[Nfb-krafters-korner] Freeform Bowl Instructions

Fri Jun 29 14:37:32 UTC 2012

Hi Crafters,
Here are the instructions for the Free Form Bowl - or Forest Spirit Plate that I taught earlier this year in our group.

I have edded photos of each step - for those who can use Zoom-text or another kind of magnifier. If not, I hope my directions are very clear for you to use.

If you have any questions, please just ask me and I can help you.  I will copy and past the directions just below this message. Scroll down to begin:
Lynda Lambert

Forest Spirit Plate

A Free Form Ceramic Plate or Open Bowl

Step by Step instructions by Lynda Lambert, 

Materials:

3-4 pounds of clay

Several sheets of newspaper

1 sheet of tissue paper

Rolling Pin

Knife or needle tool for cutting clay

Some leaves from trees or bushes

Small Coffee Measuring Cup

Some plastic to cover project when finished

An old Kitchen hand towel

Step 1

Wedge your clay to make it pliable and to get rid of air pockets in it.

This step is important. The wedging process helps to integrate the fibers of the clay and it will become plastic and malleable. It will also eliminate air pockets that might cause your project to explode in the kiln.

Step 2

Begin to flatten out your ball of clay.  I begin by pushing the heels of my hands into the center of the clay ball. Work from the center out until it becomes flat enough to begin to use your rolling pin. Gently use the rolling pin on  the clay. Should be on a flat surface  that you have covered with newspapers or plastic. Allow the edges to move outward in a free form manner. Roll until your clay is  about ½ inch thick or desired thickness for your plate.

Step 3

Wet your hands and gently move your fingers around the edges of the plate.  As you move your fingers around the edges, try to create a rounded form. You don't want any sharp edges on your plate. Just mold the edges gently with your wet hands until it feels right to you. Be sure to rub the top and the bottom of the clay slab in this way, making sure there are no sharp edges or wads of excess clay.

Step 4

Place your leaves on the slab at this time.  Place them so that they make a nice pattern across the surface.  I like to put the leaves right side UP, with the back side of the leaf on the clay surface.  Now, gently roll those leaves into the surface of the clay.  You will leave them there.  They will burn out when the clay is bisque fired.

Step 5

Place a sheet of tissue paper over your leaf covered surface. Gently press this tissue paper over the surface.  You can tear the edges around the plate so that the tissue paper is just covering the clay surface.

Step 6

Make a ball out of your newspapers by crunching them up and packing them to form a ball.  You will need several newspapers to do this. You want your ball to be higher than you want the depth of your bowl or plate to be.

Normally, mine is about 6 inches high. It does not have to be symmetrical.

This ball of paper will be what you will now use to form your bowl or plate over. It will give stability to the clay as you begin to drape your clay over the top of your ball.

Step 7

Anchor  your paper ball down so it stays in one place as you work. I like to put mine on top of another bowl that is turned upside down or on top of an overturned frying pan. 

Place your clay slab over the paper ball - center it there very gently.

Step 8

Begin to press your slab down around the paper ball. I like to press mind down on the top and bottom, then the left side, and the right side to begin with.  You are trying to make a FLUTED edge. It can be randomly  fluted,   or free form. You will go back and forth around the bowl edges pressing gently and turing the clay downward until it fits nicely around the paper ball.

Step 9

When you have gone over all your edges and made sure that they are smooth and rounded, then you are ready to cover up your bowl to begin the drying process.

Lay a sheet of newspaper over your bowl.  On top of the paper, place an old hand towel.

We want this bowl to dry very slowly. You will then cover it up completely with some plastic - I use bags from the grocery store. I cut them so they can lay flat over my project.

Leave the bowl covered for about 12 hours. After this time, you can leave it uncovered an hour or two at a time. I only uncover mine about 2 times a day.  

It will take several days for your bowl to dry.

Drying stages are:

a.) Moist Clay - when you are molding it

b.) Leather Hard - after a few days of slow drying it becomes leather hard. You cannot change your bowl at this point - it will become breakable and if you try to move it around you will crack it and break it.

c.) Bone Dry - Eventually, after a week or so, your bowl will become much lighter in color.  It will become rather chalky looking. This stage is called Bone-Dry. Now, the bowl is very fragile and will break easily. You have to handle it with great care now. When you pick it up, use both hands and gently LIFT from beneath the bowl. Your bowl is now ready for the first firing - the bisque firing.

Step 10 

Bisque  Fire your bowl. This is a low fire process. Be absolutely sure you have waited long enough for no moisture to be inside your clay bowl. Don't rush it.

Step 11 

Once your bowl is bisque fired you are ready to put a glaze on it.  Dip your bowl into the glaze you have chosen. Be sure to put wax resist onto the bottom of your bowl BEFORE you apply your glaze.  After you have glazed the surface, then with a wet sponge, wipe the bottom to be SURE there is no glaze on it. You must have a very clean bottom so the glaze does not adhere to the kiln shelves and ruin your bowl and your kiln shelf.

Step 12 

 Allow your glazed bowl to dry completely on a shelf.

After you are sure it is dry, you will now put it in the kiln for the final firing. This is the "Glaze firing" and your final step.

After the glaze  firing, you will now have a lovely 

Forest Spirit Plate or Bowl !

OPTIONAL:

If you want your bowl or plate to set up higher, you may like to add some FEET to the bottom of it. This gives the piece a very nice effect.

1.)  After you have completed your bowl or plate and put it on the newspaper ball, you can add some feet to it.

2.)  I use the small coffee measuring cup that comes with your coffee. This size makes a really cute foot.  

To make the foot:

Take a small piece of tissue paper, enough to fill the cup so that when yo push in a wad of clay it will keep the clay from getting stuck to the side of the cup.  

Push in a wad of clay and then slice off any extra that does not fit into the cup.

Remove the clay foot from the cup mold. If it sticks a little bit, go around the edges with your kitchen knife or needle tool to loosen it.  I hit it on the edge of the counter to make it pop out.

When you decide where you want the feet to go on the bottom of your bowl, scratch the surface of that place on the bowl, and scratch the end of the foot that you will put on the bowl.

You need to make a small amount of clay slip.  

This is like a GLUE that will hold the foot to the bowl. 

To make your slip:  mix some clay with water to make a slip

or use vinegar  mixed with some clay. I use vinegar!

Once you have applied the scoring/scratching marks on both pieces, then you can brush some slip onto the marks.  Then, gently twist your foot into the bowl, putting the scored sides together. Twist the feet back and forth a little bit to be sure they are attached. This is like glue holding the bowl to the feet, once you have twisted them a bit.

PUT FOUR feet on your bowl or plate.

To be sure  the four feet  are EVEN, I place a large dinner plate on top of the four feet, and I gently TAP- TAP - TAP  with my hand - tap the surface of the feet to be sure they are level and  flat . Tap the  bottom of the  dinner plate down onto the 4 feet so they will  all  be the same - making them LEVEL.

Pat yourself on the back - you did it! You now have a beautiful 

Forest Sprit Plate of Bowl on Four Feet! Below are photos of _Fire Dance_ the Freeform Bowl I was working on in our class. You have the step-by-step process here so you can make one for yourself. Have FUN.

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 35816 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120629/6ae92455/attachment.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image004.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 48483 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120629/6ae92455/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image006.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 39196 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120629/6ae92455/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image008.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 44798 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120629/6ae92455/attachment-0003.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image010.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 41186 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120629/6ae92455/attachment-0004.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image012.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 19849 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-krafters-korner_nfbnet.org/attachments/20120629/6ae92455/attachment-0005.jpg>