CLAY SLAB PROJECT

Mrs. Jacobson
Ceramics
Fruitport High School

Please take notes on all the

underlined sections
High School Standards
To apply media, techniques, and
processes with sufficient skill, confidence,
and sensitivity that their intentions are
carried out in their artworks
To reflect on how artworks differ visually,
spatially, temporally, and functionally,
and describe how these are related to
history and culture.
 Slab Building

Hand building pottery using slabs of

clay is an exciting way to create
shapes that could never be
produced using a potter's wheel or
that would be difficult to achieve
even with coiling.
Slab pots are being produced by

contemporary potters in many styles

and using a number of techniques.
History of Slab Building
Slab-building
techniques were used
extensively by
Mesoamerican Pre-
Columbian potters,
with some very
beautiful
Other thanresults.
these
potters, though,
slab pots were not
used by any other
ancient culture across
the globe.
 History of Slab Building

The stylized figures are

known as slab figures.
They can be solid or hollow,
male or female, although
most are male. They range in
height from four to twenty
inches. Square or
rectangular slabs of clay
make up the head and body
and heavy coils of clay are
Date: 13th15th century attached for arms and legs.
Geography: Colombia
 History of Slab Building

Slab figures were included with ceramic vessels and metal

ornaments as offerings in burials in shaft and
chamber tombs. They may have been considered
guardians or companions for the deceased.

Family of Columbian,
Quimbaya Pottery
Seated Slab Figures
(Retablos), ca. 1000 -
1200 AD. A great
family of abstract
slab figures, seated
with cylindrical
protruding limbs and
body piercing.
Making Slabs
Slabs can be made in a variety of
methods.
Hand Tossed, Rolled with
Rolling Pen or Slab Roller.
The most common method is to roll
out the slab by hand using a rolling
pin.
Making Slabs
Other methods
include using:
-Slab rollers: large
pieces of equipment
that enable potters
to roll large slabs to
uniform thicknesses
very rapidly.
-Hand Tossing: slab
can be formed by
tossing the clay onto
a hard surface at an
Video on how to use the
brent slab roller.
How to use a slab roller video to be shown later!
 Types of Slab Building

Soft Clay Slab Building Firm Clay

Slab Building
 Soft Slab
soft slabs are susceptible
to finger marks,
distortion and collapse.
Advantage of soft slabis

that it is malleability and

can be molded over
objects
When the slab is first

prepared, it is rolled on
fabric so it does not
stick.
 Soft Slab
When rolled out, the slab
often sticks to the cloth .
The solution is to peel the
cloth from the clay rather
than try to pick the clay
from the cloth.
It is best to resist picking it
up by its edges, as at this
stage it is prone to
stretching and distortion.
 Soft Slab
The Drop Technique
With simple slump molds, bowls, dishes or shell-

like shapes are possible. You will have fun and get
idle pleasure out of a simple drop technique.
Its own weight and gravity will force the slab into

the mold on impact (with a satisfying bang).

This method allows very wet slabs to be instantly

shaped into bowls or plates without the surface of

the clay being touched or smudged.
What Can you Make with a
Soft Slab of Clay?

You can wrap

it around a
cylinder.
What could
you make?
What Can you Make with a
Soft Slab of Clay?
What Can you Make with a
Soft Slab of Clay?

You can roll or

stamp any
texture into a soft
slab.
What Can you Make with a
Soft Slab of Clay?
You can drape it
over a mold, a
ball, a bowl, or
anything else that
isnt sharp.
What Can you Make with a
Soft Slab of Clay?
You can slump it into a
bowl, a plate, box or
anything else that isnt
sharp.
What could you make?
 Stiff/Firm Slab
Use a stiff slab of clay
when you want the clay
hold a shape.
Angular shapes are built
with stiff slabs.
Boxes with flat sides are
created with stiff slabs.
The only hand building
method used to create
geometric shapes.
Stiff/ Firm Slab
The stiff-slab method is
appropriate for
architectural forms.
The slab is rolled then
allowed to slowly dry to
leather-hard stage
Then pieces are joined
by slipping and scoring
To dry the slab you can
use a blow dryer, the sun
or fan.
What Can you Make with a
Stiff Slab of Clay?
 What Can you Make with a
Stiff Slab of Clay?

Firm slabs can

be assembled
like wood.
Then you can
carve textures
into them.
What Can you Make with a
Stiff Slab of Clay?
What Can you Make with a
Stiff Slab of Clay? think outside
the box..
What Can you Make with a
Stiff Slab of Clay?

Firm slabs dont need to be perfect geometric squares

What will you make from stiff
slab? A hidden lid box
A hidden lid box
means that you
cannot see the
lid.
The box is
assemble as one
entire cube.
Then the lid is cut
with a toogle or
knife.
The lid and box
are then
 Stiff Slab Textured Box Requirements

The project must use geometric shapes that will

be attached to one another in a box.
The project needs to be planned: Student will
make a paper pattern (Maquette) to insure the
design will work and will use pattern to cut the
pieces from the clay into same size.
The project must be no smaller that 4x4 inches. (
3x5, 2.5x4.5. Or larger)
Slabs must have a hidden lid.
Design must have additive & Subtractive designs
Must have a theme that is a hobby or personal
interest.
Optional to add cut outs, legs and or handle.
Animal
Themes
Water/Ocean
based themes
Food themes
 Step One: Research &
Sketch
Due Thursday 4/12
Use 12x18 new print
Be sure to list your theme and label
things you cant draw well
3 different box designs based on that
theme.
Drawn 3 dimensional so we can see
what it will look like.