Modelling: Flat and Round Things from Clay
Primary 1 · Creative Arts
Modelling: Flat and Round Things from Clay
Lesson 4 of 5
12 min
Let's begin
Mutesi holds her clay inside one fist.
She squeezes it as hard as she can.
She opens her hand, and there is a lump covered in finger dents.
Today you will make a real round ball.
Break off a lump about the size of an egg.
Pinch it here and there until it is roughly round.
That is only the start. Now the rolling does the work.
Careful! A fist makes a fist shape.
Put the lump between your two flat palms.
Roll it round and round in circles.
Keep both palms flat and keep your fingers straight.
Now rub the ball all over with your thumb.
Press gently and keep going round.
The bumps go away. That feeling has a word: smooth.
Shut your eyes and touch it. Smooth feels like an egg. Bumpy feels like a stone path.
Texture is what your fingers feel, not what your eyes see.
Hold a real orange in one hand while you work.
Step 1 Break off a lump of clay.
Step 2 Roll it between two flat palms until it is round.
Step 3 Rub it smooth with your thumb.
Step 4 Press one small dent in the top with the end of a stick.
Now push it. It rolls. You made a round form.
An avocado is a ball with one end pulled long.
Roll a ball first.
Then roll only one end, under one palm, until it grows a neck.
Two flat palms roll a lump of clay into a ball, then a thumb rubs it smooth.
Tip
Flat hands, roll, roll, roll
A fist makes a fist shape. Two flat palms make a ball.
Finish with your thumb, and it comes out smooth.
Try each one with your clay, then tap Show answer to check.
Mugisha squeezed his clay in one fist. What did he get?
Answer: a lump full of finger dents. He needed two flat palms.
Roll a ball, then push it across the mat.
Answer: it rolls. That means you made a round form.
Your ball feels bumpy. What do you do last?
Answer: rub it round and round with your thumb until it is smooth.
Shut your eyes. Touch your ball and then touch a wall.
Answer: smooth and rough. That word is texture, and your fingers do the work.
Make a clay avocado beside a real one.
Answer: roll a ball, then roll one end long under one palm.
What you learned today
Quick check
What rolls clay into a ball?
