Two-part cylinder mould for slip casting The beauty of slip casting is that you can make the forms much faster than you could do otherwise, and you have the security of knowing that every item will be identical – an…
A couple of different methods of pulling handles Anyone who watched the Great Pottery Throw Down will remember Daniel Pratap’s expertise at pulling handles. He makes it look easy, and with practice it can become second-nature as you get a…
Making a simple plaster press mould Plaster moulds are incredibly useful for reproducing a shape quickly and exactly that can’t easily be made by hand-building or throwing. Don’t be daunted by the prospect of mixing plaster! If you weigh and…
Casting moulds from two halves For plaster casting you will need: ● A non-absorbent board for making the mould on ● Clay for building up the model and reinforcing the cottle ● Boards to make the cottle ● A length…
THE most important thing when dealing with any aspect of clay is preparation. Without this, the clay won’t handle properly, and you run the risk of trapping air in the body of the clay, which will cause your work to…
Coiling is perhaps the most versatile of the handbuilding techniques, because it allows you to build forms of any design or scale. It’s generally considered to be a slow and contemplative way of working, which demands patience and attention…
Learning to centre clay on the wheel Throwing is arguably the hardest technique to master and nothing can be achieved on a wheel until you learn to centre the clay properly. Here, we show you the required hand positions to…
Pinch pots are the ideal project for newcomers to hand-building with clay; perfecting this technique is a fantastic way to start developing your clay-craft skills. Most tutors will start people making pinch pots to get a feel for the clay…
Street artist HEX shares a step-by-step guide on how to making his stippled, optical illusion pieces This process will create a stipple portrait onto the surface of the clay. The image is made up of thousands of dots, and…