Relax with Handbuilding

Gracie Price
Sep 12
3 min read

Hand building is where many of us begin our ceramics journey, starting with air-dried pinch pots as children. It provides a way to connect with the clay, slow down your brain and play with interesting forms.

The three main methods in hand building are pinching, coiling and slab building. These can be combined to create functional and sculptural pottery with character and charm.

Hand building is the most accessible form of ceramics - for a pinch pot all you need is your hands and some clay. With a good air-dry clay you can even make some beautiful pieces at home*.

*Anything that may get wet will need to be sealed well and will not be food safe.

Slab building is a simple method to create functional pieces using just a few key tools - we are beginning with a slab-built vase. Once you have the basic knowledge of joining slabs you can use this to create mugs, vases, bowls, plates and even abstract geometric forms.

TOOLS - there’s only a few basic tools you need

Bowl of water
Soft plastic rib
Needle tool
Knife
Rolling Pin
Guide sticks
Piece of fabric
Paper
Cardboard or plastic tube

MATERIALS

Clay (this can be stoneware, porcelain or air-dry)
Botanical materials - leaves and seed heads work well

STEP ONE - Preparing

Before starting your vase you will need to prepare your space by laying out a piece of fabric - if you are working on a wooden board, tuck the fabric under the edge to hold it down. Wrap your card or plastic tube in newspaper and tuck it into one end to secure it.

STEP TWO - Rolling Out

Take your piece of clay and begin by squashing it into a rectangle with your hands. Place the clay between your two guide sticks and roll out a large rectangle just as you would a piece of pastry - flipping the clay if it starts to go wonky.

If you have any marks from rolling out, use a lightly dampened rib or sponge to smooth out and compress the surface.

Check your slab is long enough to fit around your tube with an overlap - cut off any excess to be used later as the base. The width of your clay at this stage will determine the height of your finished vase.

STEP THREE - Pressing Designs

If you want a plain vase skip this step.

Using your botanical materials, arrange a design of leaves or flowers on the surface of your piece - cut off any thick stems that may go through the clay. With your rolling pin, gently press into the clay and remove your material to reveal the design.

Flip over your clay so the design is touching the fabric surface before continuing onto the next steps.

STEP FOUR - Shaping

Take one of your guides and cut a straight line along one edge of your piece - this will be the bottom edge. For the top of your vase you can either cut another straight edge or cutting a flowing shape following the natural curves of the clay.

STEP FIVE - Construction

Roll your slab around the tube, marking the overlap with a pin tool and scoring where the two pieces meet. Where you have scored, apply slip and press the two pieces together well.

Trace around the base of the rolled slab on your excess clay and cut out this shape. Slip and score both the base and the bottom of the vase before pressing together and blending the seam.

Allow your vase to become leather hard before removing your former.