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Before using clay for a project, you need to prepare it by kneading it, also known as wedging. Kneading clay properly will make it easier to work with and will eliminate air bubbles. Upper body strength and strong hands are helpful when kneading clay. Use these tips to knead clay.
Do you need to knead clay?
Clay preparation is vitally important for successful potting, and kneading is helpful to even-out the clay body and remove any air bubbles left behind after wedging. However, this said, properly wedged clay will need only minimal kneading so it’s worth perfecting the technique to save time and effort at this stage.
Why is it necessary to knead or wedge clay?
Wedging makes the clay more pliable, ensures a uniform consistency, and removes air pockets as well as small hard spots in the clay before you use or reuse the clay for a project. Kneading- essential to even out the clay body and remove air bubbles which can cause bloating or explosions during firing.
What is the difference between wedging and kneading clay?
Wedging is a specific type of kneading. The goal with wedging is to mix the clay without adding air bubbles. If you do it correctly, you’ll remove air bubbles. I was taught two types of wedging- knead (or ram’s head) and spiral.
What do you call kneading clay?
The term used for creating pottery using the potter’s wheel is “throwing”. Wedging Process used to “knead” the clay to push “air bubbles out” is called wedging.
How is clay prepared for use?
Clay preparation consists of mixing materials, removal of large stones (say over 5mm), roots, crushing of large particles, etc. There are 4 main methods of preparation – the plastic method; the wet method; the dry method and the semi-dry method.
Why should you remove impurities from clay before kneading?
The wedging of clay to remove air bubbles is similar to dough kneading. Air bubbles may form when the clay is prepared and they should be removed to avoid cracks in the pots you make.
How long do you need to wedge clay?
You should wedge at least 30 times when it’s fresh out of the bag. When it’s recycled clay, you will need to wedge it at least a 100 times if not more depending on the condition of your clay.
What are two types of wedging clay?
So it’s important to learn how to wedge clay properly. There are various different ways to wedge clay— ram’s head, spiral wedging, and wire wedging to name a few.
What are the 6 stages of clay?
There are 6 essential stages of clay: 1. ) Slip. Slip is clay with added water to make it into a paste or liquid. 2.) Wet clay. Wet clay is used by many potters to produce their work. 3.) Leather-hard clay. 4.) Dry clay. 5.) Bisque. 6.) Glaze ware.
What do I do if my clay is too wet?
If you add too much water, fold the edges of the bag down and let it sit open in the sun so some of the moisture can evaporate. You can also do this if the contents are just too wet to begin with. Once you’ve got your clay well mixed, tie off the bag and let it sit for about 24 hours.
What is clay that has been fired once?
BISQUE – Unglazed clay, fired once at a low temperature.
What causes clay to shrink?
Why does clay shrink? Clay shrinks both during the drying process and the firing process. Shrinkage in the drying process occurs due to the loss of water layers. The finer the particle size of the clay, the more water layers; hence the more shrinkage.
What is the enemy of clay?
PLASTER IS THE ENEMY OF FIRING. It is most important that small pieces of plaster do not make their way into recycled clay because they will explode/spit out in the kiln once heated causing disastrous effects on pottery.
What do you do to clay?
Directions Stir salt and water in a saucepan over heat 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat; add cornstarch and cold water. Stir until smooth; return to heat and cook until thick. Allow the clay to cool, then shape as desired. When dry, decorate with paint, markers, glitter, and so on.
What are the two methods of preparing clay?
There are two basic methods for preparing clay, the wet and the dry method. With the wet method the clay from the ground is spread out in lumps to dry and then is soaked in water for several days, being well stirred until there are no lumps left.
How do you purify clay?
The clay will need to be sieved to remove unwanted material such as rocks, twigs, and roots. Sieving can be done either of two ways. The clay can be pulverized when dry and then sieved, or dried, slaked down in water, then sieved. The finer the mesh used, the fewer inclusions your working clay will have.
What causes air bubbles in clay?
Inserting the folded side of clay at the top can cause air to be trapped in your clay. Air bubbles most often occur when scraps of clay are reconstituted back into a larger mass of clay. I often see people grab these scraps into a tight ball, much, as they would when wadding up a sheet of paper before throwing it away.
Do air bubbles make pottery explode?
While enclosed air doesn’t cause explosions, it can prevent thorough drying and trap moisture, which does cause explosions. When the kiln temperature rises, the air pockets fill with water vapor, which builds pressure as water turns to steam. The pressure of the steam causes the clay to explode from the inside.
What stage is clay most easily molded by hand?
The plastic stage is a fun stage to be in. This is where the clay hits the wheel or the slab roller. At this stage, your clay is malleable (flexible), and you are able to create something on the wheel or hand build. When the clay is at this stage, the shapes you can mold your clay into are endless.
What surface does clay not stick to?
Generally speaking, to avoid that, you should stay away from textured surfaces (unless, of course, texture is a part of your project). Polymer clay has an affinity for sticking to metal, wood, polystyrene and polycarbonate plastic. So keep your pieces away from such materials.
What is the best surface to work clay on?
Every potter needs a surface to wedge clay on, and there are many different types. The most common are plaster, plaster covered in canvas, and plywood covered in canvas. Other possibilities are concrete, granite, masonite, concrete board and hardibacker board. The simplest wedging surface is a piece of canvas.
What should I put down when working with clay?
If you want to continue working on a piece another time, please wrap it up very well with some sheets of plastic, or put it in a well sealed plastic box, then put it somewhere out of direct heat or sunlight. This should slow down the drying of the clay to enable you to keep working on it.
