before you start

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Have a good read through your instruction page included in your clay kits - these will outline the key steps into hand building ceramics. 

What you may need from home: 

A bowl of water, Rolling Pin, An old tea towel, Good vibes and a great playlist! 

Stanley knife (helpful when cutting details into your slabs but definitely not essential)

Take it slow: you'll find that 2 hours will easily pass you by without even noticing where the time went. Be sure to take your time and give in to the idea of perfection. We find that whatever we imagine our shapes to turn out like - they will almost always turn out totally different. 

'Perfectly Imperfect' is out motto!

Lumps and bumps: Be sure to smooth out any cracks or bumps as these tend to intensify inside the kiln. Nurture your clay and it will love you right back. 

Use your imagination: These tutorials are here to get you started - You can mix it up as much as you like along the way! Test out your tools on a scrap piece of clay to find the textures and patterns you love! 

Your work space: I always suggest getting muddy on top of a tea towel. This will prevent your mud sticking to your workspace and often helps with the clean up too. 

Slabs: One thing to look out for when rolling your slabs is air pockets! If you see any tiny air bubbles in your clay - gently poke them with your needle tool and continue to roll. 

Shrinkage: Your mud contains moisture that will cause your shapes to shrink as it dries & fires. Each clay has a different percentage of shrinkage so always try to account for this when making your hug mugs and espresso sippers! 

Coils: Coils are often used to build larger vessels, adding your coils one by one and eventually creating the walls of a beautiful vase. These can also be used as added support or to fill in any cracks / empty spaces. When attaching two edges together, apply a small / thin coil along the join line and use a damp finger / tool to fill in the crease and create a seamless join.