Stack a variety of bowls and cups to make a rounded cone shape.
Put a sheet of plastic wrap over the form, tucking the edges in under the form.
Pull off smaller chunks of clay from your 2lb block.
With gentle, even pressure, roll out a long coil about the thickness of a pinky finger.
Wrap the coil around the base of your form.
When the coil begins to overlap with the coil beneath it, take a toothpick and score the top of the base coil, and the bottom of the coil you are wrapping.
Dip your finger in the water bowl and place a drop of water on the scored section of the bottom coil.
Sandwich your scored coils together and repeat as you build up your form.
When you finish coiling, take the toothpick, and run it at an angle between the coils to help clean up score marks and press the connection points together.
Cut a hole about 3” wide somewhere in the base for the “door”.
From the excess clay, make little signs to score and attach to the coils.
Bees can be made by rolling two tiny balls. One ball is attached as the body. The other ball is pinched into a teardrop shape and then cut in half to make the wings. Attach these next to the body. 5. For the big top bee, hollow out a larger ball and attach it to the top of your skep.
Carefully remove the form from the inside of the piece and allow your skep to dry. Do not allow the project to dry on the form or the clay will crack as it shrinks.
Bisque fire to cone 04.
Glaze the whole piece, inside and out, with three coats of EL-107 Amber Ash, taking care to avoid any additions attached to your skep. (Bees, signs, etc.)
Glaze your bees with Stroke and Coat glazes # 15,16, and 6. Be sure to use three coats for solid coverage.
Clean all glaze off the foot of the piece, or stilt, and fire to cone 06.
