SenseCraft · Blog

Blog

Hand-building pottery techniques and the thinking behind SenseCraft tools.

Hands working inside a curved clay slab wall that is already standing on a board.

Article

How to make a slab mug: building the wall without a wheel

How to make a slab mug by hand: calculate a wall template, bend the clay, join the seam, form a rounded belly, release the support and dry the piece.

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Hands laying a clay coil on the rim of a wide bowl under construction.

Article

Coil pottery: how to build and shape a pot by hand

Coil pottery step by step: roll and join clay coils, shape the walls, adjust the profile, pause and resume, and troubleshoot cracks and open joints.

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The three light-blue Barista Line molds on a pale stone counter, each with its finished cup behind it: espresso, flat white and a cappuccino with latte art, with coffee beans in front.

Article

Espresso cup size: flat white and cappuccino cups

Espresso cup size, flat white cup size and cappuccino cup size explained: capacities, serving volumes and how SenseCraft designs ceramic cup molds.

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An unfired clay mug on a wooden board, with an arched coil handle attached to its side wall.

Article

How to make a mug handle: shaping, fitting and attaching by hand

How to make a mug handle without a wheel: coil, slab-strip and pulled handles, sizing, fitting the ends, attaching, drying and preventing cracks.

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Five shallow plates on a wooden table, each holding a different raw material: dark grey lumps, yellow powder, white powder and a yellowish block.

Article

Types of clay for pottery: how to choose a clay body for your piece

Learn the main types of clay for pottery—terracotta, earthenware, stoneware and porcelain—and choose a clay body by project, firing range and data sheet.

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One hand holding a firm unfired clay piece while the other incises a design into its surface with a fine point.

Article

Leather-hard clay: how to recognize each stage and when to work it

Learn how to recognize leather-hard clay, distinguish its stages and decide when to cut, bend, join, remove it from a mold and finish your pottery.

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Fingers setting the root of a freshly joined handle against the wall of an unfired clay piece, on a workbench.

Article

How to join clay: score and slip, backing support and seams

How to join clay with scoring and joining slip: when each one helps, how to check the fit before wetting, back up the seam and inspect it without hiding flaws.

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Unfired clay pots drying on a wooden shelf, partly covered by a striped cloth.

Article

How to dry pottery without cracking: covering, support and checks

How to dry pottery without cracking: why the rim dries before the base, how to cover without drips, when to flip a piece, how to protect handles, what to weigh.

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Hands rolling out a clay slab with a rolling pin between two guide strips, on a cloth-covered work surface.

Article

How to roll out a clay slab: thickness, cutting and handling

Learn how to roll out a clay slab with a rolling pin and guides, measure its thickness, allow for shrinkage, and cut and move it without stretching.

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Fingers pinching the rim of a small grey clay bowl resting on a cardboard board.

Article

How to make a pinch pot: the pinch technique step by step

Learn how to make a pinch pot: shape a small bowl step by step, check wall and bottom thickness, refine the rim and understand common causes of cracking.

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Three wheel-free techniques: a coil laid on the rim of a bowl, fingers pinching a small bowl and a clay slab rolled out with a rolling pin and guide strips.

Article

Pottery without a wheel: hand-building techniques

Pinch, coil, slab, extrusion and molds: what each hand-building pottery technique is for, when to choose it and what to check before you start working.

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Palette base and lid; choose paper and sponge separately.

Guide · Painting · Workbench preparation

How to assemble and use the SenseCraft wet palette

Choose a size, prepare your paper and sponge, and understand the optional gasket.

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Stamps with top identification and mirrored stamping faces.

Guide · Pottery · Tool use

How to use and align letter stamps in clay

Identify your characters, check their orientation and apply an even impression in soft clay.

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