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How to Make Clay Pottery

Presented by Roy Stringfellow

Learn tips & techniques for making clay pottery by hand in this free ceramic pots video series.

Series Summary

Making pottery is the art of creating earthenware vessels from clay. The process involves shaping a vessel, by hand or with tools, and cooking it in a kiln, or letting it dry and harden. Ancient civilizations used pottery for all sorts of things, from storing oil, wine, and other foodstuffs, to holding papyrus scrolls, the organs of dead god-kings, perfumes, and various religious offerings. Because pottery is durable and lasts long after its creator is gone, it has helped us to learn about entire groups of people that we might have otherwise never known; these hand-crafted objects tell stories, not only from their complex structural designs, but also the carefully wrought stories painted on their surfaces, a sort of iconography of a time and place in history. In this free clay pottery video series, learn how to make handmade pots of different types, specifically a pinch pot and a traditional coil pot. Our expert will give you step-by-step instructions to make your own pottery, including what tools you’ll need, what type of clay to choose, how to form the base of the pot and add coils, smoothing and finishing techniques, and how to add a glaze to the pot at the end. These beginner pottery videos will help you discover the art that people have been practicing since time immemorial.

Listing 1-14 of 14 videos

Making the Base for a Clay Coil Pot

Learn how to make the base for a clay coil pot using pottery techniques such as scoring and learn about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

Smoothing the Outside of a Coil Pot

Learn techniques for smoothing the outside of your clay coil pot and learn about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

How to Make Slip For Making Pottery

Learn how to make slip, a clay pottery adhesive that holds the pot together and learn about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

Smoothing the Inside of the Coil Pot

Learn techniques for smoothing the inside of your clay coil pot and learn about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

Adding Coils When Making Pottery

Learn how to add coils to your clay coil pot and learn about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

How to Make a Pinch Pot

Learn how to make a pinch pot using clay pottery techniques and about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

Types of Clay for Making Pottery

Learn the types of clay to use for making pottery by hand and about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

How to Make a Coil Pot

Learn how to build coils by hand for a clay coil pot and learn about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

Waxing the Coil Pot

Learn how to wax your handmade clay coil pot and learn about this and more in this free arts and crafts video series on making pottery.

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