Post on 23-Jan-2015
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Here are some instructions for making a simple, handbuilt cup. A cup made this way is called a pinch pot, because of the way the clay is squeezed between the thumb and fingers to form the walls.Start with a ball of clay about the size of a medium orange. Most large cities have a pottery supply business located in them. You can buy inexpensive prepared clay from a supplier or, for a more primitive experience, try finding some clay in a stream bed.
How ToMake a Pinch Pot
The first step to
making your pinch pot is to start the opening. Cradle the ball of clay in one hand and gently press the end of your thumb into the clay. A good method is to press down a bit with your thumb and then give the clay a bit of a turn — press down some more and then give it another little turn. This helps to keep the hole you are making centred and the walls an even thickness. When you sense that you are getting close to the other side of the clay ball, stop before you go through.
Now the
fun part begins — forming your pot! The idea is to gently press the clay from the inside with your thumb against your fingers on the outside. Each time you press a bit with your thumb, give the clay a bit of a turn before you press again. It doesn't matter if you turn the pot clockwise or counterclockwise, just work in a way that seems natural to you.
This photo shows the
technique from a different angle. If you curve your fingers slightly, you can control the shape a bit better and make a more rounded form. If your fingers are held flat against the outside, the pot rim will flare out more to make an open bowl shape. Experiment to see what kinds of forms you can make. Continue the pinching and turning method until the walls of the pot are thinned out to a thickness that seems about right to you.
With a bit of
patience and practice, it is possible to make quite a finely crafted bowl with this simple technique. The main thing to remember while working is to try for an even wall thickness as you pinch your way around the bowl.If you make two bowls of the same diameter, they can be joined together, rim to rim to make a closed form. To join them take an old, wet toothbrush and roughen the rims and then use your fingers to blend the clay of the two pots together. The large, egg shaped pot made from the two bowls makes a great body for a handbuilt animal — use your imagination!
You can create
texture on the outside of the pot if you wish by pressing objects into the wall or by carving some patterns onto the surface. Once the pinch pot has dried out a little bit, it can be burnished. You can use a smooth stone or the back of an old spoon to rub the surface of the pot. The more you rub the surface, the shinier it will get.People have been using this same pottery technique for about 20,000 years. We hope that you have some fun trying it out for yourself!
SOME PINCH POT PROJECTS
Clay Animal Sculptures
The Slab Method
slab: a flat, rolled out piece of clay
SLAB METHOD PROJECTS
Clay Portraits
The Coil Method
coil: a rope of clay, rolled out with your fingers
coil and coil method or coil construction - Coils are long,
snake-like ropes of clay that are used in making pottery. The coil method of making pottery involves building the walls of a pot with a series of coils into the required shape. Once the desired height has been reached the surface can either remain coil-textured or they can be smoothed. Much pottery in primitive cultures was made this way, and remains one of the principle hand-building technique potters use.
2: One large, two small pieces
3: Roll large piece with fingers for body.
4: Turn up front and back to make bird body shape.
5: Use fork for tail feathering.
6: Feather front and back of tail
7: Roll or model two smaller pieces with rolling pin.
8: Cut out shapes for wings with pin or clay cutter. Feather the wings with the fork as before. Do this all freehand or use our bird wing template to draw round on the clay pieces.
9: Attach wing with a dab of water.
10: Attach both wings and finish modelling beak & eye.
slip: muddy, liquid clay used to attach two piecesscore: to make marks on the clay to attach two piecesslab: a flat, rolled out piece of claycoil: a rope of clay, rolled out with your fingerskiln: used to heat the clay to make it permanent. It is over 2000 degrees hot!firing: heating the clay to make it permanent.sculpture: a three-dimensional work of art
The three basic ways of making an earthenware pot are the pinch, slab and coil methods. Here is a very basic introduction to each of the methods:
The Pinch PotMake a handful of clay into a ball then push one of your thumbs into the middle of it.
Leaving the thumb inside and pressing with the other fingers, you “pinch” and rotate. When the opening is big enough, you may want to place it on a surface and shape it using both
hands and smoothing out cracks as you go. The Slab Pot
Take a handful of clay and press it down with the palm of your hand. (This is often described as making a hamburger patty.) Use a roller to even out the surface and be careful not to roll it too thin. Cut a rectangle out of the “slab” of clay. The rectangle will be made into a cylinder by using the “score and slip” method to join the sides. Then you cut out a circle or
base out of the slab to attach to the bottom also using the score and slip method. The Coil Pot
One way to start is to make a circular slab base. Then you make a coil or “snake” by simply rubbing the clay between your hands. Measure the coil to a length that can be made into a ring and placed along the edge of the base. Attach the coil to either the side or on top of the base by using the score and slip method. Make as many of identical rings as you want then stack and join them. To give the pot extra support you may want to smooth out the crease
between each coil on the inside of the pot. Each kind of pot will need cracks smoothed out as you go, so just be careful not to use too
much water which could lead to a collapsed pot. You may want to play around with the shape and add different textures to make it unique.
Each kind of pot will need cracks smoothed out as you go, so just be careful not to use too much water which could lead to a collapsed pot. You may want to play around with the shape and add different textures to make it unique.
Procedure: 1. Introduce the lesson by discussing the history of Native American pottery in what is now North Carolina. Native Americans often used the coil method to produce their pottery. The coil method involves rolling clay into long pieces, then laying the pieces in a circle on top of each other to take a basic pottery form. 2. Making the coils: a. Squeeze a lump of clay into a smooth, even “rope,” or coil, about seven inches long. b. Place your hands in the center of the coil, moving them out as you roll the clay. c. Roll several coils, join the two ends of each to form circles, then put them aside and cover with a damp cloth. 3. Making the base: a. Flatten a lump of clay into an evenly thick slab, using a rolling pin or your hands. b. Cut out a round piece from the flattened slab. 4. Attaching the coils: a. Attach the first coil onto the base by putting your thumb on the inside of the coil and pulling the clay into the base. b. Attach additional coils using your thumb on the inside and other fingers on the outside; gently push each coil into the clay below it.
What was the main method used?__________________
What is the other method used ?__________
What was the main method used?__________________
What is the other method used ?__________
________________’s Independent Study in Clay Contract
• Choice of Technichques: Pinch pot method, slab method, coil method
• Main Method to be used ________________ other methods____________
• Title of your project________________________________ plan below
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________________________Teacher signature