- 1). Roll the clay together to evenly distribute the moisture it contains. This removes any air that's trapped inside and gives the clay more overall plasticity so it's easier to work with. If the trapped air isn’t removed, the clay may explode during the firing process when the air bubbles expand from the heat.
- 2). Place the clay directly on the center of your pottery wheel before turning the wheel on. Make sure that it's as close to the center of the wheel as possible before proceeding to the next step.
- 3). Turn on the pottery wheel and use your hands to create a cone with the clay. Don't make it too thick or too tall. Push the clay down from the top of the cone by using your thumbs. Continue to push the cone down, and begin to mold the clay into a circle that's approximately 1 inch high.
- 4). Use your dominant index finger to create an opening as the clay continues to spin. Add another finger to create more depth, and hold your other hand's fingers along the perimeter of the clay to begin to shape the sides of the mug. Continue to apply light pressure on the perimeter of the mug so that it begins to gain some height.
- 5). Turn off the pottery wheel momentarily and pull up the mug to remove it. Take another piece of clay and shape a handle; attach it to the mug by pressing it into place. You can use a small spatula to smooth down the areas affected by pressing the handle into place.
- 6). Allow the mug to dry for approximately one hour before placing it in a kiln. You can use an electric or fire-based kiln; fire-based kilns operate at higher temperatures and will finish the mug faster.
- 7). Allow the mug to harden inside the kiln before removing it. If the surface of the mug looks matte rather than shiny, it's typically time to remove it from the kiln. Allow the mug to completely cool, and then glaze it.
- 8). Reheat the mug in the kiln after applying the glaze; refer to the glaze's directions for the amount of time required to set and cure it. Allow the mug to cool down before removing it from the kiln for the final time.
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