How to Build a Clay Owl Pinch Pot
This building project is the perfect introduction to how to attach clay by scoring. If children have knowledge or experience with making pinch pots then they should be able to make this clay owl art lesson.
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What age child can complete this?
In the past, we have seen great success with doing this clay owl project with 2nd graders after they made a pinch pot flower in the previous year.
Skills, Vocabulary or Concepts
- Pinch pot
- Scoring
- Kiln
- Ceramic or pottery
- Glaze
- Texture
- Form
- Line
Teach the art element of texture with ceramic projects
Clay is an amazing medium to teach children about texture and for them to fully understand it. You can show them how to draw in textures, stamped textures with a variety of materials or build up reliefs on their owl. Allowing kids the freedom and tools to explore is the best way to explore texture in clay or even our homemade no cream of tartar playdough.
Therefore, modify this ceramic art project for kids to work with what you have. If you only have model magic or air dry clay, you can still make a textured owl pinch pot! When adding texture you could even pull up stock photos of real owls to help inspire all the little details.
Recommended Supplies
- Skewers
- White clay
- Glaze or paint
- Placemat or surface to work on
- Small container of water
Read more>>> 9 tips on how to use clay glazes with kids
How To Build Pinch Pot Clay Owl
Step 1: Pass Out Clay
Cut clay so that it fits into your hand or the hands of the children completing the project.
Step 2: Spilt Clay
Split the clay into a large hunk and a smaller one.
Step 3: Create An Egg Shape
Roll the larger chunk into a ball of clay and squeeze the clay a little to make it more egg-shaped.
Step 4: Push Thumb In Clay
Push your thumb as far as it will go without pushing through. With young children, you may have to check or help them push farther down.
Step 5: Create Pinch Pot
Create a pinch pot cup as the base of your owl. Make sure that the walls of the pinch pot are not too thin.
Step 6: Use Extra Clay To Make Eyes
Create owl eyes by rolling small balls of clay and smooshing and using the end of the pointer to add eye details and possibly designs.
Step 7: Add Extra Texture
Use a skewer to create details like eyeholes and extra textures.
Step 8: Attach Eyes
Score the back of the eyeball and where you are attaching the clay eye. Use a little water on your finger to put water on both spots you have scored.
Step 9: Build and Attach Beak
Create a beak for your ceramic owl, score and attach it to the pinch pot body.
Step 10: Build And Attach Owl Wings
Make a small slab and use a skewer to cut out the wings.
Add feather details by stamping or drawing. Use the pointed end of the skewer to score (draw little lines) on both the pieces that need to be attached and where they are going on the pinch pot.
Step 11: Add Finishing Touches
Add extra textures or draw breast feathers onto the finished adorable clay owl.
Step 12: Add Name To Bottom
Adults should use a needle tool to write the child’s name on the bottom of the clay owl.
Step 13: Let Dry
Let the owls fully dry. We like to let them dry for a whole week.
Step 14: Run Kiln
Run a bisque fire in the kiln according to the directions of the clay you ordered.
Paint or Glaze Clay Owls
Tips For Glazing Owls
- Give students a few choices of colored glazes or paints. Read our tips for using clay glazes with a group of children.
- Kids should pick one color for the body, one for the beak and wings and one for the eyes.
- Make sure children use 3 layers of glaze and fully cover the project.
When Finished
Load and run your kiln based on the instructions on your glaze bottles. We run our kiln to Cone 06 when using the Mayco Stroke and Coat or glaze of your choice.
Don’t want to glaze your clay owls? Check out this non-glazing clay technique for kids.
Open the kiln and see the amazing finished clay owl projects your kids have created!
Follow us on Pinterest or Flipboard for more free art and craft ideas!
How To Build A Clay Owl
Equipment
- Wooden Skewer
- Small Water Container
- Needle Tool (for adult)
- Paint Brushes
- Kiln
Supplies
Instructions
- Cut clay so that it fits into your hand or the hands of the children completing the project.
- Split the clay into a large hunk and a smaller one.
- Roll the larger chunk into a ball of clay and squeeze the clay a little to make it more egg-shaped.
- Push your thumb as far as it will go without pushing through. With young children, you may have to check or help them push farther down.
- Create a pinch pot cup as the base of your owl. Make sure that the walls of the pinch pot are not too thin.
- Create owl eyes by rolling small balls of clay and smooshing and using the end of the pointer to add eye details and possibly designs.
- Use a skewer to create details like eye holes and extra textures.
- Score the back of the eyeball and where you are attaching the clay eye. Use a little water on your finger to put water on both spots you have scored.
- Create a beak for your ceramic owl, score and attach it to the pinch pot body.
- Make a small slab and use a skewer to cut out wings. Add feather details by stamping or drawing. Use the pointed end of the skewer to score (draw little lines) on both the pieces needed to be attached and where they are going on the pinch pot.
- Add extra textures or draw feather details onto the finished adorable clay owl.
- Let owls fully dry. We like to let them dry for a whole week.
- Run a bisque fire in the kiln according to the directions of the clay you ordered.
- Use paint or glaze to complete clay projects and run a glaze fire.
