Ceramic Puzzles

Ceramic Puzzle

Slab-Built Plates with Textured and Pattern Decoration

This project presents a direct slab-forming approach resulting in puzzles that become great canvases for surface decoration

After only a few hours of work, you can learn how to roll out a good, even slab, and can experience different stages of plastic clay and what the clay is capable of at each stage. You become familiar with simple slump molds and start to consider the form and function of your work.

These puzzles become a wonderful surface for finishing, embellishing, and glazing. 

Option 1: Ceramic Puzzle Dish

Ceramic Puzzle plates: 3 or 4  pieces of plates to form a 6" size puzzle

Option 2: Ceramic Puzzles

More than 3 pieces ( 3-15) to form a puzzle

Ceramic Puzzles are the result of a drawing game between Adam and Terri. Using a stylus on a slab of wet clay, each partner takes turns drawing a shape into the raw clay, building off of the other player's previous move. The shapes are then cut out, fired, and glazed to create several sets of "puzzles" created from these nestled tiles. The abstract shapes interact whether assembled or disassembled, creating a shape-color-form dialogue on any surface. Created with the support of Pratt Institute Ceramics Department.

 

Steps

1.  Sketch out a plan on a 5"X5" paper to  design a template-   out line of shape and divided spaces

* Ceramic Puzzle Dishes : 2-4   piceces

* Ceramic Puzzles: 6-15 pieces

2. Roll out a slab to a desired thickness of ¼ inch

3. Use pencle to trace the template to indant the slab 

4. Use a pin tool to devide the slab 

5.   Build a wall or add small relief decoration

Ceramic Puzzle Dishes: Build a low 1/2  inch wall 

Ceramic Puzzles: add small relief decoration

6.  Bone dry - Kiln Fire 

7. underglaze -

Theme design 

Abstrac pattern design