5 Fun Ceramics Art Lessons

Here are a few of my favorite ceramics art lessons. They are not only fun and engaging for students but they also incorporate the three most basic hand building techniques: pinch, slab and coil.

Creative Cup

This is one of my favorite lessons to use as an introduction to clay. Since the pinch pot is the most basic form of hand-building, this lesson is perfect. After we make a pinch pot together, I teach my students how to create and attach a handle properly. Lastly, we discuss additive and subtractive sculpting methods, and I ask my students to apply at least one or both methods when finishing their creative cup.

This is also my favorite lesson to teach students the difference between utilitarian and non-utilitarian sculptures. At the beginning of the lesson, I let my students know they will be expected to drink hot cocoa from their cup. If they consider the ergonomics of the cup and glaze it properly, it should be a utilitarian sculpture. They LOVE the hot cocoa party and literally think I am the BEST teacher ever for letting them drink hot cocoa from the cup they just created.

Clay Bobblehead

This non-utilitarian sculpture is a hit with kids because the options are endless. I’ve taught this lesson so many times and I am always impressed with the outcome because my students always create something unique that connects to their interests. My students use acrylic paint to finish their sculpture, which allows them to achieve textures, highlights and shadows to create more realistic details that cannot be achieved with glaze. The finished sculpture is not functional, but it is interactive. The students can move the head. Springs are available to purchase on Amazon; however, I have never had the budget to buy the springs. This continues to be a “student favorite” art lesson.

Pinch Pot Planters

This lesson is similar the Creative Cup, as it also begins with a pinch pot and it is also utilitarian. The last time I taught this lesson, my students used an animal as the inspiration for the planter and we poked holes in the bottom of the bowl for drainage. The planters were given to the teachers at my school as a surprise gift for Teacher Appreciation Week. My students incorporated the teacher’s favorite animal into the functional pottery. Some students used the entire animal, while others only used the face or body of the animal. We were even able to have the PTSA buy small cacti for each planter, and planted the cacti in the pot before presenting the gifts to the teachers!

Clay Gnome

This is a fun and whimsical clay sculpture lesson. This non-utilitarian sculpture can be glazed or painted with acrylic paint. I created a handout with a variety of gnomes for inspiration, and the students ran with it. Their individuality and creativity made this lesson so fun! I realized there can be a gnome for any holiday or celebration. Not only did I see many holiday themed gnomes but my students also used Pop culture references to create unique gnomes. This hand-building lesson incorporates both additive and subtractive methods, using a variety of clay tools such as the loop tool and modeling tools. Student use problem-solving to attach the hat and head, creating a connection while considering the air flow.

Clay Relief Sculptures

This is a great lesson to teach low and high relief sculptures. I introduce my students to artist Louise Nevelson and her assemblage sculptures. I also introduce my students to the slab hand building technique. Students use rolling pins to create smooth even slabs of clay. Next, they use both additive and subtractive methods to create a relief sculpture.

We look at several examples of relief sculptures to give them a foundation and understanding of the difference between high and low relief. Again, there is so much room for creativity and problem solving in this lesson. Students have created everything from spaghetti and meatballs to an assemblage of their favorites things. We use acrylic paint to finish the sculptures. My students have the choice of painting everything one base color and using metallic paint to highlight textures and high points like Louise Nevelson or using realistic colors. The creative problem solving in this lesson is amazing.

The lesson plans for all these ideas are in my Fun Ceramics Art Lessons bundle, available here.

Thanks for reading, Trista

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I’ve been teaching art for over 20 years and I love it!

I have taught every grade from kindergarten to high school. This site features art education articles with art resources and ideas as well as art lesson ideas for all ages. My goal is to allow students to explore a variety of art materials, discover different genres and styles, and most importantly, have FUN!