Finding that your glaze has run off your pottery and onto the kiln shelf is not unusual. Especially if you are learning about glazing, or using an unfamiliar glaze. Most potters have a kiln shelf or two that have been damaged by running glaze. In practice, it is not ideal for your pottery or your…
It is simple to make colored clay, and the results can be really stunning. It is one of my favorite ways of decorating my pottery. You can make lovely marbled agateware or nerikomi from the clay you have colored. To make colored clay, you need to add a stain or oxide to your clay. Stains…
I love using colored slip to decorate pottery. It has a velvety finish that you don’t get with most underglaze. If you want to make your own decorating slip, you’re probably wondering how much stain to use in colored slip? How much stain to use in colored slip, depends on a few factors. They…
Many people value the aesthetic value of wheel heads. As such, people dedicate their time and resources towards wheel head maintenance. But wheel heads are still prone to corrosion. Perhaps this has left you wondering why has my wheel head corroded on my pottery wheel despite regular maintenance. This article demystifies the causes of wheel…
Colored slip is a great way to decorate your ceramics. But it can be expensive to buy, and you may not find exactly the color that you want. So perhaps you are wondering how to make colored slip. To make colored slip, you mix a powdered oxide or stain with clay slip. The amount of…
So, you’ve just thrown your first pot on the wheel and you are feeling proud. But how on earth do you get it off the wheel without squashing it? This post is all about how to remove a pot from the wheel without damaging your pottery. To remove a pot from the wheel, tidy up…
There are numerous ways to build a kiln for pottery in your backyard. It needn’t be expensive or complicated. In essence, you are making a chamber that can get up to high temperatures and stay there. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes and is not intended as advice about building a kiln. Kilns can…
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…
The key to drying pottery clay without cracks is to dry it slowly and evenly. Mug handles are notorious for cracking at the joint because drying handles evenly can be tricky. So, what do you do if your mug handle has cracked at the joint? Here are some simple ways to fix handles that crack…