--How to make a box

 

 

Follow Jean as she steps you through the process of making a box.
 
 

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Construction

 
  1. Make six (6), each 6” X 6” squares, approximately 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick, using one of the slab making methods such as a slab roller or rolling pin. Make them “square”.
  2. Allow them to dry to leather hard.
  3. Bevel all four edges on one side of each square at 45 degrees, cutting into the clay about half the thickness of the square.
  4. Score the beveled edges of all six squares deeply, almost all the way through the thickness of the squares.
  5. Apply slip or water to the scored edges and assemble the squares into a cube.
  6. Paddle all edges to blend at joints and straighten cube.
  1. Top
 
Lid
  1. Cut lid from bottom with a wavy or geometric line. No undercuts.
  2. Apply reinforcing coils to inside joints of lid and bottom.
  3. Clean up cut edges.
  4. Put lid back on bottom with thin strips of newspaper between lid and bottom. This will allow lid to be removed after the slip or engobe has set.
  5. Lightly scratch or scuff the surface of the box. This will make the slip or engobe adhere better.

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Slip
  1. Choose a color of slip or engobe that will give a good contrast with the base clay.
  2. At least one hour before the end of work session, but the box on paper and board and apply a thick coat of slip or engobe with a soft brush. Use up-and-down strokes and then cross-wise strokes. The hour drying time will let the slip or engobe set up before the end of your work session to prevent damage with cover.
  3. Cover the box with plastic.
  4. When the box and slip or engobe are firm leather hard, remove the lid and bevel and clean up the lid and bottom sides of the lid line.
  5. If you did not bevel the outer edges of the box before applying the slip or engobe, do so now. The base clay provides a nice contrast on the edges.

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Surface design
  1. Plan a surface design for the top of the lid that has both positive and negative elements. Basic designs with these elements are the checkerboard, bold shapes, circles, squares and diamonds. All are quite effective. Keep the size of your trimming tool in mind. Do not use a needle tool or pencil to make your design.

    Note: Sgraffito technique involves scraping away the top layer of color slip or engobe to reveal the base clay underneath which gives a two color design.
  2. Wait until your box is firm leather hard before beginning to scrape or carve your design.
  3. Do NOT brush away crumbs with your hand. Use a soft brush or tilt them off – or best – wait until the crumbs are dry before removing them.

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Finishing
  1. Be sure all edges are beveled, inside and out, top and bottom.
  2. Put your name on the underside of the bottom.
  3. Allow to dry slowly. Put a six-inch square of plastic on the lid of the box, weighted down with four small balls of clay. Leave this on until the box is completely dry. This will help prevent cracking.

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Glazing
  1. The box must be bisque fired before it is glazed.
  2. Wax the outside of the bottom underneath and 1/4 inch up all four sides.
  3. Wax lid and bottom on cut edges where lid touches bottom and ¼ inch on sides, inside and out.
  4. Dip lid and bottom of box in a translucent or transparent glaze. Transparent is best since it allows your design to show through after the box is fired.

    Tip: Be sure to clean all drops of glaze from the bottom of the box and the edges where the lid and bottom touch. The glaze melts and makes a very powerful glue! If the glaze is too thick it tends to run and make the lid stick.

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Jean Bliss of Woodruff Bliss Pottery

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