One facet, six times
Each panel is a trapezoid, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. The same template is used six times: bevel the slanted edges and the vase closes in as it rises.
which shape?
It opens straight in the tool.
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FREE PATTERN · PRINT AT ACTUAL SIZE
Printable ceramic vase template
A printable vase template for pottery: the tool works out the facets and the base to your measurements
Make a template
6 panels
Ø 130 → 80
12% shrinkage
SLAB BUILDING · NO WHEEL
SHRINKAGE BUILT IN · A4 & LETTER PDF
— WHAT YOU PRINT
Two kinds of pieces, to your measurements
The measurements you enter become a flat pattern, ready to cut.
Assembly sheetVase · Ø 130 × 140 mm12% shrinkage — templates at 113.6%
A hexagon for the base
A regular polygon, one side per facet. Each side matches the bottom of a panel exactly: the base sets the building order.
The vase closes in
The panels lean inward up to the neck. Choose anywhere from 3 to 12 panels in the tool.
● Founders template
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
PITFALL NO. 1
Your vase comes out smaller than planned
−12%
Clay shrinks 10 to 15% as it dries and fires. A template drawn to the finished size always gives a vase that is too small — the most common hand-building mistake, and you only see it when the kiln opens.
You enter the size of the finished piece: the tool works out the rest.
That’s where a fixed PDF falls short
A downloaded pattern only works for one clay and one size. Here, change one value and everything recalculates.
— IN PRACTICE
Three steps
Nothing to install, no account. Your browser is enough — keep the computer for printing.
1
Your measurements, your clay
Enter the diameter, the height, the slab thickness and your clay’s shrinkage. The template updates live.
2
Print at 100%
Print your pottery template at 100% — never “fit to page”. A 50 mm check bar on every sheet lets you verify the scale with a ruler.
3
Lay out and cut
Paper on the slab, knife around it, once per facet. The panels go up one by one around the base, with bevelled edges.
— FOR REFERENCE
Common vase sizes
Start from these, then adjust to your clay and your tests.
| Vase | Panels | Ø base → top | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud vase | 6 | 70 → 30 mm | 150 mm |
| Bouquet vase | 6 | 130 → 80 mm | 140 mm |
| Tall vase | 8 | 120 → 70 mm | 220 mm |
| Large vase | 8 | 160 → 100 mm | 280 mm |
| Trumpet vase | 6 | 80 → 140 mm | 180 mm |
Diameters measured corner to corner, as in the tool. Suggested thickness: 5–6 mm up to 20 cm tall, 6–8 mm above.
— FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What people ask me
How do you make a slab-built ceramic vase?
Cut the facets and the base from a 5–6 mm slab, bevel the slanted edges, then build the panels up one by one around the base, joining each seam with slip. The template gives you one facet to repeat and the polygon base.
How many facets should a vase have?
Six panels give a crisp shape that’s easy to build. Eight panels look closer to a round vase. The tool takes 3 to 12 facets.
What angle should I bevel vase facets at?
Roughly 180° divided by the number of panels: 30° for six, 22.5° for eight. Fine-tune as you assemble; the edges draw closer as they rise.
Can I make a bud vase or a flared vase?
Yes. A top Ø smaller than the base gives a vase that closes in, like a bud vase. A larger top Ø gives a flared, trumpet-shaped vase. A top Ø of 0 gives a point.
Is the template maker free?
Yes, it’s free and needs no sign-up. Set your measurements, then export a PDF or print directly.
Who made Gabarits Céramique?
Louis Coffin, a product designer and potter, built Gabarits Céramique to stop working out patterns by hand. Read the story on the About page.
Which formats can I export?
You can print directly or export your template as PDF or SVG.
Which shapes can I make?
The library includes cups, mugs, bowls, chawans, plates, serving dishes, bottles, jugs, boxes and vases. Every shape adjusts to your measurements.
Do I need a pottery wheel?
No. The templates are made for slab building, no wheel needed.
Is US Letter supported?
Yes, the tool offers US Letter as well as A4. Pick the size that matches your printer before exporting.
What if I don’t know my clay’s shrinkage?
Check your clay’s data sheet or measure a test tile after firing. Then enter the shrinkage in the tool and fine-tune with your tests.
What print scale should I use?
Print at 100% and check the 50 mm bar. The PDF is designed to give an actual-size template.
— READY TO CUT
Your vase, made to measure.
Thirty seconds to set the measurements, one sheet of paper to print it.
Free
No sign-up
A4 & Letter PDF
FREE · PRINT AT ACTUAL SIZE
Printable ceramic vase template
The tool works out the facets and the base to your measurements, shrinkage included.
6 panels
12% shrinkage
— WHAT YOU PRINT
Two kinds of pieces, to your measurements
Two kinds of pieces: identical facets that form the wall, and a base. Six facets by default, anywhere from 3 to 12. The tool works it all out from the measurements you enter.
Assembly sheetVase · Ø 130 × 140 mm12% shrinkage — templates at 113.6%
One facet, six times
Each panel is a trapezoid, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. The same template is used six times: bevel the slanted edges and the vase closes in as it rises.
A hexagon for the base
A regular polygon, one side per facet. Each side matches the bottom of a panel exactly: the base sets the building order.
The vase closes in
The panels lean inward up to the neck. Choose anywhere from 3 to 12 panels in the tool.
● Founders template
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
PITFALL NO. 1
−12%
Your vase comes out smaller than planned
Clay shrinks 10 to 15% as it dries and fires. A template drawn to the finished size always gives a vase that is too small — the most common hand-building mistake, and you only see it when the kiln opens.
You enter the size of the finished piece: the tool works out the rest.
That’s where a fixed PDF falls short
Here, change one measurement and see the matching flat pattern straight away.
— IN PRACTICE
Three steps
Keep the computer close, then head to the workbench.
1
Your measurements, your clay
Shrinkage depends on your clay: enter it to get an accurate template.
2
Print at 100%
Never “fit to page”. A 50 mm check bar on every sheet lets you verify the scale with a ruler.
3
Lay out and cut
Paper on the slab, knife around it, once per facet. The panels go up one by one around the base, with bevelled edges.
FOR REFERENCE
Common vase sizes
If you’re not sure which shrinkage to use, start from the value given by your clay supplier.
| Vase | Panels | Ø base → top | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bud vase | 6 | 70 → 30 mm | 150 mm |
| Bouquet vase | 6 | 130 → 80 mm | 140 mm |
| Tall vase | 8 | 120 → 70 mm | 220 mm |
| Large vase | 8 | 160 → 100 mm | 280 mm |
| Trumpet vase | 6 | 80 → 140 mm | 180 mm |
Diameters measured corner to corner, as in the tool. Suggested thickness: 5–6 mm up to 20 cm tall, 6–8 mm above.
— FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What people ask me
How do you make a slab-built ceramic vase?
Cut the facets and the base from a 5–6 mm slab, bevel the slanted edges, then build the panels up one by one around the base, joining each seam with slip. The template gives you one facet to repeat and the polygon base.
How many facets should a vase have?
Six panels give a crisp shape that’s easy to build. Eight panels look closer to a round vase. The tool takes 3 to 12 facets.
What angle should I bevel vase facets at?
Roughly 180° divided by the number of panels: 30° for six, 22.5° for eight. Fine-tune as you assemble; the edges draw closer as they rise.
Can I make a bud vase or a flared vase?
Yes. A top Ø smaller than the base gives a vase that closes in, like a bud vase. A larger top Ø gives a flared, trumpet-shaped vase. A top Ø of 0 gives a point.
Is the template maker free?
Yes, it’s free and needs no sign-up. Set your measurements, then export a PDF or print directly.
Who made Gabarits Céramique?
Louis Coffin, a product designer and potter, built Gabarits Céramique to stop working out patterns by hand. Read the story on the About page.
Which formats can I export?
You can print directly or export your template as PDF or SVG.
Which shapes can I make?
The library includes cups, mugs, bowls, chawans, plates, serving dishes, bottles, jugs, boxes and vases. Every shape adjusts to your measurements.
Do I need a pottery wheel?
No. The templates are made for slab building, no wheel needed.
Is US Letter supported?
Yes, the tool offers US Letter as well as A4. Pick the size that matches your printer before exporting.
What if I don’t know my clay’s shrinkage?
Check your clay’s data sheet or measure a test tile after firing. Then enter the shrinkage in the tool and fine-tune with your tests.
What print scale should I use?
Print at 100% and check the 50 mm bar. The PDF is designed to give an actual-size template.
— READY TO CUT
Your vase, made to measure.
Thirty seconds to set the measurements, one sheet of paper to print it.
Free
No sign-up
A4 & Letter PDF