When WangLing Chou was an international student, she developed a habit of traveling light and repurposing and reusing objects out of necessity. This habit made its way into her clay work as well. In today’s post, an excerpt from the Pottery Making Illustrated archives, she shares how she repurposed plastic soda bottles as fun molds for functional pots. – Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor.
Preparing the Plastic Mold
Collect any interesting forms of plastic to be used for potential molds such as soda bottles and food containers. Clean and rinse the plastic with soapy water. Next, use a utility knife or saw to cut out the portion you want to use for the mold.
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All hands on deck!
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Coat the inside of the plastic mold with a very thin layer of WD-40 and spread it evenly then wipe out the form with a chamois. Avoid using excess WD-40, as it will make the surface of the mold overly slippery and will penetrate the slab.
Drill a small hole in the bottom of the plastic bottle to allow air to escape when the slab is pressed inside the mold. Roll out a slab of clay and cut it into shapes to cover the inside of the mold (figure 1). Several sections of slabs will need to be connected together when pressing the inside of a curved plastic bottle and the number of sections will vary according to the size and shape of the form. Press the slab against the mold evenly and then smooth the inside as much as possible before removing it from the mold.
Forming a Zoomorphic Teapot
Wait until the pressed clay is stiff enough to hold its shape, then use a utility knife to carefully cut the soft part of the plastic bottle allowing the form to release from the mold (figure 2).
Smooth out the seams and remove any unwanted texture. During the leather-hard stage, you may model the form further by pushing out the curves, squeezing the excess clay or cutting and reconnecting some sections to alter or even exaggerate the profile. You can use coils or thin slabs to extend the vessel or alter the proportional balance and overall form for the teapot to a desired shape (figure 3).
Use the top portion of another plastic bottle as a mold for the top of the teapot (figure 4). This gives the form a more gradual rounded top as opposed to an abrupt flat one. Make the press mold for the top just as you did for the bottom.
Before adjusting and refining the size of the top hole (figure 5), clean the interior while there’s still a big enough hole to access the inside of the teapot. This ensures the joined pieces are well attached and the seam is smoothed.
Making the Spout and Handle
To create the basic spout form, use a tapered dowel, either short or long depending on the size spout you need. Roll a clay slab around the dowel and use it to shape the spout. To give the spout more of an organic feeling of an actual chicken beak, try to pull it into a slight curve, then cut the spout to size and attach it to the teapot (figure 5).
The construction of the tail, or handle, involves two mirrored parts formed together to give the impression of an inflated balloon. Cut out the two abstract forms similar to a chicken tail using a pattern to ensure the proportions of each side are the same (figure 6).
Next, curl the edges inward in order to achieve the puffy appearance, then connect them, making sure to leave a hole for the air to escape (figure 7).
Finally, attach the tail in an appropriate place that gives the impression of tail feathers (figure 8). This tail not only serves as part of the chicken but also suggests a teapot’s handle.
WangLing Chou is a native of Taiwan. She obtained her MFA from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She is currently an assistant professor of art at Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana.
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Very interesting process. Could we see a picture of the finished piece?
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I was able to view the finished piece here. https://www.wanglingchou.com/death-serious
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Fantastic work! Thanks for sharing.
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Will cooking spray or WD 40 contaminate clay if the piece does not work out? Should the clay be thrown away?
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Hi Jennifer, the WD 40 will burn out during the firing, so it should be fine to work with the clay in the event you need to rewedge it and start again. –CAN Staff
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Pam cooking spray works well……..
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The article said she used a thin layer of WD 40.
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WOW!
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what a great idea, love it.
thanks.
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Love it. It opens a massive range of other possible containers. The brain is on the buzz!
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What a great way to reuse throw away plastic bottles!
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Very clever idea will certainly give this a try thanks!
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You can use Murphy’s Oil Soap on the surface of the mold to help prevent sticking.
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Hi everyone, sorry about the missing finished piece. It is up on the site now. Amy, I have never heard of using oil or butter, but in my experience of using a mold like this I have not had any difficulty to the piece “sticking” to the bottle if given enough time for it to dry. What worked best for me is giving it time to dry and not using too much water with your clay body when putting it inside the bottle.
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I love this idea! I would have never thought to use old pop bottles, what a lovely shape. Thanks for sharing.
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And the finished piece looks like ……..?
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Do you use any surface treatment in order for the clay not to “stick”on the bottle. I have heard some people use oil or melted butter.
Thks for reply
Amy