Building a wet slab bonsai pot

[jeanluc83]

Great work but dam you! I keep feeling the pull to start making pots. I don't need another hobby but It's posts like this that make it hard to resist.

 

[ABCarve]

Great work!
Awesome progression!

Sorry if I missed it, but what exactly is the material you're using? Some type of clay?

It is stoneware clay. It is a sculpture mix. It has a lot of grog in it. This makes it more crack resistant when drying and firing . You can’t use this type of clay to throw with as the grit would tear up your hands.

 

[ABCarve]

I would love to see the base part being made. I am not sure what that material looks like or feels like. I found these blocks of foam used to make flower arrangements (the ones you poke the stems into).

I’ll try to do this when I start making pots again this fall.

 

[Anthony]

Jean Luc,

just look for a small second hand kiln.
Clay is free.
Tools are carved wood.

My brother-in-law hand builds, just clay and
a dowel as a rolling pin. Any shape.
Very relaxing to do or watch.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[barrosinc]

I have another question... how do you place the slabs over the mold? do you place it and then cut it?
How long do you leave the slabs dry out to be leather hard?

 

[ABCarve]

I have another question... how do you place the slabs over the mold? do you place it and then cut it?
How long do you leave the slabs dry out to be leather hard?

I use the slabs as soon as I put them through the slab roller (wet clay). They are cut to a generous rough size and then formed to the mold. The excess is then cut off. How long to leave it for leather hardness depends on your own environment. Every studio is different.

 

[barrosinc]

So I started making a mold with high density polystyrene... wish me luck.

 

[ABCarve]

So I started making a mold with high density polystyrene... wish me luck.

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The foam I use carves a little better than the polystyrene but I think it will work just fine for what you're doing.
If you use a simple shape like your oval you don't have to cut it into quadrants especially with the angle you cut on the sides. That a good place to start!! Good luck!!

 

[milehigh_7]

Please add this to the "resources" section on the site!!! Add to it as you see fit this is amazing instruction!

 

[barrosinc]

I gave it a try. My shaped plastic was too soft and didn't really work well.

 

[ABCarve]

I gave it a try. My shaped plastic was too soft and didn't really work well.

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Why do you say it is too soft? It seems like your issue is inconsistent wall thickness. I use a slab roller which does a nice job. Try rolling your slabs with two thin pieces of wood (desired slab thickness) as a spacer for the rolling pin. Try something smaller first. Doesn’t look too bad for a first try. Practice, practice, practice!!!!!

 

[Gsquared]

@ABCarve On the bottom, the supports you use: are those removed after firing? I’ve started putting a central support on larger pots because of potential slumping issues. I know it isn’t the most aesthetic solution whenever look at the bottom. I’ve been looking for a way to attach supports for firing that I could remove. Since I don’t have the luxury of loading my own kiln, I am at mercy of the Studio tech and the kiln gods.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

My wife is a potter and I have access to her studio, clay stash, tools, and kiln. This technique will come in handy this winter, thanks!

 

[ABCarve]

@ABCarve On the bottom, the supports you use: are those removed after firing? I’ve started putting a central support on larger pots because of potential slumping issues. I know it isn’t the most aesthetic solution whenever look at the bottom. I’ve been looking for a way to attach supports for firing that I could remove. Since I don’t have the luxury of loading my own kiln, I am at mercy of the Studio tech and the kiln gods.

Those supports have newspaper under them so they don’t stick. However they are used in the firing so there is no slumping issue. They are not permanent.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

If only I had a one inch slot for getting the tree out of the pot.

I'm with @Bananaman on this one. Your pot looks amazing and the quality of the work is top-notch, but I would be concerned about the concavity. I have had to cut trees out of pots before and ended up retiring the pots (even if I didn't break them).

Function needs to be considered before form

 

[ABCarve]

I'm with @Bananaman on this one. Your pot looks amazing and the quality of the work is top-notch, but I would be concerned about the concavity. I have had to cut trees out of pots before and ended up retiring the pots (even if I didn't break them).

Function needs to be considered before form

I guess my next tutorial will be on how to get the tree out.?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I guess my next tutorial will be on how to get the tree out.?

Better yet... your next pot can expand just like your form, so when it comes time to repot you can just expand the pot and the tree comes right up!

 

[ABCarve]

Better yet... your next pot can expand just like your form, so when it comes time to repot you can just expand the pot and the tree comes right up!

Do you mean like this one?? Porcelain berry

 

[ABCarve]

Or this one??

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Beautifully creative. I really like the texture.