The River Clay Project - From Riverbed to Dining Table

From Riverbed to Tableware - DIY Clay Project.

In this guide, you will learn how to identify clay in a river bed, and then excavate with care to natural surrounds, then to filter and process it into workable clay that can be used to create pots, bowls, tiles - or anything else.

If you've followed any of my recent work here on Instructables or over on Instagram, you'd see I've been getting into the idea of 'Life Long Learning'. By this I mean 'taking the scenic route' as to how you came to appreciate something you perhaps take for granted as part of everyday life - by getting involved with it.

Just as there are plenty of newspaper articles about how 'kids don't know where a potato comes from', which have triggered better horticultural efforts in schools and at home, I think this notion can be extended to industrial processes too.

However, although your kid might now know a tomato is a fruit, and a banana is a herb, do they know how their Cereal Bowl was actually made? This Instructable will show you how to go from what might look like 'mud' (but isn't), to creating a functional piece of pottery, in a few weeks - which they can use!

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Start Simple and Have Fun.

Having studied Chemistry at degree level, I was bored stupid sometimes, by having to learn all these equations and reactions in isolation of an application - and I ended up literally 'crossing the street' to the Northumbria Art College in my free periods, to do some Pottery: There I was truly applying the intellectual science of things like; oxidation states, rheology, plasticity, molecular forces, surface energy, transition states, crystal structures and suspensions, etc. and many other fancy terms - but I was now thrilled that I was using them to create pots and glazes, rather than just pass exams. So, I am keen to stress that having a Chemistry degree is not a prerequisite for you to make a pot.

I had taught myself pottery when I was 12 by doing ceramics in my lunch break. My point with referencing chemistry is that the detailed knowledge will take you to the next level to make your own Glaze recipes etc, but you can get started with little to no knowledge (just buy a pre-mixed ready-to-use Glazes as I will cite here). Do not be intimidated by the intellectualism of academia or even heavy pottery books written by people who have probably the equivalent of 2 PhDs in the subject - the key thing is to get started, and trust that you'll pick up the science bit as you need to, and because it will be applied to your work, you will retain it better than abstract rote learning.

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Don't Teach - Enable.

What I love about this project is that I started this when my son was 5 years old, and if he can do it, it can't be that tricky! Since then, we've kept iterating and improving the process, and making pots of course! However, if this is too simple for you or your older children, be they your students or kids - you simply add more 'whys', 'whats', 'hows' and 'what-ifs'...

• Why is clay not the same as mud? (read on).
• Why does some clay have a red colour? (iron oxide - which is 'rust' essentially)
• Why does clay shrink so much? (loses water) and how can you reduce this? (add paper pulp).
• What happens if you under-heat it? (it will not hold water) or overheat it (it will go a dark colour).
• How do you make coloured glazes (add transition metals) what are those (now Chemistry become 'useful'!)
• How similar is our clay today to that used by Greeks and Romans? (pretty similar)
• Why is China called China (this will be as deep a Rabbit Hole as you like...)
• What if you....(I dunno, google it, read a book - and then try it!)

One of my major vexations with the School Curriculum is that it creates an environment which presumes teachers 'teach' and children 'learn' - like an adult bird feeding a chick. One-way. Aside from this creating kids who feel learning 'only happens in the classroom', it also worryingly implies that teachers 'know it all', which respectfully, they obviously don't (who does!?). This has two frustrating outcomes: the first being that kids do little to investigate their own questions and curiosities, and secondly teachers seem reluctant to say 'I dunno' as if this is somehow a failing on their part.

I do not know why 'I dunno...' can't be followed with '...so let's find out - together' as the default answer.

Indeed, I can say with confidence that this Instructable is most certainly not exhaustive or 'complete' and you will certainly find questions I have not answered. What I hope is that I have made a sufficient case that this is 'enough to get going', and you will certainly get something of a pot or a tile from it. However, as to how to find answers to all the questions students (or you) may ask - the answer is to try it.

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"Do Our Schools Kill Creativity?" - Sir Ken Robinson.

I don't know about you, but I have not kept any of my old Exam Papers. Yet when you consider how 'critical' these items are to our progression in academic life, one wonders why not? In contrast, my parents still have a few of 'my first' paintings, essays, and other such keepsakes - many of which marked a milestone in my capability, learning or self expression, or teamwork. As a parent myself, I do the same with my son - tacit milestones matter.

Although some kids might be disappointed with the results of their best efforts (or wished they'd tried harder, seeing some of their peers better work), having a tangible result like a pot - and indeed, subsequent pots that improve or try new ideas, are almost always something we keep on display in our homes (or even keep in a box that is special). Why then cannot more of our memories of learning not be things we cherish?

I am not saying everything is a keepsake, (as any parent will tell you - you need to get 'selective' fast, or drown in a sea of drawings and craft models!), but why are do so few of our learning culminate in a tangible thing? Why does our Math not make rockets fly or go-carts win races; our English not yield printed books or end up in photocopied zines; our Science not help us create Products, Art or invent Solutions to any of the worlds problems right now?

Are we really just left with a 'Grade' after a year(s) of so-called 'Education'? Is that it?

I respect not everyone can afford a kiln, or to own all the equipment outright to make a pot - but I would assert that most schools can afford a kiln (second hand kilns start at a few hundred pounds/dollars), or have the status to broker a deal with a studio that an individual cannot. These are communal resources almost by definition, and schools should be a hub for such things.

However, the main barrier as I can observe having spoken to many educators, is that 'teachers' are under huge pressure to ensure students pass exams, and don't have time to do projects like this on their own. This is where I would say if you can volunteer to help take kids on trips, to raise money for some equipment, and perhaps even help with making some aspect at home - you can teach so much that satisfies the Curriculum - and then so much more! As well as the results being something you and your kids/students will likely cherish, and becomes part of your history and identity. The best schools have the best grades, sure, but they also seem to have the best artwork on the walls, and most memorable projects projects happening around school hours... Don't assume this is a question of Chicken and Egg - it is not about waiting for special funding or a better head teacher or local council - this surely helps, but schools also get better if they do projects that inspire first - as this makes kids more engaged; teachers proud; parents supportive; governors ambitious; etc. - and so it is a virtuous cycle.

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Scaling Better.

So, if you're feeling like Howard Beale (from the film Network), please try to do a small project like this, perhaps for yourself to start, but ideally with others - as the beauty of this project is that it scales well for not much extra cost than for the individual!

If you do make this, please be brave and share, as it will inspire others to do so also. Let's not just pass exams and hit attainment targets - but also use projects like this to create memories, applied knowledge and have fun!

Keeping Costs Down.

With the exception of Plaster of Paris, and Firing/Glazing materials most of these materials can be 'scavenged'. Here are some links for comparison, but for example with the Sieve, you can probably find one cheaper at a dollar/pound-store, or have one that is getting too old to be used for cooking at home, etc. You get the idea... you can do this on a small budget, and seek-out some use of a kiln one way or another it seems.

Clay Collection.

I suggest you consider packing: a spade, small trowel, knife, glove, thick plastic bag, larger 'bag for life', antiseptic wipes, plasters, recycled plastic food tubs, magnifying glass, and wellies! Do also take pictures of where you dug the clay out, and what it looked like before any processing or kneading. This is all great learning and documentation.

Clay Processing.

The basics will require that you have some tray or bucket, a Sieve or Mesh to remove debris, something to let clay dry on (cardboard or wooden board will do), and some offcuts of wood if you wish to make a Plaster Block. Much of these I didn't buy, and are either taken from skips/dumpster or were old scruffy items from the kitchen that got a 'second' life as equipment for messy play like this.

Sieve: https://amzn.to/3yTy4pM or Mesh to DIY: https://amzn.to/3Ny2zp1

Plaster: https://amzn.to/3POq5jV (though I suggest going to a DIY store and this will be half the price for about 5x as much).

I would also keep things like a Milk Jug handy, as this can be useful for storing liquid clay (aka 'Slip').

Clay Sculpting.

Clay Tools: All varieties to suit your budget: https://amzn.to/3alhwwJ #ad (I would say for a beginner you do not need 'all the gear' right away. Even a Cheese Wire can be made with some tough String and some sticks at either end).

Note: Although you may see me using a craft knife in later steps, I of course advise you use judgement with the kids you are supervising. If they have not 'grown up' with sharp tools just yet, you might like to explore this project as a 'warm-up': https://www.instructables.com/Upcycled-Kids-First-Knife-With-Custom-Oak-Handle/

Firing & Glazing.

This project has assumed you'd 'hand over' your dry clay pots to a Ceramics Studio, or an Art Tutor at a School/College, (or a kind enthusiast), so I have not gone into detail on Firing and Glazing information, nor Safety considerations (as every Studio is different). However, I can recommend this Transparent Glaze:

• Leadless Transparent Glaze (for dipping/pouring): https://www.potterycrafts.co.uk/ProductGrp/potterycrafts-leadless-transparent-low-temp-glaze
• Leadless Trans Glaze (Brush-on - easier to use, but more expensive): https://www.potterycrafts.co.uk/Products/potterycrafts-transparent-leadfree_1/P2834
• If you do not living in the UK, I suggest you simply send this link to a Ceramics supplier who will no doubt be able to confirm a similar match, as this is a very 'generic' Glaze, and widely stocked. It can be purchased in small quantities, but if you can afford it, it is more economic in bulk.

I would also like to give a shout-out to The Institute of Making, run by Zoe Laughlin, in London - a 'Aladdin's Cave of experimentation in material science', which you must check out online or in person). Zoe kindly put me in touch with their wonderful Ceramicist, Darren - who fired these first tests to perfection, and kindly specified a good 'general purpose' / 'good all-rounder' glaze to work with clays like this.

No Kiln, No Problem!

If you do not have access to a Kiln, or your local ceramics/pottery studio is worried about taking a chance on your DIY clay, you might have better luck exploring enthusiasts - there is an amazing 'open kiln network', world wide. Personally I would negotiate a 'deposit', such that if you create any damages you offer to cover the cost. The good news is I think if you follow these steps, it will go just fine, but it's nice offer to 'cover the risk' upfront.

Check Out: https://www.kilnshare.com/

Update: As it happens, I also asked around a few online chat groups / whatsapp groups - and a friend of a friend had just bought a small kiln on eBay and was willing to help out. This combined with Darren and Zoe's help made all the difference. So sometimes it is 'who you know'...

Safety.

I recommend that you work outdoors to avoid clay dust as much as possible. Wash clothes/aprons at the end of the day. Likewise, when mixing liquid clay eye protection is advisable, but with Plaster is is essential. If you are working with powders wear the correct mask (N95/PPF3): https://amzn.to/3Nr05sE

I would like to think most of the safety issues are pretty obvious to any art school or classroom, so will not go into too much detail here (more in steps below specifically), but the one many will not have considered is the hygiene risk of working in rivers, especially in cities. I've gone into more detail in Step 4, but do take this seriously. It is not a reason to panic or be overly anxious, as the NHS states infections are 'rare', but you should be aware of them, so please read.

Legal / Ethics.

If you are taking clay from a river, you must technically request permission from who's land the river flows through. As to the likelihood of someone fining you for a couple kg of clay being taken on a school trip, (especially if you are also litter picking and tidying the area), one would hope this would be 'taken into consideration'. However, legally speaking, I must advise you to check before taking any clay.

Assuming you have permission, as with so much in Nature, I would ask you leave the area as undisturbed as possible, and do not take the clay from just one single place (even if it's a good patch) better to take a small handful here and there. Do not dig out plants, roots, etc. Keep and eye out for nests or small holes of Water Voles, etc. Be kind to nature.

Lastly, Amazon links are affiliate. #Ad.

Disclaimer: This project is created with the best intentions of kids (and adults) going beyond the 'shop bought' world of convenience, but as such this requires some precautions and has some risk associated. Although effort has been made to inform you and allow you to mitigate these risk, the author assumes no responsibility for you attempting this.

Every river tells a story...

I live in London, which is famously build upon Clay (and is why it had such an early underground system), but also grew up in north of England, in the Lake District - both of which have a lot of slow winding rivers, and sedimentary soils. If you have this kind of geography you have a good chance of being able to find Riverbed Clay!

In writing this Instructable, I got curious about finding out how you'd check your local area. Chances are you may find something like this (LINK) useful, but in all honesty the granularity (detail) of such information is likely to not be accurate enough. More likely your area is historically famously clay containing, and even used for pottery historically.

So it seemed to me better to show you how to look for clay, and recognise it when you see (and feel it!). In many ways this is part of the joy of being in nature - you might set off looking for one thing, and stumble across another.

The key thing is to look for a colour and texture change in the bank of a river - this is often a good sign. It might go from brown to orange (like this shown), or it might go to a dull grey. If you poke it with a stick it will feel more resistant and sticky than soil, and will displace (squidgy) rather than crumble, like soil.

If you throw a rock/pebble at it, it'll likely do nothing, when soil would crumble. If you pour water on it, soil will darken and wash away. Clay will do almost nothing. This is why looking at the water-level is a great place to start looking.

One can get into the details of clay deposition later, but for now just find some clay and then later you can explore if you want clay from the 'inner' or 'outer' path of a river bend. Start simple, get a feel for it, and have fun.

If you want to just crack on - skip this step.

However, if you have young kids, or are naturally curious and enjoy picking up a tacit awareness of materials, read on...

My son is not squeamish about dirt, but when younger, he took a bit of 'getting used' to sticky muddy stuff that could literally get everywhere all of a sudden! Often this could be overcome by making an activity that gave 'purpose' to the getting muddy, and he could follow my lead, and then do his own thing.

Your kids may well differ, but I thought this was worth mentioning, as having an informal and fun stating point can make the effort Clay 'excavating' more meaningful, and they have a better reference point of what is and what is not clay - but without the pressure of 'right' (clay), and 'wrong' (soil). The houses will work with mud or clay, and indeed you can point out why one works differently from the other. If you have older kids, you can have them explore what Thixotropy is and why it might matter in making a (real) house - and learn about how Concrete is used in construction.

Anyway, making a mud (or even clay) house is great fun, and is as simple as putting mud and stones together in a pile, and letting it harden in the sun. Adding complexity to the job, you can introduce concepts and techniques around adding fibres such as grass or straw for reinforcement, or more or less stones for the right strength:weight ratio, and before you know it you're at the foundations of some of the earliest principles of Wattle & Daub housing - but thankfully minus the poop!

To my earlier point - you can start with buildings and in a meandering way, end up at ceramics..

Please view all the images for this step...

As mentioned previously, you will need to look at where the waterline of the river is, and if it's not been raining recently, clay will likely be a bit above this, or a bit submerged with increased rainfall. Either way, give it a poke with a stick and you'll feel how the clay squishes (like super thick butter), rather than crumbling and falling away.

The more dark-brown the earth is, the less likely it has clay in it. The more grey, beige or orange-brown it is, the more likely it is clay. If you cut it, it will be more 'buttery' and leave a smooth waxy slice mark. Soil will just crumble.

Although not 100% accurate, as a rule, worms don't exist in clay much, and prefer soil. Soil smells more 'organic', and 'musty', clay smells more 'flat' and 'stoney'. This sounds hard to know for sure, but if you do it a couple times you'll start to train your brain to learn. This 'feedback' loop is a great thing to establish with kids, as it really is how deep tacit learning is acquired.

If you smoosh it together, roll it into a ball and press your finger into it - does it leave a good fingerprint? If yes - this is a good sign, of at least very fine clay or very fine soil. However, what really makes Clay special is something called 'plasticity' - which is the property of it being formed and not disintegrating. This is why you can squeeze, prod, mould, punch, and work Clay with tools - and it will stay together, even if in a new shape.

So - you THINK you have Clay!?

The best test is to squish it together a lot (kneading) - then roll it into a ball - then roll it into a sausage between your hands.

The Test: Bend the Clay 'Sausage' in Half:

• If it cracks a lot, or breaks completely in two pieces, this is sadly just soil.
• If it bends, with only a few small hairline cracks, this is mostly clay - hurray!

If not successful, try other locations and try to get the most 'plastic' clay you can. Even if you have a lot of stones, this is not a bad thing as you will sieve it later (often flint or chert is often found in good clay - so don't discount it).

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Safety Heads-Up / Disclaimer:

If you're not a fan of Dirt or the Great Outdoors, I suspect you tapped-out long ago, so if you're reading this you're likely ok with kids getting a bit messy and accepting the odd tummy bug as par for the course. However, I would recommend you consider two key things:

• SHARPS/CUTS: Some rivers (London being no exception!) have all sorts of rubbish and foreign objects in them. This can mean that there is a risk of infection. So check your kid's hands both before and after for any small cuts. These may have happened through excitedly kneading and pummelling clay, and not noticed a small cut from a sharp stone, stick or even metal/glass - though I must say this is less likely than it sounds. If any cuts get red or swollen, apply antiseptic and monitor - and seek medical advice. If it is much deeper and bleeding - you must seek medical advice right away, and mention being by a river.
• INFECTION: If water is very slow moving, or stagnant - avoid it, as it will likely have higher risk of infection, etc. However, even with flowing water, it is not 'pure' and rats, leaches and other such animals unsavoury animals can share the river and may contaminate it with urine or a bite. I do not wish to scaremonger, but feel it's responsible that you are aware of Leptospirosis being a risk - even if 'very rare' - see NHS info.

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I truly hope you enjoy the great outdoors, but please weigh the risks and the nature of your own kids accordingly. Every family is different. I cannot accept any responsibility or liability for following this guide. If you do go ahead, consider taking hand sanitiser, and perhaps a plaster or two, just in case.

As much as I think it's good to 'properly' process the clay, don't miss the opportunity to simply have fun with it there and then. If anything it only builds the confidence with the material, and being outdoors can make kids less 'precious' than when they are in the formality of (some) classrooms. Dinosaurs, Cars - and the inevitable Dog Poop are all welcome as training sculptures!

You can even take a few tools like this wooden knife with you, to dig and sculpt.

Safety Tip: Kids may be tempted to 'smash' their hands into the clay. Remind them, there may be sticks and small pointy things in there, so as it's unrefined, to shape and knead it carefully. (Once refined, you can go a bit more crazy!). They will feel more than they think, as hands are incredibly sensitive at finding 'foreign objects' whilst kneading and forming the clay.

I've 'skipped to the end' here, by showing you the finished clay test-pieces. The first 3 are sieved and from different sites along the river. However, the last 'Raw' is worth taking note of...

...'Raw' as the name suggests, is clay 'as is' from the River. It was kneaded, but not sieved, or processed in any way. If you want kids to learn about why 'all the effort is worth it' I suggest making some small items with impurities in them. Obviously pluck out any large (larger than a grain of rice) objects like twigs and leaves, etc. But a few impurities can also be quite interesting to observe their impact on the fired piece.

There is a small risk they might crack or burst, but if you keep the pieces small (less than egg sized) you'll likely not have anything very dramatic, but the imperfection will be observable, and interesting to contrast with the refined clay.

Take a slice (with a cheese wire or piece of wire/cord) through the ball of clay from each location you took it from, and take a picture - so you might note any characteristics. If you note the last picture, you can see a black streak, perhaps charcoal (burnt wood) has been lodged into it?

Note: You will see some 'swirly' colours in the clay if you look closely - this shows the variation in the particles in the clay, and is why we need to homogenise them - to make them all the same. Like baking a cake - you want to mix thoroughly, else you'd get a messy result. Clay is no different in that regard.

Although optional, this step is highly recommended: Having a Plaster Block is useful to help with making clay as it helps it dehydrate faster. If doing small batches you can use wood or cardboard, or perhaps a slab of stone, but it's helpful for doing more than a couple kgs of clay.

Plaster or Paris can be purchased for not that much (less than £10/$10 for this job). Start by making a 'frame' from some scrap wood or plastic - this one is about 25cm x 25cm and is about 8cm high. I needed about 5kg dry plaster to fill this. Find a smooth surface as a base. (FYI: I found an old skirting-board and a kitchen unit in a skip and used these).

As a general rule, 1.5kg plaster to 1kg/1ltr of water. I have not written a step-by-step on this, as this Instructables does the job! (I love this place!!). Likewise, you can calculate the Plaster you need for your Frame (or vice versa), with this nifty little Plaster Volume Calculator.

Leave the finished Block to set. Remove frame after 1 hour, trim any spills and overflow. Leave to dry thoroughly in sun or a warm place (not an oven), for a day or two. Be careful when handling - it is heavy!

Safety Warning.

• DUST: Wear Masks if making Plaster Indoors. Only remove if all the plaster is in solution - ie wet. As the dust is very harmful.
• GOGGLES: Wear eye protection to avoid splashes. If it gets in eyes, wash IMMEDIATELY with lots of water, and keep water running whilst you call a doctor / A&E.
• BURNS: Plaster Heats up to 60C. This is not too hot to be on your skin in a thin coating (though you may enjoy a little hand moisturiser afterwards), but you should not let kids try to 'mould their hands' by plunging them into the plaster and letting it set. It will cause 3rd degree burns, and will need tools to remove - causing more harm.
• HEAVY: Once made, ensure the block cannot slide off a table and crush toes. I suggest putting a towel or similar to create friction to avoid slipping. Supervise at all times with an adult.

Schools have been using Plaster of Paris for years: There is no reason to fear this creative medium, but treat any chemical with respect. Again, I can accept no responsibility for any harm caused by reading this guide. If in doubt, seek advice from someone more experienced who can help and/or keep kids away from this one. Always read the MSDS from the supplier also.

Pinch the quarried clay into little pieces and place on a plank of wood or a piece of card, and allow to dry outside of warm, or in a well ventilated place indoors. (I suggest not doing this in winter as you'll likely get a very damp house and mould!). We put ours in a mini plastic green house, and it was dry in a day.

When it breaks in half and is a uniform colour throughout (ie not darker in the middle) this is properly dry. Do NOT take a short cut on this or the next step will not work! It must be really dry!

If you want to you can put these dry chunks in a bag, and smash them up into smaller pieces, to make the next part quicker, but only do this if you are outdoors, and avoid the dust (wear a mask), as you should not breathe clay dust.

Next put the clay chunks in a tray/tub, and add water to it - it should 'sizzle' and 'hiss' as the water rushes into it.

You may need to leave this for a couple hours (lunchbreak!), and when you return, the chunks will have 'disintegrated' into a gloop, which should not be very lumpy. This is called 'Slip' and is liquid clay.

TIP: If you have time, try to leave the slip for a few days, it will have a layer of water form on top. Carefully pour this off and it'll save you some drying time / processing and make the Slip more thick/concentrated - and hence nearer the final product.

With most of the lumps broken down, you can now pass this through a kitchen sieve. I would suggest you do not reuse this for food preparation, and these can be purchased for a £1/$1 - it's not worth the risk to be frugal here, and it's useful in other 'experiments'.

Work the clay Slip through the sieve. It should be like thick custard or double cream. If it's too runny, it does not matter, but avoid it being too thick (unless you're experienced at working with clay).

Take your thickened, sieved and settled 'Slip' - and pour onto either the Plaster Block, or a large sheet of cardboard or wood. Allow to dry.

You will see a colour change, and perhaps the clay slightly shrink and lift up at the edges - once you can peel the slab of clay like shown, this is pretty close to being ready to use. If it is sticky, flip it over, and let it dry some more.

THE TEST: The final result should not be sticky, but should not be so firm that it cracks when bent. If it takes a fingerprint, but your finger remains mostly clean, this is perfect.

Kneading (sometimes called Wedging) is important for two main reasons - it removes air (which is not good for working with clay, and risks cracks/explosions of the piece when fired), and also it blends the clay so it has the same feel throughout (homogeneous).

This is a nice video by Jeni Hansen, showing how to Knead/Wedge the lay, but the best test is to cut in half and look at the end result, as Jeni does at the end. You do not need to worry too much about all the 'setup' of table height etc. if you're doing this as a small project, but long-term this is excellent advice to follow if doing more frequently.

I knead by squashing, folding over, but not so much as to trap air in a bubble, then crush with the base of the palm of your hand. I then give a small rotation to the clay, and repeat. This explanation will not 'tell you all you need to know' and frankly nor will the video, but if you practice you'll start to get a feel of what a air bubble feels (and sounds like when it pops), and you will have better awareness of your body.

Without sounding too Zen Master about it, you should try not to knead just with your hands and arms, but really allow your entire body to 'push'. It will be less tiring, and avoids injury if you do this for large quantities.

TIP: You can knead on the plaster block if you like, as it will help take out moisture and it does not stick to the surface.

You now have 'fresh' Clay. For kids/beginners, this is totally fine to just get started and get making.

However, given it may have been a long day to get here (or the end of a week's Art lesson), I suggest 'resting' the clay. This allows the clay to homogenise - so the wetter/dryer parts all even out, and the particles 'settle'. This makes it more 'workable' (plastic).

Some places leave clay for months, but again, keep in mind we are not trying to become Wedgwood overnight, and a week's rest will likely be fine for kids.

Wrap the clay in *thick* plastic bags, not carrier bags as these allow moisture to escape, believe it or not! A good trick is to twist the open end of the bag, and then put the weight of the ball of clay on it to keep it sealed, (and tends to keep curious little fingers out!).

Perhaps the simplest and best 'starter project' if simply to roll out flat tiles. This will give you a good idea of how refined your clay is, and how to work with it.... from this you can progress to more 3D forms later on.

You can either squash the clay flat with your hands, or if you prefer, use a Cheese Wire to cut a slice. The former is good physical fun, where as the latter is more dexterous and controlled. Set aside some slabs.

To ensure the tiles are equal thickness, find two sticks of wood about 8mm thick. If you don't have this, I found two pens worked fine. Likewise, if you don't have a rolling pin, I used a cardboard inner tube from Kitchen foil... (this is why having a recycling/junk modelling box is great with projects like this!).

Create a square template from a scrap of cardboard - I suggest about 8-10cm square. You can use a craft knife (if you trust your kid), or a blunt clay too, or as shown a metal 'kidney' (search Pottery Stores for these useful tools).

Lay slabs aside.

Depending on the time of year, you will find nice items to press into the clay. Some like LEGO Bricks - you can press as is, but others like Leaves might benefit from rolling 'into' the clay as shown. It's really satisfying and fun to remove the leaves and reveal a wonderful pattern and detail.

The finer your clay (caused by your sieve being fine/finer) this will increase detail. So experiment to see how much detail your clay will pick up. And 'more' is not the goal, as some 'rough' or 'coarse' clay can be very sought after for its organic texture. Do what suits your taste and the nature of the piece you want to make.

As the name suggests - making a pinch pot is made by 'pinching' between thumb and fingers, and is one of the best 'basics' to learn. For kids and adults, this is a good way to develop awareness of your body - this might sound patronising, but even adults regularly put a lot in the base of a pot, and cannot gauge the thickness easily.

This is a nice video, by Danny Bealer. I like that it shows how to observe your progress by cutting in half.

The pinch pot will also 'expose' how good your clay really is. If you do get a few cracks at the rim, this is normal - and even if you use shop-bought clay - this will happen too. So simply smooth over with a little water on your fingers. (Not too much mind you!).

Once you've mastered Pinch Pots, you'll realise these are limited by what you can fit between your fingertips, so it's hard to make anything bigger than a cereal bowl (but this is a cool starter project!). If you want to go bigger, coil pots allow much more scope...

Roll out 'sausages', about as thick as a pen/pencil (or whatever you wish), but be consistent. It's also good training of your sense of feel and control of your hands/pressure in your fingers as the sausages will likely be lumpy at first, and you need to work slightly left/right of centre as you roll to allow the unevenness of your fingers to distribute pressure evenly. Sounds easy - but takes practice.

A common mistake is to roll 'too short' - people use their fingers, when they need to roll the entire length of their hands - from tip to base of palm. This allows the clay to 'travel' more, and hence roll more, and will be more even.

You will note that you can't make sausages too long before they break, and there is no 'rule' on this, so it's about practice and the balance between quick short sausages - but doing more joins, or doing longer with less joins/pieces. Build the coils up, pressing down and together as you go. A nice video here: LINK.

The 'proper' process is too 'smooth' out the coils inside and out, but as you'll see from my son's pot, I left the outside 'as is', and only smoothed the inside. This gives enough strength that it has good integrity and no gaps to leak of course, but also retains some of the 'charm' of your kid learning (parents will get what I mean by leaving the little inaccuracies in), and it also validates their effort by not 'finishing' it al for them.

As an aside, it's an irony that when you do ceramics, you eventually 'master' the technical stuff, and then ironically 'reintroduce' imperfections, quirks and asymmetry as this gives 'character' to hand made pieces.... this could be a long debate, but if you're interested, check out ceramicists like Bernard Leach or Magdalene Odundo who exemplify this 'perfect with imperfections' style. The choice is yours - but enjoy your journey with the material and don't sweat the 'mistakes'.

I suggest drying your tiles on corrugated (box) cardboard initially, as this 'wicks' out the water quickly. However, the trick is also to turn the tiles a couple times a day if you can, this steps one side drying too quickly and the tiles warping.

Once they are feeling 'leather hard' (firm but still bendable / markable), you can transfer to a sheet of wood. If your room is quite dry or warm, I suggest covering with clingfilm loosely. This creates a more uniform humidity and means the pieces dry more evenly. Granted it takes longer (about a week), but the results will be much better. Turn / flip pieces daily. Indeed, pots often benefit from being inverted, as the rim will 'level out' when placed on a flat surface.

Once it 'looks dry' (much lighter), remove cling film and allow to dry for a week in ambient temperature in a room. Do not 'rush' by putting in a hot place like a radiator as it will warp.

Whether you've worked from Pinch or Coil method - you may want things to 'smooth out' a bit. Burnishing is a technique to help migrate the surface of the clay to make it smooth. This is done by rubbing the pot with the back of a spoon, in tiny circles.

It should be done when the clay is 'leather hard' - which is a commonly used term (roughly in-between wet and dry), but takes a bit of getting used to. It is almost but not quite too dry to bend, but it is not 'squishy'. Your fingerprint should not be left if you gently pinch the clay, but it should move slightly with a gentle press. A nice video example here: LINK.

You can of course make things in two parts like a pot and lid. Or you can make a mug and add a handle. Such things are well documented online, so I'll leave you to explore these as you see fit.

As with the note on drying, cover pots with cling film and allow to dry as slow as your patience will allow for best results.

I am very grateful to a Darren at Institute of Making for for kindly firing these test clays. Prior to this I had visited and phones numerous pottery studios, and it was not possible to get them to fire them (even if paid).

However, I'm keen to stress this is not a comment against studios, but rather, a heads-up if you are thinking of casually asking a studio - you may want to appreciate their perspective: Although my clay did not melt or explode, this is not a given - and an 'amateur' clay can of course go wrong, and if it destroys other neighbouring pieces of work or the kiln elements from a commercial pottery, this is of course problematic to say the least.

This is why the Institute of Making was so helpful, as they essentially 'validated' the clay in a 'test' or 'prototyping' kiln (ie a bit more shabby, but still good enough). Many thanks to Darren and Zoe for this. Check them out here: https://www.instituteofmaking.org.uk/

A good tip is to place the pieces in a sacrificial tray, and/or on a bed of ceramic sand - thereby providing a safe base to fire on, and it it melts or goes wrong - it does not damage an entire shelf. Safe to say, if it can be done - fire with no other pieces / other clays in there. This is in fact quite possible if you do a school or small group class, and can split the cost over all the pieces in a full kiln.

These are results from firing at the following:

• Ramp 1 - 35C per hr - to 400C (ie 11hrs)
• Ramp 2 - 120C per hr - to 800C (ie 6.6hr)
• 15 min soak

This is deliberately slow at first to allow all the moisture to slowly escape (too fast and it can explode), but also as this clay 'amateur' as it is, may have more organic matter than 'professional' clay, so this needs time to slowly disintegrate and burn off, without being too sudden - and again risking damage.

It should be said that your kiln may differ, but the general point is - 'take it easy' with prototype clays. Slowly is best.

Glazing is also linked to firing at a higher temperature - which will 'vitrify' the pot, which means to stop water being able to permeate it. The reason you Bisque fire first as this is just below vitrification - so it still absorbs a little water, which is just as well as most Glazes rely on this fact to 'stick' the glaze to the surface.

You can of course glaze pots with a range of exciting colours, but given this is a 'statement' of what the natural colour of my local river clay is, Transparent is the obvious choice for starters. That said, I think I'd consider doing the inside a dark blue or possibly black or white, which would work ok as well as a nice contrast.

The firing was as follows:

• Ramp 1 - 90C per hr - to 400C (4.4hrs)
• Ramp 2 - 120C per hr - to 1060C (8.8hrs) - ie past 800C to vitrification at 1060C.
• Soak 30 mins (allows the Glaze to 'smooth out' and bond to the clay surface).

There is of course some trial and error here, and you may find the Glaze does not 'fit' the Clay, and may need to modify the recipe or try another. However, this seemed to work pretty well for a first attempt.

Good luck! It is the 'hard' part, but an exciting part of course!

I made two scratch marks on my clay when it was dry (unfired), at 25mm apart. Here you can see the callipers at 23.8mm - which means the shrinkage was about 5%. This is pretty good for an amateur effort.

Please note this is not the 'total' shrinkage. This can be anything from 15-20% from Wet to Dry. However, as you can appreciate with home-made clay, the wetness is somewhat arbitrary, so I discounted this. But for completeness it will have shrunk about 20% (ie been about 30mm when wet).

So overall many clays shrink about 20-35% from Wet to Fired. This is worth bearing in mind that when you make something like a Coffee Cup, it needs to be overside by about 25-30%. This actually feels a bit 'crazy' when you're making it, but this is where you just need to trust the science and make it XL.

I was so please at how this Vase come out. It is actually made from Raw, un-sieved, and as you can see has a tiny dimple in it, which I kinda like, as I was not worried about hygiene and wanted a 'benchmark' of how good even raw clay could be.

For the Bowl, I used sieved clay, as I didn't want any defects if to be used in food. Also - remember to wash thoroughly in hot water and soap before using. It should not craze or crack, but of course on the first time be careful!

I was extremely proud of this result - the Glaze not only was a good 'fit' it seems, but it was a lovely size for my 6 year old son to eat from. One often forgets most 'adult' bowls are somewhat 'oversize' for little hands, and 'baby bowls' are somewhat unsatisfying. He was very pleased to eat from this - and does regularly!

I just had fun with these! Makes you wonder how ease to display these in a fun way...

As with my earlier point about making a day or things and letting things 'meander'... it's nice to make a small campfire (if permitted of course), by the river and make a cheese toastie, after all the hard work of getting clay!

As shown, please leave the place as you found it - or indeed better than you found it - we tend to also do a little litter-pick whilst there also (Tip: Kids seem to love using 'Grabbers' to collect rubbish, and looking after nature... so it all makes a great day of it).

Whilst digging around the water, you may also find freshwater shrimp. Take a clear food pot or two.

We also found a lot of broken tiles, pipes and homewares - all of which are oddly very relevant to the whole thing of working with Clay and making Ceramics for practical use at home. Pity it was trash, and we cleared it away, but as it happens you can even add broken glass to clay, but this is perhaps a little too risk for my son, at this age to smash up glass from this river, but you can do similar with marbles, like this: Link.

We also found an abandoned Wren's next by the banks also, and have seen a Kingfisher. The more time you spend by a certain river, the more you might discover.

As mentioned earlier - one of the clay deposits was full of flint stones / chert - these large rocks do not get incorporated into the clay, but need to be sieved out. So although one could use the method above, it can help to do a 'first pass' and sieve the big bits out first.

For this I made a 'frame', and cut around it - at about 1/4 way up. This then provided a 'sandwich' to place some wire mesh between it. Use a bit of gluegun to secure and 'seal'.

Another nice tip is to store the clay slip in a milk jug, and this allows the water to separate out - you then gently squeeze the bottle to displace the water, leaving the thick settled clay - you can then dehydrate on a plaster block as shown.

Once you start getting an 'eye' for Clay, you start spotting it elsewhere. So when we passed a tree which had been blown over in a storm - my son say the soil was slicked in a place where something has scraped against it, and it felt firm like clay...

...Sure enough, it turned out to be clay, and we had one of the most nicely coloured (most orangey / terracotta) clays we have found to date. Even though this will likely fire to a similar colour as the riverbed clay, it's still great to see things beyond just rivers being the 'only' source.

(It's gonna blow his mind when I tell him about *Bone* China!! I might not do that one tho - eugh).

We were lucky to live near Bruce Castle Museum, which happened to have a small pottery exhibition/display - as it was once a local area for clays and pottery. Once you start looking for things, you tend to 'spot' more...

It can be fun to try to imagine lives with such vessels, or to try to recreate them...

I have had a great time working on this project: Ever since I was a kid, I did stuff like this at my school and I was lucky that dedicated art teacher was enthusiastic about doing this in a river in Cumbria. That memory stayed with me, not just as a sentimental thing to revisit with my son, (which is wonderful, to do even in a urban area), but through my career as an inventor/engineer, who is now invested in the discussions around Sustainability and Circularity. Some great books on this I've enjoyed lately: Wasteland, and Material World. I post about this on LinkedIn also.

This project may seem like 'Child's Play', but it articulates a valuable question of whether we should be teaching our children (and indeed, adults) about the provenance of the things we buy and use; what materials were needed; where did they get mined; how were they processed; by whom, and at what price; are there better ways; what happens when we're 'done' with it?... the list goes on, and is as broad as it is deep.

Having something as 'everyday' as a terracotta cereal bowl, feels like a great way to keep such questions ticking over in our heads from childhood to adulthood. With more awareness we might not only respect the innovation that goes into things, but also cherish our good more, and give thought on how to waste less, and live more.