The Key to a Perfect Clay Slab (No Cracks, No Warping) Slab Building Pottery for Beginners

Rolling an even clay slab is the first step in every slab building pottery project, and it is where most cracking and warping starts. In this clay tutorial I'll show you how to roll a slab that stays flat, with an even thickness, using nothing more than a rolling pin and a pair of guides. No slab roller, no wheel, and no studio needed. This is the first video in my Slab Building Basics series, a step by step guide of pottery hand building for beginners. We'll cover rolling, cutting, joining and finishing, so you can work through the whole series or dip into the technique as you need it. Everything here is designed for pottery at home. If you have a table, a rolling pin and a bag of clay, you can follow along. 💗 ======================================= ✨ Chapters ✨ 00:00 Intro 00:41 How much clay you need 01:17 What to roll on 02:06 Guides and slab thickness 02:54 Tools used in this tutorial 03:08 Rolling the slab 03:55 Finding and fixing air bubbles 04:58 Checking the slab against your template 05:20 Flipping a large slab 05:47 Compressing with a rib tool 06:13 Cutting out your template pieces 07:16 Moving and drying your slabs 08:06 When can you start building? 08:43 Rolling the slab checklist 08:58 Wrapping up ======================================= 💗 Free template ~ https://mailchi.mp/cutclaylove/freetu... Sign up to my email list for more pottery tips and tricks, and there's a free template waiting for you when you do. ======================================= 💗 Templates and printable instructions ~ https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/44453... The template used in this tutorial is the Rhombus Jug. Every tutorial in this series has a matching printable template with a cutting guide, so you can skip drafting the shapes yourself. ======================================= 🛠️ Tools used in this tutorial 🛠️ • Dowels or pottery guides ~ https://www.amazon.com/Rolling-Pin-Gu... • Rolling pin ~ https://www.amazon.com/Lmoszuak-Rolli... • Upholstery fabric or cloth ~ https://www.amazon.com/JOSNAAN-Waterp... • Cutting wire ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072LK6G4S/ • Ruler ~ https://www.amazon.com/KEARING-Fashio... • Spray bottle ~ https://www.amazon.com/Beautify-Beaut... • Needle tool ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077TN5J8Y/ • Rib tool ~ https://www.amazon.com/Mudtools-Polym... • Kitchen scales ~ https://www.amazon.com/Fuzion-LiftX-S... ======================================= What you'll learn in this clay tutorial • Working out how much clay you need before you start • Why you should never roll straight onto the table • Choosing your fabric and setting up your guides • Which thickness to roll to, and why it changes with the project • Rolling from the middle out, flipping and turning as you go • Finding and fixing air bubbles with water, a rib and a needle tool • Checking your slab against the template as you roll • How to flip a big slab without stretching it • Compressing the surface to prevent warping and cracking • Cutting out your template pieces cleanly • Moving and drying your slabs, and when you can start building ======================================= Rolling the slab checklist 1. Roll on some fabric — never straight on the table 2. Pat the clay into the general shape of the slab 3. Roll, flip and turn 45 degrees each time 4. Spray and rib the surface to find air bubbles early 5. Handle the slab as little as you can — clay has a memory 6. Let the slabs dry before you start building ======================================= More from Cut Clay Love 💗 If you're looking for pottery ideas to try once you've got the rolling down, the rest of the series will take you through building a finished piece. https://cutclaylove.etsy.com Have a question? Leave it in the comments below and I'll get back to you. Happy Potting! #slabbuilding #potteryforbeginners #potteryhandbuilding #clayslab #potteryathome #handbuiltpottery #slabpottery #potterytutorial