How to Make a Ceramic Plate

Looking for a fun and functional clay project? Our step by step tutorial will guide you through the process of making a ceramic plate without a pottery wheel!

"Pressed mold" or "pressed plate" is a technique we often use to maker our dinnerware sets. With this technique you take a plate, platter, or bowl, and use it as a mold by pressing a slab of clay into the vessel. Once the clay dries, you're able to pull away your slab and are left with the clay form.

We love it because it's easy for beginners and experienced ceramicists alike. Just pick a plate or bowl you love and try it out! 

Since this will be for kitchen use, make sure the clay you're using is food safe. (If you'd still like to try the technique, but don't have access to a kiln, try making small catch-all bowls. They're great for all your little trinkets and jewelry. And since these won't be for eating, you can use air dry, or polymer clay).

Supplies:

• a wooden, glass, or ceramic plate/bowl 
• ceramic clay + glaze (for food safe dinnerware) OR polymer clay (for trinket dishes)
• cloth canvas or a cut piece of denim
• rolling pin or other large cylinder object for rolling (an empty jar or wine bottle works well)
• pin tool or very sharp pencil
• sponge or damp paper towel
• paper towel or toilet paper
• small cup of water

1. Roll out a slab larger than your desired bowl or plate. Keep in mind how thick you'd like your plate to be, we find that 1/8-1/4 inch thick is perfect. 

2. We'll be using a bamboo bowl that we thrifted. If using a wooden bowl, you can press clay directly into the vessel. When we use a porous mold, like bamboo, the wood naturally wicks away moisture from the clay slab, and prevents sticking or tearing as it dries.

Alternatively you can use a ceramic, or glass dish for your mold. If using glass, ceramic or something non-porous, see step #10 for additional instructions.

3. Use a pin tool, or a sharp pencil, to cut out your form from the slab of clay. 

4. Remember that clay shrinks! Choose your mold size with that in mind. If you’re using a porous mold like a bamboo bowl, keep in mind it will no longer be suitable for food use after it's been exposed to raw clay. 

5. Gently place your cut slab onto your mold. If you’re using a wooden plate as your mold, you can place the clay directly on the surface. If using a non-porous vessel like a ceramic or glass plate see steps #10-14 before proceeding

6. Using a lightly dampened sponge, slowly press the clay slab into the mold. You'll do this until the slab is fully touching the bottom of the mold. Do this very slowly to avoid tearing the clay. Start on the outside edges and move towards the center. By applying gentle pressure you'll slowly stretch the clay into the mold. Make sure to rotate as you work the clay. If you’re using a bowl, this process will take some time for the slab to be fully pressed into the mold. Be patient! 

7. Continue pressing the slab until snug. Make sure to work out any air bubbles, and that the slab is fully pressed into the vessel.

8. Using a pin tool, or sharpened pencil, trim the lip of your bowl or plate to give it a clean finish. Don't worry about smoothing at this stage! Smoothing is best done after your clay form has fully dried. 

9. Give one final wipe and set aside to dry. As your piece dries the clay will naturally shrink and pull away from the mold, making it easy to pop out. Once dry take a lightly dampened sponge and smooth any imperfections (or not) before kiln firing it. 

You're done! Congratulations!

You've just made your very own plate, no pottery wheel necessary. Repeat as many times as you'd like, and make sure to try different shapes and sizes.

Steps 10-14 are for those using glass, ceramic, or another non-porous plate as their mold. 

10. Select your vessel. We opted to use a thrifted ceramic plate. Since this surface is nonporous, we need to create a barrier between the clay slab and the plate. Otherwise the clay will tear as it dries and "pulls away" (shrinks) from the plate. 

11. To create a barrier pull apart a paper towel like above, turning it into a 1-ply paper towel. The thinner the layer, the less wrinkles it will produce on your clay slab (which means less smoothing). In a pinch you can use toilet paper.

12. Line your mold with the paper towel. This will prevent the clay from sticking to the nonporous surface and tearing as it dries.

13. Gently place your cut slab onto your paper towel covered mold. 

14. Follow steps 6-9 above.