Mastering Wild Clay Processing with Mata Ortiz Methods

[@llanitedave]

Best sponsorship I've seen on KZbin so far! My drying bin has dune sand under the canvas rather than adobe bricks or plaster, but the effect is the same. I'm very poor at watching my clay closely enough to make sure it firms up evenly, and I'm also very poor at determining how much temper to add to the wet clay, so I just let it dry all the way and then grind it in a cement mixer. That's probably overkill!

[@AncientPottery]

It's the best of both worlds to do it that way but also the most work.

[@jensenchavez265]

I levigate and then dry completely before grinding as well. The dehydrated clay/temper is more easily mixed and requires less wedging after adding water. I dry it in the oven.

[@Jakeprimativeadventure]

Always glad to see you upload a video Andy!

[@AncientPottery]

I appreciate that!

[@argirismouroufas3854]

I made it Andy! I made it.. I have good material now! The system its working!Aris from Sparta Thank you, i trust you because you are original! 💖

[@overlycranked8674]

( 19:52 ) I am glad you are considering " wet clay processing " Andy. I have always added temper in drying stage while the wet clay has the consistency of yogurt and regularly mix it to keep the temper in suspension and uniform in each batch. Then at the wedging stage, I would " stack-slam " wedge various chunks of the batch to assure the uniformity. Fun fact : Even the best machine mixed/pugged clay is not uniform - grog or otherwise.

[@tammielewis2438]

Love the facial hair! Your videos are the best.

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks, I am growing it for a costume I will be wearing next month, after that it will be shaved off.

[@carollalicker]

​@@AncientPotteryIt's a good look. You might consider keeping it. :)

[@AncientPottery]

@@carollalicker well my wife doesn’t like it so it probably won’t stay.

[@wiljak_hakker]

thank you for an amazing episode of how to wet-process clay :D good camera work adn good content

[@AncientPottery]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@angeladazlich7145]

A lot of work Andy! Very helpful and informative. P.S. you are right that taking your online class gets you the best deal on the website classes, and you can bring your questions to class every Wednesday.

[@AncientPottery]

Glad it was helpful! These kinds of videos take some time to make.

[@GhostyOcean]

I add temper when the clay is getting close to being ready. I like to form the clay into a disc and divide it into quarters. I remove one of the quarters and fill the void mostly with temper but not all the way. I tend to get clay that's too gritty to use if I put the full wedge of temper in.

[@AncientPottery]

every clay is different

[@marydawnpafford9969]

Andy,, you are priceless. Taking us on your journey is a fine road. I can relate to your struggles as I sometimes feel that in baking and icing a cake, it sometimes is a fight! lol

[@AncientPottery]

There are many parallels between baking and pottery.

[@dustinstober9647]

I mixed a few methods. I will wet process the wild clay let it totally dry in the Mojave sun and then grind it for storage. When I go the use it I add the temper.

[@AncientPottery]

I know a few people are doing similarly. The best of both wet and dry processing.

[@ellenlinscheid9435]

Great video andy!

[@AncientPottery]

Thanks!

[@GhostyOcean]

Depending on the amount of water I can't pour off the top, I like to use a cloth/sponge to wick away the water. Then I pour it onto a plaster slab in a pillow case

[@AncientPottery]

I have done that when in a hurry

[@elizabethnieman7066]

I was thinking a siphon like what you use in a fish tank would work better actually

[@chendrix-materialdesigner]

They also make a siphon for homebrewers

[@isntjames]

I use a similar slaking process. For small batches I use a spaghetti colander and a bandana to dry.... also I definitely add temper to my slake slurry not after. I DO need to measure beforehand though so my temper is appropriately measured.

[@shivaSnihilist]

Great video! Have been waiting for a new wet processing video for a while! I use a combination of techniques from Andy Ward and Tony Soares. I like to work pure clay to around the right consistency. Then line a measuring cup with a plastic bag and press the clay in to measure consistently but am always second guessing how serious the dry/wet clay volume changes are. I seem to be getting fairly consistent results.

[@AncientPottery]

Sounds like a good way to do it. Thanks for sharing your method.

[@skeggjoldlokkar1231]

Good Show

[@AncientPottery]

thanks

[@mhenlopotter1612]

PLEASE make some sort of flat sheet or long noodle out of this clay, let it dry and then try to run it through your grinder. If that works well and isn't too much effort, we could have the best of both worlds! Love your experiments and investigations, keep up the good work!

[@AncientPottery]

I am seeing similar comments a lot here today.

[@kimberlydrennon4982]

seems like a good method if you can have one batch slaking while another batch is workable. I did some clay particle testing for a soil lab while I was an intern. The hygrometer test that measures the size of clay particles takes 24 hours. So my inclination for this would be, once you're in the settling stage just go away and do something else for a day. Takes more time on the calendar but I also think dry processing clay is a great way to inhale a bunch of silica, and if you get good at it, you can probably wet process the clay in about the same amount of time per pound of clay as dry processing.

[@carlosandresserranogovea3818]

Que bueno que empiecen a traducir los videos muchas veces me cuesta entender El inglés yo si estoy tratando de replicar las piezas cerámicas con materiales naturales y eso me hace mucho más fácil el trabajo

[@AncientPottery]

Sí, a mí también me alegra. A partir de ahora tendré que tener más cuidado para asegurarme de que los subtítulos sean correctos para que traduzcan las palabras correctas.

[@TuttleScott]

I've tried wet processing some riverbank sediment to make clay once and all I got was sticky mud. I might try it again with new knowledge I've learned here.

[@AncientPottery]

Could have just been bad clay too, not all clay is suitable for pottery.

[@69Buddha]

That's a bunch more work than dry processing (as you say), but I think I'm particular enough that I'd have let it all dry again after wet processing so I could dry process it and measure more exact amounts of clay-to-ash. That's likely because I don't have the eye for it that you do to know when I've got a good amount of ash in it. Thanks for the great video!

[@FlorenceChandotCA]

For a pretty durable plaster slab, I've been enjoying a 10:7 ratio of potter's plaster to water, and I just slake the plaster down into water already in my plaster from as is. A spritz once finished mixing with rubbing alcohol will help kill any remaining bubbles, remove when the edges shrink away from the edges, then I leave it to cure for 7-10 days. Definitely do the water reduction method after slaking reclaim though.

[@FlorenceChandotCA]

Also, this makes for a much flatter slab so I can also use it for wedging later.

[@Crazy_PurpleHaired_Lady]

💜💜💜

[@astrobreaux]

you don't really need to add a bottom to the box if you have a concrete slab or paving blocks. the concrete will wick the moisture out pretty fast. i don't even bother with a box. i just pour a thin layer out, let it sit for a hour or so then pour the rest on top. i flip the dryer edges over onto the middle and press them in. i pick it up and bring it inside once it will hold a bit of shape balled up.

[@AncientPottery]

Well yeah one the concrete gets saturated with moisture that will slow down a lot. Mine is sitting up on bricks so it can evaporate and drain out the bottom faster. Actually dirt is the best as long as it's dry, just dig a hole in the ground put the sheet in and pour in the clay but you better make sure it is someplace where people and animals won't step in it.

[@Sue-ec6un]

Used to dig clay and use it as a kid...I like the process but then again, I like getting my hands dirty. :)

[@AncientPottery]

Yes, I think many of us liked making things from dirt from the time we were kids. Somethings you never outgrow.

[@olivetree9920]

Once you get the process down it is much faster. I can do about 100lbs per week with a few pillowcases, a large bucket, and electric drill

[@AncientPottery]

Wow, 100 lbs of clay would probably last me all year or more

[@VPBOI_RACIONAL]

posso falar? baita video! parabéns meu mano, seu conteudo é incrível e escasso! BETTER TO TRADUCTION: ""Posso dizer algo? Que vídeo incrível! Parabéns, meu amigo, seu conteúdo é excepcional e muito raro de encontrar!"" (essa tradução é bem mais facil de entender e traduzir, pois não possui gírias)

[@jill-ti7oe]

😄👍🤙

[@HopesURwell-e4e]

Hollow Andy, and friends. I've been watching for a couple of years. try to learn what I can from Andy's KZbin video's. I've herd many plugs for the Master classes. It occurred to me. A book. Andy have you thought of a master class "book". A physical copy Of the Master classes. I have not purchased the classes because most the info is on KZbin. & Limited income. & Non-physical PDF/digital copy do not appeal to me I'd buy a book.

[@AncientPottery]

@@HopesURwell-e4e I’ve kicked the idea around. But writing a book is a lot of work and my schedule is already full. Now I have to remake my wild clay class because it is over 5 years old and that’s already going to take time I don’t have. You obviously like watching videos so you might enjoy the online classes more than you thought. And as for everything being on KZbin, you don’t know what you don’t know.