Transferring a Pattern or Text to Clay and Soft Slab Construction

I learned a little tip this week - how to transfer a pattern, text or image to clay from paper.  This was originally shown to me as a way of transferring text to clay to make a "chop" so that the text is backwards, but I used this method to transfer a pattern I drew on newsprint to a rolled slab to make a hand-built spout for a soft slab vessel I made today.  First you draw out your pattern or text onto newsprint or other paper.  Trace over the design with a non-permanent Staedtler marker.  Then place the paper face down on your clay, rub over the surface where the line is and ta da ... the image or text is transfered!  I had a video but I cannot seem to post it.

Here is the final soft slab pot I created.  the body shape was inspired by a Margaret Bohls teapot. Check out this link for instructions on how to make her teapot on Ceramic Arts Daily.  http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/handbuilding-techniques/drawing-in-space-how-to-handbuild-an-expressive-teapot-set-using-soft-slabs/

The body was made with an oval slab and 4 triangle shapes were cut from the top and then the pieces attached to each other, narrowing the top and creating pointed darts in four sections.

I added a textured section on the top, a hand-built spout I made from a paper pattern roughly the shape of a whale tail (also inspired by Margaret Bohl's teapot), and finally a curled handle and  feet to lift it off the table.  A little bit more texture and lines and it was complete.

Not bad considering I was going to give up after I completed the darting!