Getting Started in Pottery

Written By Roslyn Mayne-Caudwell

The best advice I can give anyone thinking about trying pottery, is to just do it! I’ve never seen so many contented faces as when I teach classes or taster sessions - most students find it very therapeutic. I think as adults, sometimes we forget that we can do creative things just for ourselves, especially if we are parents, and I think it’s really important to have a creative outlet. It’s good for the soul.

So, you’re a complete beginner. Where do you start?

I would always recommend taking a proper course if you can, even if it’s just to learn the basics. Sure, you could learn all the skills through youtube (and there are some great teachers out there, links further down of my go-to’s if I can’t get something right), but it will be a whole lot faster and less frustrating if you have someone to guide you physically through the basics of centering, opening up and pulling up the walls. You can very easily end up with bad habits that you will only notice when you start trying to progress and find you can’t. The proper technique right from the get-go will set you up properly to go as far as you want to go.

That said, once you have the basics, I fully recommend getting your own wheel. There is no substitute for time when it comes to pottery. You really need to invest hours into honing your craft. In my 6 week beginner classes, my students spend almost all of their time (3 hours) on the wheel, and we really don’t learn any complicated shapes, focusing on making really good consistent cylinders, and then all the shapes that you can turn a cylinder into. I teach cylinders because from a cylinder you can then go on to make almost anything, whereas if you start by making bowls, you’ll find it really hard to make anything other than bowls! We spend the first couple of weeks really getting good at centering too, as it’s the backbone of a really good pot.

So if you can afford it, and have the space, get your own wheel. If you can’t, then maybe look into shared studio space, open studio time, or wheel-time hire. It’s something I will be offering in the future, but I can also recommend some places, see the links at the bottom.

What equipment do I need to get started?

To set up a basic home studio, you will need:

  • A pottery wheel.

  • Basic tool set containing ribs, needle tool, sponge, wooden knife, cut-off wire and trimming tools.

  • A table with an absorbent surface, or a table with a wedging board on top for kneading your clay (a wedging board can be a block of plaster, or a piece of ply / mdf covered in canvas).

  • Somewhere to dry your work.

  • Buckets! It’s really important clay and glaze does not go down the drain, so when starting out I recommend a 2 or 3 bucket system with water in for cleaning hands and tools.

  • Basic glazes or underglazes, depending on how you want your pots finished. (Glazes are glossy, underglazes need a clear glaze over the top to be glossy).

Of course, once you have made your things, you’ll need to fire them. Kilns are expensive, even the small ones, and you might want to just find a local studio who can fire things for you. Try Kilnshare, an online resource that connects potters without kilns to potters with kilns. I have never used it myself but other potters I know have. What you will need to be sure is that the temperature they fire to is compatible with your clay. You don’t want to risk ruining someone’s kiln, or having your work be over or under-fired.

Where should I buy?

I’m really lucky that where I live in the UK there are a couple of pottery supply places that I can drive to within an hour, and one in particular I would highly recommend to a beginner. They’re called Hot Clay, and their staff are absolutely brilliant when it comes to recommending starter equipment. They have their own range of clay, Vitraclay, which is so lovely that I use it for my lessons, and a great range of glazes both dipping and brushing. Plus all the tools you’ll ever need and they’re always happy to give advice.

I’ve also ordered from other suppliers that are not local to me, for brands that my local supplier doesn’t stock. Some of these offer a discount if you are a member of a potters association so that’s worth thinking about too.

If you can, choose a local supplier so that you can see and try things before you buy, especially pottery wheels. You’ll spend a long time sitting at your wheel so make sure it’s comfortable! Most of the prices for the big equipment are similar, so you don’t really save by shopping around, unless one of them has a big sale on.

Book recommendations (Amazon links, other suppliers available!)

Mastering the Potters Wheel by Ben Carter - https://amzn.eu/d/2O1A8We

From Clay to Kiln by Stuart Carey https://amzn.eu/d/4A9dNwR

Functional Pottery by Robin Hopper is a really deep dive into good functional aesthetics and ergonomics. If you can pick up a used copy I highly recommend it - it’s my go to for teaching lids, spouts and handle placement. Very expensive at Amazon, but here’s a link - https://amzn.eu/d/4jHkfKf

If there are any questions I have not answered here, please feel free to contact me! I also post various process videos on Instagram, find me here.

Roslyn Mayne-Caudwell https://www.rmcceramics.com
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Firing Temperatures, Cones and Vitrification