Carved Light Switch Plate Cover

Materials:

battleship linoleum
black permanent marker
linoleum knives
stoneware clay
slab roller
rolling pin
iron oxide
kiln
screws
screwdriver
damp sponge
wall scraper
sheet of dry wall
potato peeler
foam brush

1. Draw a design on the linoleum with a black permanent marker (figure A).

2. Carve out the design with linoleum block knives (figure B).

3. Roll out the clay on the slab roller.

4. Smooth the clay with a dry wall scraper to remove designs from the canvas.

5. Place the linoleum cut upside down on the clay and imprint the design by rolling over the linoleum with a rolling pin (figure C).

6. Cut the clay by running a knife around the outside of the linoleum (figure D).

7. Lift the clay and the linoleum from the table and place the clay on a sheet of dry wall with the linoleum facing up. Remove the linoleum.

8. Place a pattern on top of the clay that has the correct placement for the switch and screw holes. Cut out the holes using a knife.

9. Allow the carved light switch plate cover to dry to a leather hard state (figure E) before sanding and finishing the holes to countersink the screws. Trim the edges with a potato peeler (figure F). Let the clay dry for a week until it is completely dry.

10. Bisque-fire in the kiln.

11. Apply iron oxide to the design surface using a foam brush. Remove the excess iron oxide with a damp sponge to highlight the texture (figure G).

12. High fire the light switch plate cover to 2400-degrees.

13. Install the carved plate cover to a light switch with screws.

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