How to Use Panels for Clay Bowls

When creating a pottery bowl, clay panels are used as the walls of the bowl. The panels are attached to the pot's base in stages so as to stabilize the pottery bowl. While it sounds difficult, using panels for clay bowls is easy with a little practice and a few detailed steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Thrown Clay
• Clay Slicing Tool
• Clay Needle
• Wooden Shaping Tool
• Shallow Bowl of Water
• Clay Bowl Base

How to Use Panels for Clay Bowls

1. Using the clay needle, score the edge of the bowl base by making several shallow cuts.

2. Slice off a slab of the thrown clay using the clay slicing tool. Put the wire portion of the tool on the block of clay and pull the tool through cutting a clay panel. Try to make the thickness of the slab match the thickness of the pot’s base. This helps the clay to dry evenly and reduces cracking.

3. Using the wooden cutting tool, cut a portion of the slab for your first panel. The width of the panel should equal approximately 1/4 - 1/8 the circumference of the pot’s base. Trim the panel so it is slightly longer than the desired pot height. The panel should be rectangular in shape.

4. Using the clay needle, score the edge of the panel that you will be joining to the pot base. Make sure that you are scoring one of the shorter sides of the rectangle; the longer sides will make up the pot’s walls.

5. Using your fingers, dip them in the water and then lightly wet the edge of the pot’s base where you will be joining the panel.

6. Line the scored edge of the panel up with the scored edge of the pot base and gently press the panel into the edge. If the panel is too long to stand up on its own, trim it until it becomes stable.

7. Score one edge of the attached panel and lightly wet it.

8. Slice another panel, score it, and join it to the pot’s base making sure to place it alongside the panel that you just added. Don’t forget to lightly wet all of the areas where the clay meets.

9. Repeat the steps until you have all the walls of your pot attached and joined.

10. Using the clay slicing tool, trim the top of the pot's wall until it is uniform.

11. Lightly wetting your fingers, gently rub the clay at the panels’ seams until the seams disappear. Do this to the inside and out side of the pot and along the base.

12. If the walls of the pot appear to buckle, add a little more clay where the loose wall and base meet. Work the clay in using your finger.