Modelling and Decoration
Primary 4 · Creative Arts
Modelling and Decoration
Lesson 4 of 5
16 min
Let's begin
Mugisha's clay bowl is finished and smooth. "It is nice," says his sister Keza, "but it looks like every other bowl." Mugisha picks up a bottle top, a comb and a sharp stick. "Not for long," he says.
Most clay decoration is done before the clay dries. Soft clay takes deep marks. Leather-hard clay, which is half dry and firm like the sole of a shoe, takes clean, sharp marks and does not squash.
After firing, you can also paint your work with natural colours: white clay (kaolin), red soil and charcoal black, just like imigongo.
Tip
Press it, cut it, add it, pierce it, shine it
Five verbs for five ways to decorate clay. Pick one or two for each piece.
Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.
Uwase presses a bottle top into her pot again and again. Which way of decorating is this?
Answer: Impressing.
What does leather-hard clay feel like?
Answer: Half dry and firm, like the sole of a shoe. It takes clean marks without squashing.
How do you make a clay surface shiny without paint?
Answer: Burnish it: rub it with a smooth stone or the back of a spoon when it is leather-hard.
Habimana used all five ways of decorating on one small cup. What advice would you give him?
Answer: Choose only one or two ways, and repeat a motif, so the cup does not look messy.
Make it: Make three small clay tiles. Decorate each one a different way, and show them to your family.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The rest of the lesson, the diagrams and the exercises (Try it yourself and the practice questions) are written by Ganzaa.
Quick check
Match each way of decorating clay to what you do.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
