Advanced Slab-Construction

Advanced Slab Construction – Five-Day Workshop

Skill Level – Intermediate to advanced familiarity with slab construction – at whatever level you start this workshop, you’ll advance significantly.

Click here for a PDF of Workshop Background, Description, and Schedule

Background
Slab construction is the “newest” of ceramic hand-forming methods. Mesoamericans including the Mayans and Aztecs had advanced slab-working capabilities, but that is very rare among ancient cultures.  Most early cultures confined their work to coil and pinch methods.  The potter’s wheel came into use around 2500 BC in the Middle East, but slab construction doesn’t become common until the 19th and 20th centuries, perhaps because of the increasing availability of truly flat working surfaces and smoothly rounded rolling devices.

Today, slab construction offers unlimited possibilities for functional and sculptural claywork, and a skilled handbuilder can match the output of a wheel potter.  Slab-construction holds particular appeal to people who are spatial thinkers and those who like to construct clay forms from parts.  Clayworkers who achieve a high level of proficiency in slab construction usually amaze themselves and others with the vessels or sculptures they are able to create.  With advanced slab capabilities, you can built teapots and other complex vessel forms far beyond what is possible with wheel-thrown components.  For those interested in architectural form in vessels or sculpture, no other clay-forming method compares with stiff-slab construction, in its potential for achieving crisp, rectilinear form.

Workshop Description
This workshop is specifically designed for those who have achieved basic proficiency in soft-slab and stiff-slab construction through the “Handbuilding: Tricks of the Trade” workshop or other instruction, and wish to pursue these techniques at a more advanced level.  We will explore methods for making larger and more complex slab forms, both functional and sculptural, including various ways of supporting large forms during assembly.  We will also cover methods of decorating slabs before construction, including slip-painting, slip-stenciling, and impressed pattern.  Our primary concerns are design, construction, and decoration, but there may be the option to bisque-fire work to facilitate safe transportation.  We will have a slide show exploring functional and sculptural examples of advanced slab construction.  The last day and a half of the workshop will be spent constructing an elaborate architectural vessel or reliquary, and we will have a special slide show devoted to that project.

Schedule
This schedule serves as a general guide, but must remain flexible. Every class group is different, and the schedule always evolves to suit the needs and productivity of the participants.

  • First Day Morning – Introduction to the class, general information about the studio, our work schedule, and safety considerations. Discussion/demo of slab design including making reusable pattern templates.  Begin preparing slabs.
  • First Day Afternoon – Demo of soft-slab pitchers and oval planters.  Discussion of problems with clay-memory in slab-working, especially when combining different construction methods. Work on pitchers and planters.
  • Second Day Morning – Discussion of stiff-slab covered boxes in complex shapes, and surface elaborations of covered boxes.  Discussion/demo of X-shaped covered box.  Prepare impressed slabs for X-shaped covered box.  Work on pitchers and planters.  Slide show “Advanced Slab-Built Forms.”
  • Second Day Afternoon – Discussion/demo of boxes that combine soft-slab and stiff-slab.  Work on projects.
  • Third Day Morning – Discussion of architectural reliquary project. Discussion of drawers and hinged components.  Work on projects. Slide show “Architectural Reliquary.”
  • Third Day Afternoon – Demo – assembly of covered boxes combining stiff-slab and soft-slab components.  Discuss stiff-slab reliquary ideas and start making parts.
  • Fourth Day Morning – Demo of raised feet systems for boxes and other forms.  Make component parts for architectural reliquary and work on other projects.
  • Fourth Day Afternoon – Finish other projects and work on architectural reliquary.  Possible slide show on Vince’s work.
  • Fifth Day – Finish architectural reliquary, clean up studio, discuss outcomes, possibilities.

Supplies/Materials Provided by the Studio
Click here for a PDF of Supplies/Materials/Facilities/Equipment Provided by the Studio

  • Clay – There are several choices regarding clay. I feel that the workshop is a little more productive if everyone is using the same clay, but that is not a rigid requirement.  If you feel that the potential participants will want to bring their own claybody or would like to select from a variety of claybodies you stock for purchase, we can do it that way.  The clay should be stoneware containing fine sand or grog, either cone-6 or cone-10 – 50 pounds for each participant, 100 pounds for me, extra clay on hand in case anyone needs more.
  • Slurry – Two gallons of joining slurry made in advance from the claybody. Cut a full 25# block of clay into thin slices and dry completely. Break up the bone-dry clay into smaller pieces (not crushed) and immerse in water with several inches of water covering the clay and let sit overnight. The clay will slake down to slurry by itself.  Next day, drain off all excess water, mix with drill impeller mixer or hand blender until completely smooth with no lumps, add one cup of vinegar, add water carefully, mixing frequently, until slurry will not pour if you tilt the bucket, but will if you shake it.  Needless to say, this amount of slurry applies to a workshop where everyone is using the same claybody.  If some people are bringing their own clay, mix one gallon of slurry.  If most people are bringing their own clay, mix two quarts of slurry.  If they are bringing their own clay, have them bring a small container of slurry.  If they are buying different claybodies onsite, they’ll have to make some slurry after they arrive.
  • One gallon vinegar
  • One dozen large sheets of poster board
  • One dozen 24″ by 36″ sheets of 10 oz. canvas duck (or whatever width is appropriate for your slab roller)
  • Four standard propane canisters as are used on a hand-held propane utility torch. I will bring several torch bodies.

Facilities/Equipment Provided by the Studio

  • Digital projector (or I can use my own) and appropriately dark room with screen or a large white wall
  • Sturdy work tables
  • 24″ stool for me to use
  • Slab roller
  • Two plastic storage bins with lids (approx. 18″ by 24″ by 12″ deep) for me to use as personal damp boxes.

Supplies for Participants to Bring
Click here a PDF of the Participant Supply List

Clay will be available on-site unless specified otherwise.  Joining slurry will be provided unless specified otherwise.  Vinegar and posterboard (for templates) will be provided. The following is a lengthy list of supplies for a workshop, but these are things participants will need in order to continue doing this work on their own, and we will be able to make better use of the available time if everyone brings all of these supplies.  Note: The Kemper tools are available from any good ceramics supplier like Laguna, Baily, Axner, etc.  The Stanley Surform tools are found at www.amazon.com – search “Stanley Surform.”

  • Four square yards of 10 oz. canvas duck, cut into 24″ by 36″ pieces (or whatever size is appropriate for the studio slab roller).
  • Standard clay tools (the packaged Kemper kit contains a wood rib, stainless-steel scraper-rib, wood knife, needle tool, cutoff wire, small sponge, and trimming tools)
  • One Kemper RB-4 or RB-5 wood rib (no substitutes)
  • Kemper S-10 flexible stainless steel serrated rib (no substitutes)
  • Metal fork
  • X-acto knife – pencil-thin model with 1″ tapered blade – no substitutions!
  • Scissors
  • 18″ ruler
  • Pencil
  • Compass (for drawing circles)
  • Wood rolling pin with bearing-mounted handles (not one-piece rolling pin). If you are serious about this, go online and get a 15” rolling pin (that’s the length of the barrel) with bearing-mounted handles.
  • Wood dowels – one length each of 3/16″, 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 5/8″ and 3/4″ – available from any hardware store or home improvement center – cut them all in half and bring both halves.
  • Stanley Surform Shaver (short curved blade) and Stanley Surform Pocket Plane (5″ flat blade). Get both types – these are made to be woodworking tools, but are excellent for shaving clay. Available at amazon or from any hardware store or home improvement center.
  • Small, sturdy banding wheel. The 8″ CSI turntable available from most ceramics suppliers for around $15 is fine for our needs. The “SCS03” plastic banding wheel from Clay King is good.  No light-duty plastic lazy-susan turntables.  If you want a superior banding wheel that will last forever and are willing to spend the money, get a 9” Shimpo cast iron ball-bearing banding wheel.
  • Spray bottle for vinegar water
  • 6 manila folders
  • A selection of bisque stamps and/or other objects or materials with raised pattern or texture to impress into the clay. The instructor will bring a selection of MKM stamps and rollers you can use.
  • 6 dry-cleaner bags or large plastic garbage bags to cover your work
  • Small towel or other sturdy rag
  • Small snap-lid container for slurry
  • Apron (optional)
  • If you are driving, bring a large low plastic storage bin with lid, approximately 18″ by 24″ by 12″-deep (or several smaller ones), to serve as a personal damp box. Transport your supplies in a separate box so you don’t have to dump them out on the floor to use this bin.  If you bring this lidded storage bin, you’ll be very glad you did.

Please email me if you have questions or are interested in scheduling one of my workshops.