CERAMIC TRINKET TRAYS FEATURING ADORABLE WATER CREATURES


These ceramic, trinket trays have been slab built, then glazed with non-toxic, Mayco, Stroke & Coat Wonderglaze. 



*Slab build means that you are not using a throwing wheel but, rather, you are rolling out the clay to a desired thickness. In this instance both of these trays were rolled out to a thickness of 1/4 inch. This is made easy by using a kitchen rolling pin, and two slats of wood.


After rolling out the basic slabs for the trays, I roughly sketched in my design with a craft knife.



I built the frog and dragonfly by shaping small pieces of clay in the form I needed. For example, a loose, oval shape for the face of the frog. This part of the process does not need to be exacting. I then scored the back of the clay, as well as the surface of the slab, and glued them together with slip. 


*Slip is the material that forms when dried clay is added to water. When beginning, dropping extra bits of clay into a jar of water is perfect.


Next, I took my sculpting tools, and a small paint brush, and began to shape the clay into the form that I needed. A small paint brush dipped in water, and smoothed over the surface of the clay, would allow me to remove any excess so that I could create the detailed contours as needed--such as the hollow of the cheeks or the recess under the chin.

I would continue to build features where I needed dimension, and brush away excess clay where I wanted concave details. I used only as much water as needed on my brush. I didn't want the clay becoming too gluey.



I used the Mayco Stroke & Coat Wonderglaze as I would acrylics, or watercolors, if you're familiar with working with paints. These particular glazes are the same consistency as acrylics so I just squeezed a small amount onto a palette, and brushed the colors onto my bisque fired, clay surface. I blended the edges of each color together with a damp brush. The glazes do melt in the kiln, but I wanted to ensure that I didn't have a streak of blue next to a streak of yellow, etc. I wanted the colors to gently overlap.


This is how the trays looked before firing.




And after firing...




This is my kiln.


This piece is available in my Etsy shop. tghandmadedecor.etsy.com


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