When I bought my first wheel, I wasn’t sure how it was going to fit into my life or home. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on something that I simply didn’t get a chance to use. I did some research at the time and one of my key questions was how…
You may have one of those crafty, artistic children who like to make things all the time. Or perhaps you have a long school vacation stretching out in front of you. Either way, if you have been wondering what can kids do with clay, you are in the right place. Here are some great ideas…
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Bone dry pottery is extremely fragile. In particular handles on mugs and jugs, and other fine details can be broken off easily. But many potters, particularly in the first few years of making pottery don’t own their own kiln. Instead, they rely on finding a local kiln service to fire their work. This raises questions…
Making terra sigillata takes time and effort. Combining the ingredients is simple. Reducing the thin slip to a usable consistency takes quite a long time. So, it’s important that when you use this liquid gold, you use it well. This raises the question of when to apply terra sigillata to the best effect. Terra sigillata…
There are a lot of different accounts of how to make terra sigillata available. Some of these methods seem more precise than others. There also seems to be quite a bit of conflicting information. So, I did some research into the various recommendations made by different potters and cherry-picked the best suggestions. I tested these…
This article is a step-by-step guide on how to make a raku kiln. I had made raku pottery in workshops and under the guidance of other potters. But I had yet to take the plunge on my own if you’ll pardon the pun. I decided it was time to take that step, so I only…
The terms “oxide” and “ceramic stains” are often used interchangeably. But are they the same thing? And if not, what is the difference between oxides and stains in pottery? Raw or plain oxides are metal elements that are combined with oxygen. They are ground to a powder and one of their uses in pottery is…
There is quite a bit of information online about how to make raku pottery. However, I recently built my first raku kiln. And in the process of planning my first raku firing, I realized that there were practical things I didn’t know. For example, I’d never used a propane torch before. So, I found myself…