Three Ways to Make Pots for Beginners
It would be difficult for begginers to start and take up pottery as a hobby. With any new project, it can feel like there is a lot to learn. But don’t worry, you only have to do one thing at a time. Pottery can be made in three main ways. When you start, it helps to pick one technique to focus on. There are mainly three ways to make pottery:
- Using a pottery wheel, which is also called “wheel-thrown pottery,”
- Making pottery by hand
- Making a slip cast
A lot of potters use all three methods at the same time. But if you want to start a pottery hobby, you should focus on the one that you like the most.
You can always learn more about the other ways to make pottery when you have more experience. So, choose one and get going!
Making pottery on a wheel
A pottery wheel is a tool for making pottery that lets you spin clay. As the wheel turns, you shape the clay into a bowl, mug, vase, or other vessel. It’s called “throwing” pottery.
Some pottery wheels are made to be used while standing up. Most are made so that you can sit down and work at theLike any other type of hobby equipment, pottery wheels come in a wide range of makes and models. But don’t worry, you can get a cheap wheel that is good enough to start making pottery. I will look into getting a pottery wheel a little bit later in this post. Or, you can read this article about how to choose a pottery wheel.
Making pots by hand
Making pots by hand is an ancient art form with a rich history. This article explores the process of making these vessels, and what skills are necessary to make pots.
The concept of pottery is a very old one, though it’s not clear when humans first started producing pottery. Different cultures have their own methods for making clay vessels and so one cannot say exactly when the first pots were made.
Pots are most often made from clay that is dug up from the ground or gathered nearby, as this requires less labor than other materials, such as stone or metal. Though you can use any material you want to make your pot from!
Putting your pottery together with a mold or slip casting
You can start a pottery hobby with almost no tools if you use hand-building techniques. Slip casting is clay that has been mixed with enough water to make a liquid. There are different thicknesses of slip. Some of it is like a thick paste and very sticky. The other slip is thin and smooth enough to pour.
Slip casting is the pouring of smooth slip into a plaster mold. The slip dries in the mold and takes the shape of the mold. It is easy to pop it out of the plaster mold once it is dry. Once removed from the mold, the slip-cast pottery can be finished in a number of ways.