Hot Ceramics & Pottery How-Tos
How To: Pack an electric kiln with pottery
Any prolific potter will know that fitting all of you creations into your electric kiln can be like putting a jigsaw puzzle together, except the pieces are pieces of your heart. This handy video from Simon Leach offers advice on techniques for and a demonstration of packing your kiln properly to avoid damaging any of your precious pots while still firing them successfully.
How To: Make ceramic plates and platters
Ceramic plates and platters are simple projects that anyone can master. Learn how to create your own ceramic plates and platters with this free ceramics video series.
How To: Install fiber to the exterior cage of a Raku kiln
This intriguing video is part of a set by Simon Leach that teaches anyone at home to create a Raku kiln. In this video, he takes you in a simple, step by step guide from attaching in the fluffy fiber to the exterior cage with specialty buttons and wires. All the steps are very clear, and he even repeats them just in case so that even the most novice craftsman can follow along. It's both practical and educational, as he explains why things need to be done and what purpose they serve for the fi...
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: 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: Make a teapot with clay
In this video series, let Lucy Fagella show you how to make handcrafted teapot. Lucy illustrates everything you need to know to create your own ceramic teapot.
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 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: 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: 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: 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: Make a clay salt cellar
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 salt cellar and open a world of design ideas for you.
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: Collar a cylinder
This video shows how to collar a cylinder. The collar of a cylinder is a plate or ring used under the head of the cylinder for a lock. Put the clay on the spinner. Mold the clay while spinning the spinner. Mold it first to the shape you want. Tighten the neck of the vase that you are molding. By tightening the neck of the vase, you are now shaping the collar of the vase. Shape it to the size and design you want. Enjoy making your own vase with the color you want.
How To: Finish a lidded clay box
Simon Leach of Simon Leach Ceramics shows how to finish a lidded box, thrown on a potter's wheel. When cutting into the box, make sure to do so with a cut slanting downwards so that the lid is less prone to falling off. Proceed to smooth off the exterior of the box, beginning where the two halves meet. Once the outside is smoothed, the fit of the two parts is probably not perfect, and so the joint between the two can be smoothed off. Carved features such as scalloped footing may now be added....
How To: Make a clay pottery salsa bowl
Making pottery bowls with clay is a fun and creative art project that can be done with a potter's wheel and a few basic tools. Learn how to make a clay pottery salsa bowl in this free pottery lesson video from a ceramics artist and sculptor.
How To: Make a clay casserole dish
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 casserole dish and open a world of design ideas for you.
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: Square a ceramic clay pot before firing
Use a piece of wood to act as a bat to square off shapes when soft leather hard, evening them up more as the clay hardens. This ensures a smooth and professional finish on a clay pottery project. Watch this video pottery-making tutorial and learn how to square a clay pot before firing.
How To: Recuperate clay to soften it
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to soften clay by recuperating it. This helpful how-to video teaches several techniques to recuperate and soften your clay that are easy enough for beginners. You'll never be stuck again when your clay gets too hard after you watch this instructional video and learn how to recuperate and soften it.
How To: Make a butter dish
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to make your own butter dish. If you don't use butter, you can follow the same process to make a slightly bigger dish for cheese. This project is easy enough for beginners. The tips in this helpful how-to video will have you making your own butter dish in no time.
How To: Throw a large ceramic platter on a pottery wheel
This large platter is thrown on a pottery wheel from the same piece of clay in under five minutes. See as the clay takes shape to make a large platter. Watch this video pottery making tutorial and learn how to quickly throw a large ceramic platter.
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.
How To: Sieve red clay
Simon Leach shows us how to sieve red clay.
How To: Reclaim clay
Simon Leach shows us how to reclaim clay.
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: 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: Throw a clay pottery fruit bowl
To throw a clay pottery fruit bowl, place a lump of clay on the potter's wheel and wet it with water. Use the foot pedals to spin the wheel while shaping the clay with your hands. Draw the clay up and then use your thumbs to create an indentation in the center of the clay. Apply slight pressure and the clay should assume a bowl form. Use water as necessary to create the right clay consistency. Draw the clay up to make the bowl walls thin. While shaping the bowl walls with one hand, create a r...
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: 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: 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 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 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: 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: Use the chattering technique on a flat form pottery piece
Are you looking to make your pottery projects more quickly and with less stress? Then this is the perfect tutorial for you. Lakeside Pottery shows you step by step how to flatten and shape a flat form pottery piece using a chattering technique.
How To: Dig clay for flower pots and make red iron oxide slips
Simon Leach gets back to basic in this installment of his ceramics instruction video series. He teaches you first how to find places todig clay, then how to apply a red iron oxide slip to some flower pots he's working on. Multiple lessons in one video! This one is sure to teach you some interesting new pottery techinques.
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: 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: 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 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.
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