I have always loved clay. As a child, I would make things out of air-drying clay. I can still remember the smell of it and the clammy cold feel. It was funny stuff, it felt a bit like a mixture of plastic and clay, which come to think of it, it probably was.
If you’ve started making pottery, you may be wondering how to fire clay at home. The good news is that you don’t need a fancy art studio to fire your own pottery. There are some simple, inexpensive ways to fire clay at home. This article covers 7 ways of firing pottery and some of the…
If you are starting your pottery journey, you may be wondering just how to glaze pottery at home. Is it possible? What are your options? You will be pleased to know that it is completely possible to glaze pottery at home. This article is all about the different ways to glaze pottery both with and…
If you’re starting out in ceramics, you may be wondering about the different types of clay for pottery. This information can feel overwhelming, so I thought it would be helpful to give a clear overview of the key differences. In this article, I will take a walk through the main different types of clay for…
If you want to start a pottery hobby, it can be hard to know where to start. Like all new ventures, it can feel like there is an overwhelming amount of information to learn. But take heart, you only need to take one step at a time. I have put together this handy list of…
Slab plates are easy and very satisfying to make. This is a simple step-by-step guide on my 3 favorite ways of making slab plates. These are straightforward techniques and you will be able to make your plates at home with ease. The three techniques that I will be looking at are: The freestyle hand shaping…
I love adding texture to pottery clay and there are countless ways to do this. However, one of the simplest and most satisfying ways to add some interest is to use texture mats for clay. These are pieces of flexible rubber that have a texture on them. They can be pressed onto your clay to…
There are lots of different ways to make nice even smooth clay slabs for slab pottery. One way to make a slab is to use a slab roller. But what is a slab roller? And how does it work? A slab roller is a piece of equipment, that makes large slabs of clay easily. Clay…
If you’re starting to learn about slab pottery, you may have come across the term ‘hard slab pottery’ and wondered what it is. Slab pottery can be made when the clay slab is still soft and flexible. This is soft slab construction. Or it can be made when the clay slab has been left to…
If you are new to making slab pottery, you may have heard the term ‘soft slab ceramics’ and wondered what it is. Soft slab ceramics involves constructing pottery out of slabs of clay that are still moist and pliable. Sometimes soft slabs are used straight after they have been freshly rolled. Other times they are…
If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably heard the term ‘clay slab’ being used and wondered exactly what it meant. So, what is a slab in ceramics? A clay slab is a portion of clay that has been flattened into a sheet. Clay slabs are most often made by using a rolling pin or a…