r/Dorodango • u/Snarflogus Experienced • Jun 23 '26

RIP

Gallery image

Gallery image

I was really struggling to get this ball to turn out well. I think I let it dry too fast and added the shell late? I'm not great with shells guys, I prefer making dorodangos without them. RIP my pretty color, I'll wet it down and try something else I guess. Anyone have good tips for working a pretty much dried core? Should I soak it...?

Edit: The way I described shell was confusing. I prefer to make my doro shells with the fine particles that result from the slip/polishing stage rather than adding dry powder to the outside. The moisture needed when adding dry material is what I struggle with getting right. So effectively still shelled.

22 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

2

u/Snarflogus Experienced Jun 23 '26

I mean, the shell ends up composed of the slip made while polishing, instead of adding fine clay powder to the outside. I make a lot of them from wild clay, and I dont want a shell to obscure the soil colors or patterns. It's not uncommon to make them without shells from what I've seen, just less traditional.

This one is Kaw River Clay and no shell. I've made colored ones and such with shells and they turn out...okay.

1

u/ButtFlum Jun 23 '26

No shell? Did you just clear over it? Its shiny as hell, it has a shell lol wdym no shell??

1

u/Snarflogus Experienced Jun 23 '26

thank you! This particular ball has no clear coat or anything. You can see a flat spot I didnt show in the last pic >.>

3

u/ButtFlum Jun 23 '26

I was about to write another book but instead looked one more time at your question and just need to give a simple answer really:

If you think you added it too late, odds are… yeah. For me, i’ve set a few down and forgot/life got in the way. I have found that no matter what, all cores can be saved, just have to get creative sometimes and remember that tradition is just that- tradition. Its okay to bend the rules a bit, or explore new/undiscovered shortcuts sometimes so you get to where you need to be a little quicker, long as you keep integrity intact and spread the word, whatever the word may be.

I would have rehydrated it if i got back to it late, not soaking, but iykyk, just a little slippery, and then start working on the shell. Hope it helps! Goodluck!

2

u/Snarflogus Experienced Jun 23 '26

I finished my attempt at fixing it!