SPONGEWARE BOWL
Use a plain ceramic dish as a mould to make a bowl* that can be decorated with a simple paint effect.
YOU WILL NEED
Small china bowl Cloth and clingfilm Das air-drying clay Old rolling pin Flat plastic mat or tray Tall jam jar Craft knife and sponge Acrylic paint (we used cobalt blue with crimson) Old plate Paper Paintbrush Sandpaper Protective gloss varnish (if you like)
1 Dampen the exterior of a small bowl with a cloth and cover it with a piece of clingfilm, wrapping it over the inside edge and smoothing out any wrinkles.
2 Roll out one quarter of the Das clay into a circle 5cm larger than the bowl and 0.4cm-0.5cm thick. Flatten any noticeable air bubbles.
3 Place the clingfilm-covered bowl upside down over an upright jam jar. Gently pick up the clay and lay it over the bowl. Carefully smooth down the sides, turning as you go. Nudge the clay under the rim of the bowl and cut the bottom edge neatly with a craft knife, keeping it level with the bowl’s edge (rather like cutting the edge of a pie). Smooth the sides, dampening fingers with water to go over any cracks.
4 When happy with the shape, turn the bowl over. Unwrap the clingfilm from inside the ceramic bowl and gently pull away the edges of the handmade bowl slightly; it is important to do this so you can release the bowl when it is dry. If it cracks, use your fingers to smooth it over and gently pull away again. Place the bowl back upside down on the jam jar and leave for 48 hours.
5 Once dry, hold it under a cold tap, letting in a small bit of water between the clingfilm and the edge of the ceramic bowl. Holding this edge and the base of the handmade one, ease them apart. Once the clay bowl is free, remove the clingfilm and leave it to dry.
6 To decorate, take a piece of sponge. Squeeze and mix a small amount of acrylic paint onto a plate, watering it down a little. Dip the sponge into the paint and practise dabbing it on scrap paper to create the right effect. Place the handmade bowl upside down on the jam jar and sponge on the pattern, turning it as you go. Leave to dry.
7 Sand the rim by placing the bowl upside down on sandpaper and gently rubbing. Apply a coat of varnish if you wish.