The 3 Hand-Built Pottery Techniques That Can Help You Create Something Unique
A preview of the hand-built pottery techniques we use in our workshop – and how they can help you get creative
Making pottery by hand is one of ForEveryone’s favourite cosy hobbies. Not only does it allow you to make truly personalised keepsakes – it’s really good for you, too!
Getting your hands into the clay can ground you and remind you of the pleasures of taking things slow. And, as an extra bonus, it’s ideal for those days when you feel like you need to spend some time offline. After all, it’s impossible to check your phone while your hands are covered in mud.
The ancient art of pottery
Another benefit of pottery is that it’s simply a lot of fun. Perhaps this is why people have been getting hands-on with clay for literal millennia.
That’s right, when you try hand building, you’re taking part in a craft that is not just old – it is prehistoric! It is so ancient that there is evidence of people making hand-built pottery pieces in pre-literate cultures. This includes the oldest piece of pottery ever found, the Venus of Dolní Věstonice. This hand-made ceramic figurine might be as much as 31,000 years old.
In other words, when you use hand-built pottery techniques, you are tapping into a truly ageless practice. And yet, when you get your hands into the clay, you create something brand new.
That’s the magic of pottery.
3 hand-built pottery techniques you can learn with us
So how can you experience this magic for yourself? How can you sculpt your own pottery creation? ForEveryone is here to help with your pottery questions. Here are three of the hand-built pottery techniques we love the most:
1.Finger pinching
Also known as pinch pottery, finger pinching is one of the oldest and fastest hand-made pottery practices. It is exactly what it sounds like – a technique where you use your thumb and fingers to pinch clay into the shape you like. No tools required! In fact, if you want to make pottery your next new skill, this is one of the most beginner-friendly techniques around.
By pinching, pressing and smoothing, you can make all sorts of sculptural forms. Want to make your own Venus figurine? Pinch it into shape. Prefer to make a little pot? You can make a ball and press and pinch the middle until it is hollow. There are many, many things you can make just by pinching.
As pinching lets you feel texture up close, it’s also an ideal way to learn about clay. You can feel how it behaves when it is wetter or drier, how thin it can get before collapsing, and how thick it can be before it cracks. Pro tip: close your eyes for this bit. This will teach you how the clay should feel in your hands.
2. Slab building
Another self-descriptive hand-built pottery technique is slab building. Here, you build your piece (or form) out of slabs. This involves rolling the clay out like a sheet of pastry and cutting out flat-sided shapes.
You can then stick these shapes together using a method called scoring and slipping. This means you add small grooves to the points where you will join each slab, then dab them with some watery clay ‘glue’. Finally, you fuse them together by smoothing the joins with your fingers. This technique is perfect for making straight-sided pieces like mugs – just make sure to smooth the joins well so that your mug doesn’t leak!
For maximum stability when slab building, be sure to roll your clay out so that it is thin enough to be flexible, but not so thin it will break when you stand it up. It also helps to allow enough time for your slabs to dry out slightly before you fuse them together. This will give the clay more strength when you put it upright. Alternatively, you can combine slab building with another technique, like coiling.
3. Coiling
Coiling is the ideal technique for anyone who loves to roll clay around in their hands or on the table. You begin with a slab-built flat base, and then add height and depth by making clay ‘sausages’ and coiling them on top of each other. Between each sausage, you slip and score the clay lightly to ensure it will all stick together. You can then smooth them in place to make your piece even sturdier.
For those who want to take their time and have full control over the final shape of their piece, coiling is perfect. It’s also ideal for building larger pots and bowls – forms that might be too heavy to make with a more fragile technique like pinching or slab building.
One of the fun things about coiling is that the sausages can be as big or as small as you like. Lots of small, thin sausages will result in a smaller piece, while big fat snakes can create a large item. Remember though, if you are making a big project, take it really slowly. Allowing time for your piece to dry between layers will ensure it can hold its own weight.
4. And a bonus technique: glazing
While not technically a building technique, glazing is a crucial part of the pottery process. After you’ve pinched, slabbed, or coiled your piece, it gets fired in an incredibly hot kiln – average temperature 900-1150℃! This is called bisque firing.
After a bisque firing, your ceramic creation is ready to use – but only as a earthen-coloured decorative piece. If you want to add more colour to your work, or if you want to make it food-safe, you’ll need to add some glaze.
Glazing is like alchemy. Your glaze goes on as a coat of powdery pastel watercolour, and then gets fired for a second time. It emerges brightly coloured and stronger than ever. You can also choose a textured or glossy glaze to give your piece depth and interest.
When glazing, you’ll need to do at least two or three coats to get your colours to pop. The more coats, the deeper the colours will be. Just be sure to leave the bottom of your piece unglazed (you can wipe it with a sponge if necessary). This means your piece won’t accidentally stick to the bottom of the kiln.
The ForEveryone Pottery Workshop is a great place to learn
Are you ready to try out some of these techniques for yourself? Why not try our ForEveryone Pottery Workshop? Led our talented team of pottery teachers, our workshop happens over two sessions.
First, our instructors begin by teaching newcomers the fundamentals of hand building. After this, everyone is free to experiment and find the hand-built pottery techniques that feel good to them. At the end of the class, finished pieces will be taken away to be fired, a process that takes around four weeks.
If you prefer a natural look, you can then take your pieces home. If you want to use your piece for food, or if you want to add colour and gloss, you can also book a second session to glaze your piece. Again, while you are free to experiment here, our instructors will be on hand to help with any questions.
We think of this approach as guided experimentation. It’s ideal for anyone wanting time to play and try new things, while still having experts on hand to offer advice as needed. It’s a great way to become a potter – at a very accessible price!
Ready to see what you can create? Book your spot in our next pottery workshop today!