Slab building can allow you to make pottery with very clean lines, including mugs, pitchers, and other items. Working with slabs is, as a whole, easier to master than throwing on the potter's wheel. There are some techniques you should know about before building, however.
- Wedge your clay
- Best Practices When Making Clay Slabs
- Score and slip all joints and weld thoroughly.
For this project you will need about a half to one pound of clay (preferably a mid-range or high fire stoneware), a potter's needle, a wooden trimming or modeling tool, and slurry or water. It is also helpful to have a jar or glass to act as a template, and a carpenter's square or a ruler.
For my demo mug, I am using a marbled mid-range stoneware clay body.