This project is the perfect introduction to carving. A single tile would make a great trivet, or arrange a few to create a piece of wall art. You could even use them to fulfill a more practical purpose as a sink backsplash.
Forming
Flat pieces like this are prone to warping. To help prevent this, make sure you’re using a clay suitable for handbuilding. For each tile, I am using approximately 1½ pounds (700 g) of buff handbuilding stoneware. Roll your clay out onto a board rather than directly onto your workbench. This way, you can move it out of the way easily without having to peel it off the bench. Clay has a memory, so move it as little as possible while it’s drying, and let it firm up slowly under plastic.
Create a cardboard template for your tile by first drawing a circle with a compass (1). Then, keeping your compass at the same angle, mark six points around the circumference (2). Connect your marks with a straight edge and cut out the cardboard hexagon (3). Roll a slab of clay to a thickness of ½ inch (1.3 cm) using a rolling pin and guides (or a slab roller if you have one), rolling the clay in all directions (4). Compress and smooth the surface with a rubber kidney-shaped rib (5). Place your template on your slab, spraying with a little water will help to keep it in place, and cut out the tile using a sharp potter’s knife and straight edge (6).
Carving
Mark a faint line through the center of the hexagon, then another line to divide one of the halves into two (7). Wait until your clay is leather hard before carving.
Start by experimenting with a range of geometric designs using some different-sized tools (8). Once you have settled on a pattern, use your loop tool to carve your design (9). Support the edge of the tile with your thumb as you carve to prevent the edges from chipping off (10). Sponge the carved lines and edges of the tile to smooth it off (11). Leaving a portion uncarved will create a stronger overall look when you group your tiles together. I have chosen to carve half of each tile, but the mix of carved, plain, glazed, and unglazed elements is up to you (12).
Tips to Avoid Warping
Use a clay specially formulated for handbuilding.
Roll your clay no thinner than ½ inch (1.3 cm).
Roll the clay in all directions.
Smooth and compress the surface thoroughly.
Don’t lift the slab from the board after you’ve rolled it out.
Try not to handle the tile too much while it’s drying.
Make sure it dries slowly and evenly.
If the edges start to curl up slightly, bisque fire it upside down.
Finishing and Firing
After your tile is completely dry, bisque fire it to cone 06. After bisque firing, gently sand the edges to remove any burrs (13). I glaze only half the tile in a matte white and half in a magnetite green. I love the contrast between the earthy carved section and the glossy glaze. I glaze fire to cone 6 in an electric kiln.
These tiles look great in multiples, rotated randomly to form an interesting pattern.
A set designer by trade, UK-based (Surrey) Hilda Carr turned her hand to ceramics in 2014 and now sells her work through her website as well as in shops and galleries across the UK. She has built a large following on Instagram where she frequently shares her new works and techniques. She can be found at @hildacarrpotteryand hildacarrpottery.com.
Excerpted with permission from Carve Your Clay (Quarry Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 2023) by Hilda Carr. Available in the Ceramic Arts Network Shop: ceramicartsnetwork.org/shop
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This project is the perfect introduction to carving. A single tile would make a great trivet, or arrange a few to create a piece of wall art. You could even use them to fulfill a more practical purpose as a sink backsplash.
Forming
Flat pieces like this are prone to warping. To help prevent this, make sure you’re using a clay suitable for handbuilding. For each tile, I am using approximately 1½ pounds (700 g) of buff handbuilding stoneware. Roll your clay out onto a board rather than directly onto your workbench. This way, you can move it out of the way easily without having to peel it off the bench. Clay has a memory, so move it as little as possible while it’s drying, and let it firm up slowly under plastic.
Create a cardboard template for your tile by first drawing a circle with a compass (1). Then, keeping your compass at the same angle, mark six points around the circumference (2). Connect your marks with a straight edge and cut out the cardboard hexagon (3). Roll a slab of clay to a thickness of ½ inch (1.3 cm) using a rolling pin and guides (or a slab roller if you have one), rolling the clay in all directions (4). Compress and smooth the surface with a rubber kidney-shaped rib (5). Place your template on your slab, spraying with a little water will help to keep it in place, and cut out the tile using a sharp potter’s knife and straight edge (6).
Carving
Mark a faint line through the center of the hexagon, then another line to divide one of the halves into two (7). Wait until your clay is leather hard before carving.
Start by experimenting with a range of geometric designs using some different-sized tools (8). Once you have settled on a pattern, use your loop tool to carve your design (9). Support the edge of the tile with your thumb as you carve to prevent the edges from chipping off (10). Sponge the carved lines and edges of the tile to smooth it off (11). Leaving a portion uncarved will create a stronger overall look when you group your tiles together. I have chosen to carve half of each tile, but the mix of carved, plain, glazed, and unglazed elements is up to you (12).
Tips to Avoid Warping
Finishing and Firing
After your tile is completely dry, bisque fire it to cone 06. After bisque firing, gently sand the edges to remove any burrs (13). I glaze only half the tile in a matte white and half in a magnetite green. I love the contrast between the earthy carved section and the glossy glaze. I glaze fire to cone 6 in an electric kiln.
These tiles look great in multiples, rotated randomly to form an interesting pattern.
A set designer by trade, UK-based (Surrey) Hilda Carr turned her hand to ceramics in 2014 and now sells her work through her website as well as in shops and galleries across the UK. She has built a large following on Instagram where she frequently shares her new works and techniques. She can be found at @hildacarrpottery and hildacarrpottery.com.
Excerpted with permission from Carve Your Clay (Quarry Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 2023) by Hilda Carr. Available in the Ceramic Arts Network Shop: ceramicartsnetwork.org/shop
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