Make a Pinch Pot Piggy Bank
Instructions on how to make a pinch pot Piggy Bank
Celebrate the Chinese Year of the Fire Pig by making your own Piggy Bank using pinch pots and handbuilding techniques.
On February 18, 2007 the Chinese usher in the Year of the Fire Pig (technically the Boar). Those born in the year of the boar are said to be honest, straightforward and patient, with gentle, giving natures.
The following are instructions on how to make your own sweet little penny pinching Piggy Bank.
You’ll need clay, slip, a pin tool, a sharp Exacto knife, plastic sheeting and a sponge. Optional items include an old toothbrush for scoring clay, an old spring for a tail, and some super glue.
Pinching method:
1) To make the body, make 2 pinch pots of approximately equal size. Join them so they’re airtight, then roll, paddle or push into a sphere (for a rotund porker) or an ovoid (for a svelte piggy).
2) Take a look and plan where you’d like legs, eyes (optional), ears, snout, tail (optional) and coin slot to go.
3) Cover the piggy body lightly with plastic sheeting to keep it from drying too quickly.
4) Pinch 4 little cylindrical or conical pots for legs, checking that they’re about the same size. Try not to make them too thin because they’ll eventually need to support a load of heavy coins. Check them against your piggy body. Place under plastic sheeting.
5) Pinch a little snout. Or sculpt your piggy a little button nose. Don’t forget the nostrils. Sculpt 2 ears and eyes (if you like, you can skip this and carve the eyes directly onto the body). Store these under plastic with the legs.
6) Sculpt a tail. Omit this step if you’d like to use something else for a tail.
7) Now, we can start assembling the piggy bank. Retrieve the piggy body. Once you’ve determined where you would like the legs to go on the body, mark the spots gently with a pin tool. Score and slurry both the rims of the pots and the marked spots. Attach legs with firm but gentle pressure. Wipe off any excess slip.
8) Similarly, attach the snout, ears, eyes and tail (if you’ve made these last two). In between each step, set the piggy on its back on a support so you don’t crush the legs.
9) Once the pig is assembled, let it dry on a support until it is leatherhard.
10) Use an Exacto knife to cut a coin slot in the back of the pig. Remember to make it slightly bigger than you need as it will shrink in drying and firing.
11) Using your pin tool, make a hole in each of the legs in a discreet spot. This allows the legs to dry properly and stops pressure from building up during firing.
12) If you’d like to attach a spring for a tail, now’s the time to make a hole in the piggy in preparation for it.
13) Add other decoration and details. Carefully perform one final cleanup with the sponge and pin tool.
14) Let the piggy bank dry thoroughly before bisque firing.
15) After the piggy has been glaze fired, glue the tail spring in place (if that is what you planned).
If you prefer throwing, visit How To Throw A Piggy Bank for instructions.
Curious for more? Please visit the article archives and e-mail me with your questions.
