Last reviewed: April 2026
Two Approaches to Forming Clay
Studio pottery generally relies on two broad forming methods: hand building and wheel throwing. Hand building is the older of the two and requires no machinery. Wheel throwing uses a rotating turntable, powered electrically in most modern studios, to shape clay into symmetrical forms. Most beginners in Singapore start with one method before eventually exploring both.
Hand Building Techniques
Pinching
Pinching involves pressing a ball of clay outward with the thumbs while rotating it, gradually thinning the walls. The technique is intuitive and often used for small bowls, cups, and organic sculptural forms. In practice, maintaining even wall thickness requires patience; unevenness is the most common issue for newcomers.
Coiling
Coiling involves rolling clay into long, even ropes and stacking them in a spiral to build up the walls of a vessel. Each coil is blended into the one below it using fingers or a wooden rib tool. Coil-built pots can be as small as a teacup or as large as a garden urn. The technique allows for a high degree of control over shape and wall thickness, and it remains in use for large-scale work that would be impractical to throw on a wheel.
Slab Building
Slab building means rolling out flat sheets of clay to a uniform thickness, then cutting and joining them to form geometric or organic shapes. Mugs, boxes, platters, and architectural tile work are common slab projects. Joints between slabs must be scored and slipped (roughened and coated with liquid clay) to bond securely during drying and firing.
Wheel Throwing Fundamentals
Wheel throwing starts with centring: pressing a lump of prepared clay into the exact centre of the spinning wheel head. This step is widely regarded as the most difficult part for beginners, sometimes taking several sessions to feel comfortable with. Once centred, the potter opens the clay by pressing a thumb or fingers into the middle, then pulls the walls upward while the wheel rotates.
Common forms for early wheel-throwing practice include cylinders, bowls, and cups. Each of these builds on the same centring-opening-pulling sequence, with variations in hand position and pressure determining the final shape.
Trimming
After throwing, most pieces need to be trimmed. The pot is inverted on the wheel once it has dried to a leather-hard stage, and excess clay is carved away from the foot using loop or ribbon tools. Trimming defines the foot ring and refines the overall profile, and it also reduces the weight of the finished piece.
Clay Types Commonly Used in Singapore Studios
Most local studios supply stoneware clay, which fires between 1200 °C and 1280 °C and produces dense, durable ware. Some also stock earthenware (firing around 1000 – 1150 °C) and porcelain (firing above 1260 °C). Stoneware is preferred for functional pottery because it can be made fully vitreous (non-porous) at high temperatures, reducing the need for glaze to act as the sole water barrier.
Choosing Between the Two Methods
Both approaches have their merits. Hand building is more accessible; it requires minimal equipment and allows for sculptural freedom. Wheel throwing is well-suited for producing multiple uniform items (sets of mugs, for example) and has a meditative, rhythmic quality that many potters find appealing. Studios in Singapore typically offer courses in both, and many intermediate programmes combine the two by adding hand-built elements — handles, spouts, lids — to wheel-thrown bodies.