How to Do Coiled Ceramics

Once mastering the basics of pottery, introduce shaping using the coil technique

Coil pottery is an ancient technique where the potter uses ropes of clay coiled up into a cylinder shape to form the pot or jar. It does not require the use of a wheel, so anyone can make coil pottery at home on a stationary surface. The joins between the coils do weaken the pottery and may crack if overheated or used improperly, but a little extra effort reduces this risk and allows you to create a small coil bowl for use at home.

Things You'll Need

• Air dry or low-fire clay
• Knife
• Smooth surface
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Cut your clay into uniform sections and roll it out to a uniform diameter using only the palm of your hands to roll the tubes against a smooth surface. The size of the sections and the diameter of your tubes of clay determine the size of your vessel -- longer tubes of clay make a larger diameter pot.

2. Make a base for your pot by taking one of your clay tubes and coiling it up on a flat surface into a disk shape. Gently press on the top and sides of the coil to make sure the clay has melded together. If you wish to eliminate the bumps and ridges of the coil, moisten a sponge with water and rub it gently over the surface to smooth it out.

3. Make the sides of your bowl by looping your clay tubes around the edge of your base, one layer at a time. Check the diameter of your base, measure out a tube to the same diameter, cut the ends of the tube in a diagonal so that they meet evenly and press the clay tube down onto the base. Repeat this step one or two times more, and then smooth the inside of the pot with your fingers and the sponge to ensure the coils and the base have melded together.

4. Continue building up your bowl, one coil at a time, until it is as tall as you would like. Smooth out the inside with the fingers of one hand and/or the wet sponge to remove the bumps and ridges of the coils and to ensure the sides are one piece. Brace your other hand on the outside of the pot to prevent cracking it accidentally.

5. Allow your pot to dry if using an air dry clay or fire the pot to the directions specified on your clay package. It should be a low firing clay because a higher firing clay would be subjected to heat that would make the bowl crack along the joins of the coils.

Tips & Warnings

• Smooth the ridges out of the outside of the bowl with your fingers and the sponge, if you prefer a smooth look.

References

• Artswork: Lesson 4: Three Basic Pottery Techniques
• JHPottery: Coil Construction