Coral Reef Trinket Dish

Designer: Bailie Benson

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Instructions

  1. Roll out a slab of clay for the base and compress both sides with a rib or plastic card. 
  2. Cut a random shape from the slab to use as the base and create sand texture by poking the bristles of a stiff brush into the clay. Stack and attach offcuts to give the slab base some dimension. 
  3. Roll out a smaller slab and manipulate into a shell shaped shallow bowl.  Roll and flatten two small balls of clay and attach flattened balls of clay to the top of the shell bowl. Roll out five coils about the diameter of a pointer finger and length of 6” and cut in half. Attach halves of coils to the back of the shell shape and smooth. Cut off excess coil length. Drape the shell over the empty bowl to create more depth. 
  4. Gently roll up the pieces of cut coil into a ball to mimic the look of brain coral. Use the brain coil corals to help prop up the shell bowl onto the base. 
  5. Scratch and attach the coral balls, shell, and base all together. 
  6. Use the back end of a tool to add some rounded detail to the shell edges. Use a fingertip to smooth the inside of the shell bowl.
  7. Roll out thick coil bits and attach them to create tall coral pieces. Score and slip to the base. Create texture by poking a toothpick end all over the coral. 
  8. Create small pinch pots in various sizes for the cup coral. Use the back end of a pencil or tool to help create the small cups and texturize the lip of the cups with toothpick cuts and indents on the sides with the back of a brush. Attach to the base and sides of the shell. 
  9. Create ball coral by rolling a variety of small balls of clay and use a sharpened pencil tip and poke to create deep divots. Score, slip and attach to the base and shell.
  10. Allow clay to fully dry and bisque fire to cone 04.
  11. Use soft glaze brushes to apply Jungle Gem colors to each area of the clay creation. Jungle Gems contain frit crystals that melt during firing and give bursts of color. In areas where you want solid color like sand, Stroke & Coat is a great option.
  12. Stilt and fire to cone 06.
  13. Apply three coats of SC020 Cashew Later to the sandy area of the base.  
  14. Apply two coats of CG1003 Peach Party on the outside and Day Lily in the indents of the ball corals.  
  15. Apply two coats of CG1005 Maroon Lagoon on the support brain corals (with some extra dots around them for interest). 
  16. Apply two coats of CG1008 Blue Guppy on the tall coral. 
  17. Apply two coats of CG1007 Blueberry Bubblegum to the outside and two coats of CG1009 Cherry Limeade to the inside of the cup corals. 
  18. Apply three coats of CG1004 Berry Tart with two coats of CG1006 Purple Reign layered as accents over the top to the shell trinket dish.  
  19. Stilt and fire to cone 06. 

Supplies

Form

  • Low fire clay of choice

Colors

  • CG1002 Day Lily 
  • CG1003 Peach Party  
  • CG1004 Berry Tart  
  • CG1005 Maroon Lagoon 
  • CG1006 Purple Reign  
  • CG1007 Blueberry Bubblegum  
  • CG1008 Blue Guppy  
  • CG1009 Cherry Limeade 
  • SC020 Cashew Later 

Decorating Accessories

  • Assorted glaze brushes 

Miscellaneous Accessories

  • Rolling pin  
  • Rib or plastic card 
  • Toothpick 
  • Pencil 
  • Empty bowl to form shell 
  • Pallet 

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