Soft Slab

Roll out slab on the slab roller

Roll with a rolling pin, by hand, in a perpendicular direction to straighten out the grain and make it thinner. Clay should be between ¼ and ½ inch thick.

Chose a pattern and roll that in so the clay is textured. You may also use a stamp or a textured roller. Make sure you texture it before you shape it!

Drape or shape the slab into a form – make a cylinder, drape in a bowl, around a rock or do a free-form. Be imaginative. A soft-slab is very flexible and can be molded into many different shapes.

Cut the edge to reflect both the texture and the form – for instance if you use the rock pattern cut the edge to the shapes of the rocks – not just straight across. Remember the edge of a three-dimensional object makes a line. How you make this edge encourages the viewer to see the form in a specific way.

Use carving and negative space to accent the pressed in surface pattern.

Your final piece should show unity of form, texture and edge. The patterns should be emphasized by carving even to the point of carving out some negative space. The edge should be finished so that it is shows off the texture and the form of the project.

We will give careful consideration to glazing this, and all projects, so as to show off the form.