FREE · NO SIGN-UP · EN / FR
Free printable pottery templates, clay shrinkage included
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What is Gabarits Céramique?
Gabarits Céramique is a free pottery template generator for slab building and hand building. Enter the size you want your piece to be after firing; the tool compensates for your clay’s shrinkage (0 to 20%) and your slab thickness, then creates a pattern you print at actual size (A4 or US Letter PDF, with a 50 mm test bar). Cup, mug, bowl, vase, plate, box: every shape is customizable. No account needed, in English or French, in millimeters or inches.
12 customizable pottery templates: cup, mug, bowl, vase, plate…
No more stock shapes. Every template is customizable: adjust the dimensions, add a handle, change the number of sides — the pattern redraws itself.
NEW · TEMPLATE + 3D TUTORIAL
Two new templates, each with its own 3D tutorial
A step-by-step 3D tutorial that follows you from the printer to drying: every gesture replays and you can turn the piece around.
Template + 3D tutorial · 15 steps
The footed cup
A small slab-built cup sitting on a foot ring. Four printable templates recalculated for your clay, and a 3D tutorial from the printer to drying.
Ø 64 × 39.5 mm · 8 cl · beginner · no wheel
€4.99
See the footed cup →
3D
tutorial
Coming soon · template + 3D tutorial
The slab-built teapot
A real two-to-three-cup teapot: a lid that sits just right, a spout that pours, a strainer. Thirteen templates recalculated for your clay and a 3D tutorial, gesture by gesture.
Ø 100 × 130 mm · 60 cl · intermediate · no wheel
€9.99 at launch
See the teapot →
3D
tutorial
TIME SAVED
Make a pottery template in 30 seconds
Average time from idea to the first wire cut in the clay. By hand, you start over. With the tool, you print.
By hand · Ruler + mental math
35 min
Store-bought templates · Standard, rigid shapes
15 min
Our tool · Digital, made to measure
30 s ✓
0%
CALCULATION ERRORS
No hidden approximations in your measurements.
−90%
TRACING TIME
You go straight to the clay.
$0
MATERIAL COST
A few sheets of paper, thousands of shapes.
● Coming soon · version 2
Espresso cup & saucer, on the house
Leave your email and I'll send it over:
- The complete board for the set: cup, saucer and order of work
- From the next version of the tool — it exists nowhere else
- After that, I only write when I have something useful
This project runs entirely on donations.
No ads, no sign-up, no data resold. Gabarits Céramique is free and will stay that way — it stands up thanks to potters who buy me a coffee now and then.
- The domain name
- Site hosting
- Time spent adding new shapes
THE STUDIO JOURNAL
Slab building guides
Guides, techniques and tips for pieces that come out right — and for getting the most out of the tool.
PRECISION, NOT CONSTRAINT
Digital precision for your artist’s eye.
Drawing a template by hand means risking an asymmetry, a bad joint angle or a lid that doesn’t fit. The tool draws perfect vector lines — you keep the freedom of the design, it takes care of the geometry.
No more “almost” — your pieces fit together the first time.
An endless archive — reprint your favorite templates in one click.
Hand-drawn
Wobbly, imperfect line
Digital
Exact: a guaranteed 90° cut
FROM SCREEN TO WORKBENCH
How to make a pottery template in 3 steps
01
Choose a shape
Start from a template in the library. A parametric starting point, not a fixed mold.
02
Enter your measurements
Finished dimensions, your clay’s shrinkage, slab thickness. The preview updates live.
03
Print & cut
Actual-size PDF (A4 or US Letter) with assembly marks. Lay it on the slab and follow the lines.
ZERO MENTAL MATH
Clay shrinkage, compensated automatically
Working out the circumference of a cylinder or compensating for your stoneware’s 13.5% shrinkage is no longer your problem. Enter the dimensions you want after firing — the tool draws the greenware size for you.
Firing shrinkage, calculated for you
Every clay shrinks differently — often 10 to 14%. Measure your shrinkage once, enter it, and every dimension of the template is scaled automatically.
Adjustable from 0 to 20%, to one decimal · Applies to diameters, heights and flat patterns · Switch clay → instant recalculation
Accounts for slab thickness
Set the thickness you roll: the template stays true to your clay and your hands.
Even slabs · reliable measurements · consistent results
Prints at actual size
Your template prints at the right scale, ready to cut out and lay on the slab.
A4 or US Letter PDF · 100% · no scaling
Clay shrinkage and slab thickness: quick reference
Reference
Value
Average shrinkage by clay body
Stoneware 12% · Earthenware 8% · Porcelain 14%
Recommended slab thickness by piece
Small pieces (cups, boxes): 4–5 mm (3/16 in) · Bowls, plates: 5–6 mm (1/4 in) · Large pieces and platters: 6–8 mm (1/4–5/16 in) · Tall vases: 6–7 mm (1/4 in), with internal supports.
STUDIO FEEDBACK
Reviews from potters
The first potters to try it — their words, not mine.
“
★★★★★
No more working out circumferences on a scrap of paper. I pick, I print, I cut. My first mug was spot on the first time.
CM
Camille M.
Hobby potter · Nantes
“
★★★★★
Shrinkage used to be my nightmare. Now I enter my finished sizes and it’s sorted. A huge time saver on my series.
JR
Julien R.
Ceramics studio · Lyon
“
★★★★★
Finally, templates in MY size, not the shop’s. A tea caddy with a lid that actually closes — pure joy.
SL
Sophie L.
Potter · Bordeaux
★ 4.9 / 5 from early feedback · 40+ templates printed in testing · 100% would use it again
Frequently asked questions
Are the pottery templates free?
Yes. The generator is free and needs no sign-up. Set your dimensions, then export a PDF or print directly.
Who created Gabarits Céramique?
Louis Coffin, a product designer who practices ceramics, created Gabarits Céramique so he would never have to work out his patterns by hand again. Read his story on the About page.
Which export formats are available?
You can print directly or export your template as a PDF or an SVG.
Which shapes can I make?
The library includes cups, mugs, bowls, chawans, plates, serving dishes, bottles, pitchers, boxes and vases. Every shape adjusts to your dimensions.
Do I need a pottery wheel?
No. The templates are designed for slab building and hand building — no pottery wheel needed.
Is US Letter paper supported?
Yes. The generator offers US Letter as well as A4. Choose the paper size that matches your printer before exporting.
What if I don’t know my clay’s shrinkage?
Check your clay body’s technical data sheet, or measure a test tile before and after firing. Then enter the shrinkage in the tool and fine-tune with your tests.
What print scale should I use?
Print at 100% (actual size) and check the 50 mm test bar. The PDF is designed to produce a full-size template.
Ready to make your first template?
The tool is free. In return, just tell us what you think so it fits your needs even better.
Instant access · no credit card required · A4 and US Letter printing