Clay Coils

Hand Building Clay

Take a closer look at a Z’otz* Collective sculpture and explore the ins and outs of three dimensional art. Join area potter Chris Snedden in our videos, where he will demonstrate hand building techniques. Learn the trick to rolling a perfectly even coil and how to build it up. Mask your coils to build smooth strong walls and embellish your sculpture with small pieces of shaped clay. Finally, see what things you might have around the house to add texture and detail to your sculpture.

Instructional Videos

1. Meet Chris Snedden

2. Tools and Materials

3. Rolling Coils

4. Stacking and Masking

5. Embellishments

List of Materials

self-drying terracotta clay
water tub
wood pick
board
sponge
dowel
newsprint
rolling pin
pencil
knife
spoon
rice paddle
fork, comb or other items that can be pressed into clay to add texture and details

After-Care

Your sculpture will not be water tight. If you would like to use your project as a vessel you will need to insert something inside. A small glass or tin is perfect for this. Allow your finished clay coil sculpture to dry out in the open. This can take a few days.

Instructions

Printable Instruction Sheet

Image Exploration

Z'otz* Sculpture Image Exploration