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: Use porcelain slip and carving to decorate stoneware
A thrown, fired, and dried piece of stoneware can be dipped in porcelain and sponge dried to create a unique effect. The porcelain can then be carved for further design. Learn how to use porcelain slip to carve decoration into a piece of stoneware by watching this video ceramic design tutorial.
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: Make a moose bead out of polymer clay
This video tutorial is going to show you how to make a Moose Bead from Polymer Clay by Garden of Imagination. You begin with clay and make a shape it like the head of the moose as shown in the video. Then take more clay and make the ears and attach them to the head. Now take lighter color clay, cut it out into heart shapes, poke around the edge with a pin, and attach them behind the head. Take a pin and make a hole at the top end of the head to make it a bead. Watch the video to finish the pr...
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: 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 a personal seal or signet out of smooth clay
Create your own personal seal from a piece of clay! This tutorial shows you the process, starting with a large piece of smooth clay, to cut your chosen sigil into the clay. Make sure you draw the sigil on in reverse. Now all you need is a letter and some sealing wax!
How To: Pack a kiln
In this video, we learn how to pack a kiln. First, you will place all the largest pots on the top and towards the back of the kiln. If you have a third row, place the most large ones on the bottom, packed next to each other. After this, pack the smallest ones to the front of the kiln until you have no more room or all the pieces are packed in. Give the kiln a warm up during the night, then you will be ready to fire it to create your pieces. Once finished, remove the pieces and you are done!
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: Glaze a lamp base with Simon Leach
In order to glaze a lamp base, you will need the following: glaze, warm water, a sponge, copper carbonate, paintbrush, and sticks.
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: 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: Throw and carve a double walled pottery vase
This video illustrate how to throw and carve a double walled pottery vase. Here are the following steps.Step 1: First of all take a potters wheel.Step 2: Now take clay and put it on the wheel and rotate the wheel.Step 3: Make inner and outer partition and slowly shape the inner clay into long vessel shape.Step 4: Now take the outer clay and shape it into vessel, now join the neck of this vessel to the inner vessel and shape it into a vase.Step 5: After the pot has half dried cut the outer bou...
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: 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: Wedge two types of clay together
Wedging two types of clay can give you a new color, which you can then use to further decorate your pieces. Make sure that the two kind of clay require the same firing temperature. You can mix your own personal clay to work with simply by selecting qualities in standard clays and kneading them together.
How To: Throw a beer tankard
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to throw a beer tankard using clay and your pottery wheel. This helpful how-to video contains detailed instructions that are good for beginner to intermediate potters who have used a wheel before but have never thrown a beer tankard.
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: 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 cappuccino mug
In this online video series, learn how to make a cappuccino mug from ceramics expert Susan Ting. Susan will teach you how to center porcelain clay on a potter's wheel, how to open the clay, and how to pull it up to create the basic shape of a cappuccino mug. She will show you how to form the shape of a cappuccino coffee mug, how to remove it from the potter's wheel, how to trim the bottom of the pot, and how to attach a handle to the cappuccino mug. Learn also how the firing and glazing proce...
News: These Tiny Pots & Vases Are Made Just Like Big Ones—By 'Throwing' on a Potter's Wheel
From a quick, passing glance at a photograph, you may not notice that Jon Almeda's impressive displays of ceramics mastery are actually the size of coins. It's well-documented how much tiny art is loved by WonderHowTo, but this petite pottery may take the cake as the most impressive display of craftsmanship.
News: Gorcelain, the Bloody Side of Porcelain
One normally thinks of porcelain as decor or dishware for ladies who lunch, but artist Jessica Harrison has injected a horror show twist into the traditional ceramic delicacy.
How To: Throw a small ceramic mixing bowl on a pottery wheel
A perfect idea for a gift this holiday season! Throw a mixing bowl or ceramic serving dish on a pottery wheel. Make sure you use a non toxic glaze, with no lead in it, if you're using it to store or serve food!
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: 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: Make a fall scarecrow decoration out of Cloud Clay
Cloud Clay is a new kind of non-toxic clay that doesn't need to be fired - it air dries by itself. This tutorial shows you how you can use several different colors of Cloud Clay to make an autumn scarecrow.
How To: Throw a small ceramic kitchen bowl with Simon Leach
In this clip, we learn how to throw a small, 7.5 inch-wide ceramic kitchen bowl with a pouring lip using two pounds of clay. If you're interested in making this bowl yourself, or just want to learn more about ceramics, watch this video guide from Simon Leach.
How To: Do glaze trailing and pouring for pottery
Simon Leach teaches us how to glaze trailing and pouring for pottery. First, you will dip the entire pot into the glaze after you have poured it into the middle. Wind up your wrist as you are pouring it out so you cover all of the sides in it. Just dip it down a little bit so it goes over the edge of the tip to cover the mouth of it. To use a balloon wand, fill it with the glaze and then use this to glaze the pots. Simply drop the liquid onto the pot in straight lines as you are turning it wi...
How To: Decorate a ceramic lamp base
In this video we learn how to decorate a ceramic lamp base with Simon Leach. First, grab a small paint brush and then apply paint to it. Once you have this, start to paint your chosen design onto the pot. Painting a leaf or a plant will be the most appropriate for a large jar or lamp base. Use a brush that will move along the pot and create unique lines. Go all around the pot until your design is finished. Let this dry and then rinse your pot off when you are done. Let your personality shine ...
How To: Unload and repack bisque pottery from a kiln
In this video, we learn how to unload and repack bisque pottery from a kiln. First, take the top off and then take out the smaller pots from the larger ones and set aside. Then, remove the large ones and set aside as well. When you are re-loading this, you will place in the large ones first. Then, place the smaller pots in the large ones if they fit. Squeeze the small ones around where you can. Stacking some into each other is fine. Turn this on for around 30 minutes on low heat, then you can...
How To: Make models and ornaments with salt dough
In this tutorial, we learn how to make models and ornaments with salt dough. First, grab a baking sheet and place aluminum foil over it. Now, grab some gloss sealer, salt, food coloring, flour, ribbon, glitter, cookie cutters, and buttons. To make the dough, combine flour with water and salt. Mix this together until you get a dough shape, then roll out and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Cut a small hole in the top of it, then bake until golden brown in the oven. Tie a string in the hole...
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: Turn a lump of clay into a ceramic pot on a potter's wheel
Starting with just a lump of clay and some water on a potting wheel, you can end up with a lovely clay pot! This video shows you how to make a trivet, so you can safely rest hot dishes on your table or countertop.
How To: Make simple pot stands
In this tutorial, we learn how to make simple pot stands. Start with your clay on the table and use water and your hands to start to shape it. Press down on the ball until it forms into a low bowl shape. Then, start to add more clay and water to the sides of the pot so that it's thicker on the edges. After this, place the pot stand onto a ceramic drying area, then you will be able to glaze it and fire it. Clean off your spinning table after you are finished, then enjoy your pot and pot stand!
How To: Make a teapot in ceramics
Simon Leach teaches us how to make a teapot in ceramics in this video. After you have created the basic pot for the tea, you will need to poke several small holes into the side of it where it will be poured. After this, you will need to create the spout and mark where it's going to go on the pot while it's still wet. Now, key the area on the pot where the spout is going to go, then apply water to it and push the spout onto the area. Push along the sides gently until the spout is stuck on comp...
How To: Make lidded boxes
In this tutorial, Simon Leach teaches us how to make lidded boxes. First, grab your pot and dip the top of it into water to get it wet and soft. Now, grab a small amount of clay and set it on your spinning table. After this, get your hands wet and start to craft a lid out of the clay. Make an inner base as you are spinning the clay by carefully placing your finger on the side of the top. When finished spinning, place the top down and see if it's the correct size for the pot, then glaze and fi...
How To: Do spiral fluting
Simon Leach teaches us how to do spiral fluting in this video. Start on the side of the bowl with a sharp edge. Then, push the edge down from the top until you reach the bottom half of the bowl. Create line next to line very close to each other, not overlapping them. Continue to do this slowly until you have reached all the way around the bowl. Make sure your lines are all equal to each other, they don't have to be perfect though. After you have made lines all the way around, your bowl will b...
How To: Put handles on your ceramics
Simon Leach teaches us how to put handles on your ceramics in this tutorial. The key thing is to never let the handle fall as you are adding it to a cup, always keep it supported. Look at the handle as you are placing it on and think about proportion and size. If it's sticking out too far it's going to get knocked off. You need to have an elliptical shaped handle when you are shaping them so they can be gripped properly. Don't score the bottom part when you are joining the handle to the botto...
How To: Use a potato peeler as a fluting tool
In this video, we learn how to use a potato peeler as a fluting tool. First, take your wet pot and then grab the potato peeler. Use broad strokes along the side of the pot and press down hard and you peel the clay off of the sides. You will need to go over the same spot a few times to be able to see, but once you go around the entire pot you will see the different shapes in the marks. Once you are finished going all the way around the pot, your hands will be tired but it will be fluted with t...
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