Despite being among the most ancient creative mediums, pottery remains popular, with new creators flocking to the art form on a regular basis to find a hands-on creative experience. If you’ve ever seen hand-built ceramics and want to start making clay, you’ll be happy to know that it is quite simple to begin.
The Popularity of Pottery
In a hectic digital age, there are more reasons than ever to choose to work with clay. It’s relaxing, calming, and fun, giving your mind time away from phones or computers. Many beginners enjoy the process of working with clay as much as (or sometimes more than!) the finished pottery. The act of making is very satisfying in itself, especially if you want to have the satisfaction of making something yourself. There is something special about owning your own handmade piece of clay that you’ve made yourself, something that can’t be found on shelves in any store.
What Kind of Pottery Should You Start With?
There are a few different ways you can start pottery:
1. Wheel Throwing:
Involves sitting behind a spinning wheel and making something like a bowl, or cup. While it may look challenging at first, mastering the basics becomes easier with consistent practice.
2. Hand Building:
Hand building requires no pottery wheel and is often the perfect starting point for newcomers. It can be as simple as making a little pinch pot with your hands. You can coil build or do slab work. Hand building is probably the easiest place to start if you have never worked with clay before.
They both have their benefits and will teach you basic clay skills and confidence handling clay.
Basic Things You’ll Need to Get Started in Clay
It’s actually not necessary to have a big array of tools, but these are the basics that are all you need to start working with clay.
- wooden rib
- needle tool
- sponge
- wire cutter
- basic carving tools
Many courses and studios provide these materials, allowing students to focus entirely on learning.
Making Mistakes is All Part of The Process
Pottery is one of those things that takes time. As you get started you might not have a lot of success with your projects at first. Clay might crack or fall to pieces if handled incorrectly. Don’t lose hope and continue to keep trying, as everyone will have some failures along the journey! As with most things, the more you work with clay, the better you get. So if your first attempts don’t go to plan, just give yourself plenty of time and enjoy the process of learning.
Each new project will help improve your hand control as well as your knowledge and confidence handling clay.
Finding Your Own Style
As you get better, you’ll begin to discover your unique pottery style and preferences for glazes. Some people like to make simple everyday functional pieces and some prefer to make more sculptural work.
It’s great that there is no right way of making things and you don’t have to stick to one style. That’s what makes it a really fun art form to try out for many different types of people.
Start Your Creative Journey
If you want to start pottery for the first time or want to improve your skills, there is no better way of combining your artistic side with technical skill. Whether it is to make some beautiful hand made gifts, decorate your own home with handmade pieces or just make something for the pure enjoyment of it, clay offers so many options.
All of us, no matter how accomplished, started out as absolute beginners and made our first pieces of clay. Your first piece won’t be amazing, but it is your first step to creating something that is truly yours.