Clay Pottery Slab Building

Presented by Emily Owen

Clay pottery is a fun and creative art form that can be done with slabs of clay and not only on a spinning wheel. This free video clip series will show you several tips on how to construct vases of all different shapes and open a world of design ideas for you.

Series Summary

Making pottery is the art of creating earthenware vessels from clay. The process involves shaping a vessel, by hand or with tools, and cooking it in a kiln. Mankind has been making pottery since the times we first learned about fire. Ancient civilizations used pottery for all sorts of things, from storing oil, wine, and other foodstuffs, to holding papyrus scrolls, the organs of dead god-kings, perfumes, and various religious offerings. Because pottery is durable and lasts long after its creator is gone, it has helped us to learn about entire groups of people that we might have otherwise never known; these hand-crafted objects tell stories, not only from their complex structural designs, but also the carefully wrought stories painted on their surfaces, a sort of iconography of a time and place in history.

In this free video clip series this clay expert will be addressing the art of slab pottery using slabs of clay instead of forming it with your hands. She will include several examples of natural patterns you can use to create life in your pieces as well as several creative ideas for new and interesting designs no one has thought of yet. This will make each piece you make special and unique. You will learn tricks for scoring edges of clay, attaching them and even how to apply a fun technique called slip. Take a look at these great videos and go play in the mud!

Listing 1-25 of 30 videos

Attaching Clay Vase Walls

Clay slabs can be used to make many things like vases. Learn how to start making a vase and how to connect the first two sides in this free video clip from our expert clay master.

Slip Trailing Clay Decorating

Slip trailing is a great form of decoration for your clay molding. Learn tips from our clay expert on how to decorate your clay mold with slip trailing in this free video clip.

Adding a Base to Round Clay Vase

Round clay vases are also possible and adding the base is a bit tricky. Learn tips on how to add a slab of clay specifically for a base from our clay expert here in this free video clip.

Hardening a Round Vase

Hardening a clay vase can take a while so for those impatient folk our expert will show you how to properly use a blow torch to harden and dry your round vase in this free video clip.

Scoring Clay Vase Walls Together

Clay slabs can be used to make many things like vases. Learn how to start making a vase and how to connect the first two sides in this free video clip from our expert clay master.

Making a Vase From Clay Slab

Clay slabs are not only for flat surfaces and small molds. Learn how to make a vase with clay slabs from our expert clay master in this free video clip.

Clay Texturing with Found Objects

Texturing a clay slab can be done in many ways. Learn a few expert tips on how to use random found objects to texture a clay slab in this free video clip.

Pottery Clay Hand Stretching Tips

When using a clay slab the first step is to stretch out the clay by hand. Learn the clay stretching technique in this free video clip on pottery and art.

Adding Feet to a Clay Dish

After shaping your clay dish you may decide to make feet for it. Learn how to add them to your form in this free video clip on clay molding tips.

Adding Clay Texture Coils

Adding texture coils to a clay slab can be as creative as you can be. Learn tips on how to add texture coils and what exactly that is in this free video clip from our expert clay master.

Clay Hump Molding Finish Tips

The final molding step for a hump molding is to remove the mold after the clay has dried. Learn expert tips on how to fine tune your clay mold and get it perfect in this free video clip on clay working.

Molding Feet For a Clay Dish

After shaping your clay dish you may decide to make feet for it. Learn how to mold them in this free video clip on clay molding tips.

How to Form a Round Vase

Round clay vases are also possible and forming the body is a bit tricky. Learn tips on how to roll a slab of clay specifically for a round vase from our clay expert here in this free video clip.

Making a Clay Slump Mold

Clay slump molding is the opposite of hump molding in that the clay is slumped into a bowl shape instead of onto it. Learn expert tips on how this is done in this free video clip on clay molding.

Smooth & Finish a Clay Vase

Clay slabs can be used to make many things like vases. Learn how to finish making a vase and how to smooth the base and sides of your vase in this free video clip from our expert clay master.

Clay Slab Roller Tips

Sometimes to get clay the perfect thickness you need to use a clay slab roller. Learn a few tips on how one works and how to use it in this free video clip.

Clay Texturing Tips

Creating a textured surface for your clay is a fun and creative process. Learn some tips on patterns you can use, create or build upon to texture your own clay patterns in this free video clip.

Cutting Clay for a Round Vase

Round clay vases are also possible and cutting the clay is a bit tricky. Learn tips on how to cut a slab of clay specifically for a round vase from our clay expert here in this free video clip.

Clay Slump Molding Tips

Clay slump molding is the opposite of hump molding in that the clay is slumped into a bowl shape instead of onto it. Learn expert tips on how this is done in this free video clip on clay molding.

Adding a Base to Clay Vase

Clay slabs can be used to make many things like vases. Learn how to finish making a vase and how to connect the base of your vase in this free video clip from our expert clay master.

How to Make Clay Slip

Slip trailing is a great form of decoration for your clay molding. Learn tips from our clay expert on how to make slip in this free video clip.

Using the Slab Roller

Sometimes to get clay the perfect thickness you need to use a clay slab roller. Learn a few tips on how one works and how to use it in this free video clip.

Lace Texture Tips for Clay Slabs

Almost anything can be used as texture for a clay slab design. Learn how even lace can be a great texture source in this free video clip from a clay expert.

Foam Stamps Tips for Clay Molding

Using foam pattern stamps when creating a slump mold is easy and fun. Learn tips from our clay molding expert in this free video clip on how to correctly apply a pattern stamp to a slump mold.

Clay Hump Molding Tips

After texturing your clay molds are needed to form permanent shapes for your clay piece. Learn how to carefully and correctly mold and shape your clay to a hump molding in this free video clip.

Clay Pottery Slab Building

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