Texture

Carving Textured Press Molds &  Stamps Out of Insulating Foam Making impressions in clay is a ton of fun. Making your own stamps makes it even more fun because it allows you to really personalize your work. There are a wide  variety of ways to make stamps, and today I am sharing one I thought was pretty nifty. In this post, Daryl Baird shows us how to make own stamps or press molds using  a great transfer technique and insulating foam. Daryl also shows us how he uses  his stamp as a press mold to make tiles. – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.

There it is, in front of you—a freshly rolled slab of clay. It’s about 3/8 inch thick and  15 inches in diameter. In this pristine state it’s almost like a blank canvas. And in  the same way a novice painter may find the blank canvas a little intimidating, you  may find yourself looking at the slab of clay and wondering where to start, wondering  what to do with it.  Simple as it may seem, tile making is the perfect way to begin working with slabs  of clay. It helps familiarize you with your clay and with the essential tools used in  most slab work including: slab boards, a rolling pin or slab roller, measuring,  cutting and decorating tools. Before getting started, make a few prototypes where you can master the  techniques and discover the textures that will increase the likelihood your projects  will come out of the kiln just the way you want. Slabs of fresh soft clay are perfect for pressing designs into. Here’s an  easy-to-make foam mold with limitless design and texture possibilities. Making Your Own Texture Clay Rollers Cutting a Paper Stencil