Pottery Making Illustrated Articles (Simple)

Besides the covering (or uncovering) of your work, the biggest factor in how fast your work dries is your studio environment. I have been lucky to live in places with a dry climate, so work tends to d

Twenty years ago I promised my wife that I would make us a new dinnerware set. I finally made good on the promise and got it done! Well, not totally done. The set has been made for over a year, just w

When preparing a piece to be fired again, the already fired, glazed surface can be difficult to reglaze because the surface is sealed and won’t absorb water, causing newly applied liquid glaze to drip

I imagine I’m in the minority here, but I do not feel stuck at home. I really enjoy the space that is my home.

At the beginning of each pottery class, I like to introduce one or two fresh projects for my students. Coming up with new ideas can be challenging. Recently, I found inspiration for a new project in t

Ming vase design and decoration illustrations by Robin Ouellette.

I believe that using a one-piece plaster press mold is the most effective way to create handmade tiles. Tiles made this way are less likely to warp than tiles rolled out by hand or with a slab roller.

I’ve found that handbuilding using a compressed slab to form plates and bowls ensures that the form will be less likely to warp. The inspiration for making these forms came from wanting to be able to

My porcelain pottery combines traditional functional forms with decorative surface design through hand-painted brushwork. I use a direct and spontaneous method of brushwork for its fluid and graphic l

The pots I make are an exploration of how sculptural form, function, and simplicity can exist in the everyday, utilitarian object. The soft-slab handbuilding process is a direct reference to the const

The idea for my flower boats originated in a workshop given by Jacquelyn Rice who, at the time, was a professor of ceramics at Rhode Island School of Design. I was a potter, just starting out, working

Mercury Mosaics is a collective of artists, craftspeople, administrators, and graphic designers linked through a common purpose to create something meaningful with tile. We make a curated variety of g

I explore themes of structure, shape, pattern, and multiples through 3D printing and plaster mold making. I’m drawn to forms featuring sharp angles, twisting, layering, and stacking. Combining these e

As artists and arts organizations, some projects and work we create can be done with our own funding, and others require financial support from outside sources. Sometimes the additional funding simply

The thought with this practice is that students will try new things if their grades will not be negatively impacted in a dramatic way should they fail, in contrast to the consequences of failing a qui

Several times a year I have the opportunity to step out into the field and meet subscribers, teachers, students, studio professionals, and part-time hobbyists.

The right side of each drawing shows the exterior form of the bowl, while the left side displays a cross section revealing the structure of the wall, rim, and foot.

My dad starting buying olive oil in a very large glass jar from a local market. He wanted me to make something so he could keep a small amount of the oil on the counter—ready for cooking and dressing

I began making a thrown and altered vase about five years ago, after seeing many variations of an oval or envelope-type vase. I’ve always appreciated how this form fans flowers out so you can really s

Ever since I began to understand the basics of working with clay, I have been fascinated with creating complex geometric forms. The butter dish is one of the most challenging and unique handbuilt piec