Once you’ve got the feel of clay you’re ready to go a step beyond decorating and glazing, into more creative processes.

Working with castware, the ceram­ist's creative abilities are given free rein only in the decorating and glazing processes.If the mold has been purchased or made after someone else's original de­sign, this is particularly true.Copying ideas may be excused at the beginning, when the tyro ceramist is more concerned with learning basic techniques than with producing prize-winning pieces.When these techniques are mastered, however, the clay worker should strive for origi­nality.The sooner you decide to become a creative ceramist, the better.Imitating the work of others for too long will be a hin­drance rather than a help in developing your own style of artistic craftsmanship.

In all probability, you will find hand-modeling the fun part of your hobby.It is a supremely satisfying experience to dig your hands into a mass of good, plastic clay and fashion it into a pleasing, mean­ingful shape.Perhaps your first few tries at hand-modeling will not turn out the way you had hoped, but with practice you can eventually produce pieces that will satisfy you.And the knowledge that you created these pieces from masses of raw clay will let you taste the thrill which a sculptor such as Michaelangelo must have felt upon completing one of his superb masterpieces.When you have finished a piece which particularly pleases you, by all means make a mold of it if you 'wish.If others find the design as exciting as you do, then you might very well be able to sell reproductions of it.

Before attempting too ambitious a proj­ect, you must learn the fundamentals of forming an object with clay.Begin by wedging the clay until it has the consist­ency of putty.Repeat the wedging process several times, as described in the chapter How to Start.After several repetitions, the clay is wedged and pliable enough to work.

It is a good idea to get the feel of clay at the very start.This can be accomplished simply by taking a mass of clay and shap­ing it into a ball or ovoid about four inches in diameter.Then, with both hands, squeeze and press it into a simple form.Use no tools other than your hands.Slowly organize the clay ball into an abstract shape which is esthetically pleasing.This is an excellent way to begin pottery-mak­ing.As you shape the abstract sculpture, organize the clay into rhythmic shapes and stress those lines which seem the most pleasing.

After you have gotten the feel of the clay, you can begin making simple pot­tery.First, roll the wedged clay into a ball about two inches in diameter.Place the ball in your left palm and slowly press your right thumb into the center.Do the same with your left thumb until the bottom is about one-quarter inch in thickness.Keep both thumbs in the cen­ter, with your other fingers on the out­side, and press out slowly, revolving the piece constantly.

Continue working the bowl until the entire wall is about one-quarter inch thick.When the piece is even in shape and thickness, you can easily model it further into an ash tray, small vase, demitasse, or liquor jigger.It can also be decorated in any manner you wish, and fired.

Karl Martz projects at leit are created by simple modeling techniques described on following pages.Candlestick, flower vase and tile are excellent beginner's pieces useful both in home and for gifts.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...