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Ceramics techniques - OCRPulling and coiling

Find out about the different ways to use and build clay and various finishing techniques that can be used to colour and decorate clay objects. These methods have advantages and disadvantages and require different skills, techniques and equipment.

Part of Art and DesignSculpture

Pulling and coiling

Pulling

A woman in an apron working on a clay teapot by pulling a length of clay to form a handle

Pulling is most commonly used for creating handles on cups, teapots and similar functional items.

The potter may use a separate lump of clay to work from, or attach a lump to the side of a functional vessel first.

Pulling requires using a lot of water on the clay while the potter gently squeezes and pulls the clay downwards. This is repeated, gradually, pulling the clay into a thin coil. It is cut with a potter’s knife and shaped, ready to attach to the side of the pot.

Coiling

Coiling is a common hand building technique and can be easy to learn. Coil building can be a quick technique and if the thickness of the coils is made much bigger, a large vessel can be made.

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