Polychrome Clay Bowl

Step 1

Steps:

1. Cut off a large piece of clay. Wedge the clay or run it through a pug mill to eliminate air bubbles.

Steps 2-3

2. Place the clay onto the potter's wheel.

3. Center the clay and throw a bowl stretching it out using your hands and ribs.

Step 4

4. Place the bowl on an electric turntable to stiffen in the sun for about 15-20 minutes.

Step 5

5. Put the bowl back on the potter's wheel and continue to stretch the bowl until the desired shape is attained.

Steps 6-8

6. When the bowl is leather hard flip it over and put it back on the potter's wheel to trim the bottom with a loop-trimming tool.

7. Let the bowl dry completely to a bone-dry stage.

8. Bisque-fire the bowl in the kiln to cone 04 or 1,928-degrees.

Step 9

9. Draw a line in pencil around the inside rim of the bowl, about 3-inch to 4-inch from the center. Continue sketching the desired design on the inside and outside of the bowl.

Step 10

10. Cut painter's blue tape the desired width with a utility knife or razor blade. Tape off sections of the bowl anchoring it onto the bisque clay with a bit of pressure, then stretching and pressing the tape into shapes and designs.

Step 11

11. Cut leaf shapes out of the tape using a razor blade. Make sure the tape is pressed down firmly and does not buckle around curves.

Step 12

12. Apply glazes to the design using three to six coats per color. Let dry.

Step 13

13. Remove or peel away the tape.

Step 14

14. Remove glaze particles with a dry brush. Fire to cone 06 or 1,850-degrees in an electric kiln on medium. Firing will take about 7-1/2 hours depending on the kiln.

Step 15

15. After the kiln is completely cooled remove the polychrome bowl and gently rub in the ceramic black stain into the taped lines.

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