Clay and Pottery Techniques

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Clay

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Made from earth, water, and eroding rock. This material has plasticity and holds shape when being formed.

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Pottery types

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Dishes and other articles made of earthenware or baked clay. Can be broadly divided into earthenware, porcelain, and stoneware.

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Wedge technique

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A technique that helps improve the workability of clay by releasing air pockets so the clay does not explode in the kiln.

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Kiln

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A furnace capable of controlled high temperatures used to fire ceramic ware and sculpture.

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Fire

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Helps heat up the pottery or clay sculpture to a high enough temperature to render the piece durable.

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Pinch method

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A hand-building technique that involves squeezing the clay, usually between fingers and thumb.

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Coil method

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A pottery-building method using long snake-like pieces of clay, coiled on top of one another, scoring, and using slip in-between.

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Slab method

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A hand-building technique involving shaping clay into a broad, flat, thick piece.

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Potter's wheel

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A device with a pedal used to make the flat circular table spin, allowing a potter to create pottery such as bowls, plates, and vases.

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Greenware

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The stage of clay that is unfired pottery or sculpture.