How Do You Make Animal Pinch Pots With Clay?
Pinch pots are one of the most fundamental clay hand-building techniques. They are made by pinching and shaping a ball of clay into a simple pot form.
Animal pinch pots take this basic technique and add creative sculpting to form decorative clay animals and creatures. They allow kids and artists of all levels to make imaginative clay sculptures in approachable small-scale forms.
Animal pinch pots can represent actual animals like cats, dogs, frogs, turtles, and more. They can also depict imaginary creatures by combining animal features in creative ways.
The pinch pot technique has been used for centuries across many cultures to create bowls, vases, and figures. It continues to be popular today thanks to its simplicity and versatility.
With just a ball of clay, artists can pinch and form small pots and sculptures with their hands. Detail can be added to bring animals and designs to life. The finished clay pieces can then be fired, painted, and displayed as decorative art.
Supplies Needed
To make animal pinch pots, you will need the following basic supplies:
Air-Dry Clay
Air-dry clay, also called plasticulture clay, is the main material used for sculpting animal pinch pots. Choose an air-dry clay that is lightweight and pliable, such as Amaco’s Art Clay or even homemade clay made from baking soda, cornstarch, and water. Avoid clays that require firing in a kiln.
Clay Sculpting Tools
Have an assortment of clay sculpting tools on hand for shaping the clay and adding details. Useful tools include metal clay shapers, silicone tipped tools, toothpicks, wooden skewers, paintbrushes, and anything else with a rounded tip. Avoid sharp tools that can poke holes in the clay.
Paint
Acrylic or tempera paints work well for adding color and details to finished air-dry clay sculptures. Gather a variety of colors and paintbrushes of different sizes. You may also want a cup of water for diluting the paints and cleaning brushes.
Making the Basic Pinch Pot
Making an animal pinch pot starts with the basics – forming a simple pinch pot out of clay. Here are the key steps:
Start by rolling some clay into a smooth ball shape. Use your hands to roll and compress the clay into a rounded form without any cracks. The size of the ball will depend on the size of the animal you want to make.
Once your clay is in a ball shape, use your thumb to press an opening into the center of the ball, hollowing it out slightly. Apply even pressure with your thumb or finger to create an open space in the clay, being careful not to pierce a hole all the way through.
Next, holding the ball in one hand, use the finger and thumb of your other hand to gently pinch the clay walls upward. Pinch the clay gradually to draw the walls up vertically, rotating the ball in your hand as you work. Be careful not to make the walls too thin.
The opening should get wider as the walls get taller. Continue pinching until the opening is the desired width for the size of animal you want to make. This will form the basic pinch pot that serves as the starting point for crafting your animal.
Sculpting Animal Features
Once you have the basic pinch pot shape, it’s time to sculpt the features that will turn it into your chosen animal. This is where you can really let your creativity shine!
For animals with ears, pinch and pull small pieces of clay from the sides of the head to form the shapes you want. Make sure to attach them securely. For tall or pointed ears, insert toothpicks or pieces of wire into the clay as it dries for extra support.
Tails can be formed by rolling a piece of clay into a log or coil shape and then bending it into the desired curve. Use a rolling motion to blend the tail onto the animal’s rear.
For horns, roll clay into cones or curved shapes and blend them onto the head securely. You can make straight or curved horns depending on the animal.
Noses can be shaped freehand into triangles for cats or rounded bumps for pigs. Make indentations for nostrils with your fingernail or a sculpting tool.
Feet and legs can be created by rolling balls of clay into ovular or tubular shapes and attaching them to the bottom. Make indents for paws or hooves with your fingers.
Don’t be afraid to re-shape features as needed – clay remains pliable until baked. Sculpt and refine until you achieve the personality you want!
Creating Surface Textures
One of the best parts of making animal pinch pots is bringing your creations to life with realistic textures. Here are some tips for achieving different textures to match your animal:
Fur
For furry animals like dogs, cats, bears, and rabbits, create a fur texture by pressing small lines into the clay with a sculpting tool. Make the lines close together and in the direction the fur would naturally grow. For smooth short fur, use small shallow lines. For long shaggy fur, drag the tool to make deeper grooves.
Scales
For animals with scales like fish, snakes, and alligators, use a clay stamping tool to imprint overlapping tiny shapes. Try pressing the edge of a clay tool in a rocking motion to form each individual scale. For larger scales, use sequin pins or a toothbrush.
Feathers
To give birds feathers, make skinny teardrop or oval shapes by dragging a clay tool. Layer the feather shapes overlapping each other and curve them slightly. Add lines across each feather using the edge of a tool to show detail. Group the feathers together in areas where real feathers would grow.
Applying Color
When applying color to animal pinch pots made from clay, you have several good options to choose from. The three main methods are paints, glazes, and utilizing the natural clay color.
Paints allow you to directly brush color onto the surface of the clay. Acrylic paints work well for this purpose. They thinly coat the clay and bring out details of the sculpture. Acrylics are available in just about any color you’d like to use. Painting the animal pinch pot is best done when the clay is dry but before firing it. One downside is that acrylic paints can chip or fade over time.
Glazes offer a glossy and durable colored coating for clay sculptures. Glazes come in many premixed colors. You paint the glaze over the dried, unfired clay, then the colors set and harden when you fire the kiln. Glazes allow for beautiful custom colors. But they require access to a kiln to properly fuse with the clay.
Natural clay color utilizes the earthen tones and textures of the clay itself as the decoration. Sculpt your animal pinch pot from clay that matches your desired color. For example, warm brown or red clays work nicely for a fox sculpture. No extra painting or glazing is required to achieve the natural look. The finished piece will perfectly match the original clay color.
Consider whether you want an intense color, a glossy coating, or an earthy natural appearance when deciding between paints, glazes or natural clay for your animal pinch pot color.
Making Facial Features
Facial features like eyes, nose, and mouth are important for bringing your animal pinch pots to life. Here are some tips for sculpting expressive and cute faces:
Eyes
Use your fingers, small sticks, or clay tools to indent eye sockets. For larger animals, pinch and pull the clay outward to form eyelids. For closed eyes, roll a small ball of clay and flatten it into an oval for each eye, then gently press into the eye sockets.
To make open eyes, roll tiny balls of clay into teardrop shapes and press onto eye sockets at an angle. Add a smaller black or blue clay ball onto the teardrop “eyeball” to define the iris.
Nose
For a puppy dog nose, pinch the clay upward into a small triangle shape. Use a smaller clay ball to make the nostrils. For larger animals like elephants, roll clay into a log shape and flatten it for the trunk.
You can also indent the clay with fingers, sticks or clay tools to make nostrils on animals like pigs or cats. Add texture by poking holes into the nostrils.
Mouth
Indent a smile or open mouth shape into the clay with your fingers. For animals with teeth like hippos, use a clay tool or your fingernail to add smile lines. Roll tiny balls of clay for teeth and pinch them into the gums.
For closed mouths, roll a flattened oval of clay and apply it where you want the mouth to be. You can poke holes to represent whiskers or make small cuts for a furry effect.
Creating Bases
After the pinch pot animal sculpture is complete, you need to create a base so it can stand upright or be mounted for display. Here are some options for finishing the bottom:
Stand
To make a standing base, flatten a ball of clay and attach it to the bottom of the sculpture. Press down firmly so the stand adheres well. Make sure the base is wide enough to keep the sculpture balanced and upright.
Wall Mount
For a wall mounted piece, flatten and shape a piece of clay into a thick, rounded rectangle. Attach this to the back top of the sculpture as a hanging loop. Let the loop extend a bit above the top of the piece. After baking, thread wire or string through the loop to hang on the wall.
Hanging Loop
To add a hanging loop anywhere on the sculpture, roll a small piece of clay into a thick snake shape. Attach this loop shape firmly to the back or top of the artwork. Make sure the loop protrudes out enough to allow a wire or string to pass through for hanging.
Baking and Finishing
After sculpting your animal pinch pots, they need to thoroughly dry before baking to avoid cracking. Allow the clay pinch pots to air dry for 24-48 hours. Make sure they are placed in an area with good airflow during the drying process.
Once completely dry, the clay pinch pots are ready to bake in the oven to harden the clay. Follow the temperature guidelines on the clay packaging, usually around 275°F. Place the pinch pots on a baking sheet and bake for 1.5-2 hours. Check on them periodically to ensure even baking.
After baking, allow the pinch pots to fully cool before applying a sealant. An acrylic sealant or glaze will help protect the surface and add shine. Fully coat the entire piece, allow drying, and add a second coat for best results. The animal pinch pots are now ready for display!
Displaying Animal Pinch Pots
Once your animal pinch pots are complete, you’ll want to display them proudly to show off your creative handiwork. Here are some ideas for displaying pinch pots around your home or giving them as gifts:
Home Decor
Display a collection of animal pinch pots on shelves, mantels, side tables, or windowsills. Group together a few matching pots or create an eclectic mix of shapes and colors. For extra visual interest, place them on decorative plates, stands, or risers.
Create a nature-inspired centerpiece by clustering a few animal pots on a tray with rocks, moss, flowers, or other natural elements. This works great on dining tables, coffee tables, or entryway tables.
For a cute nursery or kid’s room accent, line up animal pots on built-in shelves or hang them on the wall with decorative hooks.
Gifts
An animal pinch pot makes a heartfelt, handmade gift for any occasion. Attach a ribbon for a quick but thoughtful present. Or nestle the pinch pot in a gift basket or box surrounded by tissue paper.
For teachers and caregivers, a pinch pot decorated with their name makes a sweet end-of-year gift from kids. Or have children make their own pots as keepsake gifts for grandparents.
An animal pinch pot also makes a unique holiday ornament. Add a hook or ribbon and hang it on the Christmas tree for a hand-sculpted decoration.