Clay Slab Design Ideas – I started experimenting with clay to build plates while studying at the Hong Kong School of Art and the ceramics program at RMIT. I enjoyed building with clay tiles because of the architectural nature, and also how I could literally represent the construction process in the finished piece.
I learned to make tiles by first rolling out my clay tiles, cutting out my templates and then joining them together. To join them, start by roughing up the adjacent edges, then apply a thick layer (or liquid clay) to them. Then, the most satisfying part is pressing the two pieces together until you feel them come together and watch the joint slide out gently, creating a small bead or stitch of liquid clay all around the edge. Usually, the next step is to clean the joint using a tool to remove excess slip and then smooth the seam. But you could also put a slip on and let it dry, and I loved that it captured forever that satisfying moment when it all came together.
Clay Slab Design Ideas
Since learning this technique, I’ve been trying to think of what kind of products I could make with it, but at first I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the functional use of anything I made. The sharp, geometric, architectural shapes that help build plates have never been more satisfying when drinking or eating. After experimenting with different shapes, I decided that a cylinder was the most functional, so this shape seemed the most appropriate for some sort of drinking vessel.
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But now the problem was trying to solve it. Still, trying to create a board shape that was comfortable to hold was difficult. Everything I tried was too two-dimensional or too geometric to be comfortable. It was also difficult to create a plate handle that was aesthetically pleasing and matched the dish. Trying to find some other inspiration, I remembered a mug my dad had at home when I was growing up. The Hellerware mug, designed in 1964 and still available today, was an injection-molded melamine mug, but with an interesting semi-cylindrical, rounded square handle ring. As a starting point for this, I finally managed to make a handle for my mug.
It took a few iterations to find the right size and proportions from there, but I’m very happy with the end result. The handle fits the hand and gives a good place for the thumb to rest. Aesthetically, it’s true to plate construction, the body and handle fit perfectly, and the overall look and feel of the mug is very unique.
I’m currently making series for sale, the latest series is for sale at Art Store Hong Kong and I plan to publish my next series for sale online here, so stay tuned!
My latest series of mugs are now available at Art Shop Hong Kong. I finished the glasses with a double glazed glaze, Tenmoku Iron Glaze copper and cobalt glazes that created this beautiful blue-green patina. The final effect surprised me. Everyone needs a good challenge to help them grow! The cutout design was a new style I wanted to introduce to my high school students. They were ready for the test! We’ve done plate and pitcher builds in the past, and lots of hand build additions, but it’s time to take it to the next level! They had to learn some advanced techniques. So a cutout design lantern project was just what they needed.
Slab Box Part 1 Spring 2021 Ceramic Class By Xxmidnight12xx On Deviantart
While researching cut design techniques, I came across Lakeside Pottery Studio (Pagoda Lantern), an AWESOME website and a valuable ceramic resource for any teacher or pottery artist! I wrote this lesson based on previous chalkboard lessons and adding a new Cut Out-Design technique.
Materials: ceramics (canvas boards, clay (low fire), modeling tools, rolling pins, rails, glaze – low fire), Ekacto knives, paper towels, newspaper for tables
• Roll the clay into grapefruit-sized balls, 3-4 per child and a few extra. OR ** show them how to cut the clay blocks
3. Pinch: Put the thumb of one hand into the clay and gently pinch/press the thumb on the inside and the fingers on the outside while slowly rolling the clay to enlarge the center hole of the clay.
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4. Wrapping: Creating ceramic shapes by rolling rolls of clay and joining them together using the slip & ball method.
1. The teacher demonstrates each technique, and then instructs the students to practice by rolling the board. (Save and moist for next lesson)
A. Clay roll: Place guide rods on each side of the clay ball at the thickness of the desired slab. Guides should be placed in such a way that the rolling pin can pass over them. Toss the mud into the corner to start the smoothing process. Starting from the center of the clay, work away from you. Just move to the edge of the clay. Return to the center and rotate towards you using the same pressure. Take the clay and roll it around, this will help prevent the clay from sticking to the canvas board. Repeat these steps until the clay is level with the guide rods and no more leveling is possible.
B. Show students how to store their boards (in boards, bags, twisting and wrapping rubber bands).
Stunning Polymer Clay Slab Ideas
1. Create a template: On a piece of paper, trace each individual piece onto your clay lantern.
4. Score and Slip – (DEMO) To join two pieces of clay, you must use the score and slip method. (4-6 days)
1. Cut out designs can ONLY be done when the clay is as hard as leather. It needs to be left outside for 30+ minutes to harden like leather
1. When you are done, scratch your name on the piece (side or bottom) and place it on a bat with your name and today’s date in the drying room to dry. Dry for 5-10 days,
Christmas Ceramic Angels Trio Design (pottery Slab Hand-built)
Glazing is the application of liquid glazes to ceramic parts. Glitter is made from finely ground glass suspended in liquid. In the presence of heat, the glaze turns into a glassy coating that fuses with the surface.
Glaze firing – firing is done after glaze is applied to biscuits or (sometimes) greenware to create a glass-like surface.
This lesson plan was written by Michelle C. East. If you decide to use these lessons (written or photos), please come back to the Make Art With Me blog! My 8th graders haven’t worked with a chalkboard yet so I thought this would be a good opportunity. The lesson is very simple and clear, so I will cover the basics. Students were asked to design a themed box. The theme had to be displayed on all sides of the box in some way, shape, or form, plus it required a topper (need to practice driving and scoring skills). This meant that some of my students planned to add accessories to the sides, others to paint or carve them, while they all had to make a 3D topper to attach to the lid. After the sketches were done, they made templates out of the boards (most students planned the blocks, so this step was easy). I taught them how to make records. As I usually do in high school, I made them an instructional video and showed it to the class. It’s hard for everyone to get around the table and watch me, so the video helps with that part, and the live demo video helps clear up what confused them.
Each of them made the panels they needed, and when the skins were hard, we slid them together and nailed them together (for example, like a hollow shape, we will cut out the flaps later), and we also need We carved out the other additions that were there and what needed to be carved out. We cut the lids with Ekacto knives to be edged so that the lid would not just slide on, but pop off. Once they were bisque, they could paint their box with acrylics and add glitter or glaze it. And like I always say…they turned out great! I absolutely love what these guys are doing! I tried to get a few angles on some of them, so you can see what their themes were like:
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An important note on the bird box is that this student’s box fell apart while he was installing the panels, and instead of giving up, he changed his plan and did something creative and beautiful! Love it when it happens!
Note: this snowman fell during construction and gave it some TLC