In 2025, you can easily create pottery on your own without a wheel. It has been more accessible than ever before. This is due to improvement in materials, online tools which are very useful in nature etc. Also, hand building pottery is an extremely satisfying and rewarding job which will allow you to enhance your creativity and make you more mindful about artistry that is practical in nature. Buying a pottery wheel is a dauntingly expensive task which might feel too much for newcomers. In fact, the oldest pottery was made without a wheel.
Materials
Hand building pottery also help you to open up your creative chakras. It will allow you to create organic shapes, textures and forms that are often more beautiful, artistic and expressive than those created on a wheel. The best thing is that you do not require a lot of space or equipment to start.
The first thing that you need is clay. It is the base of your work. If you are a beginner, you should purchase air dry clay. It does not require to be fired which makes it easier for people who are starting out. It also dried in one to three days. If you wish to create some kind of a small item, then polymer clay or oven-bake clay is important. You can bake it at home with an oven. If you have already practiced pottery a few times, you can go for stoneware or earthernware clay which needs to be fired in a kiln but is durable in nature. You would also require a rolling pin or a bottle of wine, a stick of wood, a toothbrush for scoring, a bowl of water, a sponge, a needle and a proper surface to work on like parchment paper or a silicone mat.
For decoration, you can buy acrylic paints of your choice, glaze or underglaze and varnish so that your pottery is waterproof.
Pinch Pot Technique
It is an easy and intuitive method which is good for making bowls, cups and candle holders. All you need to do is roll a ball of clay to the size of a tennis ball. Press your thumb to the center to form a well. You need to rotate the clay in your hand. While doing that, slightly pinch the walls outward and upward. Make sure that you keep the thickness of the wall even. Smooth out the surface with your fingers or sponge.
Coil Building Technique
This is good for creating bigger forms of pottery like vases or planters or a sculpture. Firstly, you need to roll out even ropes of clay. Create a base where you can attach coils one by one in a spiral way. Score and slip each coil by scratching and adding water before you attach it. If you want a rustic effect, do not smooth the coils together. If you want a modern effect, smooth the coils together.
Slab Building Technique
If you want to create a box or tray, you can use this technique by rolling out a slab of clay which is similar to a cookie dough. You need to cut your desired shape by using a knife or a cookie cutter. All you require to do is score and slip the edges before joining all the pieces together. Use coils to reinforce joints from inside. It would be helpful to use a ruler to clean edges. Also, allow the slabs to firm up a little bit before cutting so that you do not warp it.
In conclusion, creating pottery is a meditative task which will help you in crafting unique items with a hint of personalization.
Author
Shreeja Mukherjee