Starting a pottery studio is an exciting and rewarding venture. But there are many things to consider.
Clays: Different types of clay have different properties and require distinct firing temperatures. Slips are a liquid clay used to coat and decorate pots.
Engobes are similar to slip but melt more during a firing and create unique effects.
1. Check Your Local Library
As one of the oldest human art forms, pottery has served a variety of practical purposes throughout history, from food storage vessels to tiles on space shuttles. It’s also a great way to add visual intrigue to your home decor. Whether you use pottery to accent other decorative items or as standalone pieces, you can easily find the supplies you need at local arts and crafts stores or online.
Before you start purchasing pottery supplies, it’s important to decide what kind of pottery you want to make and where you plan on working. You’ll also need to decide if you’ll be handbuilding or using a pottery wheel and if you’re going to be firing in a kiln or firing in an oven.
A kiln is a furnace that heats clay and glazes to high temperatures, which causes chemical changes in the materials that result in hardened pottery. There are a few different types of kilns, including gas, electric, and wood-fired. For beginners, it’s best to stick with a small, electric-powered kiln that reaches a maximum temperature of 2340°F and can be used at the comfort of your own home.
Other pottery supplies you’ll need include gloves (to protect your hands from the rough clay), a respirator mask to prevent breathing in clay dust, a sponge or rag to clean your brushes, and a rubber mallet to shape and smooth your work. You may also need stamps or texture mats to create patterns and textures on your pots.
2. Check Your Local Arts & Crafts Store
You may be able to find some pottery supplies at your local arts and crafts store, but it’s also worth checking out online retailers like Mid-South Ceramic at (midsouthceramics.com) that specialize in clay, ceramic, and pottery tools and supplies.
These stores usually have a wide variety of clays and glazes to choose from as well as other essentials such as brushes, kiln wash, wax resist, sodium silicate, pyrometric cones and more. They’re also a great source of helpful tips and tutorials for beginners.
Depending on where you live there could be a regional pottery association in your area that offers classes and other events for enthusiasts. These groups often have a membership system that requires you to pay a yearly fee in return for access to equipment and possibly even expert tutoring.
The biggest investment you’ll need to make when starting a new adventure in pottery is the potter’s wheel, which allows you to shape your own unique creations by hand rather than using templates and machines in a factory. You’ll also need a kiln to fire your finished products, with wood and electric options available. You’ll need raw materials to create your own glazes too, including nepheline syenite and wollastonite which act as fluxes to lower the melting point of a glaze so it can melt within the range that a kiln can reach.
3. Check Your Local Craft Store
If you’re not looking for a pottery class but still want to learn, look for local craft stores that specialize in clay and pottery tools. Often these are hobbyist-oriented and will carry everything you need from brushes to clay stamps or mats for adding textures to your work. They also sell a wide variety of tools such as a ball mill used for pulverizing and mixing ceramic stains and glazes, a jigger and jolley (specialized forming machines) and a kiln that heats up to high temperatures.
A kiln is a heated oven or furnace that heats pottery at high temperatures to cause chemical changes and harden the clay. Depending on the temperature, the duration and the type of kiln used, it can affect the appearance and strength of the finished product.
Pottery is one of the most durable forms of art, with fragments found from almost all time periods and civilizations. It’s no wonder that it continues to be a popular form of art and a way for people to express themselves creatively and connect with each other throughout history.
If you’re a fan of this form of art, consider adding pottery pieces to your home decor. They can keep a room from feeling too sterile and impersonal and keep your décor looking fresh. Choose a pottery style that complements your interior design. For example, if you prefer a more feminine look, consider using pottery with floral or rustic designs.
4. Check Online
Pottery is an art form involving clay and other raw materials that are hardened with heat. It is one of the oldest and most widespread of decorative arts. Objects made of pottery are usually functional, such as containers for holding water or plates for eating. The craft of pottery making can be extremely rewarding for those who take it seriously and learn to master its nuances.
While most of the equipment and supplies required for pottery making can be found at a local hardware store or arts and crafts shop, some may require special ordering. There are a number of online pottery supply stores that offer a wide variety of tools and other supplies. Many of these online pottery supply stores also offer shipping options to customers across the United States.
Some of the most important tools to have in your pottery studio are sponges, which can be used for multiple tasks such as moistening clay, smoothing surfaces and cleaning up slip. Other essential pottery supplies include throwing sticks, which are designed to help with the process of throwing pottery on a wheel. They have looped metal ends that allow potters to grip and pull a thrown piece of clay and can help them create a more uniform base for their work. Other useful pottery tools include fettling knives, which are thin, flexible knives that can be used for trimming and hollowing out clay pieces.