How to Make Pottery

Pottery is made from a special type of clay and other materials. The clay body can be shaped by a number of techniques.

Before starting to make pottery, a potter should collect the necessary equipment. These tools include the potter’s wheel, a turning device, a slurry, a burnishing stone, and other tools.

The first step in making a pot is to center the clay. This involves pressing the clay inwards to create a smooth surface. Other techniques used to center the clay include throwing and trimming.

Once the shape of the clay body is finished, it is fired. The high temperature of the kiln changes the chemical content of the clay to harden it. A red glaze is applied to the finished ware. It rehardens and strengthens the surface of the clay.

Glazes are a coating of a mixture of silica and minerals. They make the clay waterproof. Various glazing techniques are used to decorate wares.

The earliest forms of pottery were formed from flat slabs of clay luted together. These slabs were then modeled into square or oblong vessels.

The most difficult skill to master is centering the clay. Centering the clay is the process of pressing the clay inwards to create symmetrical shapes.

Throwing pots require a great deal of skill. In addition, a potter can modify the shape of a pot by carving, incising, or fluting. Similarly, a throwing pot can be altered by using tools such as spouts and handles.