A GREAT NEW SLAB PROJECT

BERRY BOWL

CERAMICS I

clay & bisqued stamps

If I was still teaching my Beginning Ceramic kiddos,

I would have liked to have tried out this adorable Berry Bowl on them.

I photoed this out of a magazine,

so the pictures have a bit of glare on them from the shiny pages.

You begin with this cardboard template.

Roll out a slab of clay about 3/8 of an inch thick,

then using you favorite stamping tools,

stamp entire slab,

then lay template on top and cut around it.

Let the clay dry out a tad,

then pull up the walls and score and slip them together.

Loving how the base is wider then the top lip.

After the walls are attached use a smaller stamping tool and roll up side seams,

for a secondary design element.

Use the palm of your hand to tap up the base so it's slightly concave or is that convex?

I always get those two confused.

Ha!

Honestly, 

I forgot how the magazine article said to shape the lip round

(I took these pix about 5 years ago and am just now posting)

but I think I would thump and drag an elongated piece of clay,

place it over a rolling pin so gravity takes and rounds it,

then blow dry to stiffen to hold that shape.

Next I would measure the size of the 3 lengths I need, 

cut each one, 

and  score them onto the lip.

ORRRRRR,

after thumping, dragging and blow drying,

I'd try curving it into a into that 3/4 round then score and slip on.

For the cool handle,

I'd thump and drag a squarish shape slab,

pierce a hole for hand,

then do a bit of cool slab filigree work on inside of hole.

Of course scoring that on as well.

Even though I'm not teaching, 

I do have all my clay supplies at my home/studio, 

so I think I will give it a try one of these years.

  So stay tuned.