Circular Logic: How to Explore Shapes for Handbuilding Generate new slab pottery ideas from simple templates for slab building! Sandi Pierantozzi

There is so much potential in slab building. But I find it challenging to go from a flat slab of clay to a functional vessel (probably explains why I don't do much slab building!). It is just hard for me to picture what a two-dimensional shape is going to do when it's folded into a three dimensional shape.

So I love this little slab building explanation by Sandi Pierantozzi. In this clip from her best selling DVD What if? Explorations with Texture and Soft Slabs, which is available in the Ceramic Arts Network Shop, Sandi shares her "circular logic" and shows you how to turn a flat slab into a nice little bowl. Sandi's tutorial is a great way to get started with slab building, or come up with new shapes if you are an experienced hand builder. - Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor

This clip was excerpted from What if? Explorations with Texture & Soft Slabs, with Sandi Pierantozzi. To learn more about Sandi or to see more images of her work, please visit www.sandiandneil.com.

More Fun with Slab Building!

Slab building is a wonderful way to create forms that are all your own. There are many ways to build with slabs, and we have a ton of great slab building techniques from a variety of experts in the Ceramic Arts Network archives. Check out this one on how to make a clay mug using slab building from Liz Zlot Summerfield. Lisa Naples is a masterful maker who uses soft slab construction to make her work. If you prefer working with slabs that are a bit stiffer, you'll enjoy this post from Lisa Pedolsky, who uses tar paper slab templates that double as structural support when building. Brilliant!

These are just a few of the slab building resources on Ceramic Arts Network. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get tons of techniques delivered to your inbox!

**First published in 2014.