How to Make a Clay Vase Without a Wheel

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The venerable clay pot has its roots deep in ancient history. Our ancestors needed vessels to carry water and store food, and found the water-resistant naturally occurring clays in the soil were ideal. Even though today we can buy our vessels at the store and usually carry our water through pipes, clay pots remain beautiful, and are functional works of art and craft.

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   Knead the clay. Start with about 1/2 pound (.25 kilos) of clay. Slowly warm it and work out the air bubbles by kneading it with your hands. This will even out the clay's consistency, eliminating lumps of soft spots, and make it more pliable and easier to work with. Take care to avoid folding, poking, or other actions that could add air pockets and bubbles to your clay—these could cause your pottery to explode in the oven.

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   Slice your clay in half with a stiff wire, and check for bubbles or gaps.

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   Once your clay is kneaded, try one of the methods below to make your own pot.

   • See the wikiHow article How to Knead Clay

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   Once the clay is warm and pliable, take a fist-sized clump and roll it into a long rope called a coil. The diameter of the coil will determine the thickness of your pot's walls.^[1] For your first pots, roll your coils out till they're a little thicker than a pencil, and about 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm) long, and of uniform thickness.

   • You may get thin or weak spots as you roll your coil out. Try avoiding that section as you work, but if it becomes a problem just break the coil at the weak spot, set one part aside, and finish the other.

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   Create the bottom. ^[2] Starting from one end, wrap the coil in a spiral until the bottom is the size you have in mind. For example, for a pot using coils about 1/4 inch (.6 cm), your base might be 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter.

   • You can also create the bottom by rolling out some clay to about the same thickness as your coils, and then trim the excess with a knife, using cup or plate as your guide.

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   Prep the clay and start working. Score the outer 1/4 (.6 cm) inch of the bottom, and dampen with water or slurry (a thin mix of clay and water). Do the same with the bottom of the coils as you work. This will improve the clay bond and make your pot stronger. Lay the first coil on top of the base, and wrap it around, building up the wall.

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   Strengthen your pot. To make your work durable, strengthen the clay bond by smoothing down the inside of the pot, forcing down the clay from the upper coil into the joint below it.

   • To maintain the shape of your pot, support the outside of the pot as you smooth the inside.^[3]
   • You can smooth both inside and outside if you wish.

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   Shape your pot as you make it. ^[4] Create your contours by adjusting the placement of the coils, and shaping the clay during the smoothing and strengthening process.

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   Finish your pot. Add any decoration or glazing as desired, and depending on what kind of clay you are using you may air-dry your pot, bake it, or fire it in a kiln. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on the correct method.

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   Make a ball. Roll the clay into a ball, and make sure it's moist.

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   Make a hole. Punch your thumb into the middle of the clay ball, to about 1/4 inch (.6cm) from the bottom.^[5]

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   Work the sides. With your thumb and forefinger, pinch the clay and press upwards.^[6] Work all around the inside, and with each pass, pinch from the bottom and move up, repeating until your vessel has the shape you want.

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   Flatten the bottom. ^[7] Press from the inside, against the table you're working on, so that the bottom is smooth and flat.

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   Smooth out the inside and outside of the pot, as desired. Decorate, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for curing and finishing your pot.

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   Smack your clay. Throw it firmly from hand to hand, smacking it into a ball shape.

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   Dry your wheel. This will help the ball of clay adhere to the wheel once it starts spinning. The last thing you want is a ball of wet clay flying across the room.

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   Have some water. Place a bucket of water where you can easily reach it to wet your hands while you work.

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   Throw the clay. Throw down the ball of clay as close to the center of the wheel as you can, then press it down into a conical shape.^[8]

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   Start spinning. ^[9] As you build up speed, wet the clay, and with one hand on the side of the clay lump, and the other side on top of it, ease the clump towards the middle. Use the upper hand to keep the clay from flying out of control.

   • You can tell the clay is centered when it no longer looks like it's wobbling, but sitting stationary in the center of the spinning wheel. Don't stop spinning.

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   Wet your hands. ^[10] Then work the clay into a cone, then press it down into a thick disk. Repeat this step a couple times. This is known as "wheel wedging" and helps to condition the clay. Make sure you keep the clay centered as you work.

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   Push a thumb into the middle of the spinning mass, until it's about 1/2 inch (1.5cm) from the bottom. ^[11]

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   Push 4 fingers into the hole, and work them around until the hole is as big as you would like. Continue working the hole, using a hand on the outside of the clay to shape your pot.

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   Work slowly. Gradually pull the clay up with even pressure, until it's the desired height.^[12]

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    Spread the top. If you want it a bit wider at the neck, just pull back with your inside fingers. Don't do it too hard.

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    Remove the finished pot from the wheel. ^[13] Wet the wheel (not the pot) and using a stiff wire or fishing line, and holding it with both hands, pull it from the back of the pot towards you until the pot is separate from the wheel.

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    Follow the manufacturer's instructions for finishing and firing your clay pot.

Add New Question

• Question

  How can I make a coil pot?

  

  Natasha Dikareva is a San Francisco, California based sculptor, and installation artist. With over 25 years of ceramics, sculpting, and installation experience, Natasha also teaches a ceramic sculpture workshop titled "Adventures in Clay" covering concept development, hand-building techniques, texture, and glazing techniques. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Bloomington Center for the Arts, Maria Kravetz Gallery, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art. She has taught at the University of Minnesota and the American Indian OIC School. She has been awarded the Excellence Award at the 1st World Teapot Competition, Best in Show at the 4th Clay & Glass Biennial Competition, and a Grand Prize at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. Natasha holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Kiev Fine Arts College.

  

  Ceramics & Sculpting Instructor

  Expert Answer

  The most important thing to remember while making a coil pot is that the coils should have an even thickness. You can put them on top of each other and make a pot. Make sure that they stick to each other nicely.

• Question

  How do you make a pinch pot?

  

  Natasha Dikareva is a San Francisco, California based sculptor, and installation artist. With over 25 years of ceramics, sculpting, and installation experience, Natasha also teaches a ceramic sculpture workshop titled "Adventures in Clay" covering concept development, hand-building techniques, texture, and glazing techniques. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Bloomington Center for the Arts, Maria Kravetz Gallery, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art. She has taught at the University of Minnesota and the American Indian OIC School. She has been awarded the Excellence Award at the 1st World Teapot Competition, Best in Show at the 4th Clay & Glass Biennial Competition, and a Grand Prize at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. Natasha holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Kiev Fine Arts College.

  

  Ceramics & Sculpting Instructor

  Expert Answer

  To make a pinch pot, you should first make a bowl out of clay. Then make a hole with your thumb. It should not go all the way through the wall. Keep your thumb inside the bowl and rotate the bowl. Squeeze and pull at the same time. Make the wall of your pot as even as possible in thickness.

• Question

  What are the different varieties of clay?

  

  Natasha Dikareva is a San Francisco, California based sculptor, and installation artist. With over 25 years of ceramics, sculpting, and installation experience, Natasha also teaches a ceramic sculpture workshop titled "Adventures in Clay" covering concept development, hand-building techniques, texture, and glazing techniques. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Bloomington Center for the Arts, Maria Kravetz Gallery, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art. She has taught at the University of Minnesota and the American Indian OIC School. She has been awarded the Excellence Award at the 1st World Teapot Competition, Best in Show at the 4th Clay & Glass Biennial Competition, and a Grand Prize at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. Natasha holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Kiev Fine Arts College.

  

  Ceramics & Sculpting Instructor

  Expert Answer

  There are low-temperature and high-temperature clays. For example, earthenware is low-temperature, porcelain is high-temperature, and stoneware is mid-range clay.

• Question

  How do I make a mug?

  

  PipeHeart568

  Community Answer

  Start with a ball, then slowly push you thumb through it while rotating the ball. After you make a small pot, put two finger inside the pot and use your dominant hand with a little bit of water to kind of go up and down the outside of the pot until you get the desired shape.

• Question

  How do I make dry clay soft?

  

  Mokshika

  Community Answer

  Use water to soften the clay. Mind the proportion of water to clay, as it may liquefy the clay when used to excess.

• Question

  Are there any other ways to make clay?

  

  Yes, there are many ways to make clay, including paper clay, cold porcelain, polymer and much more.

• Question

  Will this work if I made my own clay?

  

  Clay is clay. It should work.

• Question

  Can I leave a clay pot out in the hot sun to fire it?

  

  No, since to be successfully fired, the clay has to reach over 2400 degrees Fahrenheit, which can only be achieved in special pottery kilns.

• Question

  How do I make mini clay pots?

  

  To make mini pots, use the pinch pot method, use a smaller amount of clay, and roll a smaller ball to start with.

• Question

  How do you make a design on the pit but without a special tool?

  

  You can use a sharp pencil, needle or skewer. Anything thin and sharp will do!

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• A great trick to eliminate air pockets is to keep the clay in a round shape, never flattening the clay more than halfway. and keep throwing the clay back and forth between your hands. You can also throw the clay on a hard surface (like a table) multiple times.

• Don't use your fingertips when kneading the clay

• You can also make a coil pot by using a mold. Just lay the base in a plant pot and the feed the coils into the pot and join together before tipping the pot out by loosening the top by pushing away from the sides with your finger. You can then join the outside and shape with a paddle or by rolling the pot on a table. If you want a closed pot then do this process twice and stick the two halves of the pot together with slip.

• Make sure when using a kiln you use the score and slip to attach other pieces.

• If you have purchased an oven-fired clay, you'll want to bake it on a glass surface. This is to ensure that the clay will release. An upside-down dish works well.

• If your pot collapses during the coiling process, just knead out the air bubbles and start a new pot.

• If a piece falls of in the kiln use epoxy to attach it back on.

• Carefully follow the instructions on how to bake your clay if it is not an air drying kind. This is because if dry clay gets into the air or flicked about, it forms a dust called silica dust which causes long term health problems.

• Follow the directions for materials to work on. Some clays will stain wood.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To make a clay pot, start by rolling some moist clay into a ball. Then, use your thumb to press an indent into the center of the clay that's about 1/4 of an inch from the bottom. Next, hold your thumb in the indent you made and rotate the clay as you pinch the sides with your finger to widen the hole. Continue doing this until you're satisfied with the size of the hole and the thickness of the sides. Finally, flatten out the bottom of your pot so it's able to rest on a flat surface. To learn how to make a clay pot using a wheel, scroll down!

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How to Make a Clay Vase Without a Wheel

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Clay-Pot

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