handbuilding
Manual ceramic shaping
Handbuilding is a pottery technique where clay is shaped without a wheel—using methods like pinching, coiling, or slab construction.
The term distinguishes this approach from wheel-thrown ceramics: She prefers handbuilding to throwing on the wheel.
Handbuilt pieces often show visible evidence of the maker's touch.
Squeezing tightly between fingers
- coilingLooping around repeatedly
- slabThick flat piece
- kilnOven for hardening clay
- clayMoldable earth for ceramics
wedging · scoring · slip · greenware · bisque · leather-hard · earthenware · stoneware
Skilled manual tradesperson
- handmadeCreated manually, not mechanically
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- folkRegular common people
- rakuLow-fired Japanese ceramic tradition
pueblo · majolica · functional · decorative · vessel · sculpture · workshop · studio
pinching
Squeezing tightly between fingers
clay · wedging · scoring · slip · greenware · bisque · leather-hard · earthenware · stoneware · porcelain
artisan
Skilled manual tradesperson
- handmadeCreated manually, not mechanically
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- folkRegular common people
raku · pueblo · majolica · functional · decorative · vessel · sculpture · workshop · studio · maker
molding
Decorative architectural edging
- shapingGiving something its form
- formingComing into existence
- smoothingReducing irregularities systematically
paddling · incising · carving · stamping · sprigging · sgraffito · applique · embossing · piercing · faceting
- ceramicspottery, porcelain, cup, bowl, plate
- potterypot, pottery, clay pottery, throwing, ceramic vase
handbuildingwheel throwing
Forming pottery on turntable
throwing · jiggering · mold casting · jollying · extruding
handbuildingmass production
Large-scale standardized fabrication
factory production · injection molding · 3D printing · machine-made · industrial production