Ceramics: working with clay

Clay is one of the oldest art materials. It starts soft and squashy and, after firing in a kiln, becomes hard and permanent.

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Hand-building methods

Pinch pot: press your thumb into a ball of clay and pinch the walls out evenly.
Coil pot: roll long sausages of clay and build them up in layers, blending them together.
Slab building: roll clay flat, cut shapes and join them, like a box.
Throwing: shaping clay on a spinning potter's wheel.
Before you start, wedge the clay (knead it) to remove air bubbles, which can cause cracks or even make a piece burst in the kiln.

Joining and decorating

To join two pieces: score both surfaces (scratch criss-cross lines), add slip (clay mixed with water to a creamy liquid), then press together. Remember: score and slip.
Decorate by impressing (pressing in textures), incising (cutting lines), adding shapes (appliqué), or painting with coloured slip.
A glaze is a glassy coating that melts in the kiln to make the surface shiny, colourful and often waterproof.

From soft to fired

Clay changes as it dries and is fired. Each stage has a name.
A kiln is a very hot oven for firing clay. Earthenware is fired at lower temperatures than stoneware and porcelain.
StageWhat it means
PlasticSoft and easy to shape
Leather-hardFirm but slightly damp; good for joining and carving
Bone-dry (greenware)Completely dry but unfired; very fragile
Bisque (biscuit)Fired once in a kiln; hard but not glazed
GlazedGlaze applied and fired again
Worked example

A student joins a clay handle to a mug by just pressing it on. After drying, it falls off. What should they have done?

  1. Pressing alone does not make a strong join, and clay shrinks as it dries.
  2. Both surfaces should be scored (scratched) and coated with slip.
  3. Then the pieces should be pressed firmly together and the seam smoothed.

Answer: Score both surfaces, add slip, press them firmly together and smooth the join.

Key idea

Hand-building methods: pinch, coil and slab; throwing uses a wheel. Wedge clay to remove air bubbles. Join with score and slip. Clay goes from plastic to leather-hard to bone-dry, then is bisque fired and glaze fired in a kiln.

Key words
Kiln
A very hot oven used to fire clay and glazes.
Score and slip
Joining clay by scratching both surfaces and adding slip before pressing them together.
Slip
Clay mixed with water to a creamy liquid, used to join clay or to decorate it.
Leather-hard
Clay that is firm but still slightly damp: good for joining and carving.
Bisque
Clay that has been fired once in a kiln but not yet glazed. Also called biscuit ware.
Blending
Shading smoothly from one tone or colour to another with no visible lines.

All KS3 Art and Design key terms and definitions →

Quick check

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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. What is slip used for?

    1. Joining pieces of clay
    2. Firing clay
    3. Cutting clay
    4. Painting with oil
    Show the answer

    Answer: Joining pieces of clay

    Slip acts like glue.

  2. Why do you score clay before joining?

    1. To make it smoother
    2. To add colour
    3. Rough surfaces grip together better
    4. To dry it faster
    Show the answer

    Answer: Rough surfaces grip together better

    Scoring and slip make a strong join.

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Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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