How to Create Colorful Clay Relief Tiles for Kids

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Roll out clay relief tiles

   Your first step is to roll out a flat piece of clay otherwise know as the slab. Slabs are a basic form used to build things in clay, along with coils (clay snakes) and pinch pots (hand-pinched bowls).
   
   The key to slabwork is ensuring the clay is adequately thick as it tends to shrink with drying up to 30% and can end up too thin and break. I usually aim for the thickness of a teacher’s finger (3/4 of an inch).
   
   Pro tip: If you roll the slab too thin – it’s always best to start again.
   
   To do this, start with a ball of clay a bit bigger than your fist. Roll it out slowly and evenly with a rolling pin until smooth and the correct thickness.
   
   

2. Cut clay relief tiles

   Use your wooden skewer to carefully cut the slab into a square or rectangular tile.
   
   You may wish to use a paper stencil to help get very straight edges – the neater your work, the better effect.
   
   

3. Create decorations

   To decorate your tile, add shapes cut from smaller thin slabs (can be quite thin).
   
   You can make these simply by flattening them in your palms and then cutting with a skewer.
   
   We looked at Hilke Macintyre’s work and created simplified depictions of plants and flowers.
   
   

4. Attach the decorations

   This is a crucial skill in ceramics and quite difficult for some children to master.  Kids often get swept up with creating and forget this step and then their work falls apart when dry!
   
   
   
   In order to join two pieces of clay the technique of score & slip is used. Basically each surface to be joined needs to be scratched (scored) with a skewer, a dash of water applied to both and then the two surfaces pressed firmly together. In this way the clay fibers join when dry.
   
   
   
   After your decorations are firmly attached, use the skewer, clay tools & popsicle sticks to add lots of texture.

5. Exercise some patience

   Next, wait until your tile dries out completely – not kinda, not a little bit, but completely! This could take anywhere between 3 days and 2 weeks depending on the weather.
   
   Pro tip: Don’t be tempted to place it in an overly warm place like a sunny windowsill as it will warp!
   
   

6. Add color to clay relief tiles

   Once completely dry, decorate your tile with acrylic paints (making sure you add sufficient white to your colors so that the colors don’t dry too dark) or use this surprising technique inspired by Sunnyside Art House.
   
   First, gently color parts of your tile with fluorescent oil pastels, and then add fluorescent tempera paints over the top. Be careful not to press too hard or use too much water.