3D clay printing
Ryan Barrett is a London ceramic artist who makes large-scale sculpture through 3D clay printing. His method, digital coiling, joins virtual reality drawing and a coiling system he built himself to the oldest way of making a pot: one coil on top of the next.
- 01
Drawing
Each piece starts as a sketch, and is then drawn in virtual reality.
- 02
Slicing
The digital model is sliced into layers, turning the drawing into a path the machine can follow.
- 03
Clay
A large batch of porcelain is prepared and the trapped air removed. Grog and oxides go into the clay to build colour through the body of the work.
- 04
Printing
The form is built on a coiling system Ryan engineered himself and keeps modifying, in up to 10,000 layers of clay, depending on the form.
- 05
Finishing
The printed form is carved and worked by hand, then fired under natural glazes and minerals, in kilns enlarged to take the scale of the work.
Questions
What is 3D clay printing?
A printer pushes soft clay through a nozzle and lays it down layer on layer, following a digital model. It is the old craft of coil building, carried out under digital control.
What is digital coiling?
Digital coiling is Ryan Barrett's own form of 3D clay printing. He draws each form in virtual reality, then builds it on a coiling system he engineered himself, in up to 10,000 layers of clay, depending on the form.
Are 3D printed ceramics made by hand?
The machine builds the form, and the rest stays in the hands. Ryan mixes the clay, then carves, finishes and glazes each piece before firing. Every sculpture is unique.
How large can 3D printed ceramics be?
Ryan Barrett's largest piece stands 135 cm tall. The three 2025 works are each 130 cm tall, printed in porcelain.
Can I commission a 3D printed ceramic sculpture?
Yes. Ryan Barrett takes commissions for private collections, interiors and public spaces, at a scale of up to 180 cm, or as modular pieces for larger works. Email ryan@ryanceramics.com.
Where can I see Ryan Barrett's 3D printed ceramics?
His work has been shown at Asprey Studio Gallery in Mayfair, London, at Oscar Graf Gallery in London, and at Sotheby's London. For current work, email ryan@ryanceramics.com.