Pottery Introduction Course

Lesson 1 • Setting Up a Safe Studio Space

Covers workspace layout, ventilation, dust control, and tool organization. Safe habits established here prevent injury and contamination throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Essential Pottery Tools and Equipment

Introduces hand tools, bats, ribs, wire cutters, and basic equipment. Students identify each tool's function before beginning hands-on work.

Lesson 3 • Understanding Clay as a Material

Examines the mineral composition, plasticity, and behavior of clay. Connects material science to practical handling decisions made in every project.

Lesson 4 • History and Origins of Pottery

Traces pottery from ancient civilizations to modern studio practice. Establishes cultural context that informs technique choices throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Portioning and Storing Clay

Demonstrates weighing, portioning, and wrapping clay for consistent project batches. Proper storage prevents premature drying and contamination.

Lesson 2 • Assessing Clay Consistency

Introduces tactile and visual tests for moisture content and plasticity. Students adjust clay hardness to match the intended forming method.

Lesson 3 • Wedging Techniques

Covers ram's head and spiral wedging to remove air bubbles and homogenize clay. Proper wedging prevents cracking and explosions during firing.

Lesson 1 • Pinch Pot Technique

Teaches opening, thinning, and shaping clay by hand pressure alone. Pinching develops tactile sensitivity that supports all subsequent forming methods.

Lesson 2 • Refining and Smoothing Hand-Built Forms

Covers rib tools, sponges, and scrapers to refine surface and wall thickness. Finishing at the leather-hard stage prepares pieces for decoration or firing.

Lesson 3 • Coil Building Methods

Covers rolling uniform coils and stacking them to build height and volume. Students blend coils inside and outside to achieve structural integrity.

Lesson 4 • Joining and Attaching Clay Parts

Explains score-and-slip, compression, and blending methods for secure joins. Strong attachment prevents cracking at seams during drying and firing.

Lesson 1 • Opening and Flooring the Form

Covers opening a centered mass to create a floor and establish interior space. Floor thickness and diameter determine the final form's proportions.

Lesson 2 • Centering Clay on the Wheel

Teaches compression, downward pressure, and lateral force to center clay. Centered clay is the prerequisite for every subsequent throwing operation.

Lesson 3 • Pulling Walls to Height

Introduces inside-outside hand coordination to raise and thin cylinder walls. Consistent pull speed and pressure produce even wall thickness throughout.

Lesson 4 • Cutting Off and Removing Pieces

Demonstrates wire cutting, bat removal, and safe transfer of wet thrown pieces. Proper removal prevents distortion and preserves the form's shape.

Lesson 1 • Trimming and Foot Ring Creation

Covers leather-hard trimming, centering inverted pieces, and carving foot rings. A well-trimmed foot ring improves stability and visual balance.

Lesson 2 • Throwing Bowls and Open Forms

Teaches flaring walls outward and compressing curves to create bowl profiles. Bowl geometry introduces shaping forces beyond the basic cylinder.

Lesson 3 • Throwing Mugs and Cylinders

Focuses on consistent height, wall thickness, and rim diameter for functional mugs. Students throw a set of matching mugs to develop repetition skills.

Lesson 4 • Throwing Lids and Flanges

Introduces gallery rims, flanged lids, and measuring for a fitted lid-and-body pair. Accurate measurement ensures lids fit after shrinkage.

Lesson 1 • Kiln Types and Components

Compares electric, gas, and wood kilns by heat source, atmosphere, and cost. Students identify kiln components and understand their functions.

Lesson 2 • Stages of Clay Drying

Explains wet, leather-hard, bone-dry, and bisqueware stages and their properties. Recognizing each stage prevents premature handling and cracking.

Lesson 3 • Kiln Loading Principles

Covers shelf spacing, piece placement, and weight distribution for even heat. Proper loading prevents warping, cracking, and kiln damage.

Lesson 4 • Bisque Firing Process

Explains the bisque firing schedule, critical temperature phases, and cooling. Bisque firing burns out organics and prepares clay for glazing.

Lesson 1 • Carving and Incising Clay

Teaches relief carving, incised line work, and texture stamping at leather-hard stage. Carved surfaces interact with glaze to create depth and visual interest.

Lesson 2 • Underglaze Painting

Introduces underglaze colors, layering, and painting on bisqueware for precise imagery. Underglaze is sealed by a clear glaze coat applied over the design.

Lesson 3 • Wax Resist and Sgraffito

Demonstrates wax resist masking and sgraffito scratching through slip or glaze layers. Both methods create sharp contrast between exposed clay and glaze.

Lesson 4 • Slip and Engobe Decoration

Covers slip application by brush, trailing, and mishima inlay for color contrast. Slip decoration applied at the right stage bonds permanently during firing.

Lesson 1 • Brushing and Trailing Glazes

Introduces brush application and slip-trailing for decorative glaze effects. Brush control builds skills used in surface decoration chapters ahead.

Lesson 2 • Preparing Glazes for Application

Covers mixing, sieving, and measuring specific gravity for consistent glaze batches. Proper preparation ensures repeatable results across multiple firings.

Lesson 3 • Dipping and Pouring Techniques

Teaches single-dip, double-dip, and pour methods for even glaze coverage. These high-efficiency methods suit production and studio work equally.

Lesson 4 • Glaze Chemistry and Composition

Introduces silica, alumina, and flux roles in glaze melt and surface quality. Basic chemistry knowledge guides glaze selection and troubleshooting.