Looking for the best Halloween pottery ideas?

You’ve come to the right place. At The Clay Hole, Halloween is more than just a holiday—it’s a full-on creative season. From spooky ceramics to charming hand-built figurines, we’re overflowing with projects that are as fun to make as they are to display. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned potter, you’ll find tons of inspiration and guidance here for making your own Halloween decorations out of clay.

 

This is the season to dive into hands-on Halloween pottery projects that blend wheel throwing, hand-building, and sculpting. Try your hand at making haunted house lanterns, witchy mugs, skeleton figurines, bat wall planters, monster bowls, or even tombstone nameplates—each one a unique opportunity to grow your skills and bring your imagination to life. These aren’t generic decorations from the store. These are one-of-a-kind ceramic Halloween pieces you’ll be proud to say you made yourself.

 

But the best part? You’re not doing it alone. The studio is alive with creative energy—members laughing, swapping ideas, and sharing their own Halloween pottery creations in a community that makes the whole experience even more magical. So whether you're searching for Halloween pottery ideas to get started or looking to push your skills further this fall, there's no better time to get involved.

Scroll down to explore project ideas in each Halloween category—from hand-built figurines to wheel-thrown Halloween classics

Monster mugS & goblets:

Monster mugs and goblets are a Halloween favorite around here—and for good reason. They’re the perfect mix of creepy and hilarious, with bulging eyes, toothy grins, warty textures, and exaggerated features that make every sip a little more fun. Whether you’re pulling handles on the wheel or hand-building sculptural details, these functional pieces let you get weird in all the best ways. Plus, they’re wildly customizable—no two monsters ever turn out the same.

Witches Boots:

Witch boots are a wickedly fun Halloween pottery project that combines hand-building with playful design. These quirky, curved shoes can be sculpted into planters, candle holders, or just stand-alone decorations—complete with laces, buckles, warts, and all. They’re great for practicing texture and form, and they offer endless opportunities for customization. Whether you go spooky, stylish, or downright silly, each boot tells its own story—and looks incredible perched on a shelf or doorstep.

FIGURINES & FUN IDEAS:

Halloween figurines are where your imagination really gets to run wild. From grinning ghosts and playful pumpkins to frogs in witch hats and skeletons with sass, these hand-built ceramic characters are bursting with personality. They’re perfect for potters of all skill levels—easy to start, hard to stop. And if figurines aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other fun Halloween pottery ideas to try, your imagination is your only limit. Whether spooky, cute, or just plain weird, these projects bring serious joy to the season—and give you decorations you’ll want to pull out year after year.

Jack-O-Lantern Bowls:

Pumpkin face bowls (Jack-o-Lantern bowls) are a Halloween classic with a twist—you get to design the face. Whether it’s goofy, spooky, mischievous, or downright terrifying, each expression adds personality to a functional piece you’ll actually use. These bowls are great for candy, snacks, or just showing off, and they’re the perfect way to practice both wheel throwing and hand-built sculpting. Carve out eyes, add a toothy grin, or even build in a stem for extra flair. No two are ever the same, and that’s exactly the fun of it.

Haunted House Lanterns:

Haunted house lanterns are one of the most magical Halloween pottery projects you can make. Built by hand and glowing from within, these miniature ceramic houses come to life with crooked chimneys, jagged windows, spooky silhouettes, and eerie little details that make them unforgettable. Add a tealight inside, and the whole piece transforms into a flickering, moody masterpiece. They’re a fun challenge—perfect for practicing slab work, carving, and creative storytelling through clay—and they make show-stopping decorations for mantels, porches, or tabletops all season long.

Hanging Bat Bowls/Planters:

These charming ceramic bat wall planters are here to haunt your heart in the best way possible. Perched on the wall with tiny wings outstretched and glossy glazes in Halloween hues, each bat holds a little pocket of greenery, herbs, or seasonal flair. Some have beady little eyes, others feature cartoonish expressions, but all of them are bursting with spooky-cute personality. Every planter comes to life with different plants—from witchy trailing vines to bursts of color—and no two are exactly alike. They’re the perfect blend of gothic charm and playful whimsy. Hang one by your front door, your kitchen sink, or create an entire colony—it’s the kind of creepy that makes people smile.

Halloween Candle Holders:

Halloween candle holders are a perfect blend of eerie ambiance and creative clay work. Whether you're throwing them on the wheel or sculpting by hand, these pieces can take on endless spooky forms—think ghostly silhouettes, drippy skulls, bat wings, or twisted tree shapes. Carve in cutouts for flickering light to spill through, or go bold with sculptural textures and glaze effects that catch the flame just right. They’re fun to make, super fun to customize, and bring a warm, haunting glow to any Halloween setup.

Candy Bowls:

Halloween-themed candy bowls are the ultimate mix of form and function—big enough to hold all your treats, but fun enough to steal the spotlight. Whether you throw them on the wheel or hand-build with bold shapes, these bowls can take on all kinds of festive flair: carved jack-o’-lantern faces, monster mouths, witchy textures, or even sculpted feet or claws. Glaze them spooky or sweet, and you’ve got a centerpiece that’s just as exciting as what’s inside. Perfect for parties, front porch trick-or-treating, or just snacking in style all October long.

Ceramic Ghosts

Ceramic ghosts are a hauntingly adorable way to celebrate Halloween through clay. Simple to make but full of charm, these hand-built spirits can be smooth and sleek or textured and tattered, with expressions that range from spooky to sweet. Add tiny arms, carved eyes, or even a flickering tealight underneath to turn them into glowing lanterns. They’re a great project for all skill levels, and whether you make one or a whole ghostly gang, they’re sure to become a favorite part of your Halloween décor.

Funny Tombstones:

Funny ceramic tombstones are a hilarious and spooky addition to your Halloween pottery lineup. These hand-built pieces are a chance to play with texture, shape, and—best of all—your sense of humor. Carve in clever names like “Barry D. Live,” “Al B. Back,” or “Dee Cayen” and give each stone its own personality with cracks, mossy textures, or tilted silhouettes. Whether you’re making a full graveyard scene or just a few for tabletop display, they’re easy to personalize and always get a laugh. Bonus: they’re great for contests, photo ops, and setting the tone for the season.

Haunted Ships:

Haunted Halloween ships are one of the most creative and impressive Halloween pottery projects you can tackle. These sculptural builds combine spooky storytelling with serious clay skills—think cracked wooden planks, torn sails, eerie passengers, and glowing cabins lit from within. Whether it’s a ghost pirate vessel or a mysterious abandoned schooner, each haunted ship becomes a floating scene of Halloween magic. They’re perfect for slab work, sculptural detailing, and imaginative glazing, and they make stunning centerpieces that feel like a full-on art piece disguised as décor.

Tree Stump Candle Holders:

Dead tree stump candle holders are a moody, magical Halloween pottery project that brings the eerie forest vibe right into your home. Sculpted by hand, these textured forms can be twisted, gnarled, cracked, or hollowed out—perfect for holding tealights, hiding little ghosts or critters, or standing alone as spooky statement pieces. Add mushrooms, mossy textures, creepy crawlies, or even little faces peeking out from knots. Whether they're functional or purely decorative, ceramic tree stumps are a fun way to explore texture and storytelling while adding serious haunted forest energy to your Halloween display.

Join us in the studio and bring your Halloween pottery ideas to life!

Whether you're brewing up haunted house lanterns, sculpting spooky ghosts, or crafting creepy-cute candy bowls, there's no wrong way to get creative this season. At The Clay Hole, we believe Halloween pottery should be fun, personal, and just the right amount of wicked. So go ahead—gather your ideas, book your spot, and let’s make something hauntingly beautiful together.