How to make a ceramic mug using slab construction. How to use slip & score attachment in ceramics. How to add design and decoration to the surface of ceramics.

1. Clay Construction:Slab Mug

2. Draw a paper pattern for you mug. You will need a base and walls.

3. Cut out your pattern pieces.

4. Test your pattern pieces to see if they fit.

5. Cut them if they don’t fit.

6. If you are using leftover clay, the pieces will have to be wedged.

7. Wedging clay mixes the clay and evens out the moisture in the different pieces. It makes the clay more orderly. It also removes air pockets.

8. Make a flattened piece of clay that is close to the size of your pattern pieces.

9. You will use two pieces of cloth to create a uniform slab. Make sure the cloth is damp but not wet.

10. Place a smooth piece of cloth on the bottom. Flattened clay goes on top of that. Two parallel sticks go on either side of the clay. A cloth will go on top of the clay and the roller will roll on top of that. The roller will remain perpendicular to the sticks. The roller will never be parallel with the sticks.

11. It will look like this. You can kind of see the forms of the sticks and clay underneath the cloth.

12. Here is the slab.

14. Place your pattern pieces on top of the slab. Cut them out using a paper clip.

16. This is the wall and bottom of the mug.

17. The two ends of the wall of the mug will to be cut in a bevel cut. The bevel cuts on the each end will be “supplementary.” That means they will fit together in a straight line.

18. This is an example of “supplementary” bevel cuts.

19. This is a close-up view of a “supplementary” bevel cut.

20. “Slip and score” when you want to attach two pieces of clay. This means you scratch both surfaces with a wet fork.

21. I am attaching this slab to the outside of the circle. If I had wanted a taller mug, I could have attached the wall to the top of the circle instead.

22. Here is a top view of my assembled mug.

23. Here is a side view of my mug. I added a small coil of clay where where I’m going to blend the two ends. This will help keep the side from getting too thin.

24. A good job of blending will hide the fact that two pieces were joined together.

25. The inside needs some blending. It also needs tiny coils of clay to fill in for the clay loss that happens when you blend two pieces.

26. It should look like the two pieces were always together.

27. Make it smooth.

28. Put a little ring of extra clay in the bottom of your mug before you blend. You will want the bottom to be smooth so that it won’t catch bacteria.

29. Use recycled clay to make a handle. There are many ways to create a handle.

30. Recycled clay needs to be wedged. Wedging clay mixes the pieces together, evens out the moisture of the clay, and removes the air pockets.

31. One way to make a handle is to roll a slab and cut out a form from the new slab. Before you roll a new slab, you should “pre-slab” it in your two hands.

32. Whenever you roll a slab, it’s important that you dampen your cloth. If the cloth isn’t dampened, it will dry out your clay. Dry clay is hard to work with.

33. Here is a top view of a slab set-up.

34. It’s easier to fix mistakes on paper than with a slab of clay. I recommend that you make a pattern piece and test it before you start cutting up your slab.

35. Place your pattern piece on your slab, then cut it out with a paper clip.

36. This is a different style of handle. It is a little more challenging than the previous one.

37. This style of handle requires two bevel cuts.

38. Then it is inverted and attached to the wall.

39. Slip and score both surfaces you wish to attach.

40. Add a little extra clay where you blend the two pieces. This keeps the area from becoming thin and weak.

41. Blend the two pieces and the extra clay until it looks like they were always together. Use your fingers or a smooth tool for blending. Don’t pinch.

42. Add extra clay on the bottom of the handle also.

43. Blend thoroughly. Don’t pinch the pieces together.

44. Blend the inside of the handle, too.

45. Blend the bottom. Seal up any cracks or holes.

46. If parts of the edges of handle are crooked, cut the bad parts off using a paper clip.

47. Trim wisely. Blend thoroughly.

48. This style of handle is a little bit simpler. Just use a paper clip to cut a slab into a handle-like shape. Then attach it to the side of the mug.

49. Add extra clay where you are going to blend the handle onto the wall of the mug. That way the handle won’t get too thin and weak.

50. Blend well.

51. Use a paper clip to trim handle until it looks graceful.

52. If the first trim isn’t enough…keep going.

53. Much better!

54. Trim the rim with a bevel cut. Use a paper clip. That way your cup won’t dribble liquid down your chin when you’re sipping your drink.

55. After you finish your bevel cut, blend the edges until they are smooth. Use your fingers or a smooth tool to pull the clay. Don’t pinch the edges.

56. Smoothing the inside of our mug smooth helps make it look better, and is more sanitary.

57. Rolling the edges on a smooth surface can improve the form.

58. Using your hand to gently push out from the inside of the mug can give your mug a more graceful form.

59. Add design and decoration.

61. Always remember… write your name and class period on the bottom. Do this every day.