How to Make a Clay Plate Out of Slab
You don't need a pottery wheel to make plates that look great. Making homemade plates, platters and bowls may be time consuming, but handmade items that are unique and handcrafted add character to the dining experience. Handcrafting ceramics gives you the ability to choose the color, style and finish to match your decor.
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Things You'll Need
- Ceramic clay slab, 1/2 or 3/4 inch thickness
- Slip
- Clay pencil
- Fettling knife
- Rubber and metal smoothing ribs
- Loop trimming tool
- Kiln
Instructions
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1
Cut the slab of clay in the desired shape of the plate. Any shape will work, as long as it is at least six or more inches in diameter. Smaller shapes require thinner slabs of clay.
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2
Roll out several long coils approximately 1/2 inch thick. Start building a coil wall on the inner edge of the slab. This will form the rim in later steps. Be sure to score and slip all coils. Build this coil as tall as you desire the outer rim of the plate to be. Smooth out the coils with your fingers or a rib so that they appear flat.
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3
Using the rubber rib, start to gently push outward on the coil wall so that the wall starts to flare outwards. Once the rim looks sufficiently flared, smooth out the area with the metal rib.
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4
Turn the plate upside down. Using the metal or rubber rib, continue to smooth the outside of the plate so that the surface is smooth. Let the clay dry to the leather hard stage.
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5
If a foot on the bottom of the plate is desired, now is the time to add it. If you have access to a pottery wheel, trim and shape the foot in the same way as a thrown bowl or cup. If you do not have access to a wheel, roll a coil out and join it into a circle. It should be slightly smaller than the bottom of the plate. Flatten the coil, then score and slip into place. Trim as necessary to properly shape the foot.
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6
If further refinement of the shape of the plate is desired, use ceramic trimming tools to trim the plate on a pottery or banding wheel.
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7
Let clay dry to bone dry stage and fire to bisqueware. The drying process should take a long time to ensure that the clay does not crack. Paint, dip or spray glaze the plate while in the bisqueware stage. Fire a second time to melt the glaze and increase the water resistance and durability of the clay body.
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Tips & Warnings
Instead of using coils, slabs can be used to add the defined rim of the plate. Use the rubber and metal ribs in the same way described in steps three and four to smooth the surface and shape the rim.
Use only food safe glazes if the plate will come in contact with food.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
