Fig. 4
With great care and much taste pieces can be pinched and welded together into delightful forms, best shown in the refinements of the Cha Noya pottery of Japan. This pinching must be done carefully and above all sympathetically. To those that know or feel the possibilities of the clay it will respond readily. Much more taste and judgement is required in the making of a really satisfactory pinched shape, than is needed in forming one with coils. Square, polyhedral, or irregular shapes other than circular may be stuck up or pieced together in the following manner: Upon a table nail two strips of wood one quarter of an inch thick, ten or twelve
inches apart. Sprinkle between the strips with flint or fine sand and batter out some soft clay thereon. Scrape the surplus clay off with a straight-edge and then roll the clay between the strips flat with a rolling pin. Upon this thin slab mark out the sides, base, top, etc., of the shape to be built. Run a thin knife round each shape, but do not cut quite down to the table. Cut along the inside edge of each strip to allow the whole slab to contract evenly and allow it to toughen slightly. Carefully remove and reverse the slab and separate the pieces, being careful not to distort the shapes in the process.
The shape must be stuck up before the pieces become brittle or too stiff to bend. Roughen each opposing edge and moisten with slip, that is, clay mixed with water to the consistency of thick cream.
Press the edges firmly together and weld well each joint with soft clay. (Fig. 5.) This operation should be most thorough, as any weak joint will inevitably open when fired. Lids should be cut slightly larger
than the shapes they have to fit and sandpapered true when dry. Sharp edges and angles should be smoothed with the fingers before the shape gets hard.
Fig. 5