Nerikomi is a decorative process originally established in Japan around ~1600. It entails adding colorant to white clay, arranging it into patterns and slicing through the cross section to reveal unique designs. Often a combination of meticulous planning and accidental surprise, every piece made from this technique will be different from the last.

Another method is to wet a small amount of dry stain (typically a powder) into a paste, and wedge the paste into a ball of white clay. This method can be very tiring, especially if you are planning to create multiple different colors of stained clay. Since I work in small batches, this is my preferred method. I will measure out a handful of  2-5 lbs of clay balls, a small amount of stain, and slowly work through incorporating the color into each ball. My method does not fully homogenize the color into the clay - leaving some areas darker than others, or small splotches of stain particles present.

This process is typically very labor intensive & there are many different approaches. To fully homogenize the color into the clay many makers will leave the wet, unstained clay out to dry completely before re-hydrating it with a measured amount of stain and water. Once the clay and stain have been properly mixed and dried to a ‘slop’ like texture, the clay is spread atop a plaster board to draw out moisture. The stained clay is then wedged until fully homogenized and its elasticity is just right for using.

white porcelain with cobalt mason stain, in process of being mixed

stained and unstained porcelain placed into a pattern before rolling into a slab

Once the balls of clay are wedged, I start to lay out my pattern. Occasionally I will have an intention to it - trying to create recognizable patterns or objects out of my handful of colors - most times I give into the chaos. There are often a lot of colored ‘scraps’ left over from my finished slabs and my “scraps slabs” have become my favorite thing to make - I never know what they will look like and they are impossible to replicate, making each piece unique and special.

finished. fired, unglazed plate