Handbuilding a Pedestal Bowl
About this Workshop
This workshop will go through basic, simple methods of handbuilding and designing a clay pedestal bowl. Kat will discuss and demonstrate fundamental handbuilding skills like coiling, pinching, and paddling to create a structural form. Kat will go over her meditative and methodical steps of pinching to create straight forms, as well as concave or convex structures. Finally, she will demonstrate her method of adding design elements from slab cutouts and will walk the class through the slip and score method of construction.
Please note: it’s quite possible that a finished product will not be completed by the end of this class due to the very patient method of building coil bodies and the requirement for them to dry in between stages. However, by the end, you hopefully will have gathered some new knowledge, tips and tricks that you can take with you on your future clay adventures. All registered participants will receive a link to view the recorded workshop, so you can follow along again and again for more practice!
Workshop Timing Overview
30 mins: Intro & Overview
60 mins: Coiling, pinching & paddling demos & hands-on coiling
15 mins: Water / Bathroom break
45 mins: Form building demo & hands-on building
30 mins: Questions & Wrap Up
Workshop PDFs
Live workshop held April 25, 2021
Materials NOT included in the Material Packet
Clay working surface *refer to provided pdf
About 10-15 lbs of handbuilding clay (with grog/sand)
Evenly rolled slab of clay, approx. the size of a piece of paper (8”x10”) *refer to provided pdf
Notebook/pencil/pen- for note taking
Lazy Susan or sculpting turntable - very helpful when handbuilding, however, a thick piece of paper or cardboard (6”x6” square) will also suffice, here’s an inexpensive sculpting turntable option.
Exacto knife or any sharp small knife
Mushroom anvil or a wooden paddle or an old wooden spoon - for shaping the body
Paint brush (nothing fancy, a small one ¼”-½” is fine)
Cup of water
Ruler, tape measure or both
Calculator (your smartphone should have one)
Kitchen rag or old towel for messes
Newspaper (just a few sheets, very handy to have around when working with clay)
Strips of plastic and larger pieces to cover your clay project
Scoring tool or wire broom or an old metal fork- for slipping and scoring when attaching clay pieces together, my favorite wire broom can be found here. *optional*
Plastic rib *optional*
Note: If possible, please shop early and shop local - Amazon links have been provided above for convenience, however - any art, hobby or clay supply store should carry Basic Pottery Tool Kits, and Biscuit Cutter Sets can be found in any general home goods store.
Materials Included in the Material Packet
Basic 8-Piece Pottery Tool Kit - which contain the following:
sponge- for smoothing surfaces
wire cutter- to cut clay with
wood rib- good for smoothing surfaces or can be used as a paddle
metal rib/scraper- for smoothing surfaces, scraping, cutting clay
needle tool- for trimming, carving and piercing clay, as well as measuring the thickness of bases
wooden modeling tool- used for smoothing, shaping and finishing
loop tools- used to remove controlled amounts of clay
Biscuit Cutter Set - varying sizes of round cutters, for adding design elements
About Kat West
Kat West is the founder and creator of Wisp Ceramics, a humble ceramic studio based in Southern California. Her practice encompasses both wheel thrown and hand built creations. Kat’s pieces are a juxtaposition of modern silhouettes and aged, antiqued surfaces. The patterns of the lattices that adorn her forms give a nod to classic Filipino basketry, her way of connecting with her culture.