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Pottery Designs

Lots of fun, easy pottery designs to help you find new inspiration for your pottery. Design is extremely important in pottery.

For an in depth look into the amazing possibilities that can be achieved with pottery I recommend the book Ceramic Design Course: Principles, Practice, and Techniques: A Complete Course for Ceramicists.

Also visit the ceramic images gallery for photos of different pottery styles.

There are two types of design to consider:

Surface Design

The first is surface design, which includes the glaze, as well as any textures or imagery used to decorate the surface. See more about surface design in the section on pottery glazes.

Structural Design

The second type of design is the actual design of the pot itself. This can be called structural design.

It determines the final shape, size, and weight of your pot. The shape in particular is a major focus of any potter.

Design can be simple or complex. The important thing is that you are considering the design of your pots as you create them or even before you create them.

For example, to the left is a very simple, yet effective bowl design.

It's size and shape make it very functional and it's shape is also pleasing to the eye.

If I want to make a mug, I have to have a mug shape in mind. Otherwise I'll end up with a bowl or a vase or something else entirely.

I often just throw pottery without something in mind.

It's a fun and relaxing activity. However, when I do that, I usually end up throwing the same shape of bowl that I'm used to creating.

On the other hand, if I begin to intentionally create a teapot, I will be much more engaged in the process.

I will begin with a specific amount of clay and shape the pot in a very specific way from the very beginning.

Below are three categories of designs. Click on the images to learn more about each specific category.

Mug Designs