How to Make a Great Ceramic Pitcher Handle
Simon Levin gives a great tutorial on how to make a pitcher handle that functions well and looks fantastic!
Simon Levin
Ceramic pitchers are a challenging form for potters to master because in order to function well they have to be lightweight enough to carry a large amount of liquid. Not only do they have to be large yet lightweight, they have to be comfortable to hold. Pitcher handles are very important to the overall success of the pitcher. Nobody wants to use a pitcher that is awkward to hold and heavy to boot.
In today’s video clip, an excerpt from his download video,Making a Pitcher,Simon Levin gives his best advice for making great pitcher handles. As he points out in the video, making pitcher handles, or any handle for that matter, is like a handbuilding project and you should really take the time to sculpt your handles into what you want them to be. If you do that, you’ll definitely improve. - Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor
PS. See this post in the archives to learn how to make a pitcher using the pinch pot technique.
In Clay: A Studio Handbook, Vince Pitelka gives some great advice that can be applied to any handle, not just pitcher handles.
Here’s the highlights:
A handle should be no longer/larger than it needs to be
A handle should be attached well and as soon as possible
Avoid sharp edges
Avoid handles with round cross-sections on cups and mugs
Make sure your handle is not too thick and not too thin
This is great advice to tape up on your studio wall. If you want further explanation, see the full post here!
Simon Levin is a full time studio potter working exclusively with wood firing. To learn more about him or see more images of his work, please visit https://simonlevin.com/.
Search the Daily
Published Aug 31, 2018
Ceramic pitchers are a challenging form for potters to master because in order to function well they have to be lightweight enough to carry a large amount of liquid. Not only do they have to be large yet lightweight, they have to be comfortable to hold. Pitcher handles are very important to the overall success of the pitcher. Nobody wants to use a pitcher that is awkward to hold and heavy to boot.
In today’s video clip, an excerpt from his download video, Making a Pitcher, Simon Levin gives his best advice for making great pitcher handles. As he points out in the video, making pitcher handles, or any handle for that matter, is like a handbuilding project and you should really take the time to sculpt your handles into what you want them to be. If you do that, you’ll definitely improve. - Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor
PS. See this post in the archives to learn how to make a pitcher using the pinch pot technique.
This post was excerpted from Making a Pitcher with Simon Levin, which is available as a download in the Ceramic Arts Network Shop, or for streaming on CLAYflicks!
More Advice on Pitcher Handles
In Clay: A Studio Handbook, Vince Pitelka gives some great advice that can be applied to any handle, not just pitcher handles.
Here’s the highlights:
This is great advice to tape up on your studio wall. If you want further explanation, see the full post here!
Simon Levin is a full time studio potter working exclusively with wood firing. To learn more about him or see more images of his work, please visit https://simonlevin.com/.
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
Related Content
Ceramic Artists
Functional Pottery
Ceramic Sculpture
Glaze Chemistry
High Fire Glaze Recipes
Mid-Range Glaze Recipes
Low Fire Glaze Recipes
Ceramic Colorants
Ceramic Glazes and Underglazes
Ceramic Raw Materials
Pottery Clay
Ceramic Decorating Tools
Ceramic Kilns
Making Clay Tools
Wheel Throwing Tools
Electric Kiln Firing
Gas Kiln Firing
Raku Firing
Salt Firing and Soda Firing
Wood Kiln Firing
Ceramic Decorating Techniques
Ceramic Glazing Techniques
Handbuilding Techniques
Making Ceramic Molds
Making Ceramic Tile
Wheel Throwing Techniques