Hand built Pottery Crosses - Another day of Production

In The Art Studio:

A Day Of Production
Creating Hand Formed Pottery Crosses
My focus for today's production schedule ~ after putting away all art supplies from this weekend's art show ~ was to create hand formed crosses for a custom order.
I drew and cut out the cross shape then gathered together my supplies: fishing line, rolling pin, low-fire white clay, drywall board, 2 wooden strips, and a fine point "Sharpie" marker.

The drywall board is wonderful for wet clay. The clay doesn't stick to it, and it helps soak up moisture during the drying process. Fishing line is an easy, and inexpensive way to make a clean cut through the clay.

Unfortunately, I don't have a slab roller, so I made my own using 2 strips of wood (1/2 inch thick, and 2 feet long) and a rolling pin. The wooden strips act as a guide for the rolling pin, helping to give the clay a uniform thickness.

I use my "special cutting tool" ~ a martini pick :0) for cutting out the cross shape.

Once all crosses have been cut,

I smooth out the edges with my fingers and a wee bit of water.
I use the end of the sharpie marker to create a hole in the top of the cross.

I now let the clay sit out for 48 hours allowing time for the moisture in the clay to evaporate. Once this step is complete, I'll bisque fire it in my kiln.