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All About Pottery Glazes

Using a coffee can or similar item, a rolling pin and some clay, you can make a large bowl for a spectacular eye catching centerpiece or make matching smaller bowls to go with it which could even be used for chips and dips ----- a really fancy chip and dip holder!
When looking at your bowl, people will be amazed, it will look like it an expensive piece of art.
Actually it is very easy to do and no moulds needed.
It is very important that you make sure the piece is completely dry before firing, if it is wet you chance it blowing up in the kiln.
A very easy way to check to see if your piece is dry enough is to touch it to your cheek or wrist and if it feel warm it is dry and if it feels cold and clammy, it is still wet and you need to leave it set for a day or two more and then check it again.

Crystal Glaze

Paint Brushes

Earthenware clay

HOW TO DO THIS!!

At a ceramic store, you can buy pug clay by the pound.
Prepare a clean, strong work surface such as a large table or you can even use a clean floor.
Open bag of clay and place on work surface.
Pound the clay in order to remove any air pockets inside the clay body.
You can work with small amounts of clay if it is too heavy to handle.
Use a rolling pin to help create a larger clay slab.
Use the trowel to smooth out the top surface of the clay body.


To create the bowl, toss clay at an angle onto a large work surface, I used my floor to get a good angle.
Use the rolling pin and roll the slab (like rolling pie dough ) until it is about a quarter inch thick.
Rolling the clay our on a towel or other fabric to get a textured finished as in the piece above.
To get a slab that is the same thickness, I lay two yardsticks down about the width of my rolling pin and start rolling the clay out, this will help in making the slab a uniform thickness.
Waiting for a little while until the slab begins to set, then drape over the can.


The edges will hang over a bit, so be extra careful as it is fragile.
If you see any cracks take some slip and put on them and smooth out with a damp sponge.
Keep bowl covered with plastic for about a day or so as it begins to dry.
If large cracks appear, you will need to make another bowl.
When leather hard you can remove from the mold and start to smooth the edges and finish the inside by rubbing with a wet sponge.


After it is dry, bisque fire to cone 04.
Use your glaze brush to apply two coats of glaze on the inside of the bowl.
To receive a slight variation of the color use one coat of clear and than one coat of your color.
I like the inside of the piece to be lighter, so I do use the clear on a lot of my pieces.
Let dry completely and fire according to the instructions on the glaze bottles.

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.

Pottery can be a very gratifying hobby that produces fun and satisfying results. For many people it is an enjoyable release that is created by working an inanimate mound of clay into a beautiful work of art that you made through your artistic abilities.

The best way of starting out is to take a few lessons. You will probably waste quite a bit in materials when you first get started. Figuring out how to truly make the clay mold correctly and shape into what you want it to be can be quite an ordeal. The different tools that a normal shop will have can be fun to try. You will soon see which ones you like to use the most and then when you are ready you will know which ones to buy.

When you get all set up, just enjoy the hobby and have fun at it. Some people get pretty serious and start selling their creations at craft fairs and small stores, but others just like to create items for themselves, relatives, and friends. Whichever you desire, enjoy the hobby and have fun doing it.