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Making Clay Tools
Ceramic artists are some of the most creative people out there when it comes to their tools of the trade. Nothing is off limits as a potential clay tool and no clay tool has just one use. To prove it, we’ve gathered some of the most clever tips and techniques out there for making your own clay tools. And don't forget to download your free copy of the 2008 Ceramic Workshop Handbook: Clay Tools and Ceramic Studio Reference . This handy studio reference includes valuable technical references and great clay tools to help you with forming, surface decoration and firing. Plus, it has a comprehensive directory of manufacturers and suppliers that provide ceramic equipment, raw materials, clay tools and ceramic supplies.
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May 18, 2009
Today, ceramic artist Marcia Selsor shows us how to make and use her right angle jig, a simple tool she came up with to make building geometric sculpture easier.
November 24, 2008
Because the process of working with clay is so enjoyable to us, it's easy to forget that this material we love so much has some physical characteristics that, if not understood and respected, can do us harm. One of those characteristics is plasticity, which of course is a good thing—it's what makes clay workable. Heck, if clay wasn't plastic, it would just be dirt! At the same time, that quality that sticks all those clay particles together makes a large lump of it fairly resistant to the pressure of a human hand—or foot, or elbow or head... Over time, the stress and pressure of pushing clay around can do damage to our joints and tissue. But this is why we ...
July 16, 2008
Plaster and Plastic Storage Bins: Essential Tools for the Clay Studio
Today we bring you a couple of tips from Ceramic Arts Daily readers about two essential items for any clay studio: plaster and plastic storage bins.
July 14, 2008
Gallery and Spout Sizing with Corks: A Great Tip for Getting the Right Fit
[caption id="attachment_3499" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="A fired ring with a spigot inserted into its proper hole. The corresponding cork used as the gauge for this hole will be used when throwing."][/caption] Today’s tip addresses a question sent in by a Ceramic Arts Daily reader. This reader wondered if we had any tips for judging the size of a hole on a piece of pottery that is designed to receive a cork, stopper or clock ...
June 25, 2008
Readers Chime In: More Pottery Uses for Old Credit Cards and Other Quick Tips for the Clay Studio
Today, readers share more good ideas for using old credit cards in the ceramic studio, plus a host of other great ceramic tips!
June 9, 2008
A New Squeeze: Old Glue Bottles Make Great Clay Studio Tools
Paveen Chunhaswasdikul repurposed an empty glue bottle to come up with this all-in-one tool to use when adjoining two pieces of clay.
April 11, 2008
Tip of the Week: Make Your Own Hydrometer for Glazing Success
In this week’s Tip of the Week, potter Mea Rhee of Silver Spring, Maryland, tells us how to make a homemade, low-tech hydrometer for the clay studio. Whether you go high-tech or low-tech, a hydrometer can help you achieve consistent results when glazing!
February 22, 2008
Instant Damp Cabinets: An Easy Way to Dry Your Pottery Slowly
Following Wednesday's newsletter, we received an inquiry on damp cabinets or damp boxes. This reader had never used a damp cabinet and wondered where she could get one. Well, she probably doesn't have to look very far. Chances are she already has the materials to make one right in her studio. Michael Bossin of Sharon, Massachusetts, offers this simple suggestion for a damp box:
February 1, 2008
Today, potter Andi Fasimpaur shares a great tip for an inexpensive work surface for handbuilding. Plus, we'll give you a couple of other great tips for the pottery studio.
