Tag: pottery tips
-
What Happens When You Fire Clay? A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Kiln Temperatures and Ceramic Transformation
•
Ever wondered what really happens to clay inside the kiln? From the moment your piece reaches 212°F to the intense heat of vitrification above 2200°F, clay undergoes powerful physical and chemical changes that permanently transform it from soft earth into durable ceramic. In this beginner-friendly guide, we break down kiln…
-
The Ultimate Pottery Guide to Successful Glazing on Dark Clay Bodies
•
Glazing on dark clay can feel unpredictable at first, but it opens the door to some of the richest, most beautiful surfaces in pottery. Unlike white clay, dark bodies deepen colors, highlight texture, and create natural warmth in every piece. The key is choosing glazes that show up, applying them…
-
Why Your Pottery Cracks While Drying (and How to Prevent It)
•
Drying is one of the most overlooked steps in pottery, and it’s often where cracks and warping begin. For beginners, understanding how clay dries and learning how to slow the process can make the difference between a successful piece and one that never makes it to the kiln. This guide…
-
Bisque Firing Explained: What Happens to Pottery at Cone 04
•
When pottery is bisque fired, the kiln permanently transforms soft clay into ceramic. As the temperature rises, water and organic materials burn away and the clay undergoes an irreversible chemical change. By the time work is bisque fired to cone 04, it is no longer fragile clay but strong, porous…
-
How to Apply Lettering to Clay: Techniques, Underglaze Tips, and Clear Glaze Success
•
Learn how to apply clean, crisp lettering to clay using stamping, carving, and underglaze techniques. Discover the best way to paint letters with underglaze, plus essential tips for choosing a clear glaze that won’t run. Perfect for beginners in our handbuilding workshops or Wednesday Open Studio at Potterings.
-
The Art of Patience: Why Slow Drying is Your Pottery’s Best Friend
•
There’s one golden rule that can make or break your pottery: slow drying. It might be tempting to rush your freshly sculpted masterpiece from the handbuilding table straight into a warm, airy spot. After all, you’re excited to see it fired, right? However, for beginning potters especially, understanding the critical…
-
How to Keep Your Pottery from Sticking to Kiln Shelves: A Beginning Potter’s Guide
•
If you’ve ever opened the kiln to find your beautiful bowl permanently fused to the shelf, or you’ve received a piece of pottery back from your community studio with kiln wash stuck to the bottom (or worse!), welcome to the club. One of the most common beginner (and experienced potter)…
-
Master the Rib: Your Best Pottery Tool for Potters
•
Today, I want to shine a spotlight on one of the most unassuming yet incredibly powerful tools in your kit: the pottery rib. For many beginning potters, the rib might seem like just a flat piece of wood or rubber. But trust me, once you understand its potential, it will…
-
Prevent Clay Warping in Pottery: 10 Simple Strategies Every Beginner Should Know
•
10 Tips to Prevent Clay from Warping: A Beginner’s Guide to Pottery Welcome to the world of pottery! If you’ve just started, you may have noticed that one of the most common problems beginners face is clay warping. Warping happens when your clay piece distorts or loses its intended shape…
