Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Making a Large Draped Bowl

So much for my plan to make smaller items to fill the kiln. Yesterday I managed to roll out a huge slab of clay eighteen by eighteen inches. I decided the size was too nice to use for smaller pieces so I decided to make a large drape molded bowl.

I textured the slab with various texture tools in a random manner. Then I wondered if I had anything large enough to accommodate the draping of this overly large slab of clay.

I remembered I had a large stainless steel bowl I use to mix up my slip and decided it was a good size for the slab. Except the bowl had a lip. So I cut some foam into pieces to tape around the edge of the bowl to keep the lip from cutting the draped slab of clay.

The slab was so large that even on my banding wheel the clay would have draped all the way down to the table top. So I put a couple of four by fours on top of the turntable. After the bowl firmed up a turned it over onto a piece of sheetrock to dry on an open rack. Hope this one makes it. It's about 15 inches wide and four inches tall.

14 comments:

  1. love the innovation needed to make your bowl... good luck with the rest of the process

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  2. Hi Anna, thanks, one can never have too many contraptions in the studio, paint roller come in handy too

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  3. Goodness gracious...what a great big bowl. Fingers crossed that it continues through the rest of the process!

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    1. Hi Barbara, thanks, now I'm thinking I may make some smaller bowls to go with it as a set

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  4. Awesome creativity and innovation! Looking forward to seeing the finished bowl.

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    1. Hi Kittie, thanks, thinking of how to glaze it as we speak but it will be a while

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  5. Way to problem solve. I love the idea of taping foam to the edge of the bowl. Brilliant.

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    1. Hi Lori, thanks, I keep various sizes of foam in the studio and use them for lots of pieces, they are really handy

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  6. Wow. Love the size. This bowl will be wonderful..

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    1. Hi Barbara, thanks, I think there is always a use for a large bowl even if it's only every once in a while or for a party or such

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  7. Creativity from the bottom up here. Or is that top down.

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    1. Hi Joanne, thanks, it's both directions. te he

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  8. Love those organic wave forms. What colours are you thinking of?

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  9. Hi Sue, thanks, I am debating back and forth, was thinking I might enhance the texture with a contrasting color and just put a light color or a clear over the top, who knows once I start glazing though, I often stray from my original ideas.

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I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment