Ceramic Clay Work Surface

A ceramic is any of the various hard brittle heat resistant and corrosion resistant materials made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic mineral such as clay at a high temperature.

Ceramic clay work surface.

Every potter needs a surface to wedge clay on and there are many different types. It can also be impossible to separate a newly formed clay object from the surface it was formed on. Clay will stick to or leave vast smears on most surfaces. A ceramic tile not an acrylic tile is a common choice for this purpose.

Though it is possible to work from a taped down sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap if you plan to work with polymer clay extensively you ll probably want to find a more permanent work surface. The crystallinity of ceramic materials ranges from highly oriented to semi crystalline vitrified and often completely amorphous e g glasses. For this reason it is best to work on a piece of sturdy canvas such as a mid to heavyweight cotton duck. You can make window clings by drizzling liquid polymer clay onto a ceramic tile and baking it directly on the tile.

The closed cell foam is about 1 8 inch thick and doesn t leave a texture on clay so the larger sheets are great for rolling small slabs on a slab roller. The simplest wedging surface is a piece of canvas. Sculptors often stick their wad of clay to the work surface so that it stays in one place. Other possibilities are concrete granite masonite concrete board and hardibacker board.

The most common are plaster plaster covered in canvas and plywood covered in canvas.