I'm making a Zen(ish) garden on the east side of my house where nothing grows anyway. I already have a focal art tree (long story), a stump seat and stump to put a teacup on, a block and stone seat with a hanging table opposite it (hanging from the art tree). I put sand in, 3 different types. The cats least like the industrial sand, so I'll cover it all with more of that after raking out kitty pops. I also need to make a Torii gate, clay art tiles to hang, Haniwa figurines and other artworks so it'll never be "done", just an ongoing work in progress for me and neighbours to quietly enjoy. Yes, neighbours have already started enjoying it. Today I made the first of several garden lanterns for it.
I have a block of clay that's too stiff to use for throwing but I can cut off slabs and roll them out without too much trouble. I rolled it out, cut it into a rectangle and cut that into 2 squares, one for the top and one for the bottom. I used the depth-control dowels to make marks in the bottom.
I set the top aside, whetting both sides of it, and used a hump mold to guide cutting out the legs.
Then I decided the legs were too fat and used my thumb to measure cutting again. This is, of course, a very precisely measured project...making nit up as I go along.
Then I whetted both sides of the bottom and draped it over the hump mold to make legs.
Next for the top. I used a different slump mold to drape it and make a bit of a hump on the roof.
I pressed down gently with 2 fingers on each side, square-wise, then used the sides of my hands to fine-tune it.
When I started to make a knob for the top out of a scrap of clay, on a whim it turned into a dragon head. I modeled it then joined it on top.
Now time to set them aside under cover til I get the body of the house made. Roll out more clay, cut slightly rectangular sides of equal size.
Use an old toothbrush to score and slip the edges of two sides.
Press them firmly together, roll out a snake of clay and push it into the corner for extra support.
Smoothe it out and repeat with the other 2 sides
Use the toothbrush to slip up the next 4 edges to join the 2 sets of walls together, make snakes and smooth them into the corners for support.
Measure the base with the new top. Realize it doesn't look right. Use a shorter slump mold to widen the base so it's better.
Cut windows into the first wall.
And into the second wall...and you're allowed to be indecisive.
Round windows might be interesting.
Triangle again are easy enough, just upside-down.
Now scruff up the bottom of the main body and set it on the base to mark the base. Scruff up the base and light room and press them firmly together (with the slump mold still underneath the base for support.
Take balls of scrap clay and press them into the corners and edges to support the joints.
Smoothe it nicely with a tool.
Realize the top is too big so cut the corners off to make it octagonal.
Use scruffed up knobs to mark where the corners are and add knobs to the inside of the top to slide into the corners so it won't slip off.
Smooth off the edges and put under cover to dry slowly to avoid cracking, especially in the joints. Make sure it's in a place safe from chickens, dogs and roommates. The pinch pots you made for scrap clay can dry without covers.
Put scraps into a plastic bag with some water so you can make something out of them later. Now get out of the heat, take a shower and make dinner. Or a few more pinch pots, dragons, beads...whatever, if it's early enough. I'm hungry and I dug out a bunch of weeds and grass this morning so writing this blog post then dinner is my option before I become a cushion for the cats while I read myself to sleep.
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