Pottery Process

Tools and Equipment

• Potter’s wheel and bats

• Towels and an apron

• A small bucket for holding water or slurry as you work

• One or more sponges

• A trimming tool

• A rubber or wooden rib

• A potter’s needle

• A cut-off wire

• Fettling knives

• A box to keep your tools in

• Glazes and application tools such as brushes, tongs, etc.

• Calipers

• Kiln

Choose your clay

Earthenware clay is versatile and typically the easiest to throw on the pottery wheel, so this may be the best option if you are just beginning. Stoneware is another clay option that is easy to handle and work with. Porcelain clay is incredibly strong and is considered the best clay available for making pottery because of its high resistance to heat and high amount of silica. The downside of porcelain is that it is expensive and can be hard to handle for beginners. Before starting your pottery project, you will want to wedge your clay on a surface to work out any air bubbles.

Prep your workspace

Your pottery workspace should include a sturdy table with a surface that clay will not stick to. Consider covering your table in canvas fabric or working on small drywall sheets. Make sure you have excellent ventilation so that your lungs are protected from small clay particles. The floors should be easy to clean at the end of your work session. Set up some shelving or tables where your pots can sit undisturbed to dry for several days.

Before sitting down at the wheel, make sure you gather up all necessary hand tools and equipment. You will want to have a small bucket of water within arms reach, along with your rib, needle tool, rim, and any other hand tools you wish to use.

Dry and trim your pottery

Let your pot dry until it reaches the greenware stage. To trim the base of your pot, carefully remove it from the bat and place it on a clean bat upside down. Anchor it on the bat’s center with wet clay and slowly turn the wheel. With a needle or trimming tool, remove excess clay from the base and edges. Keep your hand steady, with your elbow securely planted on your knee.