AMACO.com May E-News

...placing a piece of deli or parchment paper over the clay before you roll it out. This will protect the clay surface from contamination that may come from within the machine. This is especially helpful when working with patterned, white or lightly colored clay sheets. There are two tips to note when using this method to protect your clay:

1. You may need to replace the paper with one or more fresh sheets if gradually rolling through thinner settings (except when working with solid colored sheets of clay). The reason is that some colors and patterns can leave an imprinted residue on the paper. If this occurs, continuing to use the same sheet may re-stamp the residue from the paper back onto the clay, leaving an unwanted patterned shadow. Replacing the paper with a fresh piece if this occurs will prevent this problem.

2. This tip applies to working with the thinnest settings. Because the clay stretches and the paper doesn't, only allow the paper to make contact against the bottom edge of the clay sheet as it's placed along the rollers. Keep the rest of the paper separated from the clay with one hand. Slowly feed the clay and paper into the machine while cranking with one hand, allowing the paper to make contact with the clay only as it goes through the rollers. Attempting to roll the entire sheet of clay through the rollers when covered with the paper may cause the paper to wrinkle and buckle, leaving an imprint on the clay surface.





Lisa's Designer Tip of the Month

Everyone, no matter how imaginative they are, runs into creative block from time to time. Keep an inspiration journal. Create sections for color combinations, pattern ideas, sketches, ideas for future projects, and clippings pictures that move you. Whenever you feel uninspired pull out the book, and let it jumpstart your imagination. I keep two, one in my studio and one by my bed. Some of my best ideas come to me as I start to fall asleep or in dreams. Write these down right away before you forget. Not every idea is a winner, but sometimes something even better comes out of an experiment than the intended result. Another tip for breaking creative block is to work in a completely different medium than clay. It can be especially helpful to try your hand at something you've never done before, like knitting or beading. This can be the springboard of new ideas or just make it easy to get the creative clay juices flowing once more.