Texture tools: Roulettes

We’ve gathered together images that document our roulettes and some of the objects we’ve made. We show you what we’ve created with limited resources, specialist resources, and digital resources.

Roulettes are cylindrical texture tools used to roll a relief (embossed) or recessed (debossed) pattern onto the surface of clay. We make them and they form a big part of our hand tool collection. Texture tools have been part of our story from the beginning. Many of our early workshops were designed to learn how to apply repetitive patterns into clay. Roulettes can create consistent and repeatable results quickly, and retain some flexibility. An alternative way to make controlled pattern is to use found materials or make plaster moulds. Found materials can be limited and mould making takes ages; requires further investment in tools and equipment; and a good understanding of plasterwork. We wanted to bypass all of that and explore flexible and accessible tooling. Roulettes are a great introduction to understanding figure and ground, pattern placement, undercuts, and thinking in reverse - starting with roulettes will aid your understanding of basic mould making principles.

Toolmaking involves creative problem solving. Improvising with what we have is always an exciting process and ultimately experimentation and play affords the independence to delve deeper into personalised explorations. See how we improvise with carrots and sticks, and how we’ve used low and high tech construction methods to make tools we then use to make pots, tiles, button prototypes, decorations and large scale slabs.

Assorted roulettes

Extruded bisc, broom handles wrapped in string, and laser cut texture tools

Fabric tape roulettes

Texture tools for clay. Made from broom handles wrapped in fabric tape. Layered tape produces subtle marks varying in depth.

Laser cut and assembled roulettes

Laser cut components treaded onto dowel. Some fixed with glue, others are loose to remain adjustable.

Small bisc fired roulettes

Extruded lengths of clay - some adjusted by hand with modelling tools, some twisted while wet. All bisc fired. The holes are where handles can be attached to more evenly regulate pressure.

Type impression left by a roulette

Type pressed into clay using a bisc fired roulette.

Textured geometric tiles

Patterns applied using bisc fired roulettes, shapes cut using cookie cutters.

Texture and roulette

Large bisc fired roulette with clay sample.

Textured jug maquette

Mock-up of a textured jug demonstrating how roulettes can be used to shift the orientation of surface textures.

Button prototypes

Button prototypes made from Plaster of Paris. Examples of extruded and impressed marks.

Decorative stem dish

Pattern made with a hand embellished roulette.

Ripple dish with roulette

Hand carved roulette and dish. Carved decoration creates an embossed surface when rolled.

Carrot roulettes

Improvised roulettes made by 3-5 year olds. Nibbled and cut carrots.

Texture balls and roulettes

Hand rolled with impressed decoration. No extruder needed.

Texture play

Large slab flatted by jumping on it, and texture play with bisc fired texture balls and roulettes.

Slab built textured pot

Multi directional texture applied to slabs of clay using roulettes. Texture applied before form constructed.

How to make an extruded roulette

Here we outline how to make an extruded and adjusted clay roulette. Coils can also be rolled by hand - removing the need for an extruder.