Easy DIY Air Dry Clay Bowl

This post will show you how to make a DIY air-dried clay coil bowl. It’s a fantastic small bowl for holding jewelry, keys, hairpins, and other small objects.

Home pottery is not only a lot of fun but also very relaxing. Air-dry clay is the perfect medium for crafters. It is easy to use, versatile, and cheap. For the past couple of years, I’ve been experimenting with all types of self-hardening clay and different methods and techniques. One day, I stumbled upon a fantastic coil bowl on Pinterest. I had to try this technique!

So, what exactly is coil pottery? To create a coil bowl, you need to stack clay coils on top of each other gradually. I wanted to create a decorative pattern, so I used several small, individually shaped pieces to make this bowl. I was aiming for a mandala look.

With this fun method, you can create beautiful ring bowls, trinket dishes, and decorative bowls to display in your home.

Important note! Air-dried clay bowls are not food-safe and are not waterproof. You can make them water-repellent by applying a water-based varnish, but they are not suitable for the dishwasher, either.

Now, let’s dive in!

Related posts for beginners:

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Tools and supplies:

air dry clay,
rolling pin,
cling film,
clay extruder (optional),
bowl,
pottery scoring tool or fork,
craft knife,
sandpaper,
acrylic paint,
paintbrush.

How to make an air dry clay bowl – instructions

Step 1: Wrap the bowl with cling film to easily remove the clay bowl while still wet and after drying. I used the outside of my bowl to create my design because I wanted the interior to have decorative details.

Step 2: Create the clay coils. I used a clay extruder, but you can do it by hand. The extruder helped me to achieve even thickness, but it did make the coils fuzzy (like leather), and I needed to smooth them. Also, it made the coil thinner than I wanted it to be.

Step 3: Start stacking and creating your design from the center of the bowl. It is essential to join the coils well so the layers won’t separate or crack while drying.

TIP: Use a brush to apply water or clay slip as glue to make them stick better.

Step 4: Join the clay coils with a scraping tool or a fork until you have a relatively homogenous outer layer. Since my coils were thin, I couldn’t smooth them out well, so I covered the bowl with a thin clay slab, making it thicker and more durable.

NOTE: You can apply the clay slab while the bowl is still wet or after it has dried.

Step 5: Let the bowl dry thoroughly. I occasionally flip it to maximize airflow; when I do, I put it inside the bowl to ensure it keeps its shape.

Step 6: The pattern and some shapes you create will blur or partially merge. With a thicker needle or pointy tool, emphasize the lines by carefully scraping their contour.

TIP: It’s easier to do this while the clay is still relatively soft. The dried clay is more challenging to scrape.

Step 7: Apply acrylic paint both on the inside and on the outside. I used white for the interior (DAS air dry clay dries to an off-white, greyish color) and a dark metallic grey for the exterior. Copper and gold paint would look fantastic, too.

Step 8: Seal the bowl with a water-based varnish or sealant. Applying resin to the interior would make the decorative design pop. If you have resin at home, give it a try.

Enjoy!

You can make this beautiful bowl in any size. Mine is the size of a trinket bowl. Perfect for keeping my rings and studs. However, I would love to make a large bowl in the future.

Video tutorial

Tips and hacks

Use a Dremel tool to emphasize the dried bowl pattern or add further details like dots and thin lines—for example, veins to leaves.
Apply another color to the groves to make the pattern pop. After the base color has dried, add watered-down paint to the grooves, wipe the excess, or use a fine-tip marker.
Build another bowl inversely. Stack the clay on the inside of the bowl to have a smooth interior and a decorative exterior.

DIY Air Dry Clay Coil Bowl

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 40 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Difficulty Medium

Materials

air dry clay
acrylic paint

Tools

rolling pin
cling film
clay extruder
pottery scoring tool or fork
a bowl
craft knife
sandpaper
paint brush

Instructions

Create the clay coils. Use a clay extruder, or do it by hand.
Wrap the bowl with cling film to easily remove the clay bowl when you're done. I used the outside of my bowl to create my design.
Start stacking and creating your design from the center of the bowl. Join the coils well so the layers won't separate or crack while drying.
When your design is done, join the clay coils with a scraping tool or a fork until you have a relatively homogenous outer layer. If needed, cover the bowl with a thin clay slab to make it thicker and more durable.
Let the bowl dry thoroughly. Occasionally flip it to maximize airflow.
With a thicker needle or pointy tool, emphasize the lines by carefully scraping their contour.
Apply acrylic paint both on the inside and on the outside.
Seal the bowl with a water-based varnish or sealant.

Notes

Air-dried clay bowls are not food-safe or waterproof. You can make them water-repellent by applying a water-based varnish, but they are not suitable for the dishwasher.

Final thoughts about the air dry clay coil bowl

Creating clay bowls is super easy, but this project is for you if you want to try something different. You can get creative while making fantastic patterns for your bowls, which will make perfect gift ideas for friends and loved ones.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you’ll make your own beautiful coil bowl, plate, or tray.

Happy crafting, and stay tuned for more simple craft ideas!