Tips on clay

I decided to just give some tips about clay. Just in case any of you wanted to know. ;) I'm no expert on it, but I hope to take a class in it next year!

1.) The most important thing to know is that clay is a very temperamental element. Do one thing wrong and everything can blow up in your face. That's why each of these tips are VERY important.

2.) The first thing you need to do with your clay is what is called 'wedging'. You take the amount of clay you want to use, and throw it (not too hard or it will get cracks) on a surface into a cube shape repeatedly. This gets rid of any air bubbles. I recommend doing this for at least 5- maybe not even 10 minutes. But if you feel like there are still air bubbles in the clay, keep wedging. If there is even the smallest air bubble in the clay, it will explode when it is firing.

3.) Scoring and slipping. If you have two pieces you want to attach (ex. Girnio's tail to his body) then you do what is called scoring and slipping. Scoring means you take a sharp tool and slash small lines on the areas you are going to connect. Slipping is the 'glue'. Basically it is liquid clay - clay mixed with a lot of water. You dab your finger in the slip and apply it to the scored areas, then attach them. This is to ensure that they will stick together. Then take a flat-edged tool and smooth the attached pieces to make it look like it's one thing.

4.) Usually you'll need to hollow out your sculpture. Once you are done, take your piece and hollow out the bottom. I really don't know why, but it is essential! All of my pieces (spare Ginny and Girnio's book, because they're small enough to get away with) are hollowed out on the bottom.

And that's about all I remember. If you ever want to do this at home, find somebody with some knowledge close to you.


Alright, I want to bring up a safety issue. Scezzle, this is for you. I don't want to mom anyone, but this is a really serious topic to me.

Never, under any circumstance, not even if you have been blogging for YEARS, give any personal information about yourself. It's very dangerous. You know why? You never really know the true face behind someone's profile. Now, I'm not saying I don't trust any of you! No, I really do, and that's why I'm still blogging. But I am not comfortable handing out my personal information because in the wrong hands my life as it is would be risked. I won't go into details about it, but some creepers take advantage of the blogging world. Just please, don't go sharing any personal information. I don't need it, and bad people do.

Scezzle, as of now I don't think giving your age would harm you, but just be warned that giving information about yourself is as dangerous as playing with a forest fire.

Thanks for reading,
~Icewolf