Hot Ceramics & Pottery How-Tos

How To: Glaze pottery

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 glaze pottery and open a world of design ideas for you.

How To: Make a clay planter

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 slab planter and open a world of design ideas for you.

How To: Make a clay bowl

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 batter bowl and open a world of design ideas for you. Make a clay bowl - Part 1 of 20.

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: 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: Make a clay plate set

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 matching clay plates and open a world of design ideas for you.

How To: Make a clay soap pump

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 soap pump and open a world of design ideas for you. Make a clay soap pump - Part 1 of 8.

How To: Center on the potter's wheel with clay

Perfect your ability to center on a Potter's wheel with these tips from Andy Ruble. There are several different ways to go about centering, but the general principle is to put equal pressure on the top and side of the ball of clay and clay has no choice but to go in the middle. This instructional ceramics video is designed to help the beginning through advanced ceramic student improve their throwing skills.

How To: Collar ceramics

This instructional ceramics video is designed to help the beginning through advanced ceramic student improve their throwing skills. Learn hand/finger placement when pulling cylinders. Perfect your ability to collar ceramics well with these tips from Andy Ruble. Collar all sorts of tall, fun little items.

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: 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: Recycle scraps of clay

Recycling your clay will allow you to work with your clay longer. Recycling is easy, Abigail shows you how! By adding water to any green, or unfired clay, you can revitalize the scraps leftover from other projects. This helpful video shows how you can keep a scrap bucket and then wedge the clay back to it's original freshness.

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: Trim a tall ceramic pot

Watch this instructional ceramics video to learn how to trim a tall pot on the pottery wheel. First, wet the rim of the pot and stick the pot upside-down to the bat. make sure that the pot of centered on the wheel. It's good to turn the turn the wheel slowly when trimming, to peel away the excess base material and make a nice foot ring.