ClayCraft - Issue 33

PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWALSO INSIDE:cation? • Totem pt 3 fiWhat is vitri48 PAGES OF PRACTICAL STEP-BY-STEPSIssue 33Issue 33 £5.50PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWPUFFIN PROJECTPINCHBAS RELIEFPORCELAINPETER DINGLEY MBEAUCTIONThrown lidded garlic potKEEP IT COOL!STAG’S HEAD PLAQUESimple Scandi chic slab build



Issue 33ClayCraft3Rachel Graham, EditorClayCraft Magazinewww.claycraft.co.ukKelsey MediaThe Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6ALEDITORIALEditor: Rachel Graham; [email protected] editors:Jacqui Atkin, Kevin MillwardContributors: Jacqui Atkin, Alan Ault, Paul Bailey, Linda Bloomfield, Billy Byles, Doug Fitch, Kevin Millward, Alan Parris, Tracey Parsons, Simon ShawProject photography: Philip WilkinsArt Editor: Rob Terry; rob focusedondesign.co.uk@ADVERTISEMENT SALESTalk Media SalesSimon Hyland, 01732 [email protected] Media SalesAd Production Manager:Nick Bond 01732 445325 [email protected] Operating Officer: Phil WeedenManaging Director: Kevin McCormickChief Executive: Steve WrightFinance Director: Joyce Parker-SariogluHR & Operations Manager: Charlotte WhittakerRetail Director: Steve BrownAudience Development Manager: Andy CottonEvents Manager: Kat ChappellSenior Print Production Manager:Nicola PollardPrint Production Manager:Georgina HarrisPrint Production Controller:Kelly OrrissSubscription Marketing Manager:Kate ChamberlainSubscriptions 12 issues of ClayCraft are published per annumUK annual subscription price: £66.00Europe annual subscription price: £78USA annual subscription price: £78Rest of World annual subscription price: £84UK subscription and back issue orderline: 01959 543 747Overseas subscription orderline:0044 (0) 1959 543 747Toll free USA subscription orderline: 1-888-777-0275UK customer service team: 01959 543 747Customer service email address: [email protected] service and subscription postal address:ClayCraft Customer Service Team, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding ME18 6ALUnited KingdomFind current subscription offers/ buy back issues at shop.kelsey.co.ukAlready a subscriber? Manage your subscription online atshop.kelsey.co.uk/myaccountwww.kelseyshop.co.ukDISTRIBUTIONSeymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PTwww.seymour.co.ukTel: 020 7429 4000PRINTINGWilliam Gibbons & Sons Ltd, Willenhall, West MidlandsKelsey Media 2019 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Media accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information of our privacy policy, please visit www.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy. If at any point you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at [email protected] 1743-0712www.kelsey.co.ukMeet the team...Doug FitchWood-firing p70Jacqui AtkinPinch pot puffin Thrown lidded p44On the cover this month is an image from ‘From Clay to Kiln’, a new book by Stuart Carey, co-founder of The Kiln Rooms, see p56Linda BloomfieldVitrification explained p30PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWALSO INSIDE:What is vitrifi cation? • Totem pt 348 PAGES OF PRACTICAL STEP-BY-STEPSIssue 33Issue 33 £5.50PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWPUFFIN PROJECTPINCHBAS RELIEFPORCELAINPETER DINGLEY MBEAUCTIONThrown lidded garlic potKEEP IT COOL!STAG’S HEAD PLAQUESimple Scandi chic slab buildWelcomeSimon Shawgarlic pot p8’ve been so busy over the past few months that I haven’t had a chance to get my hands dirty with clay. I’ve been feeling increasingly stressed and it wasn’t until I actually physically put some time off into my diary, and forced myself away from the computer to spend a few hours in the studio, that I realised just how bad it had got. I say ‘studio’; it’s one half of the cellar, which is a great environment for slow drying, has its own toad, and zombie spiders (they’re a thing, check Google).I am naturally quite acquisitive, and find it hard to turn down a bargain – a closing-down studio was a great source of glaze materials and tools, and some plaster was loaded and switched on to bisque an moulds that I don’t even like, but I’ll gloss over that! I’m a sucker for bright and shiny too, so if I see a recommendation for a tool or a good glaze combo, I’m hitting that ‘order now’ button before I have time to blink… There are racks and tables covered with things that I ‘will need at some point’, but in reality, I actually only use a tiny number of them regularly. And there’s the thing. The pleasure of working with clay is that you can either do it with three or four things – some clay, your hands, access to a kiln, and some sort of glaze, if you want – or you can add in an almost infinite number of extras. This makes it accessible to anyone, and once you start, the sky’s the limit. All you need are the time and the inclination.At first, I pottered, not sure what I wanted to do, or where to start. A little light tidying, checking some work in the damp box, and then I was off. The kiln eclectic collection of things and I was eyeing up a bag of black stoneware clay, with mugs in mind. I can picture the finished articles but suspect I don’t have the right glazes (yet!). Pulling handles isn’t my forte – I haven’t put in enough hours at it yet – so out came an old loop tool that had come as part of a job lot from the closing-down studio. Pulling it through the soft clay was very therapeutic, and I loved the shape it made. The sample mug is drying slowly, under plastic, being watched over by a toad. Happy days! I

4ClayCraftIssue 33Contents6 News8 Project 1: thrown garlic potKeep your garlic in good condition between uses20 Project 2: totem build part 3The crowning glory! The top piece of our garden totem build30 Linda Bloomfi eldWhat is vitrifi cation?32 Project 3: bas reliefTime-consuming? Yes. Worth it? Defi nitely! Carving a decorative porcelain panel40 Estate auctionStudio pottery and artwork from the estate of the late Peter Dingley MBEIssue 333042 Readers’ makesA selection of photos sent in by our readers44 Project 4: pinch pot pu nComical, colourful and endearing. Puƒ ns lend themselves to being made in clay56 From Clay to KilnA new book from Stuart Carey,co-founder of the Kiln Rooms 58 Back issuesMissed a month? All the available issues at a glance840322069Reader offerPINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWJacqui Atkin and Rachel GrahamPotteryfor beginnersBasic techniques and 22 handbuild projects£12.95

Issue 33ClayCraft5CONTENTS746060 Project 5: stag’s headSimple Scandi chic for your wall70 Doug’s DiarySuccess with both a wood fi ring,and their online show70❯❯❯ ❯ 72 Reader o er: ClayCraft apron425618ClayCraftsubscriptions Save money and have the magazine delivered to your door. You know it makes sense!PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWALSO INSIDE:What is vitrifi cation? • Totem pt 348 PAGES OF PRACTICAL STEP-BY-STEPSIssue 33Issue 33 £5.50PINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWPUFFIN PROJECTPINCHBAS RELIEFPORCELAINPETER DINGLEY MBEAUCTIONThrown lidded garlic potKEEP IT COOL!STAG’S HEAD PLAQUESimple Scandi chic slab buildSPECIALOFFER!73 EventsOur listing of what’s on around the country74 Confessions of a noviceTracey has a brand new studio!76 CoursesFancy signing up for a class? Findlocal classes, courses and workshops81 Next monthFind out what’s in store for you in the next issue82 Me and my PotMarion Walsh’s steampunk elephant!

6ClayCraftIssue 33If you have a news story, product launch or details of some other topical item you’d like our readers to know about, email [email protected] you have a news story, product launch or details of some other topical item you’d like our readers to know about, email IN THE NEWSTOP OF THE POTSBritain’s brightest ceramicists will be found at this Autumn’s York Ceramics Fair when leading potters from the UK and beyond will be showcasing a stunning selection of their beautifully hand-crafted pieces.From vibrant to serene, minimal to magical, sculptural to utilitarian, expect to see hundreds of pots of all shapes and sizes – to fall in love with and take home. The fair takes place in the York Hospitium, a beautiful mediaeval building set in the leafy environs of Museum Gardens on the bank of the river Ouse in the heart of York. This is a rare opportunity to buy beautifully hand-crafted pieces direct from 40 leading contemporary makers with something to suit all budgets!Look out for…Jenny Southam, whose beautifully eccentric fi gures explore her love of gardening as well as her interest in both StaŠ ordshire mantelpiece fi gures and Etruscan tomb sculptures. Dylan Bowen’s bold expressionistic ceramics, which capture the spontaneity and energy of how they are made. His work is sought after by both leading interior designers and recent collaborations include the interior lighting specialist Porta Romana for their Bohème collection. Lara Scobie’s beautiful ceramics that balance composition and form with pattern and bright pops of colour. Lara’s multiple awards include an Honourable Mention at The International Ceramics Competition Mino, Japan. York-based Ruth King’s serene pots. With their subtle luminous tones, they are the result of many years of mastering the art of salt glaze technique. Ruth’s works also express her preoccupation with structure, containment and balance.RAMP ceramics – a creative partnership between Alice Hartford and Rupert Johnstone. The pots are thrown by Roop & decorated by Alice. They have a liking for simple, clean forms which make a good platform for Alice’s decoration.Yorkshire-based Anna Lambert, who makes hand-built earthenware ceramics using various techniques including slab-building and painted slips. Anna’s ideas refl ect an interest in place, exploring narratives relating to farmland, fl oodwater management, woodlands and the regeneration of orchards. Inspired by new nature writing, she engages with a common language beyond pastoral sentimentality, combining drawing with abstract qualities of pots, their spaces, edges and surfaces.Running alongside the fair is a discovery programme all about ceramics, in collaboration with the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA). Get hands on and be inspired by live demonstrations with a chance to get your hands dirty on Saturday 23, while on Sunday 24 a series of talks, conversations and demos from the makers themselves, will show you how raw clay can be pinched, carved, rolled, thrown and transformed.Discover Britain’s Brightest Ceramic Designers at York Ceramics Fair Sat 23 – Sun 24 NovemberYork Ceramics FairFeaturing leading makers from the UK and abroad, each one chosen through competitive selection, and representing a wide range of approaches to the craft. Entry is £5 per person, which includes access to all talks and demos, with U16s free.• Saturday 23 – Sunday 24 November 10am - 5pm• The Hospitium, Museum Gardens, York YO30 7DR• For more details visit: yorkceramicsfair.comSAVE THE DATEExhibition of New Scandinavian Artworks Opening in London on 6 February 2020 Maud & Mabel are proud to present an exciting exhibition of new works by contemporary Scandinavian potters, woodworkers and jewellers. The exhibition aims to celebrate a new wave of Scandinavian craft and design, with makers moving away from the muted tones and minimal forms that the region is so well known for, and beginning to explore colour, tone, texture and form with a diŠ erent perspective. The pieces will range from functional to installation, and the show features artists from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.Artists:● Anna Lerinder● Eric Landon● Tina Marie Benten● Inge Vincents● Nathalie Lautenbacher● Enriqueta Cepeda● Marie Eklund● Jatta Lavi● Mats Svensson● Rough Diamonds by Maya BjørnstenScandinavian ElementsA Collection of Ceramics, Wood and Fine Stones6-20 February 2020Maud & Mabel10 Perrin’s CourtHampstead, NW3 1QSmaudandmabel.comJatta Lavi

Issue 33ClayCraft7IN THE NEWSEven better!Since the company’s foundation in 1982,ROHDE has been committed to the continuous development of innovations and new, efcient solutions that suit your requirements.Recently, kiln models from the Toploader TE-S series have been equipped with a standard oor heating to improve temperature distribution and allow efcient use of the ring chamber.ROHDE TOPLOADERS TE-SSTANDARD FLOOR HEATINGwww.rohde-online.netANGLIAN POTTERS CHRISTMAS CERAMICS EXHIBITIONWhether you’re looking for a unique gift, are thinking about doing some Christmas shopping or just fancy something handmade and extra special to decorate your home, you’ll find plenty of choice at the popular Anglian Potters Christmas Exhibition. Featuring more than 70 local makers this 'go-to' exhibition at All Saints’ Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge is not to be missed. It opens daily 10am-4pm from Saturday 9 November until Sunday 8 December, 2019.The event showcases the latest work from some outstanding potters and ceramic artists and the range of creative items on show include incredible tableware, decorative items, wall art, jewellery, sculpture and, of course, beautiful, handcrafted Christmas decorations, cards and gifts. Organiser and exhibitor Ian Vance said: “With a vast range of styles at a•ordable prices, the exhibition, now celebrating its 21st year at this magnificent Arts and Crafts Church, attracts a loyal following as well as welcoming many new visitors every year. The exhibition is sta•ed by potters, so someone is always on hand to chat with visitors and to explain the inspiration, process and technique behind their work.”Entry to the exhibition is free and with such a wide range of creative work on display there’s something for every taste and budget. It’s also worth browsing the Christmas tree, resplendent with handmade ceramic ornaments for sale. These highly individual decorations have been made and donated by the exhibitors with all the proceeds from the sale of decorations going to MAGPAS Air Ambulance, one of the UK’s oldest emergency medical charities.Anglian Potters is one of the UK’s largest membership organisations for ceramic makers and enthusiasts and is run by and for its members. It organises a number of events throughout the year and provides an inclusive forum for enthusiasts and anyone with an interest in pottery at all levels.All Saints’ Church is opposite Jesus College on Jesus Lane, just a short walk from Sidney Street. Look out for the Anglian Potters banners.For further information visit anglianpotters.org.uk and follow Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @anglianpottersGILLIAN LOWNDES: AT THE EDGEOPENS ON NOVEMBER 23See the ground-breaking works of Gillian Lowndes (1936-2010), the most radical ceramicist of the 20th century, in the new exhibition Gillian Lowndes: On the Edge, showcased in the Centre of Ceramic Arts (CoCA) at York Art Gallery.From the 1970s onwards, artist Gillian Lowndes was at the forefront of a new style of contemporary ceramics which explored the materiality of clay. Her abstract expressionist way of working brought together a range of materials and found objects which she recycled to create new sculptural work she called collages. This exhibition showcases over 40 artworks drawn from CoCA’s collection alongside loans from Anthony Shaw’s – many of which have never been on public display. Accompanying the exhibition will be further displays featuring new acquisitions by artists including Kate Malone, Emmanuel Cooper and David Seeger. ● yorkartgallery.org.uk

SKILL SCHOOLPROJECTONE8ClayCraftIssue 33This great little pot will keep your garlic in best condition between uses. You could glaze it to match your kitchen’s colour scheme or choose a contrasting glaze for a stand-out pop of colourTHROWN GARLIC POT

DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Issue 33ClayCraft9.DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★You will need:■ 400g (14oz) clay for the body – earthenware or stoneware■ Throwing tools – water bowl, cutting wire, sponge on a stick, rib, calipers■ Small letters to impress into the clay – look in the toy section of budget shops for these, you’ll be amazed at the handy things you can find for minimal cost■ Glaze of choice to decorate3Open out the base with the fingers of your right hand, first pushing down at the centre of the clay to within 5mm of the wheel head.As you work, steady the right hand with the left, as shown.Draw your fingers back towards your body to open out an 8cm-wide base.When you have finished opening the base, compress the clay by running your fingers or the side of your knuckle over the surface several times. Aim to create a sharp angle at the inner edge of the wall.4Pinch and lift the wall with your right hand – thumb inside, fingers on the outside – at the same time, cupping the wall on the opposite side with your left hand to support it and keep it to centre.Don’t allow the clay to flare outward – lift it up and inward to form a cone shape.1If you’re confident about lifting forms o€ the wheel after throwing, then you can work directly on the wheel head for this project. If not, then fix a batt in place – for details visit claycraft.co.uk/how-to The wheel or batt should be barely damp before you begin.Form the clay into a cone shape, as shown, before you secure it at the centre of the wheel head.2Centre the clay – you can see full instructions on how to do this on our website, but begin by coning the clay up between both hands to get it to the correct consistency. Push the clay down with the right hand while supporting the edge with the left to level it o€ and bring it to centre.Flatten the surface of the clay with your right hand to a gentle dome shape, while still maintaining the support on the other side of the mass with your left hand.

SKILL SCHOOL10ClayCraftIssue 335Raise the wall with your left-hand fi ngers inside, starting from the base, with the fi ngertips or the side of the knuckle of your right hand on the outside, just above those on the inside.Again, lift the clay upward and inward to form a cylinder slightly narrower at the top than the bottom.PROJECTONE6Lift the wall again, maintaining the cylinder shape.Remember to compact the clay at the rim after each lift by pinching it between your fi nger and thumb then running another fi nger over the surface.7Next, belly the shape outward slightly by applying more pressure from the inside as you lift the wall.When you reach a point approximately two-thirds of the way up the wall, ease o the bellying action so that the top section remains narrower.8Collar the neck of the form in by wrapping your left hand around it while at the same time easing the clay inward at shoulder height with the fi ngers of your right hand – keep the tips of your fi ngers over the rim to keep it level.The upper third of the pot will naturally fl are outward slightly in the process of collaring in.Next, belly the shape outward bellying action so that the top section remains narrower.

DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft11.10Clean o all surplus water and slurry from the wheel head around the pot, then cut a bevel at the base with the tip of a rib or old store card.11Supporting the pot from the inside, carefully work a rib over the exterior to define the shape, remove surplus moisture and refine the surface.9Mop out the interior of the form with a sponge on a stick to remove all the excess water and slurry, then run the sponge briefly over the rim.

SKILL SCHOOL12ClayCraftIssue 3312Use the tip of a rib to cut a groove in the pot at shoulder height, supporting the shape from the inside.Neaten the surface again below the groove, to defi ne the shape.PROJECTONE15Prepare a block of clay for throwing by kneading thoroughly to remove air, then form it into a cone shape as you did when throwing the body.Centre the clay directly on the wheel head.Note: the clay really only needs to be centred at the top of the mass when throwing o
the hump, but it is always good practice to centre the whole amount.13Using the calipers, measure just inside the opening of the pot, as shown.THROWING A LID OFF THE HUMP14Wire the underside of the pot, holding the cutting wire very taut.Carefully lift the pot o
the wheel head, using both hands, and transfer it to a dry board.16Once centred, isolate a small section at the top of the cone, to form a small knob shape.Place your left hand around the clay just below the top and gently press inward with the fi ngers of your right hand.

DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft13.17With your right hand still in the same position, press down into the clay about 1cm from the centre with your right forefinger, to create the knob.18Using the fingers and thumbs of both hands in a pinched position, gently squeeze the stem of the knob to narrow it a little, leaving the area above it slightly flared outward.19Thin the wall of the lid between the fingers of both hands – the left on top of the lid and the right below.Lift the clay gently upward and outward.Test the width of the lid with the caliper measurement taken from the top of the pot. If it’s too small, throw out a little more. If it’s too large, you can reduce the width by removing some of the clay at the rim with a pin. Alternatively, cut the lid o­ and throw another from the hump.20Sponge out surplus water and slurry from the lid.21Using the tip of a rib, cut a bevel at the base of the lid, as shown.

SKILL SCHOOL14ClayCraftIssue 33Wire the lid o the hump with the wheel turning slowly.Carefully lift the lid o and place it on a dry board.Nothing more should need to be done to the lid now except perhaps smoothing the clay around the edge where it was cut o – this type of lid requires no trimming if made properly.Allow the pot and lid to fi rm up to leather hard.PROJECTONE23Lightly score a circle at the centre of the side of the pot. You can do this with a cookie cutter if you have one in the correct size, or fi nd another something circular to trace around.25Neaten the holes up with a pointed wooden tool.24Cut out a series of holes within the scored circle, using a hole cutter.2226Repeat the exercise on the opposite side of the pot.

DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft1528Roll out a small, thin slab of clay (the same clay as used to throw the pot) 2-3mm thick, then cut two strips, long t between the holes on the side of the pot andfienough to wide enough to accommodate your letter stamps.Print GARLIC into each strip.30Score the marked position on the pot and the back of the slab strip.29rst strip on the side of the pot between thefiPlace the two areas of holes and mark the position with a pin.27Place the lid on the pot when you’ve nishedfi working on the sides. This will maintain the shape of both the lid and the top of the pot.31Apply slip to the scored x the strip in place,fiareas then pressing gently to squeeze out the excess slip and any possible trapped air.

SKILL SCHOOL16ClayCraftIssue 3334Work over the surface of the pot where necessary with a barely damp sponge to remove any unwanted surface marks.32Neaten around the strip with a suitable tool.PROJECTONE33Soften the edges of the raised strip with a fi nger to round it o a little.Apply the name strip on the opposite side of the pot in the same way.35Allow the pot to dry slowly with the lid in place before bisque fi ring.36ƒFinish the pot in a glaze to suit your clay type.Amaco's blue and lilac celadon have been used in combination here – fi red to 1200°C in an electric kiln.

3.28563.21813.6236   ­1.8596†  3.5917 1.9493.82745.3588†Š 

Join us!oin us!JSubscribe today for expert makes, tips and inspiration. Inside every issue you’ll  nd practical hands-on guides, in-depth features on established and emerging potters, and plenty of advice from our team of experts. You’ll also save an incredible 39% on the shop price.£34.99 for 12 issuesDownload yourmagazines to yourdevice and carrythem with you to readanywhere, anytimeanywhere, anytimeSAVEUP TO 46%SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/CRAHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/CRAHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/CRAGET THE DIGITAL EDITIONAvailable across all devices. Savings based on the usual print cover price. All back issues available for purchase within the app.SAVE S SALSO INSIDE:Bird feeder • Teaching workshops • Garden totem JO DAVIESPORCELAINIssue 31 £5.50NEW FAIREVENTSTEP-BY-STEP PROJECTSBUTTONSSLIPPINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWPAPER CLAYPINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWWe talk toKevin Millwardand Elaine WellsSIXIssue 31Make it, use it, love it!Kevin Millwardand Elaine WellsTHE THROW DOWN & CLAY COLLEGE!GREAT REASONS TO GIVE A SUBSCRIPTION ● Pay just £39.99 for a year’s subscription ● Save 39% o… the cover price● Each issue delivered directly to their door ● They’ll never miss an issue of their favourite magazineSTerms & conditions: O er available to new UK subscribers Only. You will pay £39.99 for 12 issues saving 39%. For overseas subscriptions please visit shop.kelsey.o.uk/CRA Savings are based on the standard cover price of £5.50. O er ends 31st December 2019. Your subscription will start with the next available issue and you will receive 12 issues in a year. Prices correct at time of print and subject to change. Data protection: We take great care in handling your personal details and these will only ever be used as set out in our privacy policy which can be viewed at shop.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. Offer code: CRAX32PRIORITY ORDER FORM❑YES! I would like to subscribe to ClayCraft Magazine❑UK – 1 year (12 issues) by cheque or debit/ credit card at £39.99, saving 39% For international o ers please visit shop.kelsey.co.uk/craYour detailsTitle First nameSurnameAddressPostcodeMobileEmail1 Please debit my ❑Visa ❑Visa Debit ❑Mastercard ❑UK – 1 year (12 issues) at £39.99 – saving 39% Card number CVCValid from Expiry dateSignature Date2 I enclose a cheque for £39.99 made payable to Kelsey Publishing Limited (Must be from a UK bank account. Please write your name and address on the back of the cheque)FREEPOST your order form toClay Craft, Freepost RTKZ-HYRL-CCZX, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AGd numberDoug Fitch’s diary • Courses Events diary Me & My PotIssue 19 £4.99 Get 5 issues for just £ saving 45% on the us Free UK delivery Never miss an issue  Get expert advice and inspiration, plus a vas step-by-step projectsVSDoug Fitch’s diary • Courses Events diary Me & My PotIssue 19 £4.99Get 5 issues for just £ saving 45% on the usFree UK deliveryNever miss an issue Get expert advice and inspiration, plus a vas step-by-step projects

Don’t miss out - order today!ORDER ONLINE AT SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/CRAX32CALL NOW ON 01959 543747 QUOTE REF: CRAX32LINES OPEN MON-FRI, 8.30AM-5.30PM. CALLS ARE CHARGED AT YOUR STANDARD NETWORK RATE.ThperfecChristmasgif!MAKINGTOOLSALSO INSIDE:Keep cup mould • Phone holder • Doug FitchLIDDED BOXTHROWNIssue 29 £5.50SERVING DISHESSLAB BUILDCREATIVE STEP-BY-STEP BUILDS ME AND MY POT READERSPINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWPINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWPROBLEMSWITHGLAZESDramatic outdoorstatement piecesGARDENSCULPTURESIXIssue 29TROUBLESHOOTINGDIY loops09/07/2019 15:57MEALSO INSIDE:Bird feeder • Teaching workshops • Garden totem JO DAVIESPORCELAINIssue 31 £5.50NEW FAIREVENTSTEP-BY-STEP PROJECTSBUTTONSSLIPPINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWPAPER CLAYPINCH, COIL, SLAB AND THROWWe talk toKevin Millwardand Elaine WellsSIXIssue 31Make it, use it, love it!THE THROW DOWN & CLAY COLLEGE!001 Clay Craft Cover Issue 31.indd 1PAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAAPER CLAYAPER CLAAPER CLAYAPER CLAAPER CLAYAPER CLAAPER CLAYAPER CLAAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYAPER CLAYSLIPSLIPGive Magazinethis Christmas and save 39%. Pay just £39.99 for a year’s subscription

SKILL SCHOOLGARDEN TOTEM: PART 3In our continuing series of sculptures to build a garden totem, this section will be the top – the crowning glory so to speak, and the spacers, small parts and construction will come in issue 35PROJECTTWO20ClayCraftIssue 33

DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft21.You will need: ■Clay used for previous sections – preferably stoneware■Plaster mould – see template shape■Rolling pin, plastic sheet, 10mm thick roller guides■Carving tools – loop tools■Glaze or glazes of choice to fit clay typeCut the slab in half lengthways.2Before you begin:This is a symmetrical mould, which means it can be used to make two parts that fit together perfectly. However, this doesn’t limit the potential of the mould because it can still be used to make shapes in many variations.We’ve made many plaster moulds over the 32 issues of ClayCraft, working from found objects and clay models, so all the information is already available to make a mould of this type (see also the ‘How to’ section on our website claycraft.co.uk). Therefore, scale the given template up to a size that will work in proportion with your other totem parts and the available space for firing in your kiln. Transfer the outline onto a non-absorbent board in black marker pen.Build the model in soft clay to a dome shape, rising gently from the outer edge to approximately 5cm at the inner edge.When you’re happy with the shape, smooth over the surface with a rib, to remove all irregularities.Secure a cottle around the model – you can use lino, boards or thick walls of clay.Cast the model in plaster, scaling the amount required up from the basic recipe of 1 ½lb plaster to 1 pint of water.Once the plaster has set, surform the sharp edges of the mould then leave it somewhere warm to dry out thoroughly.Prepare a block of clay, large enough to accommodate the size of your mould once rolled out.Working on a sheet of plastic, reduce the bulk of the clay by beating it with the side of your rolling pin. Work in measured, even strokes from one side of the clay to the other, to avoid making deep grooves in the surface.Still working on the plastic sheet, roll out the clay between your roller guides to create a slab long and wide enough to fit your mould.You will find that periodically turning the slab will make rolling much easier and ensure it’s the shape you need it to be.When finished, smooth over the surface with a rib to compact the clay.1

SKILL SCHOOL22ClayCraftIssue 33Again, carefully remove the bulk of excess clay at the rim and use the o cuts to reinforce the angle.7Fit the second section of slab into the mould as before, rst fieasing it into the angle carefully and overlapping the section at the top and bottom.6t one section of the slab into half of the fiCarefully mould, as shown. Ease the clay into the sharp inner angle very carefully to avoid tearing or stretching it. Using a ngers will help to fibarely damp sponge rather than your ensure the clay is fully shaped to the mould.3PROJECTTWOCut away most of the surplus clay around the edges with a knife, making sure the blade doesn’t come into contact with the plaster as you cut.4Use the o cuts of clay to reinforce the steep angle at rmly to fithe inner edge, as shown. Press the clay into place avoid trapping air underneath, then blend it in neatly with nger. Smooth over the surface with a soft kidney when fia nished. fi5

DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft23.Blend the overlapped sections of slab at the top and bottom of the form with your fingers. Be firm when doing this to ensure any possible trapped air is forced out in the process.8With the second half still in the mould and firmed to leather hard, apply slip to the scored edges, plus the adjoining edges of the first half.Join the sections together, fitting the first half onto the second part in the mould. Apply firm pressure to ensure the surfaces seal together completely.11Use a length of batten to remove the remaining clay at the rim. Sit the batten on the plaster surface and draw it sideways in small stages, removing the clay as you work to avoid too much build-up.9While the clay is still in the mould, carefully score the edges with a serrated kidney, making sure you don’t cut into the plaster.Allow this first half of the form to firm up to leather hard in the mould then turn it out onto a board.Make a second half in the same way.10When you’re sure the edges are secured together firmly, turn the form out onto a board and paddle the edges with a spatula to further strengthen the bond between the surfaces.12Smooth over the surface of the form with a kidney to neaten up.13

SKILL SCHOOL24ClayCraftIssue 33Referring to your sketchbook totem ideas, decide how you might like to modify the shape. You don’t have to do this if you want the shape as it is, this is purely optional.If you do want to modify the shape, gently mark out the area you want to remove, using the tip of a knife or pin.14PROJECTTWO17Score the exposed edges where the section has been cut away.16Carefully cut away the section you have decided on and reserve it intact.15Roll a small slab of clay to the same thickness as the one used for the main body.Place the section of the form you cut out when modifying the shape, onto the slab and carefully cut around it.

DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft25Cut out a second shape in the same way then score around the edge of each one.Slip the scored area on one side of the form and the adjoining area on the first closing section.18Fit the section in place over the opening, pressing it gently into position with your fingers but making sure you don’t distort the clay.Tap the slab into place with a spatula to keep the surface flat and ensure the edges seal together properly.19Scrape away the excess clay around the join using a kidney, then smooth over the surface to remove all evidence of a join.20Fix the second small section in place over the opening on the opposite side of the form, finishing it o in the same way.Really take the time to smooth over the edges well; it will compact the clay and ensure the joins are secure.22VERY carefully, turn the form over and repeat the paddling and neatening process on the underside.21

SKILL SCHOOL26ClayCraftIssue 33Give the surface a fi nal paddling to neaten up, then fi rm up the clay at the newly closed ends using a hairdryer, until they are leather hard like the rest of the form.23PROJECTTWOCarve out your design using a loop tool of a suitable size and shape.Aim to make a pronounced step between levels.25Outline your design of choice onto the surface of the form, using a pin. The wave-like theme used in other parts of the totem is continued here, but yours can be completely di erent if you prefer.24

DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft27Use a wooden tool to neaten up the sharp angles of the areas you’ve cut away, then smooth over the remainder of the surface with a rib.26Continue to work in this way until all of the lines have been carved out and neatened up.27As a final detail, carve out small sections at the inner edge as shown to fit with your design.28Smooth over the carved-out areas as before, using a rib to neaten up – or a finger if you prefer (it often does a better job).Turn the totem over and repeat the carving on the opposite side.29

SKILL SCHOOL28ClayCraftIssue 3331Line up a length of dowelling from the tip of the top of the totem to a central point at the bottom. This is your guide to position your support hole, but you could choose another angle if you prefer.Cut a hole in the totem, in line with the dowel, at the top and bottom in the centre of the walls.30Enlarge the hole to accommodate the size of the dowel used when making the previous parts for the totem. Make sure the hole goes through the wall in exactly the correct place on the opposite/inner side of the form, to ensure the shape stands at the angle you want it to.Fit the dowel through the holes to check the size. Then, with it still in place, neaten around the opening with your fi ngers or suitable tool.PROJECTTWOYour totem is now fi nished. Allow it to dry out very slowly before bisque fi ring.32TIPIf you don’t have time to complete your totem part in one session, wrap it carefully in plastic and rest it on a foam bed until you can return to it. You can keep items in a workable condition for a long time if you contain it like this so that no moisture is lost.33Glaze your totem part as you have for the previous sections, in glaze or glazes of choice.This section has been glazed with Amaco’s Tourmaline and Indigo Float – fi red to 1200°C in an electric kiln, resting on the unglazed, paler section, visible here.34

DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★ ★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft29This template is used in our project. Scale this up as necessary to suit your totem design.

30ClayCraftIssue 33 Clay bodyIf you buy clay from a potters’ supplier, you are most likely using a prepared clay body made from a mixture of clays (china clay and ball clay), flint and feldspar. These materials are also the ingredients for glaze, but in different proportions. If the stoneware clay body particles. Earthenware clay remains is fired to a high enough temperature, the flint and feldspar begin to melt into glaze is needed to prevent water a glass which fills the pores between clay particles; the fired clay becomes dense and vitrified. The porosity of fired stoneware is only around 1-2%. You can measure porosity by weighing an unglazed piece of fired clay, boiling in water for half an hour, then Linda Bloomfield is a scientist turned potter. More glaze recipes can be found in her books, Advanced Pottery (2011), Colour in Glazes (A&C Black 2012), The Handbook of Glaze Recipes(Bloomsbury 2014) and Science for Potters (The American Ceramic Society 2017). Her next book Special E
ect Glazes will be published next year. The second edition of her book Colour in Glazes is now availableVitrification:clays and glazes Magnified view of glazed earthenware. The clay body is soft and porous.likely to occur in red earthenware clays, which include a higher amount of flux.GlazeGlaze is similar to glass, composed of silica and fluxes such as feldspar or a Linda Bloomfield, porcelain tableware with turquoise glaze. The turquoise glaze is glossy, smooth and fully vitrified. The porcelain clay body is also vitrified and non-porous.Vitrification is the transformation of a substance into glass: a non-crystalline, amorphous solid. This happens naturally in volcanoes when molten rock is cooled very fast and obsidian forms, a black glass. In pottery, vitrification can occur in the kiln in both clay bodies and glazesweighing again and calculating the percentage increase in weight. Fired porcelain is not porous even when unglazed. When fired to maturity, the surface of porcelain should have a slight sheen. If underfired, the clay will not be as hard or strong. During firing above 1100°C, long, needle-shaped crystals of mullite grow, and the clay body becomes very strong. When earthenware clay is fired, the clay, feldspar and quartz become sintered together, with small pores remaining in between the clay porous when fired, and a coating of seeping into the pores. The porosity of fired earthenware is over 5%. If the temperature is raised above around 1120°C, an earthenware clay body may begin to warp, and bloat as gases are given off, eventually melting to a puddle on the kiln shelf. This is more

Issue 33ClayCraft 31GLAZINGman-made frit. Glaze also has the addition of some clay, which makes it more viscous than glass. During firing, the powdered glaze melts and transforms into a coating of glass. If the glaze is cooled quickly, it will remain glass, an amorphous solid. However, if it is cooled very slowly, it may grow crystals on the surface. For this to happen, the glaze needs to be low in clay and quite runny so that the atoms have time to align into crystal structures. This often happens in runny wood ash glazes, such as in the bowl by Akiko Hirai (pictured above right). Once the glaze has grown crystals, it is no longer strictly a glass (an amorphous solid by definition), hence this is known as devitrification. This is avoided in industrial ceramics, but prized by studio potters. To encourage crystal growth, the clay content in the glaze should be low (less than 5% clay or 0.3 alumina in the molecular formula), and the cooling of the kiln can be controlled, eg hold for three hours at 1060°C. Magnifi ed view of glazed porcelain. The clay body is hard and vitrifi ed. Enlarged view of hexagonal clay particles, quartz and feldspar after biscuit fi ring. (Henry Bloomfi eld)Next month: Oil spot glazesFiringIt is important to match the firing temperature of the glaze to the maturing temperature for your particular clay body.Ceramic changeClay goes through several physical changes when fired. The first step is the evaporation of water from between the clay particles. Pots must be completely dry before firing; otherwise, the steam escaping could cause them to explode. Initially, the kiln should be heated very slowly to give time for all the water to evaporate. Drying can be speeded up by pre-heating the ware in the kiln to 80°C for a few hours. This part of the firing, up to 100°C is called water smoking, which causes the water in the pores between the clay crystals to evaporate. The next stage is to drive off the water which is chemically combined with the clay (the formula for clay is AlO.2SiO.2HO). This is known as dehydroxylation and occurs up to 550°C. Once this chemical change shaped crystals of mullite has taken place, the process cannot be reversed, and the clay cannot be returned to its plastic state.At 573°C, the crystalline quartz in the clay body increases in volume by 1%. This may cause cracking if the temperature in the kiln is increased too rapidly. Organic matter in the clay is burned and oxidised to carbon dioxide, and fluorine and sulphur dioxide from materials in the clay body are driven off 226°C. This can cause cracking if the at 700-900°C. At this point, the biscuit firing is completed. The clay particles are sintered or welded together. The ware has undergone little shrinkage since the bone-dry stage, but it is durable enough to withstand handling and glazing.Above 900°C, the clay body begins to shrink and vitrify. The silica starts to melt, filling the spaces between the clay particles and fusing them together. The fired clay is known as metakaolin. At 1000°C the clay crystals begin to break down and melt. At 1050°C, needle-(3AlO.2SiO) begin to form, giving the fired clay strength and hardness. When mullite forms from metakaolin (AlO.2SiO), extra free silica is released. Above 1100°C, any free silica (not chemically combined) in the clay changes to cristobalite, which has a different structure from that of quartz. When the kiln is cooled down, cristobalite contracts suddenly by 3% at kiln is cooled too rapidly by opening too soon, causing some areas to drop in temperature and stressing the ware. It is advisable not to open the kiln until it has cooled down to below 100°C.ConclusionVitrification occurs both in stoneware and porcelain clay bodies and glazes, while earthenware clay remains porous after firing. Crystal growth, also known as devitrification, can occur in glazes if the kiln is cooled very slowly. Akiko Hirai Pond bowl with devitrifi ed ash glaze. The crystals on the glaze surface show that the glaze is partially devitrifi ed. Enlarged view of vitrifi ed stoneware clay body, where the quartz and feldspar have melted into glass and fi lled the pores. (Henry Bloomfi eld)

SKILL SCHOOL32ClayCraftIssue 33BAS RELIEFSKILL SCHOOLPROJECTTHREEThis is not a di cult project, but you will need patience and a steady hand to complete even a small panel. It’s not for the faint-hearted and is best described as a project akin to archaeology – painstaking, but with a seriously satisfying outcome32ClayCraftIssue 33

Issue 33ClayCraft 33DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★★★ ★ .Issue 29ClayCraft 33YOU WILL NEED:■Porcelain slabs (dry)– minimum 5mm thick. These look best randomly rolled with rough edges, not cut to any particular shape. Dry them out completely between boards to keep them flat, before starting the project■Tracing paper– optional■Pencil ■Reference bookswith images you like, or look online for simple images and print o■Carving tools– readily available from ceramic suppliers in many forms ■Bowl with water and a natural sponge■Soft, large-headed mop brushIssue 33ClayCraft 33

SKILL SCHOOL34ClayCraftIssue 331Begin by looking for simple images to reproduce. This is important because the process is time-consuming and a little fi ddly, so the less complicated the image – at least for your fi rst project – the better.Trace a section of your image to fi t the slab. If you make the tracing larger than the slab it will give you more fl exibility for positioning to get the best fi t. Alternatively, trace a few images and try them out. This will give you even more fl exibility to fi t a particular design to a given shaped slab.AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH would be to draw a design freehand onto the surface of the dry slab. You can still work from a visual reference but drawing it out in this way will make it more unique to you, and you can fi t it to the slab more readily.Fit the tracing over the slab and move it until you fi nd the best position. Consider the alignment of the design in relation to the shape of the slab; it should look as natural as possible.Transfer the outline onto the clay. Don’t worry about the pencil lines, they will be removed in the carving process but would burn away in fi ring anyway.2Once the image has been transferred to the slab, work over the outline again with a pencil to defi ne it more clearly.3A NOTE ABOUT CARVING A NTOOLS BEFORE YOU BEGIN:You will need sharp, fi ne-headed tools in a selection of sizes and shapes for this project. They can be loop tools or blades like those shown – Xiem Tools makes a good selection – available from your pottery supplier.The tools used here were bought from a wonderful Chinese potter called Chen Min at the Aberystwyth International Ceramics festival earlier in the year – she makes them herself.OOLA NOOLA NOOLA NOOLA NOOLA NOOLA NOOLA NOOLA NOOA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NSKILL SCHOOLPROJECTTHREEBegin by looking for simple process is time-consuming

Issue 33ClayCraft 35DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★★★ ★ .Dampen the section of the surface of the slab you want to carve out first, using the sponge. Don’t drown it though, because the clay will break down if it’s saturated.Dry porcelain can be worked in this way more easily than other clays because of the fineness and density of the body.4Hold and work the blades at dierent angles for best results. It takes some practice, but you should be aiming to carve out the design so that the image looks as though it’s just resting on the surface.6Periodically brush away the scrapings so you can see where to carve next. You should wear a dust mask to do this.7Begin to carve out the clay around and along the drawn lines. You will need to change tools regularly to carve out dierent areas – tiny blades for di cult to reach areas – wider, larger blades for more open areas.Work in stages, dampening the clay again as required to ease the process. Don’t make deep cuts – gradually reduce the bulk to the required depth.5

36ClayCraftIssue 33Work in a way that suits you best – that may be working on the outline of the image fi rst then moving on to the fi ner details of particular areas. The stem of the plant can already be seen clearly here and begins to give an idea of how the fi nished relief will look.8PROJECTTHREESmooth over the surface of the carving from time to time with a damp sponge to very slightly soften the edges of the carving; you can then judge if the shape needs more work. DO NOT over smooth the surface. You don’t want to obliterate all your hard work.12To give your image life, make it look realistic and more three-dimensional, you must carve levels into the surface. It always helps to have some idea of what the subject looks like in reality, but at least have your original reference at hand to refer to.Here, the shape is started by carving a groove at the centre of the lantern, from which the sides lift upward and outward in a gentle curve. Subsequent layers are then carved away.9At each stage, the surround of the subject is reworked to remove more clay and give the image greater lift.10over smooth the surface. You don’t want to obliterate Continue to carve out the levels using the appropriately sized tools for each section.11

Issue 33ClayCraft 37DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★ ★ Move on to the next area of the image. Repeat the process, dampening the surface and carving out using the appropriate tools for each area. 13TIPThe shavings created when carving can be saved to make slip for other projects – simply reconstitute with water and sieve. Store the slip in a sealed container until required. NEVER waste anything!

38ClayCraftIssue 33Continue to work in this way until the entire image has been carved out and stands in clear relief.14PROJECTTHREEAllow the fi nished relief to dry out again completely before bisque fi ring.15The bisque-fi red reliefs have been simply glazed in Amaco’s celadon glazes to best show o the fi ne detail of the carving. You can combine glaze colours, as shown in the cherry blossom design, or use a simple coat in one colour. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for application.Fired to cone 6, 1200°C in an electric kiln.16

A GIFT THAT LASTSPeople love a magazine subscription for Christmas and we have eople love a magazine subscription for Christmas and we have over 60 titles to choose from. There is something for everyone!VISIT OUR CHRISTMAS SHOPISIT OUR CHRISTMAS SHOPOR CALL 01959 543 747 AND QUOTE ‘XMAS2019’R CALL 01959 543 747 AND QUOTE ‘XMAS2019’ALL YEARLL YEARAPThere is something for everyone!S A V EU P T O 3 8 %12 issues £39.99Save 29%13 issues £39.99Save 31%13 issues £39.99Save 21%13 issues £39.99Save 38%13 issues £39.99Save 22%13 issues £39.99Save 35 %12 issues £39.99Save 20%12 issues £39.99Save 39%12 issues £39.99Save 33%12 issues £39.99Save 33%13 issues £39.99Save 26%26 issues £39.99Save 35%Full terms and conditions can be found at shop.kelsey.co.uk/terms. OŽ er ends 31st December 2019 and applies to UK subscribers only. For overseas subscription rates please visit shop.kelsey.co.uk. Discounts are calculated on full cover price. Telephone opening hours are from 8.30am to 5.30pm – Monday to Friday, calls charged at your standard network rate.VSHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/XMAS2019O12 issues £39.99Save 33%12 issues £39.99Save 33%O V E R 6 0 T IT L E S T O C H O O S E F R O M

40ClayCraftIssue 33ingley, who died last year aged 95, is a name synonymous with the best of showcasing potters such as Bernard modern British craft. His gallery in Stratford-upon-Avon, which ran from 1966 to 1991 (first in Meer Street, then Chapel Street), showed a wide Drange of applied arts, but concentrated particularly on studio ceramics, Leach (1887-1979), Lucie Rie (1902-1995), Hans Coper (1920-1981) and John Ward (b. 1936). A series of exhibitions – the displays often put together by Peter’s partner, the textile designer Guido Marchini, proved influential. Lucie Rie, already trained at the potter’s wheel when she fled Vienna in 1938 and a life-long experimenter with glazes and shapes, said she had never seen her work look as good as it did in her exhibition at the gallery in 1983.David Whiting, author of Modern British Potters & Their Studios (2009), describes Peter Dingley as “a Oxford auctioneer Mallams will sell studio pottery and artwork from the estate of Peter Dingley MBE (1923-2018) on December 5. The 55 lots are expected to bring in excess of £100,000Peter Dingley. © Peter Dingley estate. Circled: Hans Coper (1920-1981) – ‘sack’ form vase (£20,000-£30,000).PETERDINGLEYAUCTIONInside Peter Dingley’s house.qLucie Rie (1902-1995) – Miniature sgraˆto vase with blue band (£3,000-£4,000) and manganese bottle vase with sgraˆto (£4,000-£6,000).

remarkable member of the small band of post-war pioneering gallerists who supported British ceramics. Although he never thought of himself as a ‘collector’ as such, he acquired many fine pieces over the years. These included important pots by Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Joanna Constantinidis, Geoffrey Whiting and John Ward, as well as a good collection of 19th and 20th century pictures. Artists on his walls included Frances Hodgkins, Edward Ardizzone, and John Varley.”John Ward (b.1938) – vessel with green lines (£2,000-£4,000).John Ward (b.1938) – vessel with undulating rim (£1,000-£2,000).Lucie Rie (1902-1995) – Bottle vase, pitted white glaze (£6,000-£10,000).Lucie Rie (1902-1995) – turquoise bowl with manganese rim (£3,000-£5,000) and matte blue bowl (£2,000-£4,000).Frances Hodgkins (1869-1947) – ‘Ibiza’, 1935 (£2,000-£4,000).Hans Coper (1920-1981) – ‘cycladic’ pot (£10,000-£15,000) and a black glaze pot (£5,000-£8,000).Issue 33ClayCraft41John Maltby firmly on the commercial map. More details can be found at: mallams.co.ukHighlights of the sale include a stoneware ’sack’ form vase by Hans Coper (estimate £20,000-30,000), a Lucie Rie bottle vase with pitted white glaze (estimate £6,000-10,000) and a Hans Coper ‘cycladic’ pot (estimate £10,000-15,000). In accordance with Peter Dingley’s wishes, the pieces will be sold to benefit two charities benefitting living potters and artists. The sale comes at a time when British studio pottery, once the preserve of a small number of devotees, is much in vogue. The demand for pieces by stellar names from the first, second and third generation of British post-war ceramicists, now runs parallel to that of Modern British painting. Pots by these makers have reached new heights in recent years. Mallams has a particularly strong track record in the genre, with recent Oxford sales doing much to put potters such as John Ward, Edmund De Waal, Jennifer Lee and

42ClayCraftIssue 33 A selection of photos sent in by readers. If you’d like to share your work with us, email a high-resolution photo and some details about your piece to: [email protected]’ MAKES1: A handbuilt pineapple luminary, made with with coiled slabs. @cat_king_ceramicsCat KingThis would look lovely on a Christmas dining table! Ed2: I had a go at the hare from your May issue and loved the result. Graham LymberyThis is a fantastic Graham, we love the way you chose to decorate it. Thanks for sharing it with us. Ed3: I scored a thickly made pot and then used just one hand on the inside of the pot to belly it out and finish pulling it. It was raku fired then put into sawdust. This is my husband’s favourite.libbidib-pottery.co.ukLibbi HutchenceWe can see why he likes this one, it’s gorgeous. The texture contrast works so well. Ed123

Serving talented people Nationwidewww.northernkilns.com

SKILL SCHOOL44ClayCraftIssue 33PUFFINPROJECTFOURWho doesn’t love a pu n? They are such comical and endearing birds and make a great subject to replicate in clay because of their interesting shape and colouringYou will need:■ Stonewareorearthenware■ Liquid underglaze colours– black, red, blue, yellow, orange. Velvets are good because they don’t need to be glazed■ Glaze– transparent and/or black & white – to fi t clay type■ Glaze– of choice to cover the rock base■ Plastic sheet, rolling pin, roller guides (5mm thick max)

DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft45.Holding the first ball in your hand, press your thumb down through the centre of the clay until you can feel some pressure in the palm.Use your fingers and thumb to pinch out the shape from the bottom of the ball first. Work in small close pinching movements, rotating the clay in the palm of your hand in a rhythmic action, to even out the marks made as you thin the wall.Keeping the thumb in a crooked position helps prevent the rim from opening out too quickly. Keeping the rim quite thick and as closed as possible at the early stage of pinching allows you to maintain control and prevent the wall from flaring out and becoming misshapen. It also stops the rim tearing or cracking.Change the position of your hands periodically so that the fingers are inside and thumb outside, then pinch the wall upward and outward in stages. Work the whole form to one even thickness first, then again, a little thinner and so on.When you’re happy with the shape of the form, begin to refine the rim – working in small, even pinches to thin it to your requirements between finger and thumb. 1Look for a good image of a pu­n – one with close detail and colour that you can refer to as you make the bird.Form two equal amounts of well-prepared clay into smooth balls that will fit comfortably into the palm of your hand. Weigh the clay for each ball so that when pinched, they will be the same size. Note, the actual amount will depend on what you feel capable of pinching – 150g would be about right. These will form the body.Form a third ball of clay, about half the size of the previous two, to make the head.2

SKILL SCHOOL46ClayCraftIssue 333Pinch the second half of the body to a conical shape, working the clay down from a narrower end to the opening, as shown.PROJECTFOUR4Periodically check the size of the opening of the second section against that of the fi rst. Continue to pinch the shape until the two openings match, and the sections fi t together perfectly.5Firm each of the two halves up with a hairdryer until the shapes will hold, but there is still some fl exibility in the clay.Score the rims of both halves with a serrated kidney and apply some slip.6

DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft47.7Fit the sections together, holding them in place for a few seconds to ensure the surfaces bond.8Roll a thin coil of soft clay and reinforce the join, blending the clay over the seam onto the body on each side of the coil, using a finger or thumb to begin with.11Refine the shape further by paddling the surface with a wooden spatula. This is something you can do at regular intervals to improve shape.The form should look like a large egg when finished.12Make a hole at one end of the body, then manipulate the clay outward at the conical end, between fingers and thumb, to form the rudimentary beginnings of the tail feathers.Refer to your pun image as you work, to ensure the shaping is correct.9Work over the entire surface of the form with a rib or kidney to remove lumps, bumps and excess clay as required, until smooth.10Again, firm the form up using a hairdryer. Reinforcing the join will have moistened the clay, so firm it back until it can hold its shape but still retain some malleability.

SKILL SCHOOL48ClayCraftIssue 3313Rest the body on a foam bed, then pinch out the head as you did for the fi rst body section.PROJECTFOUR15Score the rim of the head and the corresponding position on the body, then slip the respective areas.16Fit the head in place, smoothing the clay down onto the body with a fi nger to hold it in place.14ƒSit the head on the body at the angle you prefer and mark the position with a pin.Reinforce the join with a coil of soft clay, then blend it in with a suitable wooden tool.17coil of soft clay, then blend it in 18Neaten around the reinforcement with a small kidney until the surface is smooth and free from lumps.

DIFFICULTY RATING ★ ★ ★★ ★Issue 33ClayCraft49.20When you’re happy with the size and shape of the beak, place it on the head of the bird and mark the position with a pin.21Score the joining end of the beak and corresponding position on the head.Slip both areas then fix the beak in place.Referring to your pun image, make the beak from a small, solid amount of clay.Form the shape roughly to begin with, just to get the right shape, then cut it down to the correct size to fit your particular bird.Refine the surface with a kidney.19

SKILL SCHOOL50ClayCraftIssue 3322Reinforce around the beak with a coil of soft clay and blend it in with a fi nger or suitable tool.24Make a slight groove from the marked eye position to the point of the white feather area towards the back of the head. Use a suitable wooden or plastic tool for this, or the edge of a small block of wood.26Mark the position for the eye on the head with a pin, then score, slip and fi x it securely in place.PROJECTFOUR23Score the outline of the feather markings on the head that delineate the white from the black. The outline, in many ways, is a mirror image of the beak.Mark the position for the eye with a pin.25Make the eye by forming a tiny amount of clay into a thin teardrop shape. Roll another tiny ball of clay, fl atten it a little then attach it to the teardrop with a dab of slip.Use a suitable tool to impress a round eye into the ball – an old pen top works well.