POTTERY + SLIP: Making & Preparing Slip

Heyo, Potters! Welcome to the first video tutorial in my new Pottery + Slip unit. This video will teach you my tips and tricks on making and preparing slip. I will show you how to use a sieve to strain your slip and how to best prepare the slip for different slip techniques including rib designs, slip drips and slip trailing.
Nut Bag:
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80 Mesh Sieve:
www.amazon.com...
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1) Contagious Instrumental by: Sita
2) Turn Up the Heat Instrumental by: Juliet Roberts
#Pottery #Slip #SlipTrailing

[@dianeuranowski3694]

Thank you so much for making this video and including the details and specifics of preparing the slip! It seems that anything that I've read about to learn how to do slip trailing (without taking a class) shows technique but makes only a vague reference to the slip and it's preparation; you've provided information that was really needed, and I thank you for it!

[@mrb-artteacher]

Thank you for the videos, they are AWESOME! It's my first year back in the Clay Studio teaching to HS kids and I laughed out loud when you said "And put it all back where it BELONGS!" Relatable!

[@ipekkomurcu]

Really great video! Clear, straight to the point with a lot of useful tips. Thank you so much :)

[@MissLinneaLark]

You are so welcome. Glad there was something you could use!

[@lizwithano1301]

just a technical note: clay doesn't dissolve, it suspends. salt and sugar dissolve in water, but clay just disintegrates/suspends in water which is different.

[@MissLinneaLark]

John with an o great clarification. Thanks!

[@yellow2615]

Thank you immersions blender works great. I buy large needle gauge on amazon 8 to 16 gauge.

[@MissLinneaLark]

Good to know you can get different gauges!

[@CatherineSTodd]

Where do we buy an "immersion blender?" I saw some on Amazon; which is a good one to get?

[@victoriapitel6056]

Great start to the series, and well presented. The only thing Im not in agreement with is throwing slip/clay away. I never through clay away and tell all my students to recycle recycle recycle!!

[@MissLinneaLark]

I totally agree Victoria! Unfortunately I share my clay room with the art classes and the level of dust without proper ventilation got to a dangerous level in our double wide portable classroom! So I had to stop recycling clay and storing any bone dry clay. But it breaks my heart.

[@ISOPOINTQCS]

THANK YOU.

[@leakyassassin8874]

I love how you did everything the hard way. :D

[@CatherineSTodd]

Leaky: ??? what are you talking about?

[@MissLinneaLark]

LOL, some times the long way is the better way ;) And a lot of the time I learn better ways from my kind viewers... care to share?

[@ksullivan5494]

interesting for sure. Could one color the slip with mason sains?

[@MissLinneaLark]

k sullivan absolutely! I’m planning on making a video on that soon!

[@davidmba6777]

Awesome work!, God bless you.

[@MissLinneaLark]

God bless you! Thanks for the encouraging comment 💕

[@lenakorol418]

I've been searching all the internet, but I can't find an answer to what kind of clay can be used for slip casting. Can it be any? Or with any particular characteristics? Desperate : ((

[@MissLinneaLark]

I’m not a huge slip castor… but check this out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/inmUeJVoZbOFpNE

[@springbloom5940]

I use a plaster bowl to dry it out.

[@MissLinneaLark]

Brilliant!

[@CatherineSTodd]

Where do we get the plastic slip bottles? Do they have a cone-shaped tip that can be "cut to size?"

[@MissLinneaLark]

I’m not sure if these are the exact ones I have but they look pretty good. There are 2 important things when choosing a “condiment bottle” on Amazon… 1) the screw on lid should be as wide as possible so you can clean and add slip easily. Some lids are small, more like a bottle lid and when the slip dries out it is hard to clean those top corners. 2) for the classroom I like lids that have an attached cap so all the kids don’t loose them. Good luck! I have to say those slip bottles are a game changer and help keep the studio clean! Here’s a link to some that look pretty good: www.amazon.com/Benail-Plastic-Squeeze-Condiment-Bottles/dp/B07BDFLCMD/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1T60KCVPR8ESC&keywords=condiment+squeeze+bottles&qid=1655605114&sprefix=condiment%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-3#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div

[@exodia0017]

What if I don't have any scrap pieces? What brand of clay would you suggest?

[@MissLinneaLark]

If you don’t have scraps, you can roll out a slab and put it in the sun. As far as clay goes, that depends on how large your work is, if you’re gonna be sculpting or wheel throwing, how you intend to decorate/glaze and what temps your kiln can handle. Good luck!

[@Zehracodek]

If i plan to make slip out of new purchased pottrry clay (high fire) should i break it into pieces and keep it overnight or half or an hour is enough to melt it, then only i can blend..?!!!

[@MissLinneaLark]

1. Flatten clay 2. Dry clay to bone dry (sun works great) 3. Smash clay into coin sized pieces 4. Soak until the clay has totally broken down. 30 mins- an hour. I know it seems crazy to dry it out to make it wet, but bone dry clay is the fastest and easiest way to get a smooth consistency. In my experience, when I soak already wet clay and then try to blend it, there are always large chunks and globs. That bone dry clay is so absorbent it breaks down soo much smoother and faster. Good luck!

[@Zehracodek]

@@MissLinneaLark many thanks dear truly appricate your quick reply. I think to make it body dry i need to keep it at least a week? Just like before firing any work / pieces. I'm so beginner just wanted to make sure im going right 😅

[@MissLinneaLark]

@@Zehracodek no problem Zara. if you flatten the clay it will dry out VERY fast in the sun. it will prolly take an hour. after 30 mins flip it upside down.

[@KK-nj8nb]

what brand is your hand mixer?

[@MissLinneaLark]

I use my immersion blender sooooo often! In addition to making slip, we use it for thinning and adding water to glazes and underglazes 3 or 4 times a year. Because I train my hundreds of students how to use it and expect them all to use them somewhat often, I don't buy anything fancy. Teenagers destroy nice things, lol. I usually go to Walmart (cause our school has credit there) and get the most expensive or sturdy looking one. And it usually lasts a year or two. I don't buy anything fancy. If it was just for me and I was the only one using it, I might invest in a nicer one.

[@SamKatzHypnosis]

Hey 🌸 Could I make slip with air dry clay? My mom doesn’t have an kiln and she has some plaster slip doll making molds that she would like to use because we don’t get air dry clay slip here 😭 Alternatively- is there any other medium that she could use to make her dolls with plaster slip casting molds? Thank you so much 😘

[@micheledickey4066]

There are some paper clays that you can make yourself or buy. I hope that helps. You can also google ways to use the type of molds you are using.

[@MissLinneaLark]

I have no experience with air dry clay, so sorry! However, I imagine you might be able to score or rough an area up and then spray it with water and then repeat a few times until it looks slippy. I have seen some polymer clay videos that use this way of make slip on their creations, to slip and score parts together without falling off. I bet it would work. Good luck!

[@CmasonFrance]

You dont add defoculants foculents ?

[@MissLinneaLark]

I never have 🤪. We go through slip pretty fast in our studio. It does get thicker with time, but it usually gets used pretty fast.

[@morbidmizzy3389]

What about making slip for slip casting?

[@MissLinneaLark]

This unit is more about slip as decoration, but I would love to make a unit on slip casting. I have some ideas swirling around, but it might take some time to execute. But thank you SO much for the great suggestion!

[@____Ann____]

Why would you throw away clay?? Just pout your extra slip on the plaster bat, let it dry out of a couple of hours and it is ready to wedge and throw /build with it.

[@micheledickey4066]

She’s in a classroom so they won’t allow anyone to keep dry clay around because the dust is dangerous to your health.

[@MissLinneaLark]

We are in a portable classroom with very limited, shared space. We used to recycle clay but the dust was just out of control unsafe and so my admin made the decision to halt clay recycling until I get a brick and mortar classroom. These videos are meant as tutorials for my students on how to use our facility and I didn't think to explain that for others. It's easy to forget people other than my students are watching these videos, haha. But lesson learned! If future I will be sure to make the distinction! Thanks for the comment and helpful advice!

[@allieencarnacion7819]

What kind of clay are you using for your slip projects?

[@MissLinneaLark]

Allie Encarnacion it’s called Spirit White, it’s a low fire stoneware. It doesn’t have a lot of grit so it’s difficult to get larger stuff, but it’s a decent hybrid for sculpture and pottery.

[@Tech.Library]

@@MissLinneaLark what is the actual use of slip?

[@MissLinneaLark]

@@Tech.Library it’s like clay glue, it helps you connect two pieces of clay together. It also can be used for decoration. Check out the other pottery+slip videos and see some things it’s used for!

[@MissLinneaLark]

@@Tech.Library This video shows how to use slip to attach 2 pieces of clay: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3KaYpilZ8adpdE and this playlist is all about using slip for decoration: kzbin.info/aero/PLAKtyykLhODVBPN0vBTK_ZC2U5Ml3HS4S

[@Tech.Library]

@@MissLinneaLark OK thanks so much. Currently watching

[@tonipeters2267]

Where do I buy the 80 mesh nut milk bag? Could you please post a link?

[@MissLinneaLark]

Toni Peters there’s an amazon link in the description 😉

[@MissLinneaLark]

Whoops, I guess I forgot it. I’ll edit the description when I get home late. Sorry ☺️

[@MissLinneaLark]

OK! It is now in the description! :D

[@stickermigtigger]

Throwing away slip is throwing away useable clay. Wasteful. (Obviously slip that hasn't been contaminated by colorants, chemicals, etc.) Just dump it in a reclaim or like clay slop bucket and let sit till it can be wedged and worked.