Once the pieces are ready, they’re assembled by hand into a single sculpture.
This is where the creative part really begins. I carve all of the flowing lines and textures by hand, so no two whales are ever exactly alike. Then I add the small details and carefully drill hundreds of tiny holes that will later let the light shine through.
After that, the whale dries slowly. Once it’s completely dry, I refine every surface, smooth the transitions between the assembled parts, and finish all the small details before the first firing.
The first firing is at 950°C (1742°F) in an electric kiln.
After that comes glazing. I use a spray glazing technique, applying multiple layers to build soft gradients and deep ocean-like textures that would be difficult to achieve with brushing alone.
The whale then goes through a second firing at 1050°C (1922°F).
Only after the final firing do I install the electrical components and lighting. That’s the moment when it finally stops being just a ceramic sculpture and becomes a glowing whale lamp.

I love making custom pieces, making something significant for people it is the honour for me, because in that way people entrust what is most precious for them, their memories and feelings, I need to be very gentle with such kind of tusks and be very careful with the idea and realization.
I like to use stoneware clay from Slovjansk, Ukrain and use handbuilding techniques to make it. For the covering I like to use Botz stoneware glazes or just the Anagama woodfiring. In this piece I used stoneware effective glazes and have fired it on 1210 degrees in electrical kiln.

I love making custom pieces, making something significant for people it is the honour for me, because in that way people entrust what is most precious for them, their memories and feelings, I need to be very gentle with such kind of tusks and be very careful with the idea and realization.
I like to use stoneware clay from Slovjansk, Ukrain and use handbuilding techniques to make it. For the covering I like to use Botz stoneware glazes or just the Anagama woodfiring. In this piece I used stoneware effective glazes and have fired it on 1210 degrees in electrical kiln.

The design came from my work creating fundraising pieces for the Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps. A lot of those projects combine traditional zoomorphic forms with modern military imagery, and somewhere along the way this little armored cat with FPV goggles happened.
I like that it looks equally like a lucky cat, a tiny robot, and some strange guardian creature.
Probably one of those ideas that sounded questionable at first and somehow became one of my favorite pieces.

I’ve always loved the weird overlap between goblincore and old nature documentaries, so I ended up making these ceramic toads with oversized eyes and strange colors. They feel like the sort of creatures you’d find sitting under a mossy log, watching you collect shiny rocks.
Each one has its own expression and personality, and I like imagining they’re a tiny council deciding who gets to keep the best mushroom.
Hand sculpted and glazed by me.
🐸💚✨
Do you give names to creatures like these, or am I the only one?

I like to make animalistic ceramic stoneware sculptures such like this, and even more I like to make them functional- making lamps, vases, urns and much more. When I’m making the ceramic animals, first of all, I should think about construction - the sculpture should be strong. When I’m sculpting the general form I use only my hands, then I use wooden or plastic stack to make the shape more finished. Then I can use different tools to make details, textures and accents. For stoneware clay I use high temperature firing at 1230 degrees and can use different glazes.

Here you can see the process of making the giraffe ceramic sculptural lamp. I like to work with custom pieces like this. I use handbuilding techniques and stoneware clay to sculpt. In this project I used colour pigments for decoration and then covers it with matte transparent glaze. If you would like to see what it will look like in finish stay tuned!

Here you can see the process of making the giraffe ceramic sculptural lamp. I like to work with custom pieces like this. I use handbuilding techniques and stoneware clay to sculpt. In this project I used colour pigments for decoration and then covers it with matte transparent glaze. If you would like to see what it will look like in finish stay tuned!

Lay casting technique helps to make the basic form fast and then I’m making all decor, details and designs by hand.

I made this ceramic lamp inspired by Ukrainian folk beast motifs, old protective spirits, and modern FPV drone pilots. Somewhere between a forest guardian, a mechanical cat, and a night creature that collects shiny things.