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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: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: Work with paperclay & molds

Terri Sproul shows you how to Work with Paperclay and Molds. Make a ball of paperclay and push it firmly into the center of the home-made or ready-made Mold. Make the surface of the Paperclay level with the surface of the Mold, adding more Paperclay if necessary, and removing any excess with your fingers. The molding putty that the Mold is made from is flexible, so hold the edges of the mold with your fingers and gently push the center of the Mold with your thumbs, this will push the molded P...

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: 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: Make mini truffles out of polymer clay for a dollhouse

Make mini truffles out of polymer clay for a dollhouse. Watch this video to learn how to do this. You will need amazing mold putty for this project. It comes in two parts; yellow and white. Take equal amounts of each and mix them up; they are like clay. You will make a mold out of this for the mini truffles. Then you take whole black peppercorns and press them into the mold putty and keep it out for drying. After it is dry, remove the black pepper and you got the mold ready. Now you take clay...

How To: Throw a wide bowl with Simon Leach

Watch this instructional ceramics video to learn how to throw a wide bowl with Simon Leach. As a preliminary step, one should throw a flat piece of clay onto the pad to assure easy lifting off of the bat. Centering is quite difficult with a larger piece of clay. Leach's visual guide allows one to view the delicate steps required to throw a wide ceramic bowl without letting it collapse.

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: Use Japanese air dry clay

The clay dries by air and you don't have to put it into the oven. The clay isn't brittle and doesn't crack like some of the other clays. The clay bends really easily and is very transparent. Consider that this air dry clay shrinks. The moisture is premixed in the clay. The shrinkage is handy for someone making larger projects. You can use pigment inks, powdered pigments and paints on the air dry clay just like you would use with regular polymer clay. You can also use cutters and findings on t...

How To: Embellish wall decals with polymer clay

Ilysa Bierer and Kira Slye with Polymer Clay TV demonstrate how to embellish wall decals with polymer clay. Wall decals come in a variety of styles. You can embellish wall decals in a variety of ways to make them your own. Take transfer paper and use parts of the design to incorporate into your polymer clay figures. Cookie cutters are handy ways to cut out polymer clay shapes. After you cut out your shapes with the cookie cutter, you can use the piece of clay with the negative space and place...

How To: Make polymer clay pocket mirrors

This video teaches you how to make small polymer clay pocket mirrors. You can put these in your purse or even wallet. It is a good gift, as you can customize them for the person you indent to give. Get small mirrors from a craft store. One technique is to make a separate cover for the mirror using clay. Another technique is to cover the whole mirror with clay. You can also create two separate covers. One on the back of the mirror and the other for the front. Stick the clay on the back of it a...

How To: Set up a kiln

Before starting out on any pottery projects, you need to set up that kiln. This video how-to series demonstrates the safe and proper set-up procedure for your new kiln. Learn where to set up the kiln, unpack, and assemble. Follow along with the video and have fun with ceramics. Set up a kiln.

How To: Make a clay goblet

Clay pottery requires patience and detail with every tool you use to hand craft your piece. Learn about clay forming tips that you will need from a pottery expert to create a goblet in this free video clip. Make a clay goblet - Part 1 of 10.

How To: Make clay mug handles

Clay pottery is a fun and creative art form that can be done with slabs of clay and not only on a spinning wheel. This free video clip series will show you several tips on how to construct clay mug handles and open a world of design ideas for you.

How To: Throw a jewelry box

Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to throw a jewelry box using clay and a pottery wheel. This how-to video is best for beginner to intermediate potters with some experience with the pottery wheel. The tips in this instructional video will help you throw your own jewelry box.

How To: Make ceramic lidded vessels

Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to make smaller lidded vessels with your pottery wheel. Throw the lid first because it's easier to make the pot fit the lid than the other way around. The detailed instructions in this helpful how-to video will allow intermediate potters to make nice lidded vessels.

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