Ceramics Slab Slam - 30th September 2015

Ceramics - Slab Slam

Collections IMM Project 1

Health & Safety:

1. Ensure you're working in a well ventilated area - not too airy or your clay will dry out.
2. Have a clear desk space.
3. Make sure the desk is clean before you begin.
4. Cover any cuts with a plaster.
5. Have bags tucked away under tables or outside of the classroom.
6. Comfortable shoes,
7. Wear an apron if desired.

You will need:

• Stoneware clay,
• Cutting tool,
• 2 Wooden boards,
• Rolling pin,
• 2 wooden sticks (of the same width),
• A clean cloth,
• Grog,
• Light bristled Brush,
• Paper,
• Pencil,

Step 1-

To begin with, gather your tools needed and draw up an idea for your slab slam.

Having chosen to explore my own collection of fears, I have roughly sketched out the following:

Spiders Web,

Beetle,

Bee movement,

Maggots,

Butterfly,

Bird Wing

Step 2 - 

Once I had decided on my idea and was happy with it, I laid out a clean cloth. Next, taking some stoneware clay and using a rolling pin, I rolled out the clay into a flat slab, ensuring the thickness was the same on both sides using two sticks of the same width on either side for support. After making sure that the rolled out slab would fit over my board, I trimmed the sides for a neat finish.

Step 3 - 

Using my hands, I rolled out some clay along the table, rolling the bottom of my palm to the tips of my fingers. Taking these pieces, I then lay them on top of the board, presenting them in the way I previously designed. Cover them in grog* so that it doesn't get stuck to the flat slab when dropped. These pieces will later be removed from the clay.

*Grog - a sand like mixture of crushed, unglazed pottery or brick

Step 4 - 

Take the rolled out clay from step 2 and carefully lay it over the board with your design on. 

Step 5 - 

Find a clear space on the floor and carefully pick up your board. Keeping it flat, raise the board just above your head and drop it onto the floor. Repeat this 2 or 3 times.

Step 6 -

Taking your second board, lay it on top of your first board and flip the first board over, so that the flat slab is on the bottom of the second board. Remove the top board and it should look like this:

Begin to remove the pieces of your design from the flat slab. It should leave behind an indent/ impression in the flattened clay. Once all the pieces have been removed, brush off the rest of the grog from your clay. 

Step 7 - 

Decorate the remaining areas with whatever patterns or designs you may want, before it is bisque fired.

Step 8 - 

After the first bisque firing, add any oxides or glazes you desire. I used cobalt - blue/black, Black iron - brown/ black, red iron oxide - red/ brown and chrome oxide - green. Wipe back some of the oxide with a damp sponge, so the colour shows up better. I then added a transparent glaze and this is how it turned out!