Tips and Suggestions
Let your projects dry
out slowly. Keep all clay projects covered
with a plastic bag. This helps prevent stress cracks,
and breakage.
Use a spray bottle to keep
projects moist until they are ready to dry. Instead of leaving project out to dry, try
placing them in a bag that is open on one end to let some moisture out but not
all and dry more slowly.
Always score
with deep groves over the entire surface on both pieces that you want to
join and use lots of slip
that is very runny. Use a sponge
to clean up excess slip after you have attached your two surfaces.
Never try to score
and slip bone dry surfaces. The
clay should be moist and at the same moisture level so that they join and dry
at the same rate. Clay shrinks as it
dries so it will pull away from the attached surface if they are different
moisture levels or drying at different rates.
Remove any excess
water from the bottom of any projects that are made on the wheel. Leaving a puddle in the bottom prevents the
piece to dry out at an even rate, increasing the chance for cracks to form in
the bottom.
To reduce
thickness if the clay is no longer pulling up, use a rib to scrap off
excess clay. A ribbon tool can also be
used to carve away the extra thickness of the clay after the piece has become
leather hard. Waiting until the leather
hard state (with the piece still on the bat) allows the shavings to drop off
the work rather than stick to the piece and get in the way.
Keep finger
nails cut short. Long nails
easily get in the way and ruin projects, especially when working on the wheel.
To seal
a crack, wet your finger and rub out the crack until the surface is dry
again. This takes patience.
Clean
up is easiest with a wet sponge or wet towel. It goes much faster and picks up the clay so
that it does not end up on the floor. Be
sure to rinse out
the sponge or towel for the next person.
Clean
tools are nice to use so make sure to clean-up after yourself each day.
Use a damp sponge to apply
ink into the cracks of the satin white glaze. Wipe clean.
Move
projects to the greenware shelf to be fired only when they have
completely dried out, graded and are ready to go in the kiln. This opens space on the cart and lowers the
possibly for your project to be broken by others.
Check
the bisque ware shelf each day for your projects. If you find yours move it to your self to
glaze at a later time. This will prevent
projects from going missing or accidentally being claimed by the wrong person.
Check
the glaze shelf each day for your completed projects. This will help ensure you get your own and it
is not claimed by someone else accidentally.
Always double
check that your name is on your project.
This will help prevent others from claiming yours on accident.
60 pts sketchbook reflection
Reflect on the tips you just read. (What tips were useful to you? Do you have any other tips that were not on
this list?)
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