You’ll be pinching the clay between your forefinger and thumb most of the time. At certain stages, you might also need to compress the clay between your thumb and fingers. Here are the basic steps involved in creating some wonderful pinch pottery:

1. Roll your clay into a ball-like shape

Rolling your clay into a ball would be an ideal way to get started. The amount of clay would greatly depend on the size of pinch pot you want to make. It is good to be aware that much hard work is involved in pinching a large amount of clay. Even more tricky is to pinch large amounts of clay into an attractive, even form.

2. Start pressing with your thumb

With one of your hands cupped, support the ball of clay. Press your thumb into the ball’s center and keep pushing. Soon, you’ll begin to feel the push of your thumb in the supporting hand. However, make sure that your thumb doesn’t get right through. The thickness of the clay needs to be ideally about one-third of an inch.

3. Start pinching out the pot’s walls

With your forefinger and thumb, start to pinch out the pot’s walls. You must keep your thumb and fingers reasonably straight in this process. This will ensure that you’re pinching the clay ball’s overall depth. Pinching with just the tips of your fingers would cause a thin band around the pot’s base.

Its wall will also be shaped. Upon pinching a section of the pot, turn the clay and pinch the next section. Keep the pinching and turning process going.

4. Check the walls for even thickness

Check if the pot’s base is a bit thicker than the other parts. If it is thicker, you can drag some of the clay up the walls from the bottom of the pot. This can be done easily by using the tips of your fingers.

5. Leave the pot to firm up

You must leave the pot to firm up once you’re satisfied with its thickness, shape, and size. Keep the pot upside down with its rim resting on a wooden plate. Leave it there until the clay becomes leather-hard. The best thing to do would be to cover the pot with a plastic bag and leave it overnight. Allow it to become a little more firm by removing the plastic in the morning. Make sure that the pot doesn’t get too hard and dry.

6. Tidy up the pot

You must be absolutely sure that the clay is firm enough to handle without losing shape. When you’re assured of its firmness, tidy up the inside and outside surfaces of the pot. You can do this by using a platter tool. If you don’t have such a tool, use the back of a dessert spoon.

A clay shredder can be a good tool to smooth down the outside surfaces of the pinch pot. Remove the serrated texture on the clay using a metal potter’s rib. After running it over the surface, your pot will have a smooth finish. You can then use a damp piece of chamois leather to clean the pot’s rim.

The post 6 Steps for Creating Some Wonderful Pinch Pottery appeared first on studio1219.com.

Although, you’ll come across very few potters today, the ancient art still continues. In recent times, pottery involves more advanced and delicate materials such as glass and marble. You may not be using clay pots today, but you’ll find artists who practice pottery as an art.

Many aspiring artists are taking a lot of interest in pottery and are trying to learn it. If you’re one of them, you’d want to take some pottery lessons as well. Here are some of the top websites that will help you learn this art online:

1. SkillShare

This is one of the most popular online learning platforms in the world today. It offers you a unique interface and teaching methods that are interactive and fun. Through this website, you’ll be able to learn any type of skill within the comforts of your home.

The best part of this site is its distinct module. It not only offers premium learning content, but also has some quality content that you can access for free. You’ll need to sign up for premium membership and pay for the subscription to access all the courses listed on SkillShare at once. Unlike most of the other websites, SkillShare offers you a two-month trial period.

This gives you the chance to check out their courses and teaching methods extensively. It will help you know if they work for you. There are a number of fabulous courses for pottery on this website. They cover a wide range of skills and other essential techniques for mastering the art of pottery.

2. Udemy

Udemy covers the most diverse range of topics in its elaborate courses. So, it won’t be a problem for you to find the course in pottery you’ve been looking for. The courses listed on this website are extremely useful, whether you’re a beginner or at an advanced level. You’ll find courses in pottery that allow you to learn the art, helping you identify certain mistakes in the process.

Once you become aware of the mistakes you’re making, you’ll certainly avoid repeating them. These courses also come with a lot of assistance from the instructor. Among such courses listed on this site is the wheel-thrown pottery for beginners.

Others include the fundamentals of wheel pottery and personalizing your work with the use of colors. Given below each of the listed course would be the duration. It helps you in scheduling your study in an appropriate manner. Besides, you only need to pay for the course you want to learn.

3. Reed

Known for its authentic content, Reed is a UK-based website for online learning. It makes formal learning a lot more convenient and facilitates continuing professional development (CPD). With the help of Reed, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from the experts firsthand.

It also has a dedicated section for career advice, which gives you some valuable insights and guidance. This helps you in taking your career to greater heights. You’ll come across a variety of pottery courses on this site. They’ll connect you to the cultural roots of this age-old art.

The strict quality standards of this website is yet another feature worth mentioning here. The listed courses have been described in detail on the site, thus helping you make the right choices.

The post Top 3 Websites to Learn Pottery Online appeared first on studio1219.com.