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Activities / Lippan Kaam / Lippan Clay Mirror Coaster

Lippan Clay Mirror Coaster

Lippan-Style Clay Coaster: A Small Mud-Mirror Starter

Level
Beginner
Duration
1 - 2 hours (plus 1-2 days drying)
Budget
₹1,000 – ₹1,500
Age
10+
State
Gujarat

Materials

  • Air-dry clay, white
  • Acrylic shisha mirror, round, about 1.5 cm
  • Acrylic paint set (white is used)
  • Gold paint marker, fine tip
  • Round paint brushes, size 0 and larger
  • Water-based matte varnish
  • Round self-adhesive felt pads, 1 inch
  • Jar lid or cup about 9 cm wide, toothpick, rolling pin or bottle, baking paper, cotton buds, cloth

Steps

  1. Cover your table and weigh out 100 g of air-dry clay
    Cover a table with baking paper or a plastic sheet and keep a small bowl of water and a cloth nearby. Cut about 100 g of clay, roughly a ball 5 cm (2 in) across, and wrap the rest tightly in cling film. Split it into 80 g for the coaster disc and 20 g for the decorative coils, and keep the coil clay covered. Common mistake: leaving clay open, because it dries and cracks within an hour.
  2. Roll the 80 g of clay flat, 6 mm thick
    Knead the clay for one minute until it is smooth and warm. Place it between two pencils or two rulers' edges that are about 6 mm (a quarter inch) high and roll it with a bottle or rolling pin until the pin touches both guides. The clay sheet should be even and without cracks. If an edge cracks, dab it with a drop of water and smooth it with your finger.
    Tip: Stack coins or craft sticks about 6 mm high on each side as guides if you have no ruler.
  3. Cut out a round disc about 9 cm wide
    Press a jar lid or cup about 9 cm (3.5 in) wide into the clay and lift it straight up, or cut around it with a knife. Peel away the spare clay and save it under cling film. Dip a finger in water and run it round the edge of the disc until it is smooth and slightly rounded. Common mistake: dragging the lid sideways, which squashes the edge. Lift it straight up instead.
  4. Place the disc on baking paper and press a mirror in the centre
    Move the disc carefully onto a piece of baking paper, using a flat knife or card as a lifter. Press a 1.5 cm acrylic mirror into the exact middle with your fingertip until it sits flush, with the clay level with its edge. Wipe any clay that squeezes out onto the mirror with a damp cotton bud. The mirror must not wobble when you press it.
    Tip: Mark the centre with a toothpick first, by pressing the lid's centre or measuring 4.5 cm from the edge.
  5. Roll thin coils and press a ring around the mirror
    Take a pinch of the coil clay and roll it between your palm and the table into a snake about 3 mm thick and 15 cm long. Wet the disc lightly and lay the coil in a circle around the mirror, about 3 mm out from its edge. Trim the ends to meet and press them together with a toothpick. Keep the coil even in thickness. Common mistake: coils that are too thick, which look heavy.
  6. Add a wavy scalloped edge of coil about 1 cm in from the rim
    Roll another 3 mm snake about 25 cm long. Lay it on the disc about 1 cm in from the rim in a wave of loops, each loop about 1.5 cm wide, like a row of small hills. Press lightly with a damp finger so it sticks. Join the two ends in a loop. Check that the loops are about the same size, which makes the coaster look balanced.
  7. Press tiny dots between the loops with a toothpick
    Roll small beads of clay, about 2 mm across, and place one in each gap between two loops. Press each bead lightly with the toothpick tip. Add a ring of eight tiny dots between the mirror ring and the scalloped edge. Dip the toothpick in water now and then, so the clay does not stick to it. Common mistake: pressing too hard, which flattens the dots.
    Tip: Space the dots by eye first, then add the rest in between.
  8. Let the coaster dry for 24 to 48 hours, turning it once
    Leave the coaster on baking paper in a shaded, airy place. After about 12 hours, when it is firm enough to lift, turn it over gently so the underside dries too. Do not put it near a heater or in direct sun, since fast drying warps and cracks the clay. It is dry when it is pale, light and not cool to the touch. Fill any hairline crack with a dab of fresh clay and water, then let it dry again.
  9. Paint the whole coaster white and let it dry
    Use the size 0 brush or a flat one to paint two thin coats of white acrylic over the clay, in all the grooves, but keep paint off the mirror (wipe it off right away with a damp cotton bud). Wait 20 minutes between coats. White makes the relief pattern look sharp. If clay shows through after two coats, add a third.
  10. Pick out the grooves with gold, then seal and add a felt pad
    Dip a dry brush or use the gold pen to touch gold into the coil edges and the dots, so they catch the light. Let it dry for 30 minutes, then brush a thin coat of matte varnish over the coaster, avoiding the mirror, and let it dry for 2 hours. Turn it over and stick on a felt pad. This is a decorative coaster. Use it for cold glasses, not hot mugs, and wipe it dry.
    Tip: Test gold on a corner first to see how much to apply.

Sustainability

Medium - mud-based craft; acrylic is plastic-based

Safety

Use acrylic mirrors, not glass; clay dust irritates lungs when sanding; not for hot mugs