How To Make Traditional Pottery

Pottery is great way to portray art and sculpture. Amongst all the types of pottery, clay pottery is amongst the most traditional ones, which is in use even in the recent times. Today, people have taken handmade traditional pottery as a hobby, to satisfy their creative side. However, before one starts off with the wheel pottery making, he/she should master the art with the hand. It might look a difficult process, but with the right steps, the complexity goes away quickly. If you are also interested in making traditional pottery, go through the following lines and find steps and tips regarding the same.

How to Make Traditional Pottery

Materials Required

Clay
Rolling pin
Molds

Directions

The first attempt for making traditional pottery will comprise of knowing the skill of making a pinch pot. Any type of clay can be used for this method.
Take the clay in one hand and use the thumb of the other hand to press it. Move the clay in your hand while you pinch and squeeze it with your thumb. Add your fingers to the pinching process to thin out your pot.
The hand-building method of coiling is the best employed in the process. This will result in the formation of ropes of clay in your hands. Using these ropes on a turntable, put down a flattened pad of clay and start circling the ropes on top of this pad.
The coils should be joined together for the formation of the interior of the vessel. Using one hand for support on the exterior, smoothen the coils in a vertical direction inside. This will give the pottery a height. Repeat the process a few times to give the pottery the height you want it to have.
Use your palm to press the ball of clay and smoothen it with a rolling pin. If lumps have been formed, thump them with the side of your fist, while you use a rolling pin again to even them.
You can create boxes and other forms of items using the hand-built slabs. When the clay is semi-soft in texture, use a knife to cut the pieces. Join these pieces with a fresh coil of clay to act as glue.
The hand-built slabs give you ample options to carve interesting shapes out of it. Wind the rolled-out clay around the mold. Be careful to remove the mold before the clay dries, as later it would be very difficult to remove.
For creating clay figures, you need to create the structure for support. Hold them by means of a stick when you need to join them together. Give support to the frame, until it is able to stand on its own.

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