Hand Building Techniques

PINCH POT Instructions

Instructions:

1. Create a sphere of clay about the size of your fist. Pat the sphere into shape.

2. Use your thumb to press into the clay.

3.Slowly rotate the ball of clay as you are pinching the clay with your thumb on the inside. Keep your four fingers together to be sure the outside keeps a smooth texture.

4.Pay attention to the form of the pottery

5.Smooth out cracks as you go.

When I am making the bowl the lip cracks. What should I do?

To prevent your piece from cracking make sure you leave your lip thick at the rim of your pot. Work on this part last. To keep it soft and damp, make sure you keep the rim damp by moistening with a sponge and water. Do not however get the whole pot wet because it will become sticky and slippery to work with.

My walls are uneven. What should I do?

You cannot build a symmetrical pot without your thumb. So make sure when you are beginning to push your thumb in the middle of the clay make sure it goes straight down into the center of the clay. If you turn the clay as you insert your thumb this will help make the opening more central. Also do not forget to take your time and spin the bowl slower and make smaller pinches

The bottom of my bowl is too thick. What should I do?

Make sure you push the thumb in deep enough to get a thin base then begin to pinch outwards. Also, make sure you pinch outwards then begin to pinch up.

As I am pinching my bowl, it is not keeping its shape and not looking like a bowl. What should I do?

Do not attempt to thin the walls too quickly. Shaping will get out of control if you squeeze the clay too hard. Work slowly, a little at a time, so that you can build up a regular rhythm of pinching and turning.

As I am trying to pinch my bowl the walls continue to fall over. What should I do?

If you get the walls thinner then ¼ inch thickness (about the thickness of a pencil), you are playing with possible failure and you will have more trouble controlling the clay.

As I am pinching my bowl it gets too wide and I cannot bring it in. What can I do?

Always work with your pot in your hand and never pushing down onto your work area. Cup your palm to provide a rounded seat for your pot. Squeeze lightly around the circumference of the pot with the hand that is holding the pot

My pinch bowl is too soft and I cannot get it to take the shape I want it to. What should I do?

Making pots by pinching is not as easy as it might initially appear. You need patience and perseverance to learn this technique. Squeezing too much clay at one time causes the pot to lose its shape. So allow the clay to set or rest before becoming over worked and floppy. You should build more then one at a time.

My surface is uneven and I want it smooth. What can I do?

Finish shaping your pots with a rubber or metal rib. Scrape both the inside and outside of leather-hard pot to help remove irregularities.

Clay is not as wet as when I started. What can I do?

You need to cover your work every day. Use plastic bags to cover the clay project to keep them workable. Also make sure you keep your extra clay you are using covered up as well.

I stored my piece of artwork and the next day it was a pile of mud. What did I do?

You are putting too much water on your piece. Need to be careful on how much water you put on your work.