Pottery Making Illustrated Articles (Simple)

Excerpted from Functional Pottery: Form and Aesthetic in Pots of Purpose by Robin Hopper, published by The American Ceramic Society.

If you have an understanding of how to throw basic forms on the potter’s wheel and your aha moments when centering the clay and pulling the walls up have started to click, you will soon be able to throw almost any form.

In my studio practice, I implement tools such as digital modeling and 3D printing. These advancements provide a unique refinement of line and form.

The application of heat transforms clay into an archival material—ceramic—that preserves the language of that touch. Cup-and-pitcher sets are some of my favorite things to make because they are designed to be shared.

I set out making slab-plate forms about four years ago in response to the question: How do I produce a consistent form in the most efficient manner both in construction and firing?

These forms hold a robust volume inside, and when microwaved, the interior will heat up, while the air between the inside and outside walls allows the exterior to remain cool.

I strive to meld color, sturdiness, earth tones, histories, and fun together in my work. The handled forms I make—bowls, buckets, trays, platters, and baskets—fulfill my desire to mash up these variables into forms that feel vaguely familiar.

Based on 2021 data, 60% of electricity in the US is sourced from fossil fuels (mainly coal and natural gas). Another 20% is from nuclear power, so only 20% of electricity actually comes from renewable sources, such as wind and solar.

Making a muffin pan out of clay can be complicated, but it’s also fun, good practice, and an attention-getter.

The tagine, an iconic vessel synonymous with Moroccan cooking, has a distinctively conical lid.

Perhaps because of the conical center opening it just doesn’t occur to a lot of potters to try this form, but it’s actually surprisingly fun and simple to make.

Regardless of the phase in your pottery journey, space is crucial when making a home studio. Let’s look at what factors you need to consider when setting up a studio space in a home that you rent or a space that you are considering renting.

Our mission at PMI is to introduce readers to new concepts in forming and firing; to expose up-and-coming artists to fellow ceramic enthusiasts; and to engage makers in a more thoughtful and creative studio practice.

Illustrations of test tiles.

There is no perfect formula for composing a great piece, but I have developed some reliable techniques to help with this important piece of the equation. With practice, you will begin to develop your own methods for composing the sur­faces of your work.

My cocktail cup was designed to feel ceremonial. The cocktail-cup design is true to the themes of repetition found throughout my work, but it allows me to explore a more indulgent form.

I find joy in making a clay form and then patterning the surface with glass beads. The process is meditative as well.

This life experience has influenced my current ceramics practice. I integrate the vibrancy of majolica ceramics in my work, making use of its wonderful qualities of translucent color integrated into the surface of the glaze.