Handbuilding Techniques (2024)

FAQs

What are the techniques for hand building? ›

The three methods of handbuilding are pinching, coiling and slab building. Once you have experience with these three methods, you can make just about any object out of clay. It helps to start with pinching, and build upon the technique with coiling, before moving onto to slab construction.

In general, artists new to clay should purchase a white or off-white stoneware like our super popular Sea Mix 5. Stoneware clay bodies are usually smooth and plastique enough for wheel throwing but still structurally strong enough for hand building. They are the most forgiving clays for beginners to work with.

There are four main hand building techniques that every ceramic artist should know: pinch, coil, slab, and mold. Each technique requires different skills and produces distinct results, allowing for endless possibilities and creativity in the world of ceramics.

Coil building is a forming method that uses ropelike coils of plastic clay, assembled in successive courses to build up wall of vessel or sculpture.

TL;DR This ceramics guide breaks down the three major types of pottery techniques — wheel-throwing, slipcasting, and handbuilding — and which types of clay each technique is best for. We also discuss the main types of glazes — satin, gloss, and matte — and share which glaze is best for which type of vessel.

One of the fundamental handbuilding techniques is pinch pottery. As the name suggests, this technique involves pinching the clay with your fingers to create various forms, such as bowls, vases, or cups. Pinch pottery allows for unique shapes and finished pieces, as each piece is shaped entirely by hand.

B-Mix. A porcelaneous, high plasticity cream-white stoneware, easier than porcelain to work with. Well-suited for both hand-building and throwing.

Earthen- colored stoneware clays produce durable ware and most will react favorably to the manipulation of air, gas and smoke in reduction firing. These clays have good plasticity and will perform well in both wheel throwing and hand building methods.

Score, Slip, Stick, Smooth

The four S's are what holds things together.

A: This is an air dry clay, it will become wet again if you try to drink a liquid from it. The clay isn't toxic, and can be fired in a kiln to make it water proof, but it would still be porous and not suitable unless it is glazed with a fired ceramic glaze.

Do you need to wedge clay for handbuilding? ›

Wedging clay is not only crucial for handbuilding but also for those who use the pottery wheel. The process ensures that the clay is of an even consistency, which is vital for making pottery that is free from lumpy clay and removing air bubbles that could cause issues during the throwing process.

Pinch Pottery

Perhaps the simplest beginner hand built pottery idea, the pinch pot method involves pinching a single ball of clay into your desired shape. To make a pinch pot, press your thumb into the center of your clay ball, about halfway down to the bottom.

The Leather Hard Clay Stage

The leather hard clay will feel dry and cool to the touch, much like leather, where it gets its name. The clay can be carved or turned at this stage, so care should be taken. At this stage you can trim your piece, add embellishments or handles before the clay becomes too hard and unworkable.

The most common handbuilding techniques are pinch pottery, coil building, and slab building” -Ceramic Arts Network. Tools may include a wire cutter, pin tool, score tool, banding wheel, brayer, rubber rib, fetting knife, or slab roller.

#1 - Needle Tool - For hand builders, the basic needle tool is fine for this job. #2 - Ribs - Ribs are essential to hand building and wheel throwing alike, but are used in different ways. In hand building, ribs are used to compress slabs, compress joins in coiled pots, scrape clay forms, and more.

Slab construction- a hand-building method in which forms are created by joining flat pieces of clay which have been rolled with a rolling pin or slab roller. Slip- a clay in a liquid suspension.