What Are Some Ideas To Make With Clay?

Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil that consists of minerals like silica, alumina, iron, and calcium that is malleable when wet. Making things with clay refers to the process of molding and shaping clay to create pottery, sculpture, tiles, and various other objects.

Working with clay offers many benefits. Clay is tactile and malleable, which makes the creative process both physically and mentally engaging. The repetitive motion of sculpting clay can lower stress levels. Creating artwork out of clay provides a meaningful creative outlet and sense of accomplishment. Studies show activities like pottery can improve motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity. There are even benefits related to the properties of clay itself – negatively charged ions in clay can absorb toxins when used in skin care routines. Overall, clay is a versatile, therapeutic, and highly creative medium.

Sculptures

Clay is a versatile material for sculpting a wide variety of figures and objects. From ancient times to today, sculptors have used clay to create stunning works depicting the human form, animals, abstract shapes, and more.

Some of the most famous clay sculptures depicting the human figure include works like the Venus of Willendorf, a Paleolithic figurine from 28,000-25,000 BCE, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s busts of 17th century aristocrats like King Louis XIV of France.

Bernini was a master of sculpting lifelike clay models as studies for his marble sculptures. As described in a 2012 New York Times article, his clay sketches capture the “fleeting emotion” of his subjects (source).

Clay can also be used to sculpt detailed animal figures. French artist Edouard-Marcel Sandoz was renowned for his humorous sculptures of monkeys, cats, dogs, and other creatures.

For abstract sculpture, artists mold clay into fluid, interpretive forms. Modern masters like Henry Moore used clay to develop his signature abstract figural style.

Clay busts and figures make up many of the famous terracotta sculptures throughout history as well. Terracotta can capture fine facial details and expressions.

Pottery

Pottery is one of the most common and accessible ways to work with clay. From bowls and mugs to vases, plates, and jars, pottery opens up a world of possibilities for beginner and experienced clay artists alike. Some ideas for simple pottery pieces to try with clay include:

Bowls are a great introductory project for working with clay on a pottery wheel. Try your hand at sculpting basic bowls in different sizes and shapes to practice your wheel-throwing skills. Bowls can be left plain and simplistic or decorated with glazes, textures, or cut-out designs.

Mugs are another clay staple that make for fun, practical pottery projects. Craft mugs with handles, in simple cylinder shapes, or get creative with asymmetrical hand-built mugs. They can be customized with words, patterns, textures, or glazes.

Vases are an easy way to create a one-of-a-kind vessel out of clay. Experiment with different shapes, sizes, and silhouettes for vases like round, geometric, elongated, or warped. Add interest with decorative elements like ruffled clay textures.

Plates and platters provide ample space for playing with patterned textures, intricate designs, or vivid glaze colors. Sculpt symmetrical wheel-thrown plates or hand build freeform serving platters out of slabs.

Jars and canisters are great for beginners to practice creating enclosed vessel forms out of clay. Try pinch pots, coil building, or slabs for rounded jars. Decorate with stamped patterns or words stamped into clay.

For inspiration and examples of beginner pottery projects to try, check out these sources:
https://www.pinterest.com/gailnayes/pottery-ideas-for-beginners/ and
https://wheelandclay.com/blog/pottery-ideas-for-beginners/

Jewelry

Clay is a fun, creative material that can be used to make beautiful jewelry pieces. Jewelry is one of the most popular crafts to make with clay. There are many options when it comes to jewelry – you can make beads, pendants, earrings, rings, bracelets, and more. The type of clay you use will depend on the kind of jewelry you want to make.

Polymer clay is great for making beads, pendants, buttons, and other small pieces. It comes in a variety of colors and has a smooth, easy to work with texture. Polymer clay is lightweight when baked and can be made into focal beads. Add eye pins to polymer clay beads to turn them into pendants or earrings.

Air dry clay works well for making beads and pendants too. It dries at room temperature so you don’t need to bake it. Air dry clay is inexpensive and comes in many colors. The finished look has a nice natural, earthenware style. You can seal air dry clay with glaze, acrylic paint, or polyurethane for extra protection.

Sculpting clay like Cernit or Makins Clay is ideal for creating detailed beads, pendants, and focal pieces. These clays hold fine detail well. Sculpting clay can be fired in a kiln or sealed once dry. The possibilities are endless when using sculpting clay for jewelry. Let your imagination run wild!

For jewelry like rings and bracelets, a sturdier clay is best. Pottery clay, stoneware clay, or self-hardening clay work wonderfully. Make sure to fire any pieces made with these clays according to package directions for proper hardness. The finished look will be similar to ceramic jewelry. Have fun designing your own beautiful, one of a kind jewelry pieces from clay!

Home Decor

Clay is a versatile material that can be used to create beautiful and unique home decor items. Some popular home decor projects with clay include:

• Wall hangings – Make your own plaques, sconces, or wall art using clay. Shape clay into geometric designs or figures and hang on the wall after painting or glazing.
• Plaques – Press clay into molds to make your own customized plaques for holidays, birthdays, or displaying photos.
• Vases – Sculpt clay into original vase shapes and sizes. Imprint textures or cut patterns into the clay before firing.
• Bowls – Handbuild or throw bowls on a pottery wheel, then glaze them in your favorite colors to hold fruit, nuts, keys, or trinkets.
• Figurines – Craft figures of people, animals, or fictional characters. Make your own nutcracker soldiers or animal figurines for display.

The possibilities are endless when working with clay for home decor projects. Let your creativity run wild to make functional yet beautiful artworks to display around the home.

Magnets

Clay can be a fun and creative material for making refrigerator magnets. Air dry clays like Model Magic are lightweight and easy to work with to create shaped magnets. Simply mold the clay into desired shapes like animals, letters, or geometric designs. Let the clay fully dry and paint if desired. Then attach a magnet to the back, using strong glue like E6000 or hot glue. Some options are poking a hole before drying and inserting a small round magnet, or gluing a strip magnet to the back.

Polymer clays like Sculpey are also popular for making detailed magnet designs. Bake the clay according to package directions to harden it before attaching a magnet. Handmade clay magnets make great gifts for friends and family. They can be themed for holidays, birthdays, or customized with names or initials.

For refrigerator magnets, look for strong magnets so they can hold items without falling. Neodymium magnets usually provide a good amount of magnetic force for clay crafts. Have fun sculpting and get creative with making your own personalized clay magnets!

Ornaments

Clay is a fun and versatile material to make decorative ornaments for the holidays or for other purposes. Here are some ideas for making different types of ornately designed ornaments with clay:

Holiday tree ornaments like Christmas tree ornaments and Hanukkah dreidels can be sculpted by hand or made using cookie cutters in holiday-themed shapes like stars, snowflakes, trees, candy canes, etc. Polymer clay works well for these as it holds fine detail and you can bake it to harden the finished ornament. Source

Simple round or teardrop shapes lend themselves to being hand-textured with clay tools or having textures like lace pressed into them. Painting and adding trims like ribbons or beads can dress these up into beautiful ornaments. Air-dry clay would be suitable here. Source

Clay can be shaped or molded around empty ornament balls made of glass, plastic or styrofoam to create hollow ornaments. These make lovely gifts personalized with names or monograms added to the design.

Ornaments can also be make-pressed using molds and tools to add patterns and textures. Rubber stamping clay is another option for imprinting designs.

Tiles

One fun and creative way to use clay is to make decorative tiles. Tiles can be used to decorate walls, floors, countertops, backsplashes, and more. According to Pinterest, clay tiles are a popular DIY craft idea (https://www.pinterest.com/funkyart/clay-tiles/).

Clay is an ideal material for making custom tiles of any shape and size. You can handcraft clay tiles and decorate them with textures, patterns, mosaics, paints, and glazes. Simple geometric shapes, like squares, rectangles, hexagons, and circles make great starting points. Or get creative with fun freeform organic shapes. Add interest by carving designs, lettering, or imprinting found objects into the clay.

To make a tile, roll out an even slab of clay about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters, templates or freehand with a craft knife. Let the clay air dry completely before firing. Apply glazes if desired prior to kiln firing. DIY ceramic coasters are a beginner-friendly project using this tile making technique.

Clay tiles lend themselves beautifully to mosaic designs. Cut or shape small clay pieces and arrange them close together on a base tile before firing. A mosaic tile backsplash can transform a kitchen or bathroom. For tabletop accents, make sweet little clay tile trivets or hot plates in fun mosaic patterns.

Planters

Clay is a versatile material for making planters and flower pots to decorate indoor and outdoor spaces. Small terracotta pots can be used for starting seeds or holding succulents and cacti. Larger pots work well for housing outdoor plants and creating garden accents.

Try painting terra cotta pots in bright colors or patterns for a fun look. Add interesting textures by etching designs into the clay before firing. Make your own drainage holes to transform any clay vessel into a plant pot. Upcycle thrifted pots by giving them a fresh coat of paint. For garden art, press objects like seashells or beads into clay pots before they harden.

Clay planters can also be molded into unique shapes like animals, faces, or geometric patterns. Make a matching set of pots in different sizes for visual appeal. Add handles or spouts to basic cylinder shapes. Distress clay pots with sandpaper or wires to give them an aged, weathered look before painting and sealing.

See ideas for sprucing up standard terra cotta pots to create one-of-a-kind planters and flower pots.

Conclusion

Making crafts with clay is a fun and rewarding hobby that allows you to express your creativity. In this article, we explored some of the most popular clay craft ideas, including sculptures, pottery, jewelry, home decor, magnets, ornaments, tiles, and planters.

Clay is such a versatile medium that can be molded into endless possibilities. With the proper clay and tools, you can make beautiful and functional works of art for your home, to wear, or to give as gifts. Clay crafts develop fine motor skills and imagination. The hands-on process is both calming and gratifying.

Whichever type of clay craft you decide to try, make sure to follow safety guidelines and proper baking instructions. Take your time perfecting techniques like handbuilding and sculpting. Don’t be afraid to experiment – some of the best clay projects come from trial and error. Most importantly, have fun unleashing your creativity with this classic, age-old art form.