Stamp Making for Textured Pottery
A course by Sarah Pike, Potter
Learn slab building, carving, and stamping techniques to create functional ceramic pieces with custom handmade textures
Ceramic art is the ultimate fusion of visual beauty and tactility—a means of expression that transforms even the most mundane objects into comforting, handcrafted keepsakes. Potter Sarah Pike has perfected this craft through years of experience, using slab-building techniques and handmade stamping tools to create practical pieces with artistic textures. Her distinctive artwork has been featured in publications such as Pottery Making Illustrated and Forge & Carve, as well as solo and group exhibitions.
In this online course, learn to build functional pieces of pottery and customize them with any stamped pattern you can dream up. Sarah walks you through the entire process of creating a textured ceramic mug, from slab building and stamp making to glazing and firing. Add a touch of art to everyday moments with handmade ceramics.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 16 downloads
What's included in this course?
Sarah starts the course by introducing herself and describing her path to becoming a full-time potter. Get a glimpse into her main influences and how they’ve molded her style.
After going over the materials you need, explore some ways to make imprinted textures with handmade cardstock cutouts, experimenting with shape repetition to create versatile designs. Then customize your pieces by carving your own clay stamps with intricate detail.
Begin crafting your cup by rolling the perfect slab, cutting it to the right size, and softening the rim before adding textures. Try out different stamps to make original patterns and choose your favorite for your final mug.
Once the slab is ready, shape it into a cylinder and stretch it to add dimension and volume, later attaching the bottom and the handle. Wrap up by making adjustments to refine your mug.
All that’s left to do is to glaze and fire your work of art! To wrap up, Sarah reveals several techniques for creating different mug forms that you can apply in your future pottery projects.
- 99% positive reviews (462)
- 15,952 students
- 15 lessons (3h 27m)
- 16 additional resources (4 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Handcraft a ceramic mug with stamped textures.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to create functional and aesthetic ceramic pieces.
Requirements and materials
A basic understanding of clay and wedging is recommended.
As for materials, you need clay, glaze, wax, an MDO board, a cement board, a banding wheel, wooden slats, a rolling pin, rubber and serrated ribs, a fettling knife, a brayer, carving tools, and other accessible items Sarah specifies in the course, as well as access to a kiln.
Reviews
Sarah Pike
A course by Sarah Pike
Sarah Pike is a full-time potter based in British Columbia. After studying ceramics at the Alberta University of the Arts, the University of Colorado, and the University of Minnesota, she built her own home studio and began commercializing her work via ceramics galleries and shops. She gradually transitioned to online sales, gaining a large following on Instagram with slab-built, artistically textured pieces that fuse functionality and aesthetics.
Sarah has seen her pieces featured in publications such as Pottery Making Illustrated, La Revue de la céramique et du verre, Forge & Carve, and Ceramics: Creative Adventures in Clay. She also connects with her community by teaching workshops and speaking at conferences.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Materials and Playing With Texture
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Tools and Materials
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Making Texture Tools Out of Non-clay Objects
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Learning about Repeated Patterns with Clay Stamps
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Making Clay Stamps
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U3
Texturing Techniques on Clay Slabs
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Rolling and Cutting the Slab for the Mug
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Playing with the Stamps for Different Patterns
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Texturing the Slab for the Mug
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U4
Forming the Slab
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Joining the Slab and Adding Volume
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Adding the Bottom
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Refinements and Making a Handle
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U5
Finishing the Slab-Built Mug
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Glazing and Firing
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Creating Other Mug Forms 1
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Creating Other Mug Forms 2
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FP
Final project
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Stamp Making for Textured Pottery
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate potters who want to deepen their skills in slab building, texturing, and custom stamping techniques.
You’ll need clay, a rolling pin, slats for thickness, rib and fettling knife, non-stick work surface, card for cutouts, texture tools, and basic pottery studio equipment.
You’ll learn slab building, custom stamp creation, surface texturing, mug construction, joining techniques, and strategies for decorating, glazing, and photographing ceramics for social media.
Yes, you’ll learn effective techniques for photographing your ceramics and promoting your pottery on Instagram and other social platforms.
Slab building involves shaping pottery from flat rolled clay sheets, while wheel throwing uses a spinning wheel to form ceramics. This course focuses on hand-building with slabs.
Yes, you’ll explore making custom clay stamps, card cutouts, layering textures, and using various tools to achieve intricate, repeated, and geometric patterns.
The course includes guidance on setting up a functional pottery workspace, including equipment selection and studio organization tips.
I really enjoyed the course. It contains a lot of tricks and tips. The Author shares a lot of helpful details and warnings. Very useful instructions about stamping! Watched it together with my child who loved her calming voice. :)
This course is amazing! Sarah is so generous with tips and techniques that would have taken her years to develop and perfect. I learnt so much... now to start the many hours of applying and developing what I learnt into my own art making. Thank you Sarah!
I LOVED this course! It seems like such a simple concept but it honestly takes a lot of skill. She works step by step and explains a lot of tips and tricks help avoid pitfalls.
Sarah Pike is a marvelous teacher, easy to follow and understand her technique. I recommend this coarse if you are intrested in learning more about handbuilding and designing stamps for clay.
Sarah Pike is an amazing instructor. I have been a fan of her pottery for some time now and am so glad I have had this opportunity to learn some of her tricks and tips. She truly is a master with the stamps (among other things). I highly recommend this course to anyone who is interested in improving their slab-building skills.