

How To: Decorate bisque pottery with red iron oxide
This is a video tutorial of decorating bisque with red iron oxide. Red iron oxide can be layered, fired, watered-down, and used in many ways to add a finish to a piece of bisque pottery. Bisqueware absorbs the color easily, so the two materials work well together. Pick up some new ideas for how to decorate bisque pottery with red iron oxide by watching this video ceramic design tutorial.

How To: Make a simple clay and ash glaze
This method of making glaze utilizes environmental supplies. That way there's no need to rely on a clay supply store, so it's great to save money or time if it's a distance to the nearest supplier. Watch this video pottery tutorial and learn how to make a simple ceramic glaze for firing out of clay remnants and wood ash. It's appropriate for use on raw glazing projects as well.

How To: Make a plaster bat for drying out your wet clay
Simon Leach is an online pottery instruction legend, and in this three-part video, he instructs us in a procedure somewhat outside his normal area of expertise by creating a homemade plaster bat, which is basically a flat plaster block used for drying wet clay. For the hardcore at-home ceramics whiz this could be a very fun and rewarding project. Just make sure you are comfortable working with both plaster and clay!

How To: Throw clay mortar and pestles on a pottery wheel
A mortar and pestle is a pair of tools that has been used since antiquity for grinding spices. This tutorial shows you how to turn some raw clay into a ceramic mortar and pestle on a pottery wheel. Make sure to glaze it using non-toxic glaze!

How To: Build a small downdraft kiln with Simon Leach
In this 2 part how-to video, Simon Leach, who normally shows you how to make pottery, instead shows you something else. In this tutorial, Leach shows you how to make and build a small propane downdraft kiln. Follow along with Simon Leach, and you too could be building your own kiln in your backyard.

How To: Throw a ceramic bottle or bud vase on a pottery wheel
A bud vase is a small vase, about as large as a bottle, which holds small flowers - or buds. This tutorial shows you a few different methods you can use to throw one of these small vases on a pottery wheel.

How To: Convert an old electric kiln into a propane gas kiln
You may love your old electric kiln like a child, but it's time to get in touch with the times and update that sucker! Watch this ceramics tutorial by potter Simon Leach to learn how to turn your old electric kiln into a snazzy new propane gas kiln.

How To: Use a pugmill in pottery throwing
This video shows the method to use a puggmill in pottery throwing. Take the two packets of clay and take the clay out on the table. Take a thread and cut the two pieces of clay in the middle to form four bricks. Put the bricks in the puggmill one by one and wait for it to come out. The pugged clay comes out from the bottom in a cylindrical shape. Take out the four cylinders from the four bricks of clay. After this, put the cylinders in the pugmill again so that they are pugged thoroughly. Put...

How To: Build a small raku kiln
In this three-part how-to from everyone's favorite potter (wizard children notwithstanding), Simon Leach talks about the process of building a small raku kiln. For insight into Mr. Leach's kiln-building process, watch this helpful how-to.

How To: Polish the surface of clay sculptures
Watch this instructional ceramics video to learn how to polish a piece of hand built clay sculpture before you fire it. Every piece of hand built clay sculpture should dry very slowly to avoid cracking. Use the back of a spoon to slowly polish out any imperfections on a smooth surface.

How To: Throw a raku pot with lugs
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to throw a raku pot with lugs using clay and your pottery wheel. This helpful how-to video contains detailed instructions that are best for beginning to intermediate potters. This instructional video will have you throwing raku pots with lugs in no time.

How To: Center and use good posture when making pottery
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to center and sit with good posture when using your potter wheel to make pottery. The detailed instructions in this helpful how-to video are good for potters of any level.

How To: Pull tall cylinders
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to pull tall cylinders out of clay using your pottery wheel. This how-to video is not for beginners, but it features detailed instructions and explanations. You'll be throwing and pulling tall cylinders for vases and other types of pottery in no time after watching this instructional video.

How To: Join two pieces of leather-hard clay together
Check out this video to learn scoring techniques of joining two pieces of stiff leather-hard clay. Following are some steps you will see demonstrated

How To: Throw a chip and dip pottery plate
Ingelton Pottery demonstrates how to throw a chip and dip pottery plate. First, well a ball of clay and put it on a pottery wheel. Use your hands and ample amounts of water to depress the sides of the clay forming an indented rim with a raised center. Use your thumb to define the center hub. Create a thin side to the plate. Wet your hands and press down on the center hub, creating a depression. The plate should now have a two bowls with one sitting inside of the other one. Use a blade to scra...

How To: Fit a lamp base into pottery with Simon Leach
In this video by Simon Leach, we learn how to fit a lamp base into pottery with Simon Leach. First, you will take the lamp base that has all the wires inside of it. From here, you will wire the cables through the proper fittings for the light. Then, you need to put a hole in the bottom of the lamp base so you can string the light base through and then place the light bulb on top. When you are finished, the pottery can sit on top of the base and then you can add a light shade to finish up the ...

How To: Make an incense burner out of clay
Ilysa and Kira with Polymer Clay TV demonstrate how to make an incense burner out of clay. An incense burner is a great way to use up a lot of your scrap clay. You can also use molds, embellishments and pigments to create your incense burner. You can roll up your clay in a swirl to create the incense burner or use any other desired shape. You can also do pinch pot type shapes. To make an incense burner, you'll need a ball of scrap clay, a blade, and a rod. Use the rod to flatten pieces of a c...

How To: Double dip or glaze ceramic
In this tutorial, Simon Leach teaches us how to double dip or glaze ceramic. This trick will save you a lot of time, just make sure you practice a lot. First, mix your glaze up in a large bucket and grab your pot that you want to glaze. Now, place your piece into the glaze and then flick the wrist to lift the piece up quickly. Don't let the glaze go over the base of the piece or it will become too messy. Now, dip the piece back in, getting some glaze on the inside and swishing the liquid arou...

How To: Transfer printer toner to your ceramic work
Printer toner has enough iron oxide in it to allow ceramic artists to transfer the images onto unfired clay. Then, when you fire the clay, the image will be transfered onto the piece, without having to deal with extra painting or glazing.

How To: Clean off ceramic pots before firing them
In this video, we learn how to clean off ceramic pots before firing them. First, take a knife to clean off any bits that need to be removed to make the pots completely smooth. After this, dip the top of the pot into glaze and let it dry on a flat surface. For the base, hold with your two fingers on the inside, then dip in the glaze and let dry. Once these are dry, take a knife and scrape the edges where excess glaze may be at. Then, scrape all around the edges and clean the back of the side w...

How To: Use wood ash to prep pots for the kiln
In this video, we learn how to use wood ash to prep pots for the kiln. First, grab wood ash and place it into a container that sprays. After this, blow in the appropriate hole and hold the container so the ash gets all over your pots. Continue to do this all the way around the pots. You will get out of breath while doing this, so take your take and take breaks to breathe. Make sure you do this in a quick amount of time so the ash inside the container stays ready to be blown. After this, the p...

How To: Throw a double walled vase
Follow this example to throw a double walled ceramic vase. This is a decorative motif in ceramics, and a tricky process to complete. After the pice dries a little, make sure to cut some holes in the top layer of clay, to prevent an explosion in the kiln. As shown, you can also carve decorative designs in the outer pot.

How To: Decorate raw clay pottery with white slip
In this video pottery-making tutorial, Simon uses a white slip made from half china clay and half stoneware clay. Slip is an alternative to glaze for finishing a potted project. Simon also demonstrates an easy project to make a paint brush holder that will keep tools in place while using them. Watch this video demonstration to pick up a few ways to decorate a raw clay pottery piece with white slip.

How To: Throw a bread crock
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to throw a breadcrock using clay and a pottery wheel. This how-to video is best for intermediate potters. The instructions in this video will have you throwing your own bread crock in no time.

How To: Put lips and rims on your pottery
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to make some simple lips and rims with cut aways. The detailed instructions in this helpful how-to video will help intermediate potters make different kinds of lips and rims and put them on their pottery.

How To: Throw a simple ceramic vase on a pottery wheel
This simple vase is thrown on a pottery wheel from the same piece of clay in under six minutes. See as the clay takes shape to make a vase. Watch this video pottery making tutorial and learn how to quickly throw a simple ceramic vase.

How To: Mix your own clay at home
This video tutorial shows how to mix your own clay body. Covered are the basic types of clay, fluxes, and fillers. When testing clay body mixtures, make 1000 gram batches dry, then add water to that. This way a percentage recipe can be taken and just by moving the decimal point can convert it to grams (25% = 25 grams or 250 grams, etc). Here is a clay-body recipe is as follows for those of who might care. Also, much of the mixture of a clay body is designed to match the glazes. It needs to me...

How To: Decorate earthenware with porcelain slip and paper
Shredded paper is a great way to create a design on an earthenware piece, as it will burn away during the firing process. Porcelain slip can be simple throw water from old porcelain pottery projects. Learn how to decorate earthenware pottery projects with porcelain slip and shredded paper by watching this video ceramic design tutorial.

How To: Throw double bowls on a pottery wheel
Double bowls are bowls that are connected together, such as a container that can be used for dip and salsa. This tutorial shows you how you can throw two similar bowls and attach them to create your own ceramic double bowls.

How To: Use aluminum cans as armatures for shaping and baking polymer clay
You're probably wondering why in the world you would throw an aluminum can into an oven to bake, but differently shaped aluminum cans are actually a polymer clay hobbyist's best friend when it comes to shaping clay and making the shape stay.

How To: Glaze assorted pottery forms with Shino glaze with Simon Leach
We're not going to lie to you: Creating pottery is a long, arduous, and intense process. But After you throw your charger, come back to reshape offset parts, fire the charger, and then glaze it, you have yourself a homemade work of art you will treasure for a lifetime. In other words, all the hard work you put into pottery is worth it!

How To: Make a "hakeme" brush for slip decorating your pottery
In this video, Simon Leach steps away from his wheel for a few minutes to teach potters everywhere how to make a "hakeme" brush at home out of basic items. This brush can then be used to slip decorate your pottery and other ceramics.

How To: Apply a terra cotta slip to a pot
A terra cotta slip can add flair and durability to any pot that you've made at home, and also allow you to make up for inconsistencies in the composition of your clay. This video from Simon Leach shows you how to apply just such a terra cotta slip to a clay pot, an important technique to improve you pottery and ceramics skills.

How To: Throw a lamp base
You all the know the scene from Ghost? Where Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore are sitting and they are trying to make something using the machine? It's one of the most iconic scenes out there. Anyways, this video isn't about ghosts, or either of those actors, but rather that machine and what it can do. This tutorial will show you how to throw a lamp base easily. Enjoy!

How To: Make a polymer clay spider
This cool tutorial is perfect for teachers or parents interested in keeping their little ones entertained. You'll be finding out how to make a polymer clay spider with ease. These spiders are cute and sure won't scare anybody since they're fake and too big to be real spiders. Enjoy!

How To: Throw a big pottery mixing bowl
First of all you have to put some clay over the potter wheel. Now add some water and then press hard with your fingers at the bottom. Now slowly release the pressure of your hands and bring your hands upwards while slowly releasing the pressure. This shall form an inverted cone shape. Now apply pressure with your thumbs at the top to depress in the top and then wash your hands with water. Now use your thumbs to make this hole bigger. Now put a little water in this hole and then use your finge...

How To: Make a ceramic lantern
A ceramic lantern is a great project for beginning potters. Learn how to make a lantern with tips from a master potter in this free ceramics video series.

How To: Decorate ceramics with a torch
Try using a blowtorch to dry the outer portion of a ceramic pot. While the clay is still on the pottery wheel, cut light marks into the outer wall of the pot. Dry the outermost layer of wet clay with a blowtorch. When you continue to stretch and form the wet clay on the wheel, witness an interesting cracking effect.

How To: Begin making lids for wheel thrown ceramics
Watch this helpful ceramics video to learn how to throw a few types of lids for wheel thrown pots. Our guide forms a gallery lid, using calipers to measure the inside distance of the rim of the pot. The calipers can then be used to adjust the width of the lid piece.

How To: Throw a tea bowl on a pottery wheel
This video pottery tutorial shows how to throw a tea bowl, or handle-less mug, on a pottery wheel. Demonstrating potter Simon Leach shows the step by step process of this free form potted project. Watch this instructional video and learn how to throw a tea bowl.