Basics of Hand-Building Slab Pottery
The stiff-slab method is more appropriate for architectural and geometric forms. The slab is rolled and then allowed to slowly dry to the leather-hard stage before being cut and joined…
How to Recycle Clay Scraps Into Workable Clay
Sort and Dry Your Clay Scraps The Spruce / Beth E Peterson As you work, you are likely to have a number of scrap pieces of clay accumulate. This is…
Hand Building a Basic Slab Pot
Form a Slab The Spruce / Beth E Peterson Before beginning your slab pot, you will want to create a thick slurry. (Allow some scraps of clay to dry completely…
How to Load a Ceramics Kiln
No matter what kind of kiln you are loading, you do not want to load ware directly on the kiln’s floor. Doing so can damage the floor, especially in glaze…
Overview of Japanese Pottery Technique Raku
Raku is a Japanese word that can be translated as enjoyment, happiness, or comfort. In 1580, the potter Chijiro is thought to be the first to produce this form of…
How to Center Clay on a Potter’s Wheel
Smack the Clay Onto the Bat The Spruce / Janet L. Giles After the clay has been prepared and is ready for throwing, the next step is to center it…
How to Make a Slab-Built Pottery Mug
Slab building allows you to make pottery, including mugs and pitchers, with clean lines. Working with slabs by hand also is generally easier to master than using a potter’s wheel.…
Mishima Technique and Tools
An Introduction to Mishima Mishima is a technique of inlaying slip, underglaze, or even contrasting clay into the main clay body of the pottery piece. This technique creates extremely fine,…
How to Make Handles for Pottery
Pulled Handles Dry the pulled handle straps, allowing air to reach them on all sides. Note these pulled handle straps are hanging from the same bats as the pots they…
How to Bisque or Biscuit Fire Pottery
Cool the Kiln After the kiln has reached temperature, make sure all heat sources are off. Close any openings and leave the kiln to cool at its own rate. Generally,…