potmaking

Potmaking is the craft of shaping clay into vessels and wares that are fired to become durable ceramics. Pots are used for cooking, storage, serving, and decoration, and the term encompasses a wide range of techniques and traditions from many cultures.

The principal raw material is clay, often mixed with tempering agents such as sand or grog. The main clay bodies are earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain, each with characteristic firing ranges and levels of vitrification. Potters work through several approaches: hand-building (coil, pinch, or slab construction), wheel throwing, and slip casting. After shaping, pots reach leather-hard and then bone-dry stages, may be cleaned and refined, and are fired as greenware before glazing.

Firing and glazing transform clay into durable ceramics. A glaze—usually a glassy coating—is applied before a final glaze firing to maturity. Firing temperatures are tied to clay bodies: earthenware typically fires below 1200°C, stoneware around 1200–1300°C, and porcelain often in the 1200–1400°C range. Kilns can be electric, gas, or wood-fired, and may operate in oxidizing or reducing atmospheres, which affect color and texture. Raku is a rapid decorative firing method that produces distinctive surfaces.

Potmaking also reflects cultural traditions and technological developments, from ancient handcrafted wares to modern studio practice and industrial production. In contemporary practice, potmakers may emphasize functionality, form, surface decoration, or conceptual objects, often combining techniques and experimenting with glazes and firing regimes.