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Clay Pottery ProjectsPottery HedgehogProvided by Lakeside Pottery Ceramic School and Studio |
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  Above left is the picture of a real hedgehog and to the right is what you will make. Cute huh? To make the hedgehog, you will use the pinch pot method with just a few tools. I will try and guide you through the making of this little creature and you will be quite surprised at how well you do. Here is what you will need: Clay Pin tool Slip Get settled so you are comfortable, here we go!!  Form two equal sized balls of clay, about 1/2 pound each.  Hold a ball in left hand and push right thumb into the middle of the ball leaving about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thickness at the bottom.  Slowly and evenly pinch the clay, starting at the bottom rotating the ball, moving toward the top edge. Leave about 1/4 inch thickness at the edge.  Once both pinch pots have been created, score with a pin tool the edges of both pots.  Apply a heavy coat of slip to one pot and join the two pots.  They might not fit exactly, so just slide the your thumb from one pot over the seam onto the other.  Once the seam is completely sealed, air is trapped ike a balloon and the object can be changed to create desired shape by gently rolling and pressing.  To form a head, make another much smaller pinch pot and attach it to the body form using the slip and score method described above. Be sure and make a hole between the head and the body, otherwise it could blow up when fired.  Add legs and feet, always remembering to slip and score everything.  To form spines, roll small pieces of clay into approximately 1/2 inch long coils.   Fold in half and press folded end onto clay body, smearing and smoothing as you go.    The pictures above show the progression as you make and put the legs and spines on your little hedgehog.  Cut a hole on the bottom to allow air to escape while drying and during firing. Dry very slowly by lightly covering the finished work. High firing, Cone 6 or higher, is recommended to insure the spines are not too fragile in the finished product. If you don't have a kiln to fire your hedgehog in, you can go to any pottery or ceramic shop and for a small charge they will fire it for you. Once it is fired, you can paint whatever color you want, either natural or comical. Now, that wasn't so hard was it?
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All About Clay 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 handmade pottery 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. With the help of the internet, you can now purchase most if not all of your ceramic and pottery tools and supplies online. We are located far from any well supplied dealers and yet working with reliable ceramic and pottery suppliers online has allowed us to recieve most of our orders within a timely manner. 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 kind of handmade pottery you desire to endeavor, enjoy the hobby and have fun doing it.
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