Hot Ceramics & Pottery How-Tos
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Paddle clay
In this video, we learn how to paddle clay. Start off by placing the clay on the wheel and turning it on so it's moving quickly. You wan tot make sure you are using a lot of water and keeping the clay moist, as well as your hand. Make sure the bottom is even around on all sides, or it will turn out off center. Place your hands around the clay and cradle it until it makes a round and even shape. Continue to do this until you can put your hands on the side of the pot and work your clay on the i...
How To: Glaze pottery inside and outside
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to use some more advanced glazing techniques to make the inside different than the outside. The detailed instructions in this helpful how-to video are best for intermediate to advanced potters who want to glaze both the inside and the outside of their pottery.
How To: Soak and slake down dried clay with Simon Leach
When your clay is too tough and not malleable beneath your fingertips, you've got trouble. Pottery, after all, requires smoothe and flexible clay that can be molded into any shape you desire.
How To: Paint pottery with enamel glaze
Making your own pottery creations can be fun! In this free online arts video about making pottery, learn how to paint your pottery creations using enamel glaze as taught by expert potter Jennifer Gravel.
How To: Trim pieces with small necks with a chuck
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to use a chuck to trim your small-necked pottery. The detailed instructions in this helpful how-to video are best for intermediate potters with some experience.
How To: Throw a ceramic chalice
See how to make a ceramic chalice on the pottery wheel in this free video series of ceramic lessons.
How To: Throw a clay bottle on the potter's wheel
The various elements needed to throw a bottle on the wheel should be combined in the right order. Learn about throwing a bottle on the pottery wheel in this free ceramics video. Throw a clay bottle on the potter's wheel - Part 1 of 16.
How To: Throw quick ceramic plates
Watch this instructional ceramics video to learn how to throw a quick plate. Simply center your clay and create a wide disc before beginning the hole. Pull the lip of the plate out with a sponge. It is important to compress the rim. The most difficult step is to pay attention to the of the lip to widen the edge into a plate without breaking the clay or making it look like a bowl.
How To: Trim Hakeme tea bowls with Simon Leach
Watch this instructional video with ceramics expert Simon Leach to learn how to trim and glaze Hakeme tea bowls. Leach uses a groggy, toothy clay which contains high iron content. He then adds a white clay slip with Hakeme grass brushes, which provides a thin layer of natural white clay texture, using a scratching technique. The white slip should be applied when the clay is still quite soft. The striking effect of Hakeme ceramics becomes more apparent as the clay dries.
How To: Throw a ceramic casserole dish
Simon Leach demonstrates on the pottery wheel how to throw a casserole dish, and a casserole lid, in this series of videos.
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 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 ceramic slab plate
In this video, we learn how to make a ceramic slab plate. First, roll out the ceramic. After this, place the clay on butcher or newspaper and smooth it out with a plastic card. Repeat this on the other side. Next, use a paper template to help cut your design or use a circular object. Cut slits to help remove the surrounding clay. Use the excess clay to build support pieces then curve the edges of the plate up and place the support pieces underneath. Use a piece of leather to smooth the edges....
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 Japanese Shino glaze with Simon Leach
A Shino glaze is an umbrella term for a category of pottery glazes that range in color from milky white to orange and even charcoal gray. Chino glazes add a very pretty luster to pottery pieces and are made using a carbon trap, or trapping carbon in the glaze during kiln firing.
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 double-walled pottery vessels
In this how-to ceramics video series, learn from artist Susan Ting how to make a double-walled teapot on a potter's wheel and how to carve intricate designs into the clay. This artist will teach you how to center the clay on the potter's wheel, how to pull the inner wall of the pot, how to pull the outer wall of the pot, how to connect the two walls create a teapot, how to form the teapot flange, how to throw off the hump, how to make a teapot lid, how to make a teapot spout, how to attach a ...
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: 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: Make a clay garlic keeper
Molding clay is an art form and preparing it is step one. Learn tips from a clay expert on how to measure and prepare clay to be molded in this free video clip. Make a clay garlic keeper - Part 1 of 22.
How To: Make a clay pie pan
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 a clay pie pan and open a world of design ideas for you.
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: 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: Make an oval pie dish with Simon Leach
Watch this instructional ceramics video to learn how to make an oval pie dish with expert Simon Leach. Begin by throwing a clay pot with a wide base, as if throwing a plate. Then stop the wheel and lift the walls of the wet clay to bring the walls in, and seal the seems. The pot then has to stiffen before one can finish sealing and trimming of the excess clay from the round base.
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 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: 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: 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: Throw a large charger plate with Simon Leach
God knows we have enough mass produced plates and dinnerware sets out there, some high quality and others like the McDonald's version of plates - cheap costing and cheap looking.
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.
How To: Make a large soup bowl
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to throw a large soup bowl using 2.5 pounds of clay and a pottery wheel. The detailed instructions in this helpful how-to video will allow intermediate potters to easily make large soup bowls.
How To: Throw a vase neck
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to throw a vase neck using clay and a pottery wheel. This how-to video is not for beginners as it assumes a certain degree of skill. You'll be throwing vase necks like a pro using the tips offered in this instructional video.
How To: Attach a vase neck to a pot
For more complicated pottery pieces, it's not possible to make the entire pot at once, but rather make two pieces to be attached later. This video pottery making tutorial shows how to attach a vase neck onto a pot. See as the two pieces are scored and sewn together. Learn how to attach a neck onto pot made out of ceramic clay by watching this instructional video.
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