making a clown pot

I was invited to attend a wedding as a plus one. I decided to make a clown pot as a gift. I knew nothing about pottery. Now I know almost nothing about pottery.

I went to an art shop and asked what I type of clay I could use to make a pot without having a kiln. They recommended polymer clay

I've definitely seen someone make a pot at some point, so I began constructing my clown. I made a flat base at the bottom for the base and started making noodle-like strings of clay and layering them on top of one another to make a the general shape of a clown bust.

After some touchups, it was ready to go in the oven:

It did not fare so well:

My next attempt with polymer clay I baked in a toaster oven so I could get more precise control. It didn't end up like the first, but lacked structural integrity and fell apart quickly. It seemed that polymer clay was not robust enough for this project.

This is what I should have used the whole time. The clown felt solid rather than flimsy during the entire construction process:

The final result:

I never heard whether or not the couple liked it.