Working with Clay 3: Greenware

After Making a Vessel

Vessels that are shaped, but still soft are called “green ware”. They must be left to stand in a damp environment until they become “bone dry”. In this process, the vessel will shrink. Be careful that all parts of it shrink at the same rate – any little pieces attached to it, say a handle or spout, should be wrapped in wet paper towel so that they don’t dry too fast and pop off.

Before a vessel becomes “bone dry” it will become “leather hard”. This is when you can burnish it, if you wish. You can burnish, or polish, the surface with the side of a spoon, or spoon handle. You can also use stones, your fingers, or a piece of soft leather. You can even put your hand in a dog poo bag and smooth the surface with it. It’s a long, tiring process, and can take hours. Then, they paint on 3 layers of a thin clay slip called Terra Sigillata, buffing it between each layer

Joining

You can also join pieces that are leather hard, by scoring the joining edges and adding slip to each side. This is how you join walls for boxes, and also how you add handles to vessels. You have to be careful with this, because every join is a weak spot. It has to be perfect or it will crack.

Handles

Handles should be fairly thin and fluid. You want the clay to feel “pulled”. They should have finesse and delicacy.

Ornamenting

You can join ornaments to the surface of your vessel – clay ornaments made from plaster casts.

Stenciling

 

Piercing

 

Tubelining