Pottery Making Illustrated Articles (Simple)

  • Editor's Note: Future Planning by Holly Goring
    Editor's Note: Future Planning
    In this issue, we celebrate wheel throwing and all the future planning that it requires.
  • Simple Life Pour-Overs by Matt Hiller article thumbnail
    Simple Life Pour-Overs
    Drawing influence from old enameled camping percolators, the tall brown insulated diner coffee pots from my childhood, and a traditional Arabic coffee pot that lives in my home.
  • Double-Walled Squiggle Mugs by Lyndee Deal article thumbnail
    Double-Walled Squiggle Mugs
    Informed by the color palette often used in ‘90s cartoons, the curves in the ergonomic design of an athletic shoe, and a structure reminiscent of Memphis Group architecture.
  • In the Studio: Textured Rims by Frank James Fisher article thumbnail
    In the Studio: Textured Rims
    I recently discovered several remnant pieces of wood molding in my garage. I was intrigued by the concave and convex curves and ridges on the profile. It sparked my curiosity. What if a clay bowl were grooved along the rim with this profile?
  • Pottery Illustrated: Plate Rims by Robin Ouellette thumbnail
  • In the Studio: Routing a Decorative Edge by Melisa of MWY Pottery article thumbnail
    In the Studio: Routing a Decorative Edge
    To create a ceramic frame, wall tile, or a plate or platter with a decorative molded edge, I use a pottery trimming tool like a router for woodworking.
  • Maker Q&A: Meet Ted Neal article thumbnail
    Maker Q&A: Meet Ted Neal
    I remember the first piece I wood fired. It had a wood ash and iron-saturated glaze interaction that amazed me.
  • Ode to Teapot by Noel Bailey article thumbnail
    Ode to Teapot
    The teapot may be the quintessential ceramic craft object. To make one is to unfurl an entire Russian doll’s contents of challenges with the multiple components, asymmetrical balance, and functional considerations.
  • Tondo Plate by Frank James Fisher article thumbnail
    Tondo Plate
    The tondo artwork frame provides a unique window for the artist to fill. No corners, just a spy-glass viewpoint.
  • Tall Buttressed Vase by Ted Neal article thumbnail
    Tall Buttressed Vase
    These vases are an amalgam of my interests in functionally displaying flowers while experimenting with themes of structure, volume, restriction, compression, and deformation.
  • In the Studio: Woodfiring Recipes by Ted Neal article thumbnail
    In the Studio: Woodfiring Recipes
    My work is fired with wood in a train-style kiln with a reduction-cooling process.
  • In the Studio: Bas-Relief Medallion by Ross Pollard article thumbnail
    In the Studio: Bas-Relief Medallion
    This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions for sculpting a bas-relief medallion. My inspiration for the project was drawn from 19th-century bisque reliefs.
  • Editor's Note: Artist Statements by Holly Goring article thumbnail
    Editor's Note: Artist Statements
    This issue celebrates handbuilding techniques with several unique approaches to forming pots.
  • March/April 2026 Pottery Making Illustrated cover thumbnail
    In the Studio: Collaborative Ventures
    Collaborative ventures in the pottery industry can be beneficial partnerships between individuals, studios, suppliers, educational institutions, or community organizations that share common goals.
  • In the Studio: Handbuilding Mug Handles by Marion Angelica article thumbnail
    In the Studio: Handbuilding Mug Handles
    This article offers a variety of handles that will add to the uniqueness of your cups as well as ensure they effectively serve their purposes.
  • Rag Rug Bowls by Stephen Biggerstaff article thumbnail
    Rag Rug Bowls
    Preparing a slab with layers of colored porcelain slips, rolling it to reveal hidden bits of color, cutting the strips, and compressing them onto a bisque mold creates a predictable process.
  • Carved Basin by Katie Fee article thumbnail
    Carved Basin
    The steps of carving and uncovering these basins emerged from my digging into this question—in the romantic dream of being enthusiastically entangled in my studio.
  • Lobed Ring Forms by Normandy Alden article thumbnail
    Lobed Ring Forms
    I find a unique freedom in handbuilding and will turn to it when I need a break from the constraints of the potter’s wheel.
  • Recycled and Reimagined Textures by Jennifer España article thumbnail
    Recycled and Reimagined Textures
    One of these resources is a commonly overlooked item that we rely heavily on for shipping, but rarely use in our craft—corrugated cardboard.