VESSELS --BOXES, BOWLS
& Trays, Clocks, etc.

GENERAL INFO for all vessels

There are several basic ways to create vessels.
They can be made completely freeform with slabs and bits of clay. . . or they can be made with the aid of a "form" or armature on which you shape the clay (the forms can be left inside the clay layer permanently, or they can be removed after baking).

Vessels can be made from only one layer of clay. . .or a base layer can be constructed and baked to give a firm surface for adding a second clay layer (depending on the vessel, the base layer may be visible or not... if it won't be visible, scrap clay can be used).
...Bowls are most often made with one layer.... boxes can be made with one layer or two (not counting any smaller added decorative panels, etc.).

a Sculpey clay can be used as the base layer because it bakes up "stiffer" than the other clays.... since it will be covered by a second layer of stronger clay, it's relative brittleness shouldn't be a problem
.......for me, Premo alone can be too flexible for my work with (larger) boxes- especially the early stages, so I mix it with Sculpey III which "cures" stiffer. ...now I use 2 pts. Premo to 1 pt Sculpey III.. I am very careful about making sure the clays are thoroughly mixed....I bake at Premo's longer baking times....I have often dropped (accidentally) boxes onto concrete floors and unless they hit a thin or structurally fragile area, rarely have they broken or chipped (when I used a 1:1 proportion). Irwin

Jody B. says boxes can have thinner walls but still remain strong by using Premo clay, then coating the inside of the box with 2 layers of liquid clay..

Aristocrat's "Liquid Glass" 2-part resin makes a beautiful interior finish for small polymer vessels... just pour it in (and swirl around?)... it's good too because often the interior part of vessels are just about impossible to sand. Kathy

An Omnigrid (quilter's ruler) is used by Mary Reynolds for making cuts when making boxes especially so they'd be straight and measurable at the same time, or for cutting even strips. .. good thing to work on when making measured, straight or parallel cuts. ...she used the 6 x 12" one (they have bright yellow lines)..come in various sizes...squares, rectangles and triangles, down to 4"x4"....
http://www.crazyladiesfabrics.com/notions.html (prob. little less expensive at retail fabric store)
http://www.joann.com/catalog.jhtml?CATID=24990&PRODID=61213&foreground=green (click on the zoom icon for left ruler)
....I was surprised that this stiff plastic isn't the kind that's melted by raw clay, but it must be acrylic.
... all markings are on the back side of the rulers sold now
....(if you have an Omnigrid from the 1980's though, the markings could be dissolved off by contact with Diluent and raw clay)
. . . I've been using a sheet of graph paper stuck to the back of my clear acrylic work surface, but this would be better in various ways. Diane B.
(see more gridded work surfaces in Tools > Work Surfaces)

(If you want to sand the interior of a box,) it's much easier to get inside the box walls to sand before you apply the box bottom. Eliz

creating a mold ...from the *inside*??? . . .small or larger vessels/forms could be made by pressing into raw clay from the inside of a general shape (as if making a mold in a depressions of sand). . .line the inside of a depression made in sand, dirt,or whatever, with a shell of soft clay , then press objects or tools firmly into the interior sides of the shell; bake, and use as a mold for the exterior of a bowl or other form (if enough clay is used, or used in certain areas, quite large impressions can be made)
....Chris Gryder's large bowl-ish forms created this way with earth clay "molds"
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/crafting/article/0,1789,HGTV_3352_1944835,00.html
http://www.chrisgryder.com/ (click on Vessels, then click on one or more for enlargment)

Vessels can be used as bases under other sculpts or other items as well to elevate or showcase them... these can be stand-alone display units, or attached to the item itself (like a trophy base)
...Alan's boxes embellished with transfers, used under a polymer urn
http://groups.msn.com/ALANpolymer/polyclaysculpture.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=33
(see more in Sculping/Settings...bases)

Someone mentioned that boxes (and bowls?) with feet (and/or handles) seem to have more "importance" (I think that was the term, anyhow). Irene

Sometimes if you put a layer of aluminum foil around the object you want to emulate, then put a layer of clay, and bake it will work as a mold. It does have to be bake-able. ..some times you can pull out the object, leave the foil, then bake, then pull out the foil. the smoother the foil the easier it is to remove. ...(Fingernail polish bottles are just right for making thimbles... but they are one of the items I do not bake. Sometimes the object seems to be shrunk in on, so I put it back in the oven, heat to 180' then pull it out gently before it cools, I've made boxes and thimbles and bowls this way.)

I grouted interior joints of the box walls with translucent and baked again.
...I use superglue (fresh is best) and TLS at corner joints when at the "bones" stage of construction, then add decorations, many that reinforce the corners. Them babies hold! LynnDel
...I score the clay on the joints and dab a bit of mineral oil on before I press them together. And I make sure all the clay has been conditioned recently. Kim2

Barbara McGuire's lesson on making an urn-shaped vase, by covering a pilsner glass, and adding a sloped rim and scrolled handles to the side
http://hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,CRHO_project_12579,00.html

Caroline has a votive which is a Skinner Blend of translucent and green (so the most translucent is nearest the top); she also adhered wavy ribbons of the same clay all around the votive vertically so that only the lower portions of these s-waves were adhered to the clay covering. DB

Jan's teapots made by covering round glasses (like votives) and adding spouts,handles, and lids (website gone)
(...see also teapots made this way using small or large glass Christmas balls in Christmas > Glass Balls)

Lisa Pavelka's teapots, fancy tea "cups", some "bowl" type, and vessel type
http://www.heartinhandstudio.com/tea_with_clay.htm
...500 Teapots (book by Suzanne Tourtillott). . . a fat, juicy book with just photos of teapots for inspiration (and captions)...no how-to projects, just photos. It's thick - well over an inch thick, and you know how beautiful Lark Books are. Irene

Premo seems to shrink a bit more than Fimo. . . . when I'm encasing a good-sized object, like these rocks, I've found that I get some cracking with the Premo ( so I use Fimo for these). I surmise this is from shrinkage because the cold water bath doesn't pull these cracks back together for me. The repair/disguising on those boxes can be a real headache. Joanie

He also made grog of polymer with thin, baked polymer ground to a powder and screened, just like you do with fired earth clay. He mixed into the raw clay, which adds body for throwing, and gives a very earth-clay look to things.

http://www.printmini.com/printables/ ...I've been printing things out from Jim Collin's mini printables (website). Most interesting thing is Victorian Money, for cow boy poker games. There are patterns for boxes, Chinese take out boxes, trunks, computers, etc. Use these printables as patterns for your clay sheets and make instant house hold items like stoves and washer/dryer sets. Nora Jean
...see 5 squares of clay for fold-up cardstock box below, in Covering)

I think you're right, some of the tattoo tile designs are so square or something and lend themselves better to more regular shaped objects like boxes. But some of those flowing floral patterns should make good pendants. Desiree

Kim's small framed (in this case, post. stamps) pieces could be used as central medallions for covered notebooks, boxes, etc. (or use any kind of layered or otherwise-framed small pieces--see Frames or Onlay) (website gone)

.... Cre*it!'s textured, white-Sculpey-in-the-box clay tiles, folded double thickness after one pass through pasta machine, which are mounted on ceramic tiles, notebooks, cards, vessels, even jewelry, giving them sufficient strength and retaining lightness; double deck effect (or triple, using a framing paper layer etc..) (then finished with their special tinted glazes),
http://www.dotcalmvillage.net/cre8it/polyglaze.html
http://www.dotcalmvillage.net/cre8it/polyglazetech.html (lessons to come)

soap dish. . . I can say that the three I have and use regularly do not seem affected either by water OR soap. The only problem I seem to have is that certain colored soaps (like the Glycerin-based amber-colored ones) tend to discolor or "dye" the clay if it is light-colored. Also something to think about in your design: any nooks and crannies the soap may find it's way into....will make cleaning the soapdish difficult.

Violette's clay cage made of ropes (website gone)

I would suggest a cup holder made from clay to hold little disposable bathroom cups of paper or plastic..

…little fake rock to put a spare house key in and hide around my house.. . he said I should have just made it out of clay and instead of having a hinged door on the bottom, I could just make a slot big enough to slide the key in. . .

incense burner bottle. . . I have seen them with decorative bottles or stain glass stuff. Probably would look really nice with translucent clays or pretty canes. I just can't figure out the best way to make the 4 holes in the bottom without breaking the bottles.
Donna, Use a miniature drill with as abrasive arbour it will slowly cut through the glass.

I have not tried acrylic (picture frames), but I have very sucessfully baked thick plexiglass cylinders covered with polymer clay to use as the inside of a box. These things actually make wonderful box cores..... The clearness of the plexi allows the colors to come thru on the inside, and you can even store edibles inside if you use a pexiglass top and bottom.

pins, pendants, boxes, etc. . . . impress and bevel the framing
....another easy, but cool thing I do to the edges of pins or pendants (like leaf impression pins) is to roll a knurled tool up against the edge.
....I've told enough people about this to know that some don't know what a "knurled tool" is... it's any kind of cylindrical tool with that diamond-shaped pattern impressed into it (somewhere, usually on the handle…say a wrench, for instance).…I use (the handle of) a leather punch
…so when your pin is just ready to bake, roll the edge of the tool up against the edge of the pin (lengthwise).... this puts a little bevel on the edge with an interesting cross-hatch pattern to boot
...it even squares it up a bit.  Mike  B.

for lesson on eyeglasses case, see Jewelry > Eyeglasses

for woven vessels see websites, and also ClayGuns/ > Noodle Cutters

for making patterned sheets for vessels, see Sheets of Pattern, Mokume Gane, Canes-Gen > Sheets, Mica, and more

for bubbling in flat sheets, see Pasta Machines > Problems

for info on "Great Stuff" expanding foam (polyurethane foam for insulating and sealing pipes) which can work well as an armature (see Armatures > Wire & Other Materials)
http://www.dow.com/greatstuff/index.htm (info and many uses!)

BOXES

FREEFORM --slabs, sheets, etc.... no forms used

Raw, Pre-Baked and Mixed

Cutting the pieces out and letting them set for at least 10 minutes before using can help to firm them up for some of these techniques.

Cutting your box sides and other elements on top of a piece of graph paper or an Omnigrid ruler will help make sure the pieces are well squared or symmetrical, if that's what you want.

Or, use a template or a cutter for cutting out (rectangular) sides, or tops, etc.:
...anything from around the house: stiff boxes of plastic or cardboard, playing card, credit card, jewel cases, kids' toys (like building units...if you use Legos, you can make your own rectangles in any size...blocks, or just any toy parts ...jar lids, Altoid tin (rounded corners won't transfer if using a long blade)
...cutters of all kinds (cookie, canape, bought shape cutters, etc.)

Some people do something extra to make sure the joined raw edges of a box are strong and well bonded:
...use a bit of liquid clay on the edges (or wherever they connect) before joining. . . or use a bit of Diluent or white glue (Sobo, etc.) left to tack up a while
...I grouted mine with translucent clay
...I use superglue and TLS at corner joints when at the "bones" stage of construction.... then later I also add embellishments (many that reinforce the corners)....them babies hold! LynnDel
...I score the clay on the joints and dab a bit of mineral oil on before I press them together. And I make sure all the clay has been conditioned recently so they're soft enough to moosh together well . Kim2
...(after baking the box?) ...applying a couple of coats of Colored liquid sculpey inside (curing each coat separately) and allowing the liquid clay to puddle a bit down in the joints between the side walls and the bottom of the box can create a nicely finished box interior (this also eliminates any tricky sanding and buffing of the interior and it makes the box really strong). Elizabeth

Freeform vessels can be made with one layer of clay, OR two layers (one of which will be an inner, unseen, base layer and the other a decorative outer layer)

Base layer clays:
...use any clay
...I use straight Super Sculpey clay because it bakes nice and hard with no "bend" to it..
...I have also used a mixture of 50% Cernit + 50% Premo and had relitively stiff walls.
...I make boxes with walls made from Cernit white base layer (Atlas #3) before applying a colored decorative skin over that. . . they are NOT flexible
...the trouble with translucent clay is that it is more flexible.

For boxes with flat sides, I bake the individual pieces between two tiles.
(my boxes have 3 layers: base layer, interior decorative layer, and exterior decorative layer)
. . then I cover one side of the pieces with whatever color I want on the inside, and bake again.
...I glue those sides together (colored side in), then wrap with a sheet of (decorative) clay for the exterior, and smooth seams, etc.
...or I bake the individual (3-layer?) sides by themselves . . . then you could use white glue (tacked up) or diluent to put them together, and rebake . . . (or superglue or Liquid Sculpey).

Several ways to prevent curling of thin flat clay when baking. . . one is to place something heavy on top of the piece while baking.
.... however, if the weight will harm the surface technique, wait until the pieces comes out of the oven and while it is still somewhat hot, place heavy books on top of it until cool.
...Or, while it is still hot but not so much so that you can't handle it, fill the sink with cold water and then lay the piece down on the bottom of the sink and hold flat until cool. Dotty in CA
...or just make it thicker
...letting the clay rest and cool will stiffen it a bit
(see Pasta Machines > Problems > Bubbles for info on bubbling in flat sheets)...

(see more in Houses-Structures, for using pre-baked shapes, from patterns in this case) for making box shapes

many wondeful boxes of various kinds at the Rave 1998
http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/rave/rave98.shtml (...click on ALL alphabet links!)

Emi's faux ivory box lesson, stamped/antiqued, onlaid, etc., with lid
http://www.hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,CRHO_project_2915,00.html
Gerri's faux ivory and jade boxes, with layered lids and cylindrical or ball feet, similar to Emi's
http://www.newfry.com/Boxes.htm

Dayle's various boxes and shrines
....(one shrine is just 3 tall sides held together loosely with 2 jumprings and/or small onlays --no bottom or top)
http://dayledoroshow.com/pics3.htm

(for freestanding, often partly translucent, light or candle screens, see Covering > Glass > Nightlights & Lamps & Candle Screens

Pat's lesson on making a cylindrical slab pot, with 3 pinched areas to close and shape the bottom... also lid
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/pp1.html

interesting boxy vessels (ceramic, but good polymer ideas)
http://www.amaco.com/jsps/amacohome.jsp (click on Lesson 14: Chinese Bronze Vessels --must have Adobe Acrobat)

unusual, audio-tape-boxes box ...adaptable to clay --as "pictures" inside the clear cases and/or as lids, etc. ... Marlies made some triangular boxes (or could be rectangular or any shape) by standing 3 audio tape boxes on their long sides and gluing together with clear glue
http://www.mcuniverse.com/Boxes_from_Audio_Tape_Cases.959.0.html
... cool flap-over boxes also... Marlies covers box and cardboard for rigid cover with contact paper, but it could be clay? (see details in Boxes-Gift)
http://www.mcuniverse.com/Video_Tape_Covers_-_Recycled.700.0.html
lesson for "display" box made with 6, same-size photo frames (4 sides, top + bottom)... glass is glued in with silicone sealer/glue...sides glued to each other with hot glue, 4 knob feet on bottom to elevate, lid placed on top (interesting idea)
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_furnishings_other/article/0,,HGTV_3433_1393272,00.html

(small) Closed Box technique ... for strong, hollow, forms

Ai-Ping Yeh demoed wonderful small "hollow" forms (mostly boxlike) at Ravensdale 2000, and later a couple of times to the South Bay Polymer Clay Guild.
Her clever method of lightweight yet very stong construction can be used in many ways ... thank you, Ai Ping!
...The shape she demoed at the guild was box-like (some remind me of "guitar" boxes), and she's been using then primarily as pins.
.....the pieces have a very organic look and suggest a great deal of graceful movement because of their shapes and her embellishment choices
.....many of her component parts (top, bottom, sides, plus occasional embellishments) vary in color and pattern (see more on her decorative surfaces below) but it's not necessary.
...many of Ai-Ping's boxes --plus some technique illustrations (...captions to be added later)
http://www.glassattic.com/imagesOBJ_SEAS_MISC/vessels/Ai-Ping_boxes.htm (click browser's Back button to return to this page when there)
.... Jean S's boxes after Ai-Ping class http://www.pbase.com/stargazer/hollow_boxes
.....boxes from another Ai-Ping class http://www.flickr.com/photos/papcg/392467040/in/set-72157594539748982

The following info was culled from Ai Ping's demonstration or from Ai Ping herself:

The basic parts of each box are: 1 top ...1 bottom ... 4 pieces (or possibly 1 long, continuous piece) for the interior (hidden) walls which give added strength ...and 4 individual wall pieces for the outer, visible sides
Summary:
....her tops are usually irregular in outline rather than exactly rectangular, and the surface is also often wavy (vertically wavy ...think undulations)
...some of her tops have a "holey" layer, under which a contrasting-color layer shows through the cutouts
...sometimes one or more beads, pearls, etc., are placed in an underlayer, and are framed by a hole
...some of her tops have an opening cut into them (from simply a slot, to a larger "window" of any shape)
......something can also be happening in the window (...below the window and inside the box, or barely emerging from it, or protruding through and literally waving around above it); items she's used for this have often been pearls, knots of wire or seed beads, etc., anchored with or mounted on wires
...the box bottoms are usually flat (but don't have to be)
...the side walls are double construction...the scrap base layer gives strength and is covered by a decorative outer layer.
(this technique requires multiple bakings ...translucent clay may darken with repeated bakings, so may want to drape with damp paper towel during baking, or add only toward end of project)

construction (lesson):

TOPs
1. HOLEY cut-out effect: (pasta machine layers #3 + #5) ... see "Decorative Surfaces" below
2. FRAMED ("set") PEARL or BEADs (pasta machine layers #3 + #5) ... see PEARLS 1, below
3. FLAT clay: (#3) ... see "Decorative Surfaces" below for pattern ideas
(........if your top layer is a "holey" one, or if pearls/beads are to be framed by holes, the top will consist of two layers)

Create one of the tops above, or whatever you want.... then cut it into a pleasing outline shape with a blade
...if you then want to make your top wavy:
....... roll a piece of heavyweight paper into a long, thin cone (perhaps 1" or less diameter at end, and 5" long)... place it on your baking surface and lay the raw top over the cone, pressing down around cone as desired (she places her cone widthwise, and generally uses only one, but cone could be underlaid in any orientation and more than one cone shaper could be used... or you could use other things to create waves, bumps, peaks, etc.) ....translucent clays tend to be softer, so use a smaller cone so the the curvature won't be too tall
...(cut window after baking, or now if you want)
.....bake at 250 for 5 min (or 10 min. if you begin with a cold oven)

WINDOW . . . (skip this step if you don't want a window)
A window can either be cut into the raw clay before draping over the cone and baking (..if so, .bake at 250 for 5 minutes --or 15 minutes if you want "set pearls" in the surface of this top piece--.and let completely cool), or it can be cut after baking (the short bake time will leave clay soft enough to cut easily while warm) ...and cutting afterward can give more control for difficult cuts like zigzags
...cut out the size window you want using a blade (tip of tissue blade, or an Xacto), or even a shape cutter
......if top is wavy, use a large blob of raw clay (and a patty paper) underneath the baked wavy top to support it whilte cutting
......may want to create a paper template of the window and the outline of the top to guide your cutting (place template on raw top... poke needle holes in corners, etc.)
......a small raised frame can be added around the edge of the window as an onlay (or any way you want)
......you'll need a long narrow window if it's to be used with the pearls-on-staples "in a row" described below (to help cut that slot-type window, Ai-Ping made 2 holes in the raw top, then cut the slot between the two holes after baking)
..... if you'll be adding waving stalks (as below) , remember to make the window large enough to allow them to move around

PEARLS & WIGGLIES . . . (skip this step if you don't want to have wiggly or non-moving pearls or beads, etc., showing inside-under your window or waving outside it)
.....placement and technique options for the pearl(s) or bead(s):

1. small pearl(s) (or wire coils) set in holes--these are set into a hole in the surface of box top (only top half visible) ....(tip: if your top is wavy, place it on a slab of raw clay with a bit of paper on top of that to support and protect it for the next step):
....drill hole in baked top with drill bit a little larger than pearl/bead you want to inset... turn top upside down and gouge out a bit of clay on both sides of the hole with a linoelum cutter (begin in the hole about halfway deep, and gouge outwards and then upward, leaving a kind of triangle shape removed) ... repeat for other side of hole ...place pearl on a very short length of 24 gauge wire and lay it into the hole so that the short wires sticking out of the pearl lay in the gouges (can bend the wire a tad) ... fill in over the wire in the gouge with soft clay to hold the wire in place... repeat for other side (see photo)

2. pearl(s) strapped with staple --these will rest on top of the box's interior bottom, sort of strapped down (whether top of pearl/bead is lower than box top surface or slightly above it depends on bead's diameter)
....create a #6 sheet of clay (false bottom, but visible from the interior), trim it the same size as the box bottom, and bake
....thread one or more pearls onto 24 gauge wire ... bend wire into a "staple" shape by bending wire down on both sides of the pearl(s) (vertically) for "legs"
... drill 2 holes in the thin layer with tiny drill bit or needle tool at a area where the window will be above it..... ...insert legs staple through it toward back... press feet down and inward on back side ... (remember to center window over pearls when cutting bottom of box in next step)

3. waving pearl(s) stalks, on raised staple (extending up above surface of the box top.)... these sort of wave around unpredictably on their "stalks" ...very cool!)
...there are 4 parts to his version -- a number of pearl & wire "stalk" units, a thin baked clay layer (see just above), the 24 gauge wire staple (this staple is set up higher than in the previous version though so the bottoms of the wire stalks can lean around freely rather than being strapped down), and 2 spacer beads ... the interior false bottom won't show much or at all
...to make the stalks, cut lengths of "iron binding wire" (a thin but very strong wire...hardware store? piano wire?) as long as you want your stalks, plus some extra.... at one end of each make a tiny loop and flatten it ...string on a pearl/bead and glue it up to the flat loop with superglue ... bend the other end of each wire into a small loop at whatever distance away from the pearl you want (stalks can be same lengths or diff.)... you'll want enough of these to place them close together
........ row placement ...string all of the loops onto a length of 24 gauge regular wire (however...if the pearls-beads you've used won't fit through the window you've made, stick the stalks' loop ends through the top of the box before continuing)... make a staple shape as for the pearl-on-staple above, but thread a small baked polymer bead onto each leg before inserting the legs through the thin baked clay layer (as above) (the beads will act as side spacers to hold the top of the staple up off the clay allowing the wire stalks to move freely) ... bend feet inwards as above (remember to center slot window over pearls when cutting bottom of box in next step)
........random placement ...rather than stringing the stalks onto a straight length of wire, create a spiral shaped staple from the wire to string them on (the spiral will be parallel to the bottom of the box... treat the legs and feet the same as above)

wire wigglies ... .thin colored metal wire knots, each of which sits loosely on the surface of the box bottom but rolls around spasmodically if tilted (remind me a bit of "Mexican jumping beans") ..each knot has a very short stalk ... these are not stabilized with a staple as above, rather each one is set separately
....to create the "knot" end, wrap a length of wire (like Artistic Wire) a number of times around the shaft of a quilt pin ... cut excess when it's as long as you want, and remove from pin (the knot can be scrunched a bit with pliers if desired) ...cut the other end of the wire long enough for your short stalk, plus enough extra to form a small loop later
...to create the "open-box window" to hold them, create a false bottom sheet (this surface will show) (how thick?), creating it just wider than your window
.......poke a small hole where you want each wire knot to be, then bake (or drill after baking)
...... insert leg of each wire stalk into one hole (from front side), and form a loop on the underside leaving the straight part of the wire long enough to allow for some play ...flatten the loop up next to the box bottom to secure
.......when all the knots are placed, decorative inner walls can be added around and under the window area (which will be visible in final pin).... with Sobo, place each raw wall around the outer part of the top surface of the false bottom layer, then attach to the underside of the window (again with Sobo), and bake______ (or are wires added after open box completed?)
..........these decorative inner walls could also be used anytime you want to have walls showing inside the box, around the window
(one of Ai Ping's boxes with wire wigglies was almost a completely flat box ... see below in Misc for not-hollow version)
...Celie Fago uses something similar, but adds another wire ball at the other end of short wire stalk (after passing through hole in the side of her pod pendant)
http://www.celiefago.com/gallery_2003.htm#

BOTTOM of box
...create a decorative sheet of clay or use a plain one (...esp. .when making a pin, #3 pasta machine thickness suggested)
...place raw bottom sheet underneath baked top (decorative side down)... then cut around top with blade or blade tip to make both layers the same outline shape
...bake bottom 250 for 5 min., then cool

INTERIOR WALL (hidden, strengthening wall) & preparation:
...apply Sobo white glue where the interior walls will be affixed (along the outside perimeter of the interior-facing side of both the top and bottom piece... on flat areas, not on the actual sides)
(...now here comes the ingenious part...)
...turn the top piece face down... then press 2-5 small balls of white bulk Sculpey (or the the softest clay you have) to the inside of the top (don't let the balls extend past the outer edges of the box though)
...align the bottom of the box, face up, over the balls-and-top
... then press top and bottom of the box together till you have them oriented for the finished box exactly the way you want them to appear (e.g......tilted, relatively parallel, tall walls, short walls, etc.) ...the balls will hold top & bottom in place for next step.

...make a # 3 pasta machined clay strip (long enough for at least 3 of the sides if doing them contiguously) from scrap clay (since it will be covered by an exterior wall)
...lay your long raw scrap clay strip on a work surface
...press one long side of your temporarily-held-together-box onto the scrap sheet ...this will create an custom impression the exact size and shape of that particular interior wall
.......either repeat this step for the other 3 walls, or just roll the box over onto its next 3 sides without picking it up from the sheet, creating one long strip... this might create a bit too much clay in each corner but any excess could be shaved off) (...Ai Ping recommends doing this for only 3 sides, then adding the last separately to avoid stretching, but could try all 4 anyway)
.........if you decide to roll the box to all sides, then you can use a V-shaped linoleum cutter to cut across the strip where each "corner" will be (you'll see the impressions) to miter them for folding together later ...don't cut all the way through though)
........(before impressing the strip, you may want to mark or remember which side you'll be starting with so you'll know where to begin fitting your strip!!)
...cut just inside the impressed lines of your interior wall strip with a blade tip (...the lines will be straight or wavy depending on whether your top was baked wavy)
...now separate the top and bottom of the box and remove the squished clay balls
...match up the first side of the box with it's corresponding wall strip (or section of long strip), and carefully attach one long side of strip to the inside of the box top, just inside the interior edge and over the glue... (you can lean the wall outward a bit, if you want to facilitate next step)
.......OR, Debbie A. suggested placing a rope of clay just inside the wall, and touching the wall (before attaching?) so that it would be easier to attach (not use dental tool?)
...(especially if not using the rope of clay,) use a dental or other tool to press the attached edge more firmly against the bottom of the box on the inside) ... repeat for the other 3 sides (...or as above, do them all in one strip)
...then press the whole wall now attached to the top piece to the bottom piece (don't worry if it's a bit bent in or has small gouges --if they're large enough, they can be filled in after baking with a bit of glue and then soft clay, and rebaked)
...bake 250 for 5 min.

EXTERIOR WALLS (visible, decorative walls):
...create the patterned clay sheet(s) you want to use for the walls (each wall can be different in pattern/color/etc, or can have onlaid cane slices or other onlays, leafing, etc..)
...place one interior-wall side of the baked box onto the back side of a small pattern sheet , then shave off excess sheet clay extending past the top and bottom (level blade resting on top, or bottom) if necessary .... trim the ends with blade
...apply second outer wall (same or different color/pattern) to the second inner wall, overlapping end of first sheet, and trim ... repeat with 3rd and 4th wall (...this will result in each exterior side overlapping the previous side at one end, and being overlapped by the next side at the other end ...or you can do the two opposite sides first, then the other two opposite sides... or any way you want).
...bake according to manufacturer's directions (e.g,. 265 for 30-40 min.)... (do a final trim around all edges if any more cleanup necessary)

MISC :
...at least one of her "boxes" is not hollow ... it's very thin and flat, comprised of 2-3 layers of clay which are pressed together and don't have interior walls...the top has a window in it showing through to the upward facing side of the bottom piece... the outer decorative "sides" in this case are very short (...this construction also allows the exterior outline to be be much more convoluted or sharp )... this particular one had wire wigglies in the shallow window.
...a basic box shape can be broken up into 2-3 smaller boxes which nest together puzzle style with slight spaces between, etc. (...one of Ai Ping's was cut apart with a wavy blade tho' larger than our wavy blade?)
...Sculpey clay is too soft to use anywhere in the finished box (okay for the temporary spacers though).
...freshwater pearls can be baked, but the white and pink ones work best because their color won't change. AP
.......also some beads have color which will change in baking (bake separately first to check)

decorative surfaces (top, sides, and/or bottom)

Ai-Ping often joins together more than one pattern sheet for her tops, bottoms or sides (see Sheets of Pattern > Collage for similar effects)
...for these, she first makes the desired cut along one edge of one pattern sheet... then places it partly on top of the second pattern sheet (so that it looks the way it will end up) ... then she cuts along the edge of the first cut sheet, through the under sheet only, and removes the under sheet.... presses the two cut sheets together
... to create a good joinl, she places a patty paper over the joined area, and rubs in the direction of the cut, then round in circles...she may then also pass it through the pasta machine (at same setting) to reflatten completely.

FLAT, PATTERNED sheets
Ai-Ping often uses slices from tiny tiny (highly reduced) canes sprinkled all over her pattern sheets
.... the canes can be round, flattened, etc., and are often very simple cane shapes (e.g., line of white surrounded by black, round or rectangular wrapped "bullseye" canes, longer single color rods, small stripes, etc.)
...translucent... sometimes used as the center of a cane, or sometimes as an outer wrap (also translucent spirals made with thin darker layer)
...abstract strips of color which also can be "grained" effects, Skinner Blends, tinted translucents with obvious plaquing, Kato's one-petal-at-a-time onlay, etc.

She also may combine many different visual and textural techniques in one box, or on one top, or for each side, etc.
....she often uses texturing, onlays (tiny cane slices, etc.)w
...or could be leaf/crackled, powders, mokume gane bits.... just anything

3-D ideas for SURFACES
...decorative holes drilled in baked clay just for visual texture after baking (Black & Decker drill bits make cleanest cuts for round holes)... someone said pulling the bit out rather than screwing it back the other way to remove it can result in cleanest holes
......any shape cutouts in the top layer ... esp. with another, differently colored layer stacked underneath (which allows bottom colors to show through to top)
.........holes/shapes can be cut before or after baking
.........if baked top is wavy, support it while cutting by using a large blob of raw clay (and a patty paper) underneath it
......needle prick holes in raw clay...anywhere ... or around applied canes slices to hide the sometimes-visible join... or near edge of joined sheets like quilting
...onlays (appliques)
.......framing (onlaid on box top around slot window) ...created with one length of patterned clay slit lengthwise nearly to ends, then separated slightly before applying to allow just correct spacing for stalks to extrude through and flop a bit
......misc shapes of clay (like long zigzag) onlaid anywhere, even extending past edges of box
......knobs (bunches of almost-cube slices taken from tiny logs --esp. on wall exteriors)
.....length of aluminum tubing inserted across box through 2 opp. walls, & extending past them, for structure or embellishment
...for adding interior visible walls inside box and underneath window ... see wire wigglies above

OTHER POSSIBILITIES for these:
...."windows" could also be used to frame photos, transfers, pendants, etc.... so the whole box could be a frame
.......many ornaments could be made with these, as well as pins, pendants, sculpts, etc.
...the outside edges of the top and bottom piece could be cut zigzag or any pattern (could use pattern scissors)... cut while warm
....box bottoms could also be baked wavy with the paper cones, etc.(creating wavy edges)
... the walls could be taller than the box is wide... could be any shape .... and/or have more than four sides
....any 3-D shape could be created with this same system of construction

Jeffrey Dever's long hollow form with with 4 wavy sides...could be bead or longer one could be handle
(Ravensdale 2003 class) http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/catalog/dever.shtml
...one form has been cut across its waist to create a openable box (inner armature or sleeve for lid like Gwen's?)

Celie uses hollow rectangular box forms as tiles in a segmented bracelet (walls are set in slightly from the edges of the top and bottom)
http://www.celiefago.com/gallery_2003.htm#

(see also Beads > Hollow for more ideas on diff. ways to create hollow forms)

Non-rectangular sides (or tops)

When making a box, colors or patterns for each element or similar element of a box can be can be the same or they can be different (e.g., walls, bo

TRIANGLES
equilateral (all three sides the same length)
(cutting the triangles out and letting them set for at least 10 minutes will help to firm them up for these techniques)
(edges of the side walls can be beveled if desired, particularly for an outer layer)
....3 equilateral triangles is a tetrahedron (4th triangle is the bottom)
....4 equilateral triangles when joined together on a square base will create a box shaped like a pyramid
............ (follow steps below, but press sides of original 4 walls inward until they touch, then join gently but firmly.... top can be flattened, or a top can be cut off
....8 equilateral triangles creates a "crooked" sides box with a flat bottom and top (top of box is a square but the bottom of the box is a square "on point" (Mary R. demoed this technique at our gulid meeting):
...... place one side of each of 4 equilateral clay triangles on the edge of the bottom clay square (same length sides as triangles' sides or a tad larger)... can first add a bit of liquid clay, white glue or superglue if desired. . . press down well
..... place remaining 4 equilateral triangles upside down between each of the first four and join all edges
.....bake (if this is a base layer, add a second layer and bake) . . . add whatever top you'd like
(could make this instead by laying out a row of alternating eq. triangles and attach them while flat... then press on to square base and join ends?)

If this box is made with prebaked sides, they can be joined (permanently) with ropes of clay in between or inside (as Tara's box did)
... if this will be just the base form for the box, raw clay can be used to fill out any unevenness of the corners and the form rebaked before covering.
Jami Miller's (uncollapsible?) pyramid box http://www.sdpcg.org/Slide%20Bank/dm2009.jpg

the wildbunny's tall triangular small box ("giraffe" skin or stone pattern), with lid
http://www.thewildbunny.com/polygallery//boxes3.jpg
Patti K's triangular box ....& Jami's box ....& Trudy's box:
http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/rave/rave98pics3.shtml (+next 2 pages) (gone)

Dayle Doroshow's tall 3-sided box-shrine made with triangle pieces...sides held together with "jump rings"...no lid, but "finial"
http://www.dayledoroshow.com/images/41.jpg

Dayle D's tall 4 sided? collapsible pyramid box... 3 of the sides shown loosely held together at the top, and one side shown laying down flat) http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/rave/rave98pics2.shtml (gone)
...Michelle Ross' lesson on making a 4-sided collapsible pyramidal box like Dayle's... the four sides held together at top when closed with a "cap" ......for hingers, she uses 4 lengths of 7/8" wide satin ribbon glued to the inside of the collapsed box (half over base square, half over each flap)... then covers base and each flap with decorative paper to hide them
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_clay/article/0,1789,HGTV_3236_2230027,00.html
....for more on making hinges (so box will collapse), see below in Hinges

Amy C's various pyramidal poof boxes, with lids cut at pointed top, or on long side (when clay warm)... some have feet
...I learned how to make them at Kathleen Dustin's NH workshop (see also poof boxes above)
http://www.moonroomcrafts.com/vessels.htm

Dorothy G's box with 4 isosceles trapezoid sides (symmetrical, but only 2 are parallel), with hole in each side in which a flattened bead can be spun around to show either side... plays on color vs. b&w.... lid is glass which shows box interior
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=9254956&uid=2343137

(see more in Houses-Structures, for using pre-baked shapes) for making box shapes

template for a (tall) pyramid box ...could use as guide for cutting, etc, to cover with clay, or to use as an armature?
http://shala.addr.com/print/printables/xmas/xmasbox1.jpg

Alan's (five isosceles triangles--2 sides same length) geodesic bowl (if feet or base added)... or could be used as box top?... held together underneath?
http://groups.msn.com/ALANpolymer/polyclaysculpture.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=115

Jeanne R's mini "woven reed" round box and lid (for mini "sewing supplies").. made with twisted ropes spiralled like Balinese Filigree over a form
http://www.heartofclay.com/eb/swapjeanne2.jpg

stands for holding a few pens and pencils

pinching, curving, or throwing on a wheel

Michelle Ross' stamped, onlaid pinch pot type vessel, 3 legged, lid
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_clay_pottery/article/0,,HGTV_3240_1383762,00.html
*Annie's very interesting 3-legs-pinched and pocket-type vessels, with lids (website gone)

For actual pinch pots, see below in Balloon Vessels

(sort of ) flattened onion dome box
...Susan Hyde's original poof box http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/rave/rave98pics3.shtml (gone?)
...Georgia Sargent's2 poof boxes on short pedastals
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4153008&a=31266991&p=68340080&f=0
... Mary R. showed how this shape can be made by pulling up the 4 corners of a largish square of clay and pressing together (one flap at at time)
..... each side is pinched to the one next to it (before baking, blow into the shape and reseal, similar to Pier Voulko's hollow forms)
..... raw clay can be used to fill out any unevenness, and the form rebaked before covering with a final pattern sheet ...the inside of the basic sheet can be a separate pattern too (pasta machine two sheets, patterned sides out) since it will show when the box is open..
..... after baking, a small lid can be cut out (angled like a pumpkin top, so it won't fall in)

Emi's lesson on making a teapot with this technique ..her final shape is a bit taller and more rectangular since she began with a rectangle of clay
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_clay_other/article/0,,HGTV_3239_1397590,00.html

Arline Shalan's "vessel" created by curving the 4 "arms" of a plus-shaped clay sheet over an armature? until the corners slightly overlap (leaving a square opening)... the overlapped corners are joined in an interesting way
http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/rave/rave98pics5.shtml

throwing (pots) clay on a potter's wheel. . . . Will Truchon demonstrated it at the Arrowmont conference:
http://www.tinapple.com/oldsite/cynthia/arrowmont2.htm
....Use Sculpey III; make grog by rolling Sculpey III really thin, baking the sheets, grinding them up and screening them; and throw using KY Jelly, or generic equivalent, instead of water for moistening! Weird but true!)
......I've had my mini wheel 6 months....use only a marble size lump. You don't use fingers/hands for throwing, just paint brush handles, etc. There is little resistance, and the smaller wheel head spins faster, so well conditioned (plain? not ground) poly clay (Sculpey) stuck well to the wheel..The other brands may need the KY because of the extra firmness. SharronT1

REMOVABLE forms

gen. info...all removable forms

There are various ways to make vessels with forms which are later removed (before or after baking, depending on the method).
...The clay can be applied to the outside or inside of the form (though usually the outside).
...Anything that can stand the heat of the oven is a candidate the removing-after methods.
...Sometimes a release is needed between the clay and the object (talc, aluminum foil or paper, a squirt of ArmorAll, for example), but sometimes nothing is needed.

One of the simplest things to do is to make small bowls, trays, or boxes over the outside of an oven-safe form which flares at least a little (or the clay will be practically impossible to remove if it's very tall); some of these things could be upturned glass custard dish, light bulb, metal dish or pan of some kind, papier mache forms, etc.
.....(see below in "glass, porcelain" and in "Bowls" for fuller explanation of making bowls and trays over some of these items.)
......if the item doesn't have enough flare to remove the clay form easily after baking, see above for "removing")

Sometimes i just cut a (too-large) large clay rectangle, plop it on the top or bottom of the box I'm using for a form, smooth it down on the sides, then pinch the corners together, and cut off the excess (then smooth the 4 joins). rebbie

i put a slab on the top or bottom of the box form, and then cut a long strip to wrap all the way around the sides (this leaves one VERY long seam around the top, one short one on the side). ...this is good if you plan to put a decorative braid or other treatment on the top/bottom edge of the piece; then you only have the one short seam to worry about blending perfectly!! rebbie

Cheryl's alabaster and onyx boxes (with molded filigree embellishments, and one mounted fantasy stone cabochon, and interesting "feet")
http://people.delphiforums.com/olrebbiepie1/index2.html (lesson on alabaster in Faux-Many > Alabaster)

large open lamps--Diane Dunville's (not sure what kind of form used)
http://www.tinapple.com/cynthia/98retreat/98retreat5.html (for more Dunvilles, see Covering > Glass > Nightlights)
Edie's simple black clay "vase" (somewhat cylindrical) with long twig and metal connectors as front decoration
http://www.brpcg.com/Galleries/edie/GalleryEdie06Vessel.jpg

releases

Many slick surfaces will not need a release when baked with raw polymer (metal, glass, etc.)..(unless they are tall and have no flare ...see just below).
...some porous surfaces which will soften in water can be soaked off after baking.

You can use a thin layer of aluminum foil under the raw clay... unwrinkled if it will show and you want it smooth.. or a layer or two of paper
...(here's a tip from our own Elizabeth Campbell that I found (and used) in Irene Dean's "Faux Surfaces" book)

So far I haven't tried using anything between the aluminum foil and the clay to stop wrinkle marks (from the foil).. . . I do usually make sure the clay is pretty well adhered to the foil all around too, just because I can manipulate it more easily for decoration that way..
....I find that if I use metal leaf (or metallic powder) on the inside on the bottom though, it acts as a release and doesn't show foil marks at all ...later I can sand the inside sides of the box to smooth them out after peeling off the paper
....I've also seen masking tape used over foil to smooth it, but I haven't tried that yet since I assume some release would be required to remove it. Julia

OR use plain paper insted of alum. foil to avoid any wrinkles
....also, if you don't like the shiny surface that aluminum foil leaves on the inside baked clay walls, just put paper cut to size over your carefully smoothed aluminum foil. sjwhyte

OR I use teflon-coated baking paper rather than tin foil to cover a simple form .... and it can be reused
...... it doesn't stick like paper does, and doesn't get ridges like foil does.
.......the (paper-covered) cardboard tubes will then slide right out and you can remove the teflon
..... You can get large sheets in cooking supply stores. Lori Greenberg
....use a strip of parchment paper with enough overlap to add a dab of super glue to hold the paper in place. (I've used foil in the past and that always left a rough interior surface I didn't care for.)... parchment paper is nice and smooth and since it is made to release from cake batter, it works well with the clay, too. Patty B.

Or brush a powder like cornstarch or talc or even metallic powder on the raw clay to act as a release before baking (the powder may not give enough release though and they may get stuck together!)
... if you use a powder, the cane slices or other clay bits won't stick very well or at all to the vessel's surface
...it can be a good choice though when you don't need to have close adhesion and don't want any shiny spots though, like when "draping" sheets of clay over bowl forms (see Bowls, draped sheets below)

When making vessels over a form (whether a metal dish, or foil-covered anything), Bonnie uses Vaseline as a release agent.
.... Unlike ArmorAll, or cornstarch, etc, which are so "slippery," the Vaseline works sort of as a vacuum to hold the clay in place until it's through baking. It's just as easy as the others to remove the baked object.
...don't use ArmorAll on any areas that will be treated after baking with finishes or powders thoug because it can repel them

Kato Repel Gel is a very thick, water soluble polymer clay medium which prevents polymer clay from adhering to itself while curing (baked or raw)...it can be used for clay to clay contact during baking when removability is desired
... it works well for making lids as well because they can be formed on the vessel and still removed after baking (creating a tight fit also) ...it's now available in some places http://www.prairiecraft.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=P
(....see more brands in Glues > Superglue Solvents & Repel Gel)

The Sculpeys & Premo tend to be "insoluble" clays so water is the release agent of choice (...when using molds anyway)
. .. however, Fimo and Cernit are soluble clays; both possess a filler (possibly kaolinite) that absorbs moisture, so talc or cornstarch are the better release agents. K. Dewey
...what about Kato clay?

see more on releases in Molds > Releases

Poke a tiny hole in the bottom of the clay ...after baking this hole will help prevent a kind of vacuum effect that the clay does when baked to a surface. Patty B

To loosen clay and removing it from non-porous forms after baking:
..... loosen around the edges first, and it will usually pop off at some point (see more in Vessels > Bowls > Draped)... this is true also if you've used Vaseline or cornstarch, metallic powder, etc., as a release
.....if you've used a mechanical release like aluminum foil or paper or cardstock around the form and under the clay, it shouldn't be too hard to remove... but if it is, try twisting it off while the clay is still warm
.... the new silicone oven mitts works well to keep your hands from burning when doping this, or just use a hand towel. Patty B.
...Kato Polyclay is not as fragile as other brands when warm (as other brands). Donna says, "When I make small box vessels covering a clay form I can actually twist the interior form to loosen the box walls without the walls breaking."
....However, if the clay around the form is fairly tall and the form has no flare at one end, the clay can be much harder to remove:
........use a bendable form like thickly rolled paper or maybe cardstock (....see also Freeform vessels above for ideas)
..........wrapping paper around the can 3 or 4 times would give it the extra needed thickness to twist it off. Judy
......maybe cut or create the form in two parts so that it can be moved or removed more easily
......make the form from polymer clay (or as a polymer cover), then use Repel Gel as a relase?
...... I greased the soda can with Vaseline, and it slid right out after baking...whaddyaknow! (the walls were perpendicular, the top & bottom openings parallel. Sharyn
......cut off and glue back together

non-porous
(clay, metal, glass, porcelain forms)

....for using small or large rocks and other removable forms to create small container pendants, or larger rock-shaped boxes, see Vessels-Rock

Removable forms can also be made from clay when a release is used
....the clay form is created, then baked
....the baked clay form is then covered with raw clay and a release (such as metallic or cornstarch powder, Repel Gel, or ArmorAll), and they are baked together
....after baking and removing the solid form, a final decorative clay layer or embellishments may be added over the new baked clay if desired, and rebaked
....for most info on making clay forms to use as a removable armature or "former," see Making Your Own Form in Vessels-Rock

I have lots of layers or partial layers on my vessels, so I:
....cover the (outside of a glass vase) with a sheet of scrap clay
....bake it and cut into halves while it is warm though I let it cool before removing the clay.
....then use super glue to put the form back together
.....glaze the inside with LS (to rebake it, I nest it in a polyfil lined bowl)...the LS glaze makes it very strong and saves me from having to sand inside.
....From there I add the rest of the decorative layers, being sure to support the form as needed. Jody

Elizabeth's 4-leaf vase... each tall leaf placed on one side of a rectangular bottle, with excess leaf flared back at top and leaf edges fluted... (also 3 coats of black Colored Liquid Sculpey on the outside of the vase... 3 coats of gold CLS inside...dimensional veins made with TLS plus Rhine Gold metallic powder)
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=1416609&uid=488109

I must look for small heart boxes..... I also paid $1 each for porcelain valentine boxes and $1 each for wire baskets, heart shaped. GCivy

For the large round bowls, I got glass that is as spherical as I could find (for my form). Clear glass lamp globes are easy to find. I have two different sizes of them. But my first success was with a giant 1000 watt light bulb; the kind that they use in parking lot lights. It has a dome diameter of about 6 1/2 inches. All but one of the round bowls on my site http://www.akrobiz.com/polymer_clay/gallery_index.html was made on the light bulb. When I think of draped, I think of a flat sheet of clay draped on a form. This type of bowl isn't really draped at all. It's made right on the glass. . . . my first several hemispherical bowls were made on the light bulb. James
.....The (forms) I currently use to create all my bowls are glazed ceramic balls which are made as garden ornaments. James

For round vessels with or without stoppers, using small glass ball ornaments. After baking, just gently compress the piece to break the glass inside. (you might need to put a release agent on the glass ball before applying clay (see Covering > Glass Balls and Light Bulbs for more)
...making vessels by covering a light bulb with a layer of strong polymer (No Sculpey III) and then breaking out the bulb after it is baked. To break the bulb, stick the covered end into a paper bag and gather up the bag opening around the bottom of the screw end. Hold the metal screw end and give the bulb a sharp wack with the back of a heavy knife right where the glass meets the metal. This should break the glass away from the metal part and it will fall into the bag. Carefully pick up the clay covered bulb and squeeze it to break the glass inside. This takes a few squeezes. Just keep squeezing and dumping the broken glass out until it's all gone. Tape up the bag of glass shards and dispose of it. Rinse the clay vessel with running water and wipe with a paper towel to remove any tiny bits of glass that might be left. Now you can continue to embellish your vessel as you please. The standard bulbs make cute teapots and there are a lot of other fun shapes available. Jody B. (see Jody's video)
Marlene's (pomegranate-type) vessels based on Jody Bishel's video
http://www.picturetrail.com/martywil
....John Buckly would use Sculpey III for the first. (base) layer since it bakes up stiff... then he'd break out the glass (or wait till after the second layer, since Sculpey III might break??), and use Premo (or maybe Kato now) over it for strength. (John and Kay Buckley make vases and other forms over lamp bulbs) ....Judi
...Jenny’s sculpted gnome face boxes over lightbulbs (with removable hats) (website gone)

Smear the glass with vaseline in an even, fairly thick layer. the clay will tack to the vaseline, but after baking it will come right off the glass.
...I've done this with fancy lightbulbs that I wanted to keep rather than break. I use my exacto knife and slice the clay off, holding the blade at a slight angle so that you have a better surface to glue back together... I do this with one layer of "scrap" clay at #1. then glue with zap a gap and cover again. Patti

Hetty's geode boxes formed over spotlight bulb or ceramic mold (outsides are stone-like)
http://www.bpcg.org.uk/membergallery/henscott.htm

I covered one of those domed small glass display globes (covered with ArmorAll or other release?) and then removed it. For the base at the bttom I used clay (junk clay covered with appropriate matching color) and I cut a small hole in the back (not the bottom) of the "globe" to insert the night light "clip".. Jan Ohio (see her website at Covering--Glass)

Monica's lesson on making a small round container using the inside of a small cylindrical glass (she adds a second layer of clay and a bottom after pressing on the slices, then bakes....she then sits the glass in warm water before removing the clay container . . . .she uses an Xacto blade to cut off the rim of the container evenly; she then makes a cane slice lid (over the base sheet disk) and adds a smaller disk as a "stop" . . also adds a round ball for a lid handle
http://guide.supereva.it/hobby_femminili/interventi/2002/02/94912.shtml

James Lehman's fabulous, freestanding (usually somewhat cylindrical, upright) vessels, or scupts (see more info below)... many over huge glass globes/bulbs
http://www.akrobiz.com/polymer_clay/gallery_index.html

I use metal forms all the time without any adhesion problems - everything from cookie cutter boxes to night lights formed over metal bowls and foil-wrapped pyrex bowls. ....then the clay pops off with just a little loosening around the edges. sjwhyte

There are many interesting small metal bowls especially, though larger ones can be used too. Indian groceries or cooking stores often have small condiment "bowls" which are interesting shapes.

metal molds of all kinds could also be used (small or larger).
.... if the mold isn't flat when upturned so it will stand by itself, add feet or a ring of clay or press into raw clay base, bake, and glue back in to give it a stand.

bowls can be made from the copper halves of toilet tank floats…Alcina

I've made 4-5 inch star-shaped boxes with the largest of a set of graduated star-shaped, metal cookie cutters. The sides of the cutter were first covered with a band of clay, then the cutter was placed on a flat sheet of clay. Next, I cut around the outside of the clay-covered cutter with a blade (being careful not to push the cutter into the clay – just laying it on top), removed the excess, and smoothed the bottom to the sides then baked it cutter and all. I generally make the top after baking the bottom in case of variations in baking.
For the top, I remove the cutter from the baked bottom and use the cutter to cut out one piece for the inside and then (with the raw clay still inside the cutter) I cut a second star for the outer top, again using a blade to trim around the OUTSIDE of the cutter instead of pushing on the cutter. Leave a little excess if you want the top larger than the box.
Before removing the cutter from the larger piece,carefully press the inner piece onto the clay of the larger star. This lines up identical points since the cutters are almost never symmetrical. At this point you can bake the top as is and generally get a tight fit, or trim the inner star just a little for a looser fit. I have had good luck with baking as it comes out of the cutter, since you also lose the actual diameter of the cutter in the box dimensions.
This opens up an almost limitless range of box shapes. I've used some wonderful large ovals also.
..One warning about using the metal cutters with a re-inforced top rim - you might want to put a covering of paper or foil on the outside of the cutter before putting on the side clay, since removing the bottom of the box can be difficult if you cover the side of the rim also. sjwhyte
..Brenda's unusual, irregular shaped boxes made with cookie cutters ( can't tell what cutter shapes were supposed to be)...cane slice sheet tops
http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/rave/rave98pics6.shtml

Polymerclayexpress' lesson on making an inro -type box pendant with tall petit four (small) metal cutters ....and lids with "stops"
http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/nov2000.html ...(one of these cutters is shaped similarly to the Advantix film canisters).
...Emily's tiny boxes formed around petit four cutters, with lids (website gone)

I just made my first oval box using an aluminum cola can as a base for the clay slab and also as a cookie cutter to cut out the bottom and the lid. I greased the can with vaseline, and it slid right out after baking. Whaddyaknow! The top and bottom openings were parallel, and the walls perpendicular! Sharyn

sturdy metal "rings" of various sizes/shapes . . . good for making boxes (round, square, rectangular, and more)
http://www.jbprince.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=276&1=286&2=-1&6=3 (look around)

cardboard, cardstock, papier mache & wood ...(porous materials)

If you want papier mache to release from the clay after baking, wrap it in aluminum foil or paper, or coat with Repel Gel or another release, or soak it out)
(If you want the papier mache to stay inside the clay, coat it with white glue, acrylic paint or finish, etc ,before adding the clay.)

my boxes were formed over one of the little cardboard boxes (papier mache?) you can get at michaels or hobby lobby, etc..
.... sometimes i soak the boxes out ....sometimes i just pull them out. olrebbie. .

Julia's lesson on all clay box, using papier mache box with alum. foil
...I wrap the papier mache box all over the outside with aluminum foil.
...Then I roll out a sheet of clay on the pasta machine, cut it into strips (slabs), and apply them to the sides (with a little room left at the top for easy removal) and bottom, sealing the seams lightly with my thumb.
...Then, I either apply designs to the unbaked clay, or I bake it and add details later.
...After baking, the papier mache box slides out of the clay box, and the aluminum foil peels right off. Julia

Lynelle's round boxes with lids made over cardboard tubes
... she covered the cylinder with scrap clay, baked... used it to cut out a bottom which was added....added a decorative clay layer, baked... removed tube
http://members.aol.com/lynellev/gallery.htm#Boxes

Janet used the empty rectangular box from a bar of soap (Dove soap) to create the bottoms of some of her tall, slender boxes
...Michelle's lesson on covering a small cardboard soap box to make vessels with lids
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/crafting/article/0,,HGTV_3352_1909744,00.html
http://www.polymerclayplay.com/html/gallery.htm (... one of these has thick "legs")

Donna Kato's lesson on making a vessel over a removable cardboard tube or drinking glass, then adds a bottom; she covers a number of other techniques here too!
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_furnishings_other/article/0,1793,HGTV_3433_1375704,00.html

Donna Kato's lesson on making a free-standing translucent candle holder (like a luminaria) over cardstock which is wrapped around a fat candle --bottom added
http://sunnisan.com/crafts/stainglass1.html

Donna Kato's lesson on making a lantern (with cut outs) to sit around over a votive candle (or pillar candle) using aluminum foil-covered cardboard tube form
http://hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,CRHO_project_1284,00.html
...I use toilet paper rolls or you might try smaller cardboard rolls from gift wrapping. I manipulate it into an oval shape and cover with a layer of heavy aluminum foil, tucking the ends into the inside and securing with masking tape. If you have craft sticks (popscicle type), cut a piece and wedge it into the top and bottom to retain your oval shape. Works like a charm. ...You can then add you top and bottom with a line of TLS and raw clay. Michele
...I used TP roll innard to make a shamrock shaped vessel --three sections cut open and put together.

Shari David's cylindrical candle shield, with star hole cut out from it http://polymerclaycentral.com/pcc/swap_vessel97.html

(for making a rainstick from a tp tube, see Kids > Other Toys)

here is a link to a template to make your own matchboxes...http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/matchbox.htm
...... I would recommend using cardstock or even a little heavier weight paper so the form will hold up to the clay. Lisa D.
.......RuthAnn says this match box cover is exactly the right size to fit the smallest size pad of Post-It notes (2 x 1.5 inches), so instead of making the box bottom, just slip a package of notes inside the decorated top.
....(for making or covering matchboxes, see Covering > Paper)

lamb's lesson on covering a ginger-shaped box pattern with polymer clay, then removing paper/cardstock
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/crafts/msg0115192123265.html?9 (suggested by Alisa)
...There are other, very differently shaped box patterns at Inkastamp's website (>site index >boxes) as well, in addition to the "ginger box" used for this particular project. They should all be coverable!
(The direct link to the ginger box pattern is: http://inkastamps.com/ginger.html); their other box patterns at: http://inkastamps.com/boxes.html
... And BTW, it's quite ingenious to use pinking shears to cut the joining outlines so that there are lots of little tabs to put glue on; maybe that's something box makers have been doing for a long time, but I didn't know about it.

(...see many lessons and templates for folding boxes, and for making rigid boxes, in Boxes-Gift....)

I use some balsa wood (as a form)...easy to saw and manipulate. I cut 2 pieces from a rectangular rod, and 2 from a rod that was curved on one side and flat on the other (a "half round"). (This particular) result was an oval vessel shape. Tricia
...lengths could be stacked for other box sizes and shapes too

I liked a tiny wooden block (the kind you get from craft shops in the unfinished wood stuff.) I covered with a tightly wrapped smooth layer of foil and built the clay on top of it. Once baked the foil acted both as a mold release and (since I used two layers) as a kind of spacer, so I could release the box from the mold (I did have to rip the foil -- it was a tight fit!)
.. ..(smooth, wood) Jenga blocks are great for this! Jenny

various materials

Patty's lesson on making a box with a removable form which is covered with alum. foil or paper
... (or this could be used to make a scrap clay form):
(I've made boxes that are square, rectangular, round, pentagonal, oval, star and hexagon shaped)
...LESSON: find a form (of any shape and material) that you can cover with aluminum foil .... oatmeal box, wood block, metal cookie cutter, etc.
...cover the outside of the form with cheap (thin?) aluminum foil keeping it as smooth as possible (leave some sticking out or pressed to the inside for grabbing and removing later?)
...use the thickest setting on your pasta machine to roll out your clay sheets to cover (each side of?) the form
........if your form is circular, try to do it with only one sheet
........if square, etc., use the naturally occurring corners to join sheets of clay (for these corners, I find that beveling the corners to make a 45 degree angle gives a better joint (than overlapping one side). . . . don't put the bottom or top on yet
...smooth seams well (= less sanding later)
...bake for the full time recommended
...after baking, but while warm, gently hold the baked item in one hand with a hot mitt or towel, and tear away the aluminum foil.... this will release the form so it can then be slid out.
...set your piece down to finish cooling, making sure it is even
(BOTTOM) when cool, place the baked form on a sheet of thick clay, and carefully cut around it with an Xacto knife (working on a tile or sheet of paper makes it easier to rotate as you cut)
...turn the form upside down . . . add a thin film of liquid clay to the edge
...attach the bottom by firmly blending the outside edges together.
...turn the box back over and place it on an index card or manila folder (or sheet of graph paper?) and square up the form.
...now apply a tiny line of liquid clay on the inside of the joints... and place tiny snakes of clay on the liquid clay... using a clay shaper tool or a knitting needle, blend the new clay to both the bottom and sides of the box......smooth all seams well.
...bake again for the full time and temperature. Patty Barnes
(for LID instructions by Patty, see below in "Lids")

iPod case (cover) --a thin box, open-topped... in this case also hung from neck with beaded necklace as a carrier... aluminum foil form used as a temporary armature, by beadizzygrl
...for photos and lesson, see Vessels-Rock > Other Small Vessels & Containers

Sue (Heaser) showed how to use an aluminum foil-covered raw potato as a removable armature to create a 3-D shape or vessel (leaving one side uncovered to remove potato later) in her book Creative Home Decor
... for the 3-D heart she made, she cut off the ends of the potato, then cut it in half lengthwise (leaving a flat side)
... she then carved the heart shape removing all brown skin...covered with foil all over, and then a layer of clay on all but back side, embellished ... the potato needs to be baked for 45-60 min... cool... dig out potato and remove alum. foil ...a back can be created in one of the ways above if desired (...could be a bowl but interior would be rough from crumpled foil)
..... I like that idea because when you use a potato, you carve it to whatever size and shape you find pleasing, and go from there (but when you use a rock, you have to find just the right kind of rock with the right shape)... Gabe

Stan P's many boxes (not sure what forms, if any, were used)
http://homepage.mac.com/stanleyjp/polymerclay/PhotoAlbum13.html

Deb's Easter-type basket with handle made over an egg; after baking the egg is removed
http://community.webshots.com/photo/18564524/18565541UjkUPgtves

some other possibilities for armatures?
....(for using cornstarch packing peanuts or cornstarch clay, etc., see Cornstarch)
.... lace (or cheesecloth or other fabric?) can be used with a stiffener like Aleene's or a thick sugar-water solution to create shapes (freeform or created over forms) after drying... could we use something like this technique to create lightweight, hollow armatures?
.........cut lace a bit larger than outside of your form... cover the form with plastic wrap, then dip the lace in fabric stiffener, and place over form... allow to dry. (from Karen AZ, re plastic egg halves)
... for creating hollow beads (small or lg), see Beads > Hollow
...for more on various armatures which may be removable, see Armatures

see also Vessels-Rock for using rocks or other forms to make small or larger containers ("rock vessels").. covering is cut off the rock around the middle after baking then embellished
...that page overlaps with this category on removable armatures

PERMANENT forms (left in)

(see Websites, at bottom, for many more examples of boxes)
(...see many lessons and templates for folding boxes, and for making rigid boxes, in Boxes-Gift....)
(see Covering for many types, also Armatures for covering PVC forms)

wire mesh ...for boxes and other shapes

see more on wire mesh in Armatures

I've just completed experimenting with the new wire mesh (called WireForm by Paragona ..other brands?) in constructing boxes. It's absolutely fantastic for armature in regards to right angles. This would apply to miniature houses. Structural wire mesh comes in a box of 3 16x20 sheets and retails for $9.95.
...You can get it from Polymer Express http://polymerclayexpress.com/additions.html ... 800-844-0138.
...I think Dick Blick online also carries it.
...If you qualify for wholesale (combined with FIMO orders) you can order from Accent Import-Export 510-827-2889.
...(Or buy at hobby or possibly craft stores)

Tips for working with the mesh:
--coat a length with slabs, and decorate it while flat. I underline the mesh with another slab of clay, embedding the mesh. You can then bend the piece (over a right angle ledge) into a box shape. If you are 'cubic' inclined - you can create the form in one piece and then fold it together like a box. The mesh can be cut with scissors or a tissue blade! It's quite rigid when baked. Creatively Yours, Barbara A. McGuire
....Barbara's lesson on making a 3 1/2" high, rectangular vessel, by embedding WireForm, bending the clay-wire sandwich, joining the loose sides, baking, then using bottom of the form as a cutter for a bottom piece ... but pattern pdf gone, so don't know where to bend the 3.5" x 7.5" strips to get a box that 's "square at one end and rectangular at the other end"... does she close up on end of this rectangular tube?? or something)
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_faux_gold_leaf_gilding/article/0,,HGTV_3399_1370901,00.html

Could cut a "plus" shape of mesh, cover with clay, then fold the sides up into an open box shape? (DB)
... Diane that would work, but you would not get a sharp corner...the clay on outside would stretch around the radius of the bend (rounding it)... and the clay on the inside would bunch up and make a 'bead/fold' on the inside.
........Might I sugest that you fold the mesh first, and then press flat slabs onto the screen --one slab on the inside of each face, then do the outsides.
....or, before folding, how about getting an Exacto 'V' carving gouge and cutting out a groove on the inside of the clay where each inner corner will be folded... save these strips of clay, then after folding the box attach the strips to the outside ...you will need a bit more clay because the outer side is longer (wider?) then the inner side. Lysle

In metal weaving you make a "paper" vessel... then cut it up and lay it flat so that you can use the flat shape as a template for a sheet of metal. This sheet of metal is the warp[?] and you weave another sheet of metal into it as the weft[?], or you can weave in wire or other materials. Seems to me you could do this in clay too. .Jami

Donna Kato's lesson on making cylindrical candle holders (could be vessels) with split and rolled top parts using embedded WireForm
http://www.i-craft.com/crafts00/candleholders.html

Barbara McGuire's lesson on making a plate (round? rectangular?) using a sandwich of clay and mesh, and a paper template;
....she textures the plate by tracing over a drawing on tracing paper, then goes over with ball point stylus pulling it always toward her, brushing off any curls of clay after baking
....edges of plate can be bent up if desired after decorating but before baking (plate also has border of cane slices)
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_clay_pottery/article/0,,HGTV_3240_1378770,00.html

Laura Timmins' fancy vases, bowls, and pieces mostly made with aluminum wire and mesh armatures
http://www.lauratimmins.com/sculpture/sculpture.html (gone?)

Many of the removable armatures can also be left in rather than removed.

Carol Shelton covered the 4 sides plus the top of a cardstock box she cut from a pattern, with 5 squares of decorative clay, so that when it was folded up, the clay would cover all the visible areas except the underneath
http://www.nwpcg.org/ravensdale/rave/rave98pics5.shtml

Debi's covered wood boxes with squiggles of clay gun extrusions (website gone)
...the smaller, cheaper (basswood?) boxes (from Walmart for 99 cents) are often just glued together... the glue will degrade when heated (and can come apart later)...and where the box had already started coming apart, sometimes the clay would crack there... for those types of boxes, I use those tiny nails to reinforce the construction before I de-moisturize them and then cover with a layer of white glue... then they seem to stay together. Carla

BOWLS, plates & trays

made by "Covering"

One way to make bowls, plates and trays that can be used directly for food, is to cover glass items from the underside
...then the baked clay won't actually be touching anyfood, but the patterned clay will still show though.

sinilga's beautiful plates with canes and mokume gane clay under the glass (some also have clay borders extending to the top side of the plate on the rim)
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/showgallery.php?cat=500&page=2&ppuser=126038 (also click on page 1 )
Melnik's bowls, where only the underside of a glass bowl is covered so one can eat from the bowl
...note: the sides of bowls must be widely angled so the inside will be visible, or the outer part of the covered bowl will show the most which won't be shiny unless shine is added http://melnik.freeservers.com/vessels.html (gone)

Barbara McGuire's lesson on making a plate (round? rectangular?) using a sandwich of clay and wire mesh, and a paper template;
....she textures the plate by tracing over a drawing on tracing paper, then goes over with ball point stylus pulling it always toward her, brushing off any curls of clay after baking
....edges of plate can be bent up if desired after decorating but before baking (plate also has border of cane slices)
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_clay_pottery/article/0,,HGTV_3240_1378770,00
...(see more on using wire mesh as a permanent armature in Armatures-perm > Wire)

front of plate embellished with clay (for display only) ... large bas relief scupt of Spring Girl with textured dress... in center of plate a photo is held down around its perimeter with cane slices
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/showphoto.php?photo=103358&ppuser=126038

Alan, you could place a smaller glass bowl in the middle of your openwork clay bowl, so it could then hold either water or potpourri! (or food) Sue
http://groups.msn.com/ALANV/canework.msnw?Page=2

made Over Temporary Forms (removed after baking)

Clay is put onto the under-side or back side of a a non-porous form (either pressed to it, or draped lightly over it with the item upside down), to create the basic bowl shape
... the clay is baked on the form...and popped off after baking.

Bowls can be made shallow (like "trays") or deeper, and they can be made in various shapes as well as round, depending on the form used and how the clay is put onto it.

Glass and metal are the most often used materials to form the bowls because they are slick and non-porous so the clay can be easily removed from them after baking, but other things can be used too especially with releases (see Armatures-Temporary).

If the clay is pressed tightly to the glass or metal, the surface when removed will have a nice shiny. finish automatically where it touched (because the clay will soften to the texture it's pressed against while hot)
.....some of the less shiny/smooth metals will produce less shine or no shine on the baked clay (and may be harder to remove)

Bowls are shaped on the bottom of the forms (so that the form is generally upside down).
...the forms should be covered only up to the point at which the form stops flaring out (baked clay won't stretch so it also can't be removed from "undercut" areas after baking.
....Some forms don't have enough flare to allow covering them up very high, again because the baked clay won't stretch enough to be removed; these forms can still be used to create shallow bowls and trays though.)

Marina's mini- lesson on making a bowl, using the inside of a bowl as armature rather than the outside... (or use the convex side of a mold)
. . . since this leaves the inside and more visible part of the bowl less smooth, could another bowl of the same size and shape be used to press that surface of the clay flatter by pushing it into the other bowl?? (then removing to bake)
*** look now at ---> http://www.marieidraghi.itCiotola.htm

leaving some holes
...using large cane slices ...I''ve always been partial to the work of M C Escher, so I thought I'd try to use my butterfly wing canes in an interlocking pattern to make some bowls. I could have fitted them together much more completely (like traditional tessellations), but that would've needed every alternate one to be inverted. I think I prefer the gaps. ...the bowls certainly don't hold water(!) but as pot pourri holders they may be OK. Alan V.
http://groups.msn.com/ALANV/canework.msnw?Page=2
.......... you could place a glass bowl in the middle, so it can hold either water or potpurri! Sue
....no holes