How to make Ceramic Art at home?

Jasna Sokolovic's 3-D ceramic art block uses under glazes and silkscreening techniques to decorate a ceramic art block you can hang on your wall.

1. Cut a piece of clay from the raw clay block and roll it into a sheet using a rolling pin.

2. Measure and cut slabs from the sheet for the front, back, sides, top and bottom of the ceramic block.

3. Assemble the block by scoring the edges with a toothbrush and applying slip.

4. Press the pieces together and smooth them with your fingers (Image 1).

5. Scratch and draw designs into the clay with a needle tool knife to apply texture to the surface of the block. Pierce the clay with a needle tool for added texture (Image 2).

6. Choose a front and a back. Measure and cut holes for hanging on the back using a circle punch tool. Punch four holes so the block can be hung in a variety of ways.

7. Let the clay block dry to the bone dry stage.

8. Bisque-fire the ceramic block in the kiln. Let cool.

9. Apply black ceramic under glaze to the entire block with a paintbrush.

10. Wipe off the under glaze with a wet sponge. The black glaze will settle in the textured areas of the clay.

11. Mask off desired areas of the block to be decorated with a paper template. Attach the paper template to the back of the block with masking tape.

12. Apply colored under glaze to the desired areas (Image 1).

13. Apply a silkscreen design to the piece using under glaze in the desired color. Brush a little under glaze on the silkscreen at one end of the design and drag the color across the silkscreen using a piece of card stock or credit card (Image 2). Remove the silkscreen. Repeat as desired.