Clay Projects

Have you ever been shopping and seen a piece of pottery or ceramic that caught your eye and wished that you could make something like that?
Well, with a bit of reading and talking to people with knowledge of pottery and ceramics, you can.

The first thing you have to decide is which one do you want to do, pottery or ceramics.
Oh, you don't know the difference?
Ok, there is only a slight difference between the two actually.
When doing pottery, you either have a pile of wet clay that you center on a kickwheel, start it spinning by kicking a round disk with your foot and using pressure with your hands, fingers or thumbs, you can form many different shaped pots and dishes.
Or you have the pile of clay sitting stationary in front of you on the table and you carve, push, pull or twist the clay into what ever shape that you want.
Now, ceramics on the other hand are pieces of greenware that have been made by pouring slip in a plaster of paris mold. The pieces are very fragile when taken out of the mold and dried and care has to be taken while cleaning the mold lines off of the piece and what ever detail is lost has to be carved back onto the piece.
Both pottery and ceramic has to be fired before it is painted or glazed.
Go to the library and check out some books or videos on pottery or ceramics.
After reading up on the subject, start looking up the addresses of the pottery or ceramic shops in your area and go and talk to some of them.
Most of them will let you look around and answer any questions you may have.
Many of the pottery and ceramic shops are willing to teach and have regular classes that a person can sign up for.
Also they have, when needed, equipment that one can use, such as a kickwheel or a kiln.
If you buy your clay, bisque or greenware from them, most of them have tables set up so you can work on your project there if you want to or take them home to work on and bring them back to be fired.
I do both, but cleaning greenware at home produces a lot of clay dust so it is best if you have a room especially for working on your project.
If you are making something where you have to use a kickwheel, you won't necessarily have one of your own to start with, you would have to work on it at a shop.
Most of the community colleges have a pottery and ceramic classroom and offer non-credit day, evening and weekend classes.
They will usually let you come and work on your project in the classroom when ever there isn't a class scheduled.
Once you get going with your pottery or ceramics, relax and enjoy it.
You will notice that when you start working on a project your mind will start wandering off to quiet and peaceful places and you are completely unaware of any hustle and bustle around you.
Enjoy your pottery or ceramic hobby, I have and still do!!!!