AusBonsai

I have posted this here & on IBC so apologise to those who get it twice but I couldnt not share with the best forum around

I started experimenting with clay a couple of years ago and tried various methods of construction but was never really happy with the outcome as far as overall finish I wanted to achieve. An additional problem was trying to make really small pots with my big clumsy fingers, that was when I started carving.

Since then I havent stopped and over that time a few people have asked about my methods so finally I have done a little photo series to share. A solid block is roughly trimmed to size, as I want a rounded corner they have been cut & roughly hollow out the core. Now to give the first corner its shape, this will be refined in later stages but I try to get the line right first time. Clean the line across the front & round the next corner then follow the same line with a deeper cut into the clay to form a rim. Work right round till all four sides are done. Next is to trim the lower half of the block, a little out from the last cut to give a bottom rim. Then start cleaning out the core following the now established outer line. Flip the block over & cut the line of the feet a little deeper than the main face of the pot. I flip it back over & give the inside its final trim, leveling the bottom & cutting the main drainage hole. Back over onto its rim & start working on the underside & feet. Be careful at this stage to not stretch the clay that will form the floor. Now the main lots cleared out the feet can be trimmed down to the right height. First round of work completed its off to the drying cupboard, it looks pretty messy at this stage but the basic form is there.

After a day or two the clay has dried enough for me to give the pot its final trim, removing all the dags & bobs. The pot is then returned to the drying cupboard again until it is completely dry. This is a similar pot that is finished & waiting to be fired. I hope this has shown how easy it can be & encourage others to maybe try their hand.
Matt

Bravo matty, looks the goods, will it set darker or lighter in colour?

Thanks Andrew, the second will come out something like this http://www.walkerceramics.com.au/images ... %20058.jpg, the first pot is a mix of this & a sandy coloured body, I llok forward to seeing how the 2 combine

Heres the first pot finished And my simple range of tools... Knife for trimming blocks & making main drainage hole, large & small drill bits for drainage/wire holes & small nail for adding my chop. The large carving tool is used for bulk removal & the smaller for most other detail work.

To create recessed panels like on this pot I use a small flathead screwdriver

Nice work, looks great Matt, have you tried using hypertufa to make any pots at all. Again bravo on the pot.
Cheers, Mark.

Thanks Mark,
I had to look up hypertufa to know what it is, no I haven't used it before. I have seen pots made from concrete & wonder what is done to prevent lime leaching out of it into the potting medium...

I have made pots from real stone but these are all made from stoneware clay, the disadvantage is needing to fire them, the advantages once fired they are moisture & frost proof, unlike concrete they are also inert
Matt

Cheers, i was thinking of making a mould and carving a rock out the stuff. A lot of people make garden pots out of it but maybe no good for bonsai.
thanks, Mark.

Buying the clay and firing how much would each pot cost you?

Hi Matt
First reaction is "this man is crazy"

Second and considered reaction is "this man really (I mean really) enjoys what he is doing.
I thought .. why doesn't he just stick some feet on .. oh no ... way way too easy.

Good luck Matt .. love the first pic of the finished and not quite dried pot .. they look special at this stage .. then its gone ...a special moment in time.

Just one question (except what did you do in a previous life) .. are you using the clay straight out of the packet or are you wedging up with some harder stuff ? .. wait on two questions ... how long are you waiting before flipping for the feet carving ?

Really do like your carved pots

Cheers David

Goff,
I have never sat down & done the math but heres a few figures & you can work it out. A bag of clay costs approx $15 & will make approx 20 pots of the above size, I can fit about 20 pots of this same size in the kiln & it costs about $200 per firing. What is my time & labour worth? Each of these pots took atleast 1.5hrs to make and has taken me a couple of years to get to the stage of being able to make them without too many failures...

David,
Yep, totally crazy & loving it.... I have done lots of things over the years but carving pots is the first that has held my fascination for long enough to learn the basics, bit like bonsai! I agree they do look something special in that middle stage, complete but not yet finished, I might try to make a few roughies that keep that first cut charm

In my previous life I was an Banker (dont hate me) The clay is wedged & formed into the basic block, for real small pots the blocks are then stored in plastic containers with newspaper to dry them slightly to make it easier to cut without distorting the clay. With midsize pots like the ones pictured I work the blocks straight away (no waiting to flip for the feet just a gentle touch), with larger pots the basic shape is made then they are allowed to harden a bit before completing.

I am still waiting to get some work done on my kiln & cant wait to be firing, so far I have about 2 kiln loads of pots ready & waiting. In the mean time I will just keep plugging away at a couple pots a week...

Matt