Share
This Site
With a Friend

Submit Your
Pottery Comments
Here


Pottery Magic Home

Weekly Letter
Mail List

Pottery and Ceramics Projects

Pottery Tray










Pottery and Ceramic Tools
Tools for Pottery

Pottery Magic Wand
Tips & Techniques for Pottery and Ceramics
Pottery and Ceramic Projects
Clay Pottery Craft Projects


Pottery Magic Wand
Clay Pottery Articles of Interest

Pottery and Ceramic History
Old Time Pottery History

Pottery Magic Wand
Pottery and Ceramics
Featured Potters Gallery



Pottery and Ceramics Definitions
Pottery and Ceramics Definitions

Pottery Magic Wand
All About The Clay


Glazes and Decorating Pottery
All About Pottery Glazes

Clay Pottery Craft Projects

Pottery Tray Basic Supplies Pottery Baseball Project
Coil Mug Clay Pottery Hedgehog One Piece Plaster Mold
Pinch Pot Crystal Bowl Horsehair Art
Slab Pottery Easy Clay Bottle Lazertran Tiled Panel Project
Making a Coil Foot Handbuilding Pottery Basics Simple Hand Print Pottery
Making a Water Whistle Making a Puzzle Mug Sand Clay Projects
Easy Pottery Teapot Easy Pottery Plates









Making a Pottery Tray


To make a tray with beautiful impressions quickly and accurately that can be handled by children (age 8 and older) and adults. This is a great project to demonstrate to students how beautiful pottery can look with very little effort. It provides the basic understanding of how clay feels like, use of tools to cut clay to size and give surface texture. Lakeside Pottery uses this project to provide instant gratification in the first class or two where it increases self confidence and interest to learn more about pottery.

What is needed:

1) Slab of clay ¼" thick. Dimensions depending on size of tray
2) Pin tool
3) Window wipe
4) Stamps
5) Rolling pin
6) Leaves /plants
7) Newspaper
8) WD-40 lubricant
9) Piece of wood to reflect the inside surface size of the tray. The corners of the bottom surface of the wood need to be rounded slightly to prevent from cutting into the clay slab.
10) Foam larger than the total size of the tray and about 2 1/2" - 3" thick.

Step by step:

1) Use a slab roller or rolling pin to flatten the clay to about ¼" thick.

2) Place the slab on one sheet of newspaper.

3) Smooth the surface of the slab with a window wipe or a metal pottery kidney.

Smoothing the clay for tray project

4) Spray WD-40 (or any other lubricant) on the bottom part of the wood.

Spray WD-40 lubricant on the wood

5) Mark the inner part of the tray on the clay using the piece of wood as an outline.

Marking the outline of the tray

6) Place leaves or such on the middle section of the tray and push into the clay with the rolling pin.

Compressing your design into the clay

7) Decorate what will be the rim of the tray with stamps or other means.

Stamping the pottery tray

8) Cut the slab of clay to about 1" - 1 1/2" from the outline marked previously. The 1" - 1 1/2" size will be the tray's rim.

Cutting out the pottery tray

9) Move the slab with the newspaper to the top surface of the foam.

Placing the clay tray onto the foam

10) Place the piece of wood in the center of the slab (note that if the outside dimensions of the tray are 8"x12", the piece of wood need to be approx. 6"x10"). Make sure you place the lubricated side of the wood with the rounded corners on to the clay.

Pushing the wood into the foam

11) Push the wood onto the clay until the rime of the tray erects to the desired angle. Than let go. The tray is now formed.

12) Use the pin tool carefully to remove the wood from the clay by lifting one corner first.

13) Let tray dry and bisque.

14) Glaze and place the glass where desired (if using cone 6 electric firing).

Finished clay tray waiting to be fired

Morty Bachar Nov 2, 2004

Good character, like good soup, is usually homemade.

Tips Definitions Clay Projects Pottery Gallery Pottery Tools Glazes All About Clay

Have you ever come up with a good idea while working with your pottery or ceramics and thought that you would like to share it with others? You have? Well, why not send it to us and we will add it to the tips page for all to see.

There are signs that pottery and ceramics are losing appeal for a younger generation. There are pottery and ceramic departments closing in teaching institutions throughout the country. The common understanding is that younger students are reluctant to commit themselves to the intensive study required to master pottery and ceramics. Why spend three years to learn just one art form when you can pick up PhotoShop in less than a week? Pottery wheels lie idle as students flock to the computer labs. With all the stressful actions in the world today, releasing that stress through pottery and ceramics would be very beneficial to ones well being.

DeerLake
Store
Store Home
Teddy Bears ( Bears from Deerlake ) ,, The Amazing Wondermugs (Watch how the colors change when adding hot liquid) ,, Photos by Steven and Becca Images of Glacier Park and More ,, Hat and Scarf Sets ,, Christian Bears Holy Teddy Bears with a message for every occasion ,, Silk Neckties by Eagle Wings 100 Silk with Patriotic and Christian Designs ,, DeerLake Kitchen Aprons Create your own Kitchen Aprons, several Designs to choose from ,, 150 Images for T-Shirts and Sweatshirts Great quality all cotton and best prices on the Internet ,, Screen Savers Glacier Park and the Great Northwest captured on camera, yours to enjoy.


Links To Other Sites of Interest

Pottery and Ceramics Home - Contact Us - About the Author (Pixie B.)
Pottery FAQ - Terms of Service ~ Terms of Use and Legal Notice
Privacy Policy and Security Statement - Copyright/IP Policy
Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved. ® DeerLake Designs LLC

Silk Neckties, Kitchen Aprons, Patriotic Shirts & Sweatshirts,
Teddy Bears (Patriotic and Christian Holy Teddy Bears)