Hi guys!
I saw a class named “Making Ceramic Polyhedral Bowls and Plates” - which is exactly what I’m trying to do and was wondering if anyone has any notes or references from this class? I’m not having any luck finding info online on how to do this but I figure if I already missed the class maybe there is some info I could read through.
Also if you have any pointers on how to do this from your own experience I’d be grateful for any advice!
Thanks!
That class was taught by @JasonM314. From the bowls I’ve seen, you have templates to cut the polyhedrons with, and you put them together like any other slab work. I believe that Jason let the slabs dry a bit (after rolling) before cutting the polyhedrons, so that each piece was pretty stiff, and didn’t flop or warp during assembly.
I am busy this morning, so I can’t post my notes at the moment, but I’m replying to this thread so that it will serve to remind me to do so either later this evening or tomorrow morning.
More info to come!
I was thinking I could just 3d print a mold, press the clay into it, and let it dry a bit in it (and then hopefully be able to laser engrave some stuff onto the plate before I cover it all in a nice colored glaze).
Jason had made cookie cutters on the 3d printers to cut the clay. They need to be really solid, but they cut, which is probably better to keep the slabs unwarped than a mold. There are paper printouts of the polyhedrons in the cabinets in Ceramics.
One of the other things Jason was doing (and there are 4 example tiles still on the wall in the 10x10 display) was to glaze some tiles, paint an oxide wash over the glazed tiles and then laser a design in. Granted, that was on a flat surface. A bowl might be problematic.
While I wouldn’t discourage you (overmuch), the thought of lasering greenware makes me twitch. For one thing, clay reacts to heat by hardening. You wouldn’t burn it out – it would just harden. And, it is subject to some thermal shock. While I can’t say for sure that your piece would probably crack, it strikes me as a distinct possibility.
Okay awesome, thanks for the info. I did see somewhere that someone got around warping by weighing down the middle of the bowl with a bag of sand, do you think that would work as well? Just trying to think how I could make a few as identical as possible.
Lilly is really good with shapes, maybe she could help?