Effigy Pots
An effigy is an object
made in the likeness of
something or someone.
Clay vessels serve as
containers for liquids or
other materials. Effigy
pots also have certain
symbolic purposes which
were considered magical,
religious or ceremonial.
Haniwa Horse Japan 200 520 AD
Mangbetu Portrait bottle
19-20 century
Mixtec Xantile Figure 1250-1500 AD
Mochica Sturrup Bottle Peru 500 AD
ASSIGNMENT
• Create an effigy pot.
A piece of functional
pottery with a
human or animal
design.
• This assignment
should try to
combine slab, pinch
and coil methods.
REQUIREMENTS
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The vessel must have animal or human features. If it is human do the
shoulders and up, if animal do the entire body.
Must be around 3” to 8”.
The opening of the vessel should utilize some part of the animal or human.
Handles and feet should incorporate animal parts.
Surface of the clay should have a texture to reflect the animal or human.
Must be a container that holds a cup of liquid or a small orange.
MUST SCORE AND SLIP EVERYTHING.
NO thicker than ½” to ¼”.
Cannot carve from a solid block of clay.
No hollow pieces without an air hole.
DOUBLE BAG work when storing it.
Lids must sit on a flange.
No snakes, lady bugs, turtles, cartoons, or other simplified forms. This is
meant to challenge you.
DRAWING OF THE VESSEL MUST BE APPROVED BY TEACHER
BEFORE YOU START.
Grading scale
POOR
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OK
GOOD
EXCEPTIONAL
Cracks
Not scored and slipped
Pieces not attached well
Too thick
Carved from solid block of
clay
Lumpy
No texture
Parts not measured
Lid doesn’t fit - no phalange
POOR
Grading scale
POOR
OK
EXCEPTIONAL
GOOD
• Minor cracks
• Not scored and slipped
well
• Pieces not attached well
• Bumps and dents in
clay-lumpy
• Pieces don’t match
• Lid doesn’t fit well
• Attempt at texture
OK
Grading scale
POOR
OK
GOOD
EXCEPTIONAL
• Pieces scored and slipped
well
• Parts measured, but not
exact
• Texture reflects actual
animal or person
• Details added to make piece
more realistic
• Sits flat
• Lid fits
GOOD
Grading scale
POOR
OK
• Every thing scored and slipped
well
• No cracks
• Surface is texture shown
throughout piece
• Parts measured (ex. Legs are
all the same size)
• Lid fits, phalange attached well
• Pot shows pinch, slab and coil
methods
• Details are added to make the
animal or human look realistic
GOOD
EXCEPTIONAL
EXCEPTIONAL
How do you make an effigy pot?
• Break it down
into basic
shapes and
basic techniques.
• Coil
• Slab
• Pinch
• For example:
Two pinch pots for a
body or head. Coils for
legs or tails. Slabs for
wings
Look for the
basic shapes
• Body—pinch pots
• Legs and tail—coils
• Wings--slabs
Trouble shooting
Shrinking and warping
• Clay will shrink
and warp in the
firings. Will your
pieces still fit and
be balanced?
Thinner pieces will
not support the
weight of heavier
pieces in the firing.
• Is the position of
the lid stable? Will
it slide off?
Trouble shooting - Balance
• Think of how
the piece will
be balanced.
Will the piece
tip over?
• If creating an
object that is
standing use
a base for a
support
structure.
Otherwise it
will fall over
easily.
Trouble shooting
Differences in thickness-Drying and Braking
• Add smallest
parts/details
LAST-because
they will dry the
quickest. These
are the defining
features of the
pot so we want to
put them on first.
Wait until the
major work is
done, then put
them on.
Elisa Romero
Trouble shooting - Base support
• If making an animal with tiny
toes or lots of legs-birds,
bugs, octopus-make a slab
base for the pot. Do this so
the legs, toes etc. wont break.
Michael Mason
Colton Tran
Adam Coates
Valerie Longfellow
Trouble shooting
pull appendages close to the body
• Setting work down on a table in the bone dry
state can break off feet, tails, legs etc. if you
aren’t extremely careful.
Liz Moon
Trouble shooting
Combine form with function
• Try to use the parts of
the animal/person as
parts of the pot.
Wings, tails as
handles. Necks and
mouths as spouts.
Feet as feet.
Trouble shooting
Inner structural support
• If needed
use an inner
support
structure to
support the
weight
above it.
Sherylee Erickson
Trouble shooting
Glazing
• When glazing your work.
TAKE TIME. Plan it out.
For color separations put
a clean line in between
each color (like a coloring
book).
• See glazing tips in glaze
area.
SAM BENTON
SERA STEVENS
KELLEN WHETSTONE
Trouble Shooting
Anatomy
• Study the
anatomy of
the animal
or human.
• Look for
bones and
muscles.
• Work from
a photo or
picture of
the animal.
STUDENT WORK
Cari Bogue
Adam Fager
IRVIN BURMUDEZ
MATT ROMNEY
LOGAN HUNT
TYLER BENSON
Kez Teaney
SKYLER CASTILLO
Trouble Shooting
Stylization
• You can stylize
an animal or
person. Do not
mistake
stylization for
crappy
workmanship or
laziness.
• Stylization must
also include an
awareness of
anatomy and
structure.
Trouble Shooting
• Give the animals
some personality,
personify them.
Trouble Shooting
combine forms from different animals
Riley Barker
Trouble Shooting
Air holes
• All hollow pieces must have an air hole.
• If this isn’t done the kiln gods will be angry and
will sacrifice the arms and legs of your pot.
Trouble shooting
Storing your work
• Spray and triple
bag everything
when not
working on it.
• Keep work on a
wood bat.
• Be careful
when taking
work in and out
of storage.
• Please do not
be careless
with someone
else’s work.
This is technically not an effigy pot because the animal itself
needs to be the pot. Not a box with an animal on top. It is a
great example of anatomy-muscle and bone structure.
ADAM COATES
STUDENT WORK
AMANDA HEINZ
Brittany Page
STUDENT WORK
Amanda Prince
STUDENT WORK
Ashley Wade
STUDENT WORK
Carlos Moreno
STUDENT WORK
KAITLIN GARNER
STUDENT WORK
Michaela Ferguson
STUDENT WORK
Tori Meng
STUDENT WORK
ALISON MIYA
STUDENT WORK
HALEE HATHENBRUCK
STUDENT WORK
JAMIE DETRO
STUDENT WORK
MATT KECK
STUDENT WORK
TYSON HOLT
NATHAN JARAMILLO
STUDENT WORK
MELISSA SIDDOWAY
JOSH THURGOOD
KALIN RACKHAM
STUDENT WORK
MATT LOOCK
STUDENT WORK
TANNER JOHNSON