Pinch Pot Clay Elephant Art Lesson For Kids
How to build a clay animal pinch pots
Kids, clay, pinch pots and animals all go hand in hand. Normally all children love sculpting and creating their own clay animal pinch pot. In this post, we will show you how to create your own ceramic pinch pot elephant art project.
What age is this project good for?
We have done this project with 4th graders and older. Previous knowledge of how to attach clay will be beneficial. The biggest challenge to this clay elephant is that they have to create balance to get the elephant to stand on its feet. Some children may need a little extra assistance with this.
What is scoring?
In clay, you score or make small lines to the pieces you are attaching. This helps the pieces attach together.
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Why do you not use slip with kids?
In 14 years, the method of just scoring and adding water has worked very well for these simple clay builds. The biggest reason this would not work is if your clay is not moist enough. Fresh clay or normally even clay from the previous year should work.
You can have students blend the seams with their fingers to help make sure items won’t fall off.
How to glaze your clay elephant?
We like using a simple color for this project. You can let children use as many glaze colors as possible, but this clay build looks awesome with just one color like Moody Blue glaze. Just make sure they glaze everywhere with 3 coats of glaze except the bottom of the feet.
Do you have to build an elephant?
Absolutely not. Older children should be able to come up with their own animal pinch pot idea. First, I would have them create at least 3 different sketches. The hardest part for kids during this project is getting their clay project to stand.
Therefore, if a kid is struggling you can help them change the design to have the animal lay down so that the pinch pot is touching the table. Naturally, a few of their designs may do this and it will make it easier.
What kids need to understand when creating a clay project
- how to score and “slip” to attach the clay together
- not to make clay details too thick or too thin
- blending seams with fingers to help ensure attachment
- using a little water to help smooth out rough or dry areas
How to build an animal pinch pot
Step 1: Start with a larger ball of clay that can fit inside a child’s hand. Split a little bit off the hunk of clay. The bigger chunk of clay can be rolled into a ball.
Step 2: Have kids push 4 holes with their thumbs as far as they can go without going through.
Step 3: Use hands to pinch around the edge and make sure not to make walls too thin. The walls should probably be around 1/8” thick to support the shell when flipped on its side.
Step 4: Kids can squeeze the shape of their pinch pot to make it a little longer like an actual body of an animal.
Step 5: Begin creating the head of your elephant by creating a small slab with some of the extra clay. Use a wooden skewer to cut out the basic ear shape.
Step 6: Construct a head and trunk out of more clay.
Step 7: Use a skewer and fingers to pinch the end of the trunk for a more realistic feel.
Step 8: Add score lines to the back of the head and elephant ears. Use a little water to create “fake slip” and attach the head and trunk. Follow the same scoring method with water to attach the head to the pinch pot.
Step 9: Carefully flip the clay project over. We supported our elephant with paper towels so that we could work on making clay feet without smashing the head.
Build similar sized clay feet that will be able to support the weight of your clay pinch pot and head.
Step 10: Attach clay feet to the bottom of your pinch pot. Make sure that you put the front feet as far up the pinch pot as possible.
Step 11: Make sure clay legs are attached completely. Blending the seam with your finger should help.
Step 12: Flip the clay elephant over and adjust the feet as needed to balance the weight.
The ends or feet of your elephant may become a little larger, but that works if it is supporting the weight.
Step 13: Kids can use water to smooth out any rough areas and add details such as eyes. We always instruct them that a little goes a long way and to not make “mud pie”.
Step 13: An adult should write the kid’s name on the bottom of the pinch pot with a sharp skewer or needle tool.
Step 14: Let dry for about a week. Once the clay is not cool to the touch, run a bisque fire in your kiln.
Step 15: Glaze bisque fired clay or paint. We used Mayco Stroke and Coat in Moody Blue. The simplistic nature of just using one color works well for this ceramic project. However, it is really up to the artist to make that decision.
Here are our tips for using clay glaze in the art room.
Looking for other clay projects to do in the elementary art classroom?
- 7 Amazing Pinch Pot Ideas For Your Art Room
- Fun Clay Monster Art Lesson For Kids
Follow us on Pinterest or YouTube for more arts and crafts ideas!
Pinch Pot Animals
This clay pinch pot project is perfect for upper elementary and middle school students. They can make a clay elephant or their own clay pinch pot animal following the tutorial below.
Materials
- White Low-Fire Art Clay
- Clay Glaze
Tools
- Wooden skewer
- Work Surface or placemat
- Small container of water
Instructions
- Start with a larger ball of clay that can fit inside a child’s hand.
- Split a little bit off the hunk of clay. The bigger chunk of clay can be rolled into a ball.
- Have kids push one hole with their thumbs as far as they can go without going through.
- Use hands to pinch around the edge and make sure not to make walls too thin. The walls should probably be around 1/8” thick to support the shell when flipped on its side.
- Kids can squeeze the shape of their pinch pot to make it a little longer like an actual body of an animal.
- Begin creating the head of your elephant by creating a small slab with some of the extra clay. Use a wooden skewer to cut out the basic ear shape.
- Construct a head and trunk out of more clay. Use a skewer and fingers to pinch the end of the trunk for a more realistic feel.
- Add score lines to the back of the head and elephant ears. Use a little water to create “fake slip” and attach the head and trunk.
- Follow the same scoring method with water to attach the head to the pinch pot.
- Carefully flip the clay pinich pot over. We supported our elephant with paper towels so that we could work on making clay feet without smashing the head.
- Build similar sized clay feet that will be able to support the weight of your clay pinch pot and head.
- Attach clay feet to the bottom of your pinch pot. Make sure that you put the front feet as far up the pinch pot as possible.
- Flip the clay elephant over and adjust the feet as needed to balance the weight. The ends or feet of your elephant may become a little larger, but that works if it is supporting the weight.
- Kids can use water to smooth out any rough areas. We always instruct them that a little goes a long way and to not make “mud pie”.
Notes
An adult should write the kid’s name or intials on the bottom of the pinch pot with a sharp skewer or needle tool.
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