Handbuilding pottery basics: Rolling out a slab of clay

1. Introduction: [No Speech] 2. Tools & Materials: Let me take you through what you'll need to create a slab of clay at home. 3. Rolling out a slab: Let's get started and create our first slab of clay. To cut off a piece of clay, open up your bag and then use wire or dental floss to cut a piece of clay off cleanly. Aim for a size that's sufficient for your project, but not overly large and unwieldy. You can always roll out more clay as needed. Place the clay on your work surface, and then for larger pieces, give it a gentle whack to start flattening it out. Then you want to roll back and forth with downward pressure. Flip the clay over and rotate at 90 degrees after a few rolls. This ensures even thickness and makes rolling easier. If you're using guides, place them either side of the clay as it approaches the desired thickness, and then continue rolling with the guides in place. Use your rib or an old credit card to smooth and compress the clay. Hold it at an angle and gently drag it across the surface. If you encounter air bubbles, gently press them down with your rib. But if they persist, carefully pop them with your knife and then smooth over with the rib. Then you want to flip the slab over and repeat the smoothing process on the other side. And that's it. You've rolled out your first slab of clay ready to continue your pottery journey. The great part about clay is that you can keep recycling your clay before it's been fired into something new each time until you're happy with the end result. Oh 4. Conclusion: Thank you for joining me on this pottery journey. I hope you've loved learning how to make a slab of clay. I recommend using your slab of clay to play with a range of decorating techniques. Check out my class on creating texture and decorating your pieces. You can use this technique across a vide range of projects as you continue your pottery. If you're interested in pottery templates, check out my website, Mdmake dot me, all my other Skillshare classes in order to learn more. Make sure to post your project in the project gallery so I can see what you've created or tag me on social media at Mgmakdt me and leave me a review.