Hand Built Snail

 

Products Used

Material
  • 3lbs Low Fire Clay
Color
  • SC-88 Tu Tu Tango
  • SC-97 Cant-elope
  • CG-966 Tiger Lily

Decorating Accessories

  • CB-604 #4 Soft Fan
  • CD-777 Oval Slump & Hump Mold
  • XAR09 NamiWaves Art Roller

Additional Materials

  • Rolling Pin
  • Needle Tool
  • 3/8" Wooden Slats
  • Paper
NAEA LP.Snail
 Designer: Chelsea Proctor
 

Instructions

Construction

  1. Wedge a 3lb ball of low fire clay
  2. With a rolling pin, roll out a clay slab in between 2, 3/8" wooden slats.
  3. Choose an oval side for the body of the snail. Make 2 paper stencils of the oval size desired.
  4. Place the stencils on the clay slab and cut out the 2 oval shapes.
  5. Add texture to the oval shapes by rolling XAR09 NamiWaves Art Roller over both ovals.
  6. With the texture side facing down, place the oval in the CD777 Oval Slump mold. Let the slab sit in the mold for 15-30 minutes. Repeat with other oval, textured side facing down.
  7. Roll out another 3/8" slab and cut 3 long strips that are 2 -3" wide and long enough to go all the way around the slumped ovals.
  8. Attach one of the strips to one of the ovals using a slip, score and attaching method. Then attach the remaining oval to create an enclosed piece. Be sure to create a small hole into the underside of the snails shell (oval piece) for an air escape.
  9. With the other 2 long strips, attach 1 slab strip to the underside of the snail shell. Leave a few inches in the back for the tail and the rest for the head of the snail. Make sure you don't cover the air escape hole from the shell.
  10. Cut the end of the snail's tail to a point.
  11. Take the other end of the slab and attach it to the shell to keep the head of the snail up.
  12. Using the 3rd slab strip, create a tube for the other half of the head. Attach one part of the slab to the attached piece on the snail. 
  13. Close up the top of the tube and pinch forms for the snail's sensors and head shape.
  14. Let snail dry slowly and evenly.
  15. Fire to shelf cone 04.

Glazing

  1. Begin with properly fired shelf cone 04 bisque. Moisten a clean sponge and wipe bisque to remove any dust.
  2. Using CB-604 #4 Soft Fan brush, apply 1 heavy coat of SC-97 Cant-elope to the textured part of the shell.
  3. Once dry, take a damp BT-910 Synthetic Sponge and wipe away the SC-97 Cant-elope, leaving glaze in the texture part of the shell.
  4. When dry, using CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply 3 coats of CG-966 Tiger Lily to the shell of the snail. CG-966 Tiger Lily is a translucent crystal glaze so the SC-97 Cant-elope will show through.
  5. Using CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply 3 coats of SC-88 Tu Tu Tango to the body of the snail.
  6. While the third coat of SC-88 Tu Tu Tango is drying, float a coat of SC-97 Cant-elope around the shell. Blending the 2 colors together.
  7. Fire to shelf cone 06.

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