LMC Pottery – Coil Pots
by Madelyn Kitchell
I’m currently taking a ceramics class at Lake Michigan College. In the class we have been learning how to make 18 inch coil pots.
First, we picked out an ancient pottery type we were inspired by. Then we sketched out what we actually wanted to do.
Next, you want to roll out a flat piece of clay that’s not too thin but not too thick. After you get the bottom of the pot done you start to roll out coils of clay. The coils can’t be too thick or too thin either or else the pot will either be too heavy or too fragile.
You then make tiny lines on the bottom of the pot and as you attach the coils you do the same thing. After you score the pot by making the tiny lines and attach a few coils, you use a scraper to smooth down the inside and outside of the pot and further attach the coils.
I just kept doing this and tried to follow my sketch all the way to 18 inches. Although I was following my sketch the piece I made had a mind of its own. The piece ended up almost forming a fish shape after I engraved the fish in the side of the pot.
Overall, this part was fun and came out great even though it’s not how I expected it to. This is almost like a life lesson, even if something might not turn out how you planned you still have the possibility to mold it into something positive. After my project is fired I will then glaze it and update you guys on the finished product!
The Buchanan Chronicle 