Craft · 6 pages · 12 min

Why drying has to be even

Clay shrinks as water leaves, so a wet region beside a dry one pulls itself apart.

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From the opening

Clay shrinks as the water films between particles leave and the plates draw closer together. If one region dries faster, it shrinks while the neighboring clay is still wet and larger, and the difference tears or warps the piece at the boundary. The opening covers clay shrinks as water leaves, thin parts stiffen before thick ones, and the boundary is where cracks open.

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Inside

Clay shrinks as water leaves
Thin parts stiffen before thick ones
The boundary is where cracks open
Warping is uneven shrinkage too
Where the idea stops applying
A distinction worth keeping

Sources

Drying shrinkage of clay
Differential drying and cracking

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Why drying has to be even

From the opening

Inside

Sources

Also on the desk