Wavy, undulating lines have come to characterize my work. This motif echoes the movement of water and mountains and its repetition provides visual interest. Initially, I produced this wavy line in my work through loosely sculpting coils and intricately carving wheel-thrown pieces. When I began to sell my work, however, I quickly realized the need to develop a process that was more efficient and replicable. I discovered slab building with highly textured templates.
While living in New Orleans, Louisiana, my close friends were teaching youth art classes in our shared backyard and I came across a few left-behind sheets of craft foam. After experimenting with the foam, it turned out to be the ideal material to create textured templates. It is flexible, water resistant, and creates crisp impressions without sticking to the clay. I began making mugs, oil dispensers, and eventually lamps using this new method.
Making Textured Templates
Start making the lamp template by cutting out simple shapes from a sheet of craft foam. Craft foam, also known as EVA foam, can be found at most craft stores. It is typically sold in letter-sized sheets and is 2 mm thick, which is my preferred thickness. When I’m making a large quantity of templates or especially large templates, I buy rolls of EVA craft foam online.
For a straight-walled cylinder lamp body, begin with a rectangle approximately 121/2 × 71/2 inches (31.8 × 19 cm) and two circles with a diameter of 4 inches (10.2 cm). These dimensions can be adjusted to your preference, including by tapering the walls of the rectangle as depicted. I recommend using an X-Acto blade and a self-healing cutting mat for the highest level of precision.
To add texture, cut desired shapes and patterns out of craft foam with an adhesive backing, which is also available at most craft stores. Carefully peel the backing off of the craft foam and stick the shapes to your base template pieces (1). I prefer continuous patterns, so I ensure that the edges of the template will line up once the rectangle is shaped into a cylinder (2).
Preparing Slabs
Helpful tools include rubber and metal ribs, paint brushes for blending, an X-Acto blade, a pony roller, clay slip, a small, round slump mold, and your new foam template pieces.
Roll out a slab of clay large enough to cut your template pieces from. I like to use a 1/4-inch (6.4-mm)-thick slab. Once the slab is thoroughly compressed with a rib, press the rectangular template piece into the clay, textured side down. Using a pony roller, apply even and firm pressure across the back of the craft foam template (3). Cut around your template using a sharp blade, making sure to angle the blade to 45° when cutting the short ends. This creates a bevel, which makes it easier to attach seams. Carefully peel the template away from the clay to reveal the textured slab with a beveled edge (4). Repeat this process for both circle template pieces (5).
With the slab off-cuts, cut out two smaller disks of clay with an outer diameter of 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) and a hole at their center with a diameter of ¾ inch (1.9 cm).
Allow the slabs to set up enough that they are no longer sticky to the touch. Then, gently press the circle slabs (texture side down) into a slump mold or shallow bowl (6). Once the slabs have set up, carefully remove them (7)
Constructing the Lamp
With a sharp blade, cut a ¾-inch (1.9-cm) hole into the center of one of the newly formed domes (8). This will be the top of the lamp. Cut a 11/4-inch (3.2-cm) hole into the center of the other dome. This will be the bottom of the lamp. Being careful to properly slip and score, attach one of the smaller 1¾-inch (4.5-cm) disks to the outside (textured side) of the top dome. Next, attach the remaining disk to the inside (untextured side) of the bottom dome (9). I like to clean up my seams by running a paintbrush along them to collect any slip that has squeezed between the pieces.
Next, take the rectangular texture slab and form it into a cylinder with the short sides coming together (10). Carefully blend this seam, making sure to give attention to the outside and inside. Since the seams on many of my pieces are patterned, I use a thin wooden tool to compress this seam and keep the definition of the pattern (11).
Now that you have the walls of the lamp made, slip and score the bottom of the lamp onto the cylinder (12). Flip the lamp over, supporting it at the bottom by sitting it inside the slump mold or bowl that you used previously. The top can now be attached to the lamp by slipping and scoring (13).
Adding Feet
The last step before bisque firing is to attach feet so that the lamp can stand. Start by forming equal lugs of clay into the shape that you desire (14). I use approximately 11/2 ounces of clay, which gives me a 21/2 -inch (6.4-cm)-tall foot. I prefer to attach three feet, as it is easier to level the finished piece that way. Make sure to attach the feet well since they will be supporting not only the weight of the clay, but also the electrical wiring and a lampshade (15).
I try to complete the construction of the piece in one session, although sometimes that is not feasible, and I have to put the in-process pieces in a damp box or under plastic. Once finished, I allow them to fully dry and bisque fire them to cone 06.
I then glaze the lamp forms by dipping them in a solid glaze. I like to remove glaze in raised areas of my pattern to reveal the dark brown clay body and create a strong contrast—I exclusively use commercial glazes. I then fire the work in an electric kiln to cone 6.
Brenton Duhan is a designer and student living in New Haven, Connecticut. He earned his BA from Brown University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in architecture at Yale University. You can find more of his work at studiobdu.com or @studiobdu on Instagram.
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Wavy, undulating lines have come to characterize my work. This motif echoes the movement of water and mountains and its repetition provides visual interest. Initially, I produced this wavy line in my work through loosely sculpting coils and intricately carving wheel-thrown pieces. When I began to sell my work, however, I quickly realized the need to develop a process that was more efficient and replicable. I discovered slab building with highly textured templates.
While living in New Orleans, Louisiana, my close friends were teaching youth art classes in our shared backyard and I came across a few left-behind sheets of craft foam. After experimenting with the foam, it turned out to be the ideal material to create textured templates. It is flexible, water resistant, and creates crisp impressions without sticking to the clay. I began making mugs, oil dispensers, and eventually lamps using this new method.
Making Textured Templates
Start making the lamp template by cutting out simple shapes from a sheet of craft foam. Craft foam, also known as EVA foam, can be found at most craft stores. It is typically sold in letter-sized sheets and is 2 mm thick, which is my preferred thickness. When I’m making a large quantity of templates or especially large templates, I buy rolls of EVA craft foam online.
For a straight-walled cylinder lamp body, begin with a rectangle approximately 121/2 × 71/2 inches (31.8 × 19 cm) and two circles with a diameter of 4 inches (10.2 cm). These dimensions can be adjusted to your preference, including by tapering the walls of the rectangle as depicted. I recommend using an X-Acto blade and a self-healing cutting mat for the highest level of precision.
To add texture, cut desired shapes and patterns out of craft foam with an adhesive backing, which is also available at most craft stores. Carefully peel the backing off of the craft foam and stick the shapes to your base template pieces (1). I prefer continuous patterns, so I ensure that the edges of the template will line up once the rectangle is shaped into a cylinder (2).
Preparing Slabs
Helpful tools include rubber and metal ribs, paint brushes for blending, an X-Acto blade, a pony roller, clay slip, a small, round slump mold, and your new foam template pieces.
Roll out a slab of clay large enough to cut your template pieces from. I like to use a 1/4-inch (6.4-mm)-thick slab. Once the slab is thoroughly compressed with a rib, press the rectangular template piece into the clay, textured side down. Using a pony roller, apply even and firm pressure across the back of the craft foam template (3). Cut around your template using a sharp blade, making sure to angle the blade to 45° when cutting the short ends. This creates a bevel, which makes it easier to attach seams. Carefully peel the template away from the clay to reveal the textured slab with a beveled edge (4). Repeat this process for both circle template pieces (5).
With the slab off-cuts, cut out two smaller disks of clay with an outer diameter of 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) and a hole at their center with a diameter of ¾ inch (1.9 cm).
Allow the slabs to set up enough that they are no longer sticky to the touch. Then, gently press the circle slabs (texture side down) into a slump mold or shallow bowl (6). Once the slabs have set up, carefully remove them (7)
Constructing the Lamp
With a sharp blade, cut a ¾-inch (1.9-cm) hole into the center of one of the newly formed domes (8). This will be the top of the lamp. Cut a 11/4-inch (3.2-cm) hole into the center of the other dome. This will be the bottom of the lamp. Being careful to properly slip and score, attach one of the smaller 1¾-inch (4.5-cm) disks to the outside (textured side) of the top dome. Next, attach the remaining disk to the inside (untextured side) of the bottom dome (9). I like to clean up my seams by running a paintbrush along them to collect any slip that has squeezed between the pieces.
Next, take the rectangular texture slab and form it into a cylinder with the short sides coming together (10). Carefully blend this seam, making sure to give attention to the outside and inside. Since the seams on many of my pieces are patterned, I use a thin wooden tool to compress this seam and keep the definition of the pattern (11).
Now that you have the walls of the lamp made, slip and score the bottom of the lamp onto the cylinder (12). Flip the lamp over, supporting it at the bottom by sitting it inside the slump mold or bowl that you used previously. The top can now be attached to the lamp by slipping and scoring (13).
Adding Feet
The last step before bisque firing is to attach feet so that the lamp can stand. Start by forming equal lugs of clay into the shape that you desire (14). I use approximately 11/2 ounces of clay, which gives me a 21/2 -inch (6.4-cm)-tall foot. I prefer to attach three feet, as it is easier to level the finished piece that way. Make sure to attach the feet well since they will be supporting not only the weight of the clay, but also the electrical wiring and a lampshade (15).
I try to complete the construction of the piece in one session, although sometimes that is not feasible, and I have to put the in-process pieces in a damp box or under plastic. Once finished, I allow them to fully dry and bisque fire them to cone 06.
I then glaze the lamp forms by dipping them in a solid glaze. I like to remove glaze in raised areas of my pattern to reveal the dark brown clay body and create a strong contrast—I exclusively use commercial glazes. I then fire the work in an electric kiln to cone 6.
Brenton Duhan is a designer and student living in New Haven, Connecticut. He earned his BA from Brown University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in architecture at Yale University. You can find more of his work at studiobdu.com or @studiobdu on Instagram.
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