Handbuilding Basics · Soft Slab Construction

Medium

Drape a soft slab bowl

A soft slab draped over (or into) a mold becomes a bowl with almost no effort, if the slab is even.

Steps

  1. Roll a slab about 6–7 mm thick
  2. Drape it into a bowl-shaped mold (or over an inverted bowl, with fabric between)
  3. Let it firm slightly, just enough to hold shape
  4. Trim the rim even with a knife or needle tool

Success looks like

  • Smooth interior without wrinkles or folds
  • Even wall thickness (the slab didn't stretch thin anywhere)
  • The bowl sits flat on a table without rocking
  • Clean, level rim all the way around