Editorial desk · Practical notes

Make a slab pattern on paper first

Sketch the pieces of a simple slab-built form and cut a paper version. Assemble the paper loosely to check the proportions before using clay. Note where seams will meet and whether your hands can reach them.

Clay behaves differently from paper and changes as it dries and fires. Use the pattern as a planning aid, not a promise of final dimensions. Follow your studio’s joining and drying procedures for the clay body you use.