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Methods of forming pottery: Hand-shaping
was the earliest method used to form vessels.
This included the combination of pinching and
coiling.
A thumb pot (or pinch pot) is an ancient form of
pottery and it is the simplest form of pottery.
The pinching method is a means to create
pottery that can be ornamental or functional,
and has been widely employed across cultures
and times.
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For archaeologists, anthropologists and
historians the study of pottery can help to
provide an insight into past cultures.
Pottery is durable, and fragments, at least, often
survive long after artifacts made from lessdurable materials such as grasses, bone, or glass
decayed or been distroyed past recognition.
Combined with other evidence, the study of
pottery artifacts is helpful in the development of
theories on the organization, economic
condition and the cultural development of the
societies that produced or acquired pottery.
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Pinch pot vases are
reasonably simple to
make and so, are a
great beginning
project. These vases
incorporate the pinch
pot method and
scoring and slipping
with additive features.
mouth
neck
body
base
Continued Impressive Pinch Pot Vases
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Students learn the parts of a vase, devise five types of their
own creation drawing them as thumbnail sketches before
they are given clay, and produce at least three of their ideas.
Designs are impressed, or stamped into two separate clay
buttons for two sides of the pot.
Finally, students will test different glazes on the vases.
Familiarity with the medium one is working with is
important in the creation of art.
 Students will understand and practice manipulation
of the type of clay available to them.
 Students will discover and perfect basic construction
methods and decorative methods, as well as
observing the qualities of basic commercial glazes
over textured and smooth surfaces.
 This is also a good time for students to learn how to
set up, put away, and properly use the equipment,
materials, and tools they need to create their
products.
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http://www.ehow.com/video_4438013_makepinch-pot.html
Here are some pointers for creating pinch pots:
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work in a spiral from bottom to top
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use the tip of your thumb on the interior, while supporting the exterior with your other hand
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minor stretch cracks can be left as a textural effect, if desired
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deep cracks should be welded immediately using a tiny amount of slurry or slip
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rims can be left untrimmed or they can be trimmed with a potter's needle when the pot is leatherhard
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the pot can be smoothed, or even burnished with a wooden rib, when the pot is leather-hard
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Read, quiz and think
Design and draw
Create 3 separate pots (see next slide if you need
extra time to work on the pot)
Finish smooth or texture
Air dry, after one- two days it should be leather-hard
Leather hard can be cut or add-on pieces with score
and slip method
Complete dry
Bisque fire (cone 04)
Glaze pot AND use wax resist on the bottom of the
pots
Final fire (cone 06)
Taking a Break
Pinched forms can take more time to create than we have in one
sitting. When you have to leave your work while it is in progress, place
damp paper towels across the top row. Cover the entire piece with plastic.
If you should need the bottom of the pot to stiffen slightly, leave some
gaps where the plastic meets the table or shelf. Otherwise, tuck the plastic
under the support surface. If the humidity is high, add a layer of newspaper or
cloth in between the pot and the plastic. This will absorb any condensation,
which could otherwise make your pot collapse.
Wax Resist
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Definition: Wax Resist (noun) is a waxy substance used to prevent slips
or glazes from adhering onto the clay body or a prior coating of slip, etc.
A resist is especially helpful in keeping glaze from adhering to a pot's
base, and in the case of a lidded jar, from keeping the areas the lid and
the jar meet free from glaze.
In the past, wax resists where simply melted wax; today there are a
number of wax emulsions, including many which are water-based.
Wax resist can also used in decoration. The resist can be used both under
or over underglazes, glazes, and slips to create designs.
Bowl
with wax
resist
design
Resist
on the
bottom
on the
pot
After wax is
applied, it is
cut away
before
glazing to
keep some
of the pot
natural
1.
What is the oldest method of pot making? A. slab rolling B. coiling pots C. purchase at Walmart D.
Pinch pots
2.
Who studies “old pots” to discover about civilizations? A. archeologist B. historians
C. anthropologists D. all of the above
1.
How many sketches minimum do you need to make before you get your clay? A. 1 B. 3 C. 5 D. 7
2.
What is score and slip? A. a new type of pizza B. making grooves on wet/leather hard clay and using the
slip as a glue C. a baseball term D. none of the above
3.
What is the top of the vase called? A. mouth B. neck C. body D. base
4.
A glaze is: A. applied after the bisque fire B. a chemical C. adds color or protection to a pot D. all of the
above
5.
How is wax resist used: A. to remove unwanted hair B. keep glaze from the bottom of a pot C. for
crayon drawings D. never as a decorative property
6.
What is leather hard? A. a Marine term B. used to make saddles C. point where clay is hard but not dry
D. last stage in pottery making
7.
Cone 04 is the firing level for: A. glazes B. first fire C. last fire D. never used
10.
If you run out of time in class and your pot is not done: A. give up B. ask for a pass for PE C. cover the
pot with plastic and damp paper D. Throw the pot away
Ancient Pottery, Pinch Pot Student Evaluation
Name______________________________________
Dated ________________
DESIGN
10 9 8 7 6 5 Other
CONSTRUCTION
10 9 8 7 6 5 Other
CRAFTSMANSHIP
10 9 8 7 6 5 Other
PATTERNS/TEXTURES 10 9 8 7 6 5 Other
GLAZING
10 9 8 7 6 5 Other
One aspect about this project that I learned
___________________________________________
7. Did you wax resist the bottom of the pots to keep
glaze from the shelf? YES NO
8. Was this a project you would consider revising for
your final?
YES NO
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