Faber-Castell Do Art Pottery Studio User manual

History of Pottery
Here are some terms you will need to know
Do Art Pottery Studio 14595
© Faber-Castell USA, Inc. • Cleveland, Ohio 44125 • www.fabercastell.com
Designed in USA • Made in China
Conforms to ASTM D-4236 • Non-toxic Safe for Children
So where does clay come from? Clay
is a natural, fine grained material that is
dug from the earth. When exposed to
fire or extreme heat the clay becomes
rock hard.
The first pottery wheels were invented more than 6,000 years ago. From
Egyptian pyramids to the ancient Aztecs, archeologists have uncovered
decorative and useful pottery artifacts from all around the world.
In the past, every dish, bowl and
decorative object had to be created
by hand; now, machines do most of
the work for us.
Although natural clay is still used, the clay included in your kit is a synthetic
based clay that looks and feels just like natural clay.
Using the materials included in your kit, you will learn the basic techniques
of hand-sculpted pottery. Once you have mastered the basics, you are
ready to move on to the pottery wheel.
Pottery Wheel – Machine used to throw pottery
Throwing – Making a pot using a pottery wheel
Wedging – Working the clay to get the air pockets out
Centering – Positioning the clay symmetrically on the wheel
Opening – Placing your fingers inside the center slab of clay to create a vessel
Foot – Bottom of the pot
Lip – Top edge of the pot
Trimming Tool– String with handles used to remove the pot from the wheel
Additional clay and glaze paint
available in the Do Art Pottery
Studio Refill kit.
www.GreatArtStartsHere.com
•Air-dry clay
•Translucent glaze paint
•Paint brush
•Instructions and ideas
www.GreatArtStartsHere.com
Premium quality children’s art supplies since 1761.
Do Art Pottery Studio Refill #14596

1. Keep the battery compartment free from moisture. Never submerge your
pottery wheel in water. The round plate and tool arm can be removed
for cleaning. The machine should only be wiped off with a damp towel
or sponge.
2. The pottery wheel should be cleaned after each use. Dried clay on the
plate will make it difficult for the wheel to turn and to place the clay flat
on the wheel.
3. Remember, all of the creations you make are for decorative
purposes only and are NOT suitable for use with food or liquids.
Contents
(needs 4 “C” batteries, not included)
Additional Supplies needed from home
• Newspaper • Paper towels • Small plastic bowl for watert
ADULT
SUPERVISION
REQUIRED
Cautions:
• Use only Alkaline batteries.
•
• Do not mix different types of batteries or
new and used batteries.
• Only batteries of the same or equivalent
type as recommended should be used.
• Batteries are to be inserted with the
correct polarity.
• Exhausted batteries are to be removed
from the toy wheel.
• The supply terminals are not to be
short-circuited.
• Packaging and instructions must be kept
since they contain important information.
The battery compartment is located on the bottom of the pottery
wheel. A Phillips head screwdriver is required for opening the
battery compartment.
Important Information About the Paint:
• Before changing colors, rinse and dry your brush thoroughly.
• The paint included is a specially formulated non-toxic, acrylic paint that dries
permanently on most surfaces, so be careful!
• Cover your work surface with newspaper or the included table cover. Have a cup
of water and paper towels handy.
• Paint can settle and separate over time. Mix each color thoroughly before you
begin painting. If the paint seems too thick, stir in a drop or two of water.
Important Pottery Wheel Safety
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4 sculpting tools; rolling cutter,
rolling pin, trimming cord with
handles and sponge
• Wear a smock, apron or old clothes. This acrylic paint can stain. Clean up any spills
immediately with soap and water.
• Resealable plastic bags for clay storage • Phillips head screwdriver
• Cookie cutters • Tooth pick or paper clip • 4 “C” batteries
Do not use non-rechargeable batteries.

Getting Started
Pinch Pots
This is a great beginning project –all you need is a little clay and your hands.
Working with clay can get messy, but getting messy is part of the fun. You will
want to wear old clothes and your crafting apron. Be sure to cover your table
with newspaper and the plastic table cover.
Remember – once you open your clay, it will begin to dry out. Place
any unused clay inside a sealed plastic bag.
• Break off a hunk of clay about the size of a ping pong ball and begin
kneading or “wedging” the clay to remove any air bubbles or pockets.
• Roll the clay into a ball. Holding the clay in one hand, insert the thumb of
the other hand into the center. Do not push your thumb all the way through.
The bottom or base of your pot should be ¼ - ¾ inch (.63cm - 1.90cm) thick.
• Clay shapes dry from the top first. Keep your lip slightly thicker than the foot
of your pot to help prevent cracking.
Pinch Pots Continued...
Coil Pots
• To slow down the drying time, dampen your hands slightly and run them
over your pot as your work. If the edges crack, apply a little water with your
sponge to smooth them out. Caution – use only a small amount of water,
too much water will cause the pot to collapse.
Set your piece aside to dry overnight. Once your piece is completely dry you
can decorate it with paint. Adding the white base coat first will make your colors
more vibrant. The translucent glaze will give your pieces a kiln-like finish. The
acrylic paint strip will give your pottery an opaque finish.
• Take a lump of clay and squeeze it until it resembles a thick rope. Dampen
your hands slightly, and roll the clay. Continue rolling until you get a nice
even rope – approximately ¼ - ½ inch (.63cm - 1.27cm) thick. If your rope
is too thin you will not be able to create a pot.
• Wind the rope into a coil to create the base of your pot. Continue winding
the rope to create the sides of your pot. You can also make individual coils
and stack them together to create your pot.
• To bring the pot in, lay the coils towards
the inner edge as you work your way up
the pot. To widen your pot lay the coils on
the outer edge.
• When placing clay pieces together, use
your tool to slightly etch both surfaces.
Dampen and then press the pieces
together. This etching helps hold the
pieces together.
Use sponge to dampen.
Have your cup of water ready and all of your tools close by. Your clay is
separated into three one pound packs. You will not need an entire pound to
make a pot or vase. Start with one third of the package. Put the rest back in a
sealable storage bag.
• As you rotate the ball of clay, use your thumb and fingers to pinch and
form the sides of your pot. As you work, you will leave finger marks. You
can leave them in or smooth them out.
• When your bowl is finished, stabilize the
base by tapping it gently on a flat
surface. Turn the pot over and let it dry
on its lip. Once it dries slightly you can
add texture or smooth the surface using
your clay tools.

Coil Pots continued...
• You can leave the texture of the coils or smooth them with your fingers.
Let your pot dry overnight and then decorate with paint.
Roll out a slab of clay approximately ¼ inch (.63cm) thick. Using cookie
cutters, cut out the shape you want. Push the clay out of the cutter. Using a
pencil, toothpick or the handle of your paintbrush, add a hole at the top. The
hole should be large enough to insert a ribbon or string for hanging. Draw
details into your ornament with your tools.
Create an ornament
Be sure to thoroughly wash and dry
the cookie cutters when you are finished.
Hand-sculpted Clay
Since clay is so moldable, you can create almost any shape. You can make
whimsical animals, flowers, aliens, bugs, monsters, doll house miniatures, cartoon
characters –whatever you can dream up. Here are just a few examples of the
things you can make.
Clay beads - Clay beads can be made in almost any shape and size. Just
remember to use a paper clip or tooth pick to add a hole for stringing your beads.
You can also create beads using slabs of clay and cookie cutters.
Now that you have mastered the basics, you are ready to move on
to the pottery wheel.
Be sure you ask for adult assistance when installing the batteries. Note - If the
wheel starts to slow down, it may be time to replace the batteries.
There is an on/off switch but
you will probably want to use
the foot pedal to operate the
machine. Plug the foot pedal
into the adapter hole on the
back of the machine.
Using your Pottery Wheel
Foot Pedal
plugs in here
On/Off
Switch

Using your Pottery Wheel
While working the wheel, it may be
easier to stand. Find a table that will
let you work comfortably at the wheel.
Be sure the surface is flat.
Place the foot pedal on the floor.
Press the pedal with your foot to
get a feel for how the machine works.
You want to wedge your clay on your
table cover. Knead it with your hands
so that all air bubbles are removed.
Insert the tool rest into the machine.
Tool rest can go in either of these holes
Using your Pottery Wheel
Centering the clay on the wheel -
This is a very important step. Place
the clay in the center of the wheel.
Centering the clay allows the wheel
to spin properly and makes it easier
to form a symmetrical pot. Once you
get it centered, it’s time to start
throwing your pot.
Throwing -
Put a little water on your hands
and cup them over your clay.
Start the wheel with your foot
and press down on the clay with
your cupped hands. You will
need to experiment with how much
pressure to use. Once you feel that
your clay is firmly centered on your
wheel you can start forming it into
the shape you would like.
Push your thumb and fingers into the
middle of the pot to form the opening.
Keep your hands moistened but not too
wet. You can pull your foot up off of the
wheel at any time to stop it.
Gently press your fingers or one of the tools against the side of the clay as it spins.
This will add texture and shape to the piece. If you want to smooth the clay, use
your moistened sponge and gently press it against the clay. To make your vessel
Form it into a cylinder or a ball
depending on how tall you
want your piece to be.
You can place any of the four sculpting
tools on the tool rest to add textures
and help form your piece while
using the pottery wheel.
taller, use your hands to pull the clay up as it goes around.

You can work the clay as much or as little as you like. When you get a shape
you are happy with stop working the clay. Let the piece dry on the wheel for
a short while.
CAUTION: If the clay gets too wet it may come off of the wheel. If this happens,
gather up the clay and roll it over paper towels to slightly dry it. Clean off the
wheel and then start over. Note: the circular wheel can be removed and cleaned
thoroughly if necessary.
Using your Pottery Wheel
When your piece is slightly dry you
can remove it from the wheel. Grasp
the trimming tool handles. If the
trimming cord seems too long, wrap it
around your fingers. Slide the string
straight under your piece to loosen it
from the wheel.
Pick up your piece and place it on a
piece of scrap paper or cardboard.
Please note: Before moving on to the next step, your creations will need to
air-dry overnight.
Taking your piece off of the wheel
Slowly pull the trimming tool towards
you to loosen your piece.
Before your piece dries completely you can add texture or designs with your
clay tools or things you find around the house (textured fabrics, coins,
toothpick, paper clip, etc.)
When your piece is completely dry it’s ready to paint. You can use your white
paint as a base paint or you can paint directly onto the clay. You have two kinds
of paint. One set will give you a more opaque, solid color, the other will give you
a more translucent, glazed look. The glaze paint will look more like traditional
kiln-fired pottery. This paint works best on top of a white base coat.
Painting Your Piece
Once your piece is dry and you
have cleaned off your wheel you
can use your pottery wheel to help
paint your piece. Place your clay
piece on the center of the wheel
and add paint to your brush.
Hold the brush in the tool holder
and place up against your clay
piece. Rotate the wheel with the
foot pedal and drag the brush
onto the clay piece to get a
perfect line around your piece.
Move the brush down the piece to create a spiral effect.
When your clay is completely dry, find a special place to display your work
of art. Remember, the clay is fragile, so treat it with care. This clay is for
decorative purposes only, and should not be used with food or beverages.
Painting with the Pottery Wheel
Use the tool holder to
help keep your brush
in place.
Rest paint brush or one of the tools on the tool rest.