EXAMPLES attached.

How to Make a Clay Pot

Even though people go to school to learn how to model a clay, little knowledge of modeling is required when modeling simple pots, such as flower pot. In this paper, I will demonstrate how to model a clay pot using a wheel.

Steps of Making a Clay Pot

Step 1 - Source the clay.

· Source additional ingredients – that is colored powder, lubricant, and water.

In this step, collect the ingredients that are clay, water, and colored powder. The water is used to dilute the powder into liquid form, and it is also used to soften the clay. The clay is usually in the form of dough.

Step 2 – Source the tools – several tools are needed when modeling a clay pot by wheel; they include a pottery wheel plate and electricity, a sharp penknife, rolling pin, and a nail.

· Testing the functionality of the pottery wheel will be done in this step.

Step 3 – this step will involve preparing the clay by mixing it with the desired color.

· Kneading – involves kneading the clay until it is well mixed.

· Removing air spaces and unwanted solid particles such as stones – after kneading one need to roll the clay into a circular flat shape to ensure that there are no unwanted particles and air space.

· Shaping the clay – If well kneaded, the clay should be shaped into a ball shape, for more comfortable wheeling.

Figure 1 (WikiHow, 2019)

Figure 1: Shows how the clay should look like after preparation. It is placed on a pottery wheel.

Step 4 – Lubricating the clay

· In this step, keep both hands in a bucket of lubricant it could be special pottery lubricant or standard cooking oil.

· Once the lubricants cover both hands, place both hands on the clay as shown in figure 2 and start the wheel.

· Lubricating the clay should continue until the clay is soft enough. Not too soft and not too hard.

· Expand the shape of the clay by normal put pressure on top and at the same time maintain the round shape.

Figure 2 (WikiHow, 2019)

Step 5 – Creating the center of the pot

· Shaping the pot – while still lubricating your hands to prevent bruises and blisters, and as the wheel continues to spin you should place the two thumbs in the middle of the clay as shown in figure 3 to form a hole but ensure that the round shape is maintained.

· Widening the rim of the pot- as the wheel continues to spin, two thumbs should be pressed harder in the middle to make a hole as shown in figure 4.

Figure 3 (WikiHow, 2019)

Figure 4 (WikiHow, 2019)

Step 6 – this step involves shaping the clay into a pot

Once the whole is formed, insert pressure from the side to prolong the height of the clay as the wheel continues to spin the clay should mold to form a long shape such as that of a flower verse as shown in figure 5.

Figure 5 (WikiHow, 2019)

Step 7 – press the clay downwards to form a full rim as shown in figure 6

Figure 6 (WikiHow, 2019)

Step 8 – level the height of the pot by observing the desired height as shown in figure 7.

Figure 7(WikiHow, 2019)

Step 9 – forming the hole

· Shaping the pot - this step involves forming the hole to form pot as shown in figure 8.

· Widening the opening – use your hand to widen the opening while the other should remain on the side of the pot to maintain its shape.

· Shaping the opening- use your fingers and one hand on the side as the wheel continues to spin, press to make it thinner and longer.

Figure 8 (WikiHow, 2019)

Step 10

· Shape the completed pot- the process of shaping the pot should continue until the desired shape is achieved.

· Modeling the handles – the handles should be modeled by forming two sticklike clay. They should then be folded to form a semi-circular shape.

· Attached the handles – once completed the handles should be attached to two sides of the pot.

· Decorating using the penknife or the nail. One can draw the lines using the knife or the nail to form shapes.

· Drying the pot. The pot can be sun-dried or dried using electricity.

References

WikiHow. (2019). Figure 1-8. Retrieved from https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Clay-Pot-by-Wheel .

�For this set of instructions, I’d like to see a parts or materials list to help the reader get started.

You should also include any cautions or warnings with the materials (if any)

�Would be nice to see images of what to look for or even include where the reader can find the items such as a crafts store or similar.

�Again, this would be better if in list form and include an image labeling each item.

�Grammar – Capitalize “this”

Prepare the clay…speak in the imperative/active voice

�Does not need to be in bold font. Figure 1 needs to be italicized

�Lubricate

�Does not need to be bold font and Figure 2 needs to be italicized

�Imperative/active voice – “Create the center of the pot”

�Figures 3- 4 – No bold and italicize

�Capitalize “this”

Speak in the imperative. Try: “Shape the clay into a pot”

�Figures 5 and 6 – No bold and italicize

�Capitilize

�Level

�Form

�Shape

�Widen

�Shape

�Step 10 graphics need to be labeled and cited if not original works.

�Model

�Attach

�Decorate

�Dry

�Overall, nice start. Your instructions are a bit wordy and hard to follow. I recommend breaking up the parts needed into list form.

Your steps need to be numbered and spoken in the imperative/active voice.

Your images are not consistent with alignment and shape. Adjust the images to correspond with a step and be consistent with the placement. Either flush left, center or right, but make good use of the empty white space.