Pottery has a handful of core techniques that most other methods build on. This guide lists them, explains where each fits in the process and suggests an order to learn them in.
Five core techniques at a glance
When people ask for “the five techniques in pottery making,” the answer varies. A common grouping is:
- Pinch pottery
- Coil building
- Slab building
- Wheel throwing
- Surface decoration and glazing
Firing then turns the shaped, dried clay into ceramic. Below is each group in more detail.
Hand-building techniques
Hand-building needs no wheel, so it is the easiest place to begin; hand building vs wheel throwing compares the two routes.
- Pinch pots: Press a thumb into a ball of clay and pinch outward and upward to form a bowl or cup. This builds a feel for clay thickness.
- Coil building: Roll ropes of clay, stack them, and blend them together to build walls. Good for larger or irregular forms.
- Slab building: Roll clay into flat sheets, cut shapes and join them for boxes, trays and plates. Rolling between guide sticks helps keep thickness even.
- Score and slip: Scratch the surfaces to be joined, add slip (liquid clay), and press together. This is the standard way to attach handles, feet and slab edges. See how to mix and prepare clay for slip basics.
- Molds: Draping a slab over a form or pressing it into one makes shallow dishes and platters.
Wheel throwing
Throwing shapes clay on a spinning wheel. It takes practice, so expect early attempts to be uneven.
- Centering: Getting the clay running true on the wheel head. Most beginners find this the hardest step.
- Opening: Pressing into the center to form the floor of the piece.
- Pulling walls: Lifting and thinning the walls with steady hand pressure.
- Shaping: Forming cylinders and bowls, which are the basis of mugs and vases.
- Trimming: Once the piece is leather-hard, shaving excess clay from the base to form a foot.
A class or studio is the easiest way to learn, since instructors can correct hand position in person.
Clay stages
The stage of the clay affects what you can do with it:
- Soft or plastic: shaping, pinching, throwing.
- Leather-hard: firm but cool to the touch. Good for trimming, carving, attaching handles and sgraffito.
- Bone dry (greenware): completely dry and fragile, ready for the kiln.
- Bisque: fired once, porous and ready for glaze.
Decoration techniques
- Sgraffito: Coat leather-hard clay with colored slip or underglaze and scratch through it to show the clay beneath.
- Mishima: Carve fine lines, fill them with contrasting slip or underglaze and scrape the surface clean.
- Stamping and imprinting: Press tools or textured objects into soft clay.
- Carving and incising: Cut into the surface for pattern or relief.
- Underglaze painting: Paint colors onto the clay before glazing.
Glazing and firing
Most pottery is fired twice. A first bisque firing hardens the clay. Glaze, a glass-forming coating, is applied by brushing, dipping or pouring, and a second firing melts it. Firing ranges depend on the clay, as covered in pottery clay types and how to choose one. A more dramatic method is covered in raku firing explained.
Beginner rules of thumb
People often ask about “golden rules” of ceramics. There is no official list, but common advice includes:
- Wedge your clay to remove air pockets.
- Keep wall thickness fairly even.
- Join pieces with scoring and slip.
- Let pieces dry slowly and evenly.
- Do not put wet or damp clay into a kiln.
- Test glazes on tiles before using them on finished work.
- Follow your studio’s rules for kiln loading and safety.
Where to start
A simple order is pinch pot, then coil and slab projects, then glazing a first piece. Add wheel throwing when you can get regular access to a wheel. Each technique shows up again in later ones, so early practice carries over. For tools, clay and firing options, see how to start pottery.