INTRODUCTION TO CLAY

What is CLAY?

 

• Clay is a combination of clay minerals, metal oxides, and decayed organic matter
• It is extremely malleable when wet, it has incredible elasticity!
• It is extremely fragile when dry
• A property that makes clay so utilitarian is when it gets heated up to thousands of degrees, it becomes ceramic - a permanent state
• Ceramic is used in pottery, both utilitarian and decorative

 CLAY TOOLS:

• carving tools
• sponges
• water buckets
• fettling knives

The most important tool are your HANDS!









CLAY TECHNIQUES:

• Coil: Rolling a snake shaped piece of clay
• You can create bowls, mugs, vases, etc. when the coils are stacked
• Coils can also be used as decorative pieces for projects - like handles, vines, hair, etc.
  
  
  
  

 

• Pinch : Utilizing your hands to manipulate clay by pinching it
• You can use this with sculptures
• additive features to mugs, vases, etc.

 

• Soft Slab: Rolling clay into a thin large piece of clay and using it while still very moist.
• You can make mugs and plates with soft slabs
• Soft Slabs also take well to textures
• Great for organic pieces

 

• Hard Slab: Rolling clay into a thin large piece of clay and letting it sit a few days and using it at the leather hard stage.
• You can make mugs, tea pots, vases, etc.
• Really great for geometric, hard edged pieces

 

Project:  CERAMIC WIND CHIME


Project Criteria:

• SKETCH:
• Choose Theme
• Draw top
• Draw hanging pieces

• TEMPLATE:
• Create templates for pieces, if necessary for uniformity

• Techniques used for Project:
• Wedging
• Pinching
• Score + Slip
• Carving for decoration