Introduction Working with Clay Pinch Pots Slab Building Coil Building Throwing Glazing Safety in the Pottery Gallery of Student's Work

Things to remember – About Clay Clay must have no air bubbles in it; this could cause cracking, exploding, distortion and difficulty in making. Clay must have no pieces of plaster in it as this could cause cracking, exploding and, either immediately or at a later date, ‘popping’ – where the plaster pops out of the glaze, ruining the look and mabe the usuability of the piece. Clay must be bone dry before firing. Damp clay can cause the pot to explode in the firing. It is also bad for the elements in an electric kiln to fire damp pots. Clay must not be too thick. This too can cause a pot to explode. The thickness of a piece depends on the type of clay, however. A heavily grogged or ‘rough’ clay can be quite a lot thicker than a ‘smooth’ clay. Even-ness of the wall of a pot is important as an uneven piece will dry unevenly and cause cracking or distortion. Clay pieces joined together should be of the same ‘moistness’ Keep clay from drying out while working on it by spraying it with water from a plant sprayer. Keep clay from drying out between making sessions by wrapping it up in plastic (dry cleaners' plastic is ideal)