Make an air dry clay pot to brighten up your desk!
Handmade ceramics are hot property right now (just look at The Great Pottery Throwdown's success!) and the good news is you don’t have to be a master potter to get the look.
Roll up your sleeves and get stuck in with air dry clay with this lovely project by Lucy Davidson. You'll also be embracing your inner artist and decorating your creations with splashy, painterly patterns.
Lucy's pottery painting ideas will give your pots an artisanal look that will make them appear professional and beautiful. We’ll be filling ours with pens, knitting needles, or dried blooms, arranging them just so to show off our handiwork.
Air dry clay is a fantastic medium to use for making pots, vases and bowls as it's easy to work with, cheap to buy and can be painted with acrylic paints.
Bear in mind, however, air dry clay isn’t watertight, so pop any live plants into jars before placing them in your fancy new pots.
You will need:
- Two packs of air-dry clay
- Clay tool
- Rolling pin
- Craft knife
- Masking tape
- Chopping board
- Greaseproof paper
- Glass jar, 7.5cm (3") diameter
- Glass jar, 9cm (35/8") diameter
- Sandpaper
- Plain paper
- Dust mask
- Acrylic craft paint
- Metallic craft paint
- Paint brushes
- Varnish
If you're new to the world of pottery don't worry! We've got an air dry clay guide which runs through loads of pottery techniques.
How to make a clay pot
Step 1
Start by rolling out the air-dry clay on the chopping board. Roll it out to roughly 0.5cm (1⁄4") thick, then cut a 25 x 10cm (97/8 x 4") rectangle to make the smaller pot.
Step 2
Wrap the small glass jar with greaseproof paper to prevent sticking, then wrap the strip of clay around the jar and seal the short edges together, using your fingers or the clay tool to merge the two pieces. Keep pressing together until there is a clean join.
Step 3
To make a base for the pot, roll another piece of clay out, roughly the same thickness and slightly bigger than the base of the jar. Trim the base into a circle.
Step 4
Secure the base to the sides by pressing them together. Roll out a thin piece of clay from the leftover bits and push it into the join – this will help to strengthen it.
Step 5
Turn the pot over and make sure all the edges are smoothed down. Take your time with this step and make sure you’re completely happy with the shape.
Step 6
To make a matching vase, repeat Steps 1-5, this time cutting a 25 x 15cm (97/8 x 6") rectangle of clay and shaping it around the taller glass jar. Once finished, remove the glass jars and the greaseproof paper, and leave the pot and vase to dry for at least 24 hours.
Step 7
If there are any rough edges, use a small piece of sandpaper to sand the pieces down for a smooth finish. Wear a dust mask for this, as sanding causes a lot of dust.
Pottery painting ideas
Step 1
To keep a clean edge on the lower parts of the pots and vase while painting, wrap a strip of plain paper around the bottom of each vessel, as shown, and secure it in place with masking tape.
Step 2
Take the first paint colour and water it down slightly. Working around the pots, paint on some loose brush strokes. Repeat this process, watering down another colour. Keep the strokes natural and not too neat to achieve a painterly look, as shown.
Step 3
Remove the paper and masking tape and add some metallic paint strokes to create a shiny look. Apply a little too much paint so it drips down the pots, adding to the natural design. Once the paint is dry, apply two coats of varnish and leave to dry for 24 hours.
Elevate your home with air dry clay
Your air dry clay creations will add a modern and fresh look to your space! From vases to pots to hanging decorations, it’s the little touches that can really bring a room together! Not to mention that air dry clay is low cost, easy to work with and you don’t need a kiln.
Keep the air dry clay projects coming!
Add a touch of homemade to your living room with these gorgeous air dry clay vases.
