1. Pull out a large chunk of clay. You need to grab a piece a larger than you want your finished pot to be, because you will be cutting some clay away as it dries.
2. Roll out your clay as much as you can into a ball shape. The more you roll the clay the more air bubbles you will push out. It is difficult to get all of them out. The finished consistency of this clay will have some small pores similar to concrete.
3. Dig your thumbs into the center of the ball of clay and form a bowl shape with very thick sides and a nice thick base.
4. Let it dry for about 24 hours or until the clay is firm but still soft enough to cut into without it crumbling or resisting too much.
5. Cut straight slices into the sides and bottom of the pot to create geometric facets.
6. This shows you how the clay should look and feel when you cut it away. If the clay is too soft, and pulls with the motion of your knife too much, then set it aside and let it dry a few more hours or until it is ready. Making sure the clay is the right consistency is important to getting clean cuts.
7. Continue to cut slices away until you get it to look how you want it. You may decide to cut smaller slices out of the rim of the bowl with a sharp exact-o knife as I did.
8. When you’re done you should have a nice pile of clay scraps.
Let the pot dry for another several days. It can take anywhere from 3-7 days for the pot to fully dry, depending on how big and thick it is. It is usually dry enough for crafting after a couple of days, but will look gray until it is fully dry. When it’s completely dry it will look more white than gray and it will feel nice and solid.