Did you just learn about the pinch pottery technique and wish to create fantastic projects with your new artistic superpower? We are here to help you out! Pinch pottery, from mugs to beautiful figurines, can help you unleash your creativity. But what are your options with pinch pottery? In this blog, we will share some inspiring projects you can try the next time you experiment with pinch pottery!
Top 8 Pinch Pottery Ideas to Unleash Your Inner Creativity
Here are 8 easy pinch pottery project ideas that you must try.
1. Thumb Pots as Mini Planters:
If you are a green enthusiast, having mini planters in your kitchen garden or work desk would add beauty to a bland space. You can use it to grow seeds, serve as a starter planter, or place succulents. You can also use it just as pieces for decoration by adding some beautiful colors and designs. Thumb pots can be tiny, like the size of your thumb, or as large as your coffee mug. Remember not to make it out of air-dry clay if you wish to keep live plants in it.
Besides being cute pots, thumb pots also make pretty good decorative accents. Depending on your taste, you can go for subtle pastels or bold patterns. No matter whether you keep them, be it an office desk, your bathroom, or the living room, they add a vibrant touch to the place.
2. Serving Tray for Salad:
A beautiful platter or serving tray can instantly liven up your meal by adding colors to your dining table. Moreover, it can also be a conversation starter for your guests, who notice beautiful artwork instantly. If you are trying to get even thickness throughout the serving tray, use a rolling pin to roll out the tray, and with the help of the pinching technique, lift the clay from the sides to give it a tray-like shape. You can also build a couple more if your guests love a gift or want to buy one from you.
If you are ready for your creativity to take an entrepreneurial turn, start your small pinching tray business. Several online small businesses offer small trays made by pinching to an art-loving audience. They also sell small trays for jewelry, keys, and little knickknacks.
3. Beads for Your Jewelry:
Jewelry-making is a rewarding aspect of pottery-making, and you can leverage pinch pottery techniques to create some beautiful shapes that can be a part of your jewelry collection. You can even personalize your clay beads with your name etched or stamped. You can make anything with the pinch pottery technique for your jewelry collection, whether a beautiful bracelet or a choker necklace.
Clay beads are now wearable art, from dainty spheres to intricate charms. It adds a layer of personalization to your jewelry through motifs, initials, or symbols. People now wear earrings, anklets, and even pendants with clay beads.
4. Clay Pet Miniatures:
If you have already mastered the pinch pottery technique and can add intricate details to your project, this idea is something you should try. Pet parents love to have something they can remember their furry friends by when they are gone. Even if that is not the case, they would either love a gift or buy one to look at because they are adorable, just like their pets.
In Japan, this art is known as kawaii and has become popular globally. Apart from prepping them up for sale, you can add some of your favorite clay characters to your office space or room to create a personalized look.
5. Cups And Mugs:
Pinch cups and mugs allow for a higher level of customization where you can unleash your creativity. Each piece has its unique shape, design, and texture, so it can be a highly functional personalized artwork for you or your clients who need something made just for them. When using the pinch pottery technique, you can also consider its design and ensure it fits comfortably onto the holder’s hand, making the drinking experience pleasant.
Moreover, it can also be a relaxing and therapeutic experience for you. Try this the next time you think of experimenting with pinch pottery. After all, drinking your favorite coffee from a mug you made is a satisfying experience!
6. Clay Flowers:
Making flowers with clay using the pinch pottery method can be tedious, but it is worth all the hassle. The result is just mesmerizing and beautiful to look at. Even though you might not be able to perfect it the first few tries, keep going at it, and they can be some fantastic paperweight for your office table. Or you can even make a bunch of flowers to add to a vase with stems and leaves.
Recently, clay flowers made by pinching methods have been used as small lighting lamps that people use as decorations for festivals. If you are an experienced pinching artist, consider making bigger-sized clay flowers. If the flowers are deep enough, they will make lovely decorative plates for decoration.
7. Fruit Basket with Handle:
Keeping real fruits in a basket on your dining table can lead to wastage if the fruits are kept out for too long. If you are going for the décor, why not replace the basket and fruits with their clay-based alternative? While it might seem that crafting the basket and fruits with the pinch pottery technique can be tedious, it isn’t. They are nothing but basic shapes.
If you already know how to create a bowl, make a bigger one and add a handle by scoring the ends. Of course, you will also have to use the coiling technique to create the handle. You can use the Pengxiaomei Clay Scoring Tool to join the handle properly and reduce any risk of falling off once it dries. For fruits, except bananas, start with a clay ball and shape them accordingly. It’s effortless! The trick is in the colors you add later and how you add some texture to make them unique.
8. Ornaments for Your Christmas Tree:
Take your holidays up a notch with handmade ornaments for your Christmas tree. You don’t need a lot of tools to create some beautiful ornaments with the help of the pinch pottery technique. Collect items such as stamps, laces, or cookie cutters; you are good to go. With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the clay to give it some uniformity in terms of thickness. Now, cut out a basic shape with the help of cookie cutters and, using your fingers, mold them into any shape you want. Once you are done molding, add a small hole in the top portion to tie the lace.
Adding Decorations and Textures on Pinch Pots
Remember to add decorations and extra little touches to your pinch pots. Pinching gives a handmade look to the pots and forms. You can add decorations to make your designs look much smoother and less crafty. Of course, it varies from person to person. However, it’s always good to know more creative options.
1. Carving
The most popular common technique of adding decorations to pinch pots is through carving. Artists use carving tools specialized for such tasks to etch out patterns and designs on the surface of the clay. It adds depth and beauty to the finished piece.
2. Stamping
Nowadays, artists who create pinch pots and other forms stamp a leaf, flower, or initials on the form. This stamping and molding is done on the surface to give it a personalized touch. It makes for the perfect gifting idea as you can stamp the initials of the person or their favorite flower on the design you are gifting.
3. Glazing
Glazing is another method of decorating your pinch pots and forms. Glazing adds depth and color to the piece. You can choose any color or even several colors to express yourself. You can explore more decoration styles while creating the pinch pots.
Conclusion
Whether you are learning pottery art or trying to help your kid learn the basics, hand-building is a great way to start. With its pinch pottery technique, you don’t have to shell out any money on expensive equipment and create artwork just as beautiful and personalized. Make sure you smooth and refine the surface with water to eliminate imperfections, and you are good to go!
