Additive and Subtractive in Ceramics

Additive

“sculptural form produced by adding or building up of material (clay)”

“making an object in clay that can be added to another piece of clay/sculpture”

Subtractive

“sculpture formed by cutting away excessive material from a block leaving the finished form”

“cutting or taking away pieces of the clay”

How do you attach additives?

The same way you attach anything with clay:

Score/scratch what you are going to add and the place that you are adding it to

put slip on both parts

attach and then seal the two pieces so they are evenly combined

How do you clean subtractive elements?

Whenever you cut away clay, there are always little pieces of clay that get stuck in the grooves or on the edges.

to get rid of these little pieces, use a damp sponge to either rub them back into your clay or remove them from the clay

you can also wait for your subtractive elements to harden and then brush the pieces off

From 2D to 3D

Sketch Symbolic Self-Portrait