Plaster molds and hemispheres for shaping clay

Plaster molds for even bowls and spheres

With plaster molds and plaster hemispheres, you shape bowls, half spheres and other round clay pieces evenly, even without a pottery wheel. Plaster draws moisture out of the clay, so the clay firms up in the mold and releases easily after a while. The molds are suitable for hobby use, school and the studio.

How to work with plaster hemispheres

For a bowl, roll out a slab of even thickness and lay it in the hemisphere. Press the clay in gently with a sponge or your fingers so no air gets trapped, and trim the rim neatly. Join two halves of the same size to form a hollow sphere, for example for figures, lamps or piggy banks. To do this, score the edges and join them with slip. Closed hollow spheres need a small hole so air can escape during firing.

When choosing, diameter and depth matter most. Shallow molds work for plates and shallow bowls, deeper ones for half spheres and deep bowls.

• Plaster molds in various sizes and depths
• Hemispheres for bowls and sphere halves
• Several identical molds for groups in school and classes
• Slab building without a pottery wheel

Tip: Take the clay out as soon as it pulls away from the edge and is leather hard, as it keeps shrinking as it dries. Let the plaster mold dry well between uses so it can absorb moisture again.