Transcription
In this video, you will be introduced to the basic hand-building techniques, which are essential for anyone looking to learn how to work with clay to build a variety of objects by hand, rather than on the wheel. The three techniques we will be showing you here include pinch pot, coiling, and slab building.
Here are the tools we will be using in this video. For more in-depth information about these tools, please see our "Basics of Ceramics" video here.
Before starting any project with ceramic clay, you want to make sure that your clay is soft and consistent. You may also need to prepare your clay by wedging it first, which is a kneading technique that extracts all the air from the clay and unifies its consistency and particles. You may use a wire cutter, dental floss, or string to cut and divide the clay into smaller and more manageable pieces. Make sure to store any extra clay in a damp towel or airtight container to prevent it from drying.
To build your pinch pot, you will want to start with a ball of clay roughly the size of your palm. The smoother you can get this to be, the better. Next, take your thumb and push it down to the center of the ball. From there, you can use your thumb and fingers to pinch the clay open, and you'll want to do this very slowly and gently to avoid cracking your clay. Take your time doing this. It's always best to maintain the consistency and the thickness all around the pot and thin it down very gradually, rather than do it too quickly. Don't forget to pay attention to the base of the pot as well. It may take some practice to get the shape and the height that you need, so just be patient and make sure to practice your technique often. Every now and then, you will want to go over the pot and smooth down any lines or cracks that may appear on your clay.
Coiling is a hand-building technique that uses stacked coils or ropes of clay to build forms and vessels. What makes this technique great is that it could be used to build height or organic forms, or it could be smoothed down or used to create intricate designs. To make your coils, take a small chunk of clay and begin shaping it in your hand into a thick roll. Try to use soft clay for this, as it's the best.
Next, you can start rolling them out on your table, and to get a perfect coil, you will want to place both your hands in the middle of the coil and then gradually move them outward as you roll out your clay. You also want to make sure that you are using the entire length of your palm to do this and avoid short movements. Coils can dry pretty quickly, so make sure to cover them in a damp towel while you're working.
To start building the pot, you will first need to create the base, which can be done using the pinch pot or the slab techniques, or simply flattening a ball of clay down to an even disc. To attach the coil to the base, you will need to score them both by using a pen tool or a scoring tool and then applying slip to the scored area on the base. Align your coil on it and gently press down to make sure that it's sealed. If your coil is not long enough, you may simply cut a piece from another coil and attach it in the same way to complete a full circle. You can then use your thumb to attach the ends together.
From there, you can start stacking your coils using the same idea. Score both sides that you will be attaching to each other, and then use slip to bind them together. Once you have a few layers stacked, you may use a wooden tool to smooth down the lines of the coils into a flat surface, which can also serve to make the piece stronger. You can choose to do this on one or two sides, depending on your own preference. To make the wall of the vessel adhere better to the base, you may attach an additional smaller coil on the inner bottom corner and then smooth that out as well. You can also use a damp sponge or a brush to clean up the coils from excess slip.
Coils can be used in so many ways than just straight lines. Take some time to create some designs with your coils, which can then be used to stack and build the wall further.
Slab building is a technique that uses slabs or flat sheets of clay to shape and construct forms or drape on molds. What makes this technique great is that it can be used to build objects that require flat surfaces or even use to press texture on it while it's still in its platform.
You may roll out your slab using a wooden rolling pin and a pair of rolling guides. The rolling guides serve to help us maintain an even thickness throughout the clay. So, start by patting down your clay using the heel of your palm, and then use the rolling pin to spread it out. From time to time, you will also want to lift your slab and rotate it or flip it around, which will help you control the shape and size of it, and it will also help unstick your clay from your table, which will make it easier to spread.
Using a rib tool will help you smooth down the surface of the slab. Simply glide the flat edge of your tool on the clay, keeping in mind to start from the top edge to the bottom. You don't need to apply too much pressure while doing this, and don't worry too much about the edges.
While your slab is still flat, you can use a variety of tools such as ribbon tools, texture rollers, stamps, or even leaves to apply texture and designs onto your clay. Of course, you may simply use your hands to shape your clay into any form that you like. However, one way to create different shapes is to use plaster molds. As you can see here, we've used a drape mold to create the form of a plate. Simply drape your slab on the mold and compress the clay around it using your hands. You can then cut off the excess using a clay knife, and the same technique can be used on a variety of different shapes and forms.
Another way to roll out your clay would be using a slab roller, and this machine allows you to control the thickness of your clay and is more convenient if you're working with larger pieces. So, if you're using a slab roller in your local pottery studio, you may ask the staff there to assist you or teach you how to operate it. Again, you will probably want to smooth down the surface of your slab before using it, depending on your own preference, of course.
Next, you can cut up shapes from your clay, which can serve as the base, walls, and top, which you can later on combine to construct an object. You may also use templates to do this. To combine the pieces together, remember to score both pieces and apply slip in between.
We hope that you found this video informative and helpful. Please be sure to check out the rest of our videos to learn more about how to create fun ceramic projects.