Ceramic Fish Wall Hanging

Materials:

cone 5 red clay (8-lbs.)
cone 5 porcelain (1-lb.)
mid-fire underglazes
cone 5 glazes
fast drying epoxy
braided hanging wire
ware board (or a 15" x 15" piece of wood)
newsprint
permanent marker
plastic garbage bag
spray bottle filled with water
rolling pin
needle tool
wooden rib or knife
wooden paddle
flexible metal rib
paintbrushes
small metal carving tools
sponge

1. Choose a workspace—table covered in canvas—that can easily be cleaned and a place to store the fish while creating the fish. Place a few sheets of newsprint on a ware board or a piece of 15" x 15" wood. Draw the fish design on the newsprint with a permanent marker (figure A).

3. Roll a handful of the red clay into a slab about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the tail fin shape with a needle tool. Flatten the points of the fin with a rolling pin, keeping the end closest to the body thicker. Press a wooden rib or knife into the clay to outline the fin lines (figure C).

4. Attach the tail to the outline of the fish’s body. Pinch the coils and the thick end of the tail together. Flatten a small handful of clay into a patty. Overlap the thick end of the tail and the coil with the patty. Pinch these pieces together, working from the inside out to prevent air bubbles. Smooth the clay with your fingers