Pottery Making Illustrated Articles (Simple)

As a fine arts major, I took a wide range of studio and art history classes, but never took a ceramics class. Later, as a graduate student in art education, I took a two-day workshop with Mary Carolyn

My creative process proceeds not from form to decoration, but in reverse. I start with the development of a graphic surface pattern, which I create and refine on my computer using Adobe Illustrator.

This technique involves using templates to repeatedly create an even, symmetrical form. In the coil-building exercise, you position the template next to the pot as coils are added, making certain the

I have never felt good about having my clay space in the basement of our home. No matter how much time I spend cleaning up, I am still concerned about clay and chemical dust migrating to the rest of t

One of the most important decisions a ceramic artist makes concerns their choice of clay body. Commercial clays sold by pottery suppliers are both convenient and reliable.

Thinking about insurance requires us to think about pessimistic outcomes, so it’s natural to want to avoid the topic. However, for the legal foundation of your business, insurance is critical.

When I first discovered ceramics, I quickly became captivated with the process. I loved everything from forming and decorating to the material science and firing. I was even seduced by the parameters

Working with multiple forms, either of the same shape or slight variations of the same shape, offers a playful improvisational conversation. Having many instead of few helps remove the preciousness th

Mug Shapes and Handles Illustrated by Robin Ouellette

I moved to Louisiana in 2002 to attend graduate school at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. Louisiana is a crazy, wild place, and provided thousands of memorable experiences that helped

About 10 years ago, in graduate school at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), I developed a keen interest in handmade Modernism. To me, this is a concept where decoration or ornamentatio

The collective details of a space can create lasting impressions that evoke memories from a specific time or place in someone’s life. The inventiveness of integrating form and surface in my work is of

When looking at intriguing pots, we are often caught wondering, how is this made? It is delightful to witness the cleverness and ingenuity of the potter. I have that same feeling of wonder when lookin

Nothing goes together quite like red earthenware clay and underglazes. The richness of the color of the clay paired with the infinite colors of underglaze are the basis for beautiful pieces with endle

While there’s a wide range of underglaze colors available, achieving the specific color and surface you want can still be elusive. What if you want a little more color saturation from your underglaze

A liquid clay body, also known as casting slip, cannot be made by simply adding an excessive amount of water to dry or wet clay. A dry mudflat is an excellent example of why adding additional water wi

Ceramics is being included by some contemporary jewelers as part of a large and varied palette of different non-precious materials. Additionally, many ceramic artists are discovering that the making t

The wholesaler makes money when retailers buy their goods or products directly. Growing wholesale sales may seem easy: All you need to do is sell more products to consumers and businesses and revenue

I have a confession. I occasionally find myself struggling with the idea of making more objects for a world that already has too many. I wonder what I could possibly create that the world would need.

Greek Geometric Banding Patterns Illustrated by Robin Ouellette