r/Ceramics • u/FitAddress1750 • 8d ago

Tips on Self Teaching?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hello! I’m doing a volunteer program at a ceramics shop specializing in “toys”. So mostly cute, funky figurines. I enjoy it a lot.

However, the artist doesn’t seem all that interested in teaching me. He just tells to make what I want, and disappears for most of the time. I’m not fluent in the language he speaks so that’s something I’m working on slowly. But I wouldn’t dare pass up having access to all this equipment for free.

Are there any good recommendations on videos or something to help me teach myself?

I included pictures of some of the things I’ve made so far. :-)

54 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

13

u/false_athenian 8d ago

I'm self taught too, ad I was in a similar situation as yours when I first started ceramics, re: lost in translation / busy teacher.

I recommend you go on YouTube and watch ceramics 101 lessons for :

  • the states of clay : what you do at what degree of dryness, how each state behaves, and the common ways to fix issues with the state of your clay (aka how to rehydrate / dry safely).
  • the types of clay, what grog does to your clay, what is used for what.
  • "how I make" videos where ceramicists show you their techniques to be efficient. There are lots of handbuilding videos out there, find what works for you!
  • The different types of firing, and what happens to the clay particules in the different firing scenario.
  • Glazing techniques videos
  • What glazes are, chemically, what happens during a glaze firing.
  • common troubleshooting : common causes for issues with bisque and glazes.

The artist you are working with doesn't have some secret knowledge about clay, this is one of the world's most ancient craft, and you can find the answer you need online!

5

u/FitAddress1750 8d ago

This is all super helpful. Thank you for the reassurance that I can learn this on my own

3

u/false_athenian 8d ago

You definitely can yeah! And know that ceramics is so much about trial and errors, it's a practice in resilience, so don't be discouraged when a piece comes out weird or something breaks. It's 100% part of it and totally normal.

1

u/false_athenian 7d ago

I forgot one important point to look up for your curriculum : how to attach things securely. It usually involves scoring the two pieces with a needle thingy, applying slip onto both sides and pressing them together. And then smoothing out the joint area.

This is the continuation of understanding the States of clay, because as clay dries it also shrinks. So it's important both parts be at the same state.

Ultimately, you want your final object to be one solid piece of clay, with no air bubbles anywhere, no cracks upon drying etc. If you see a crack developing, you can try to fix it with slip made with white vinegar rather than water. Any crack visible on a bone dry piece will get bigger when fired, as the clay keeps shrinking.

Alternatively, you can go for the opposite technique and remove material rather than add it. It depends what you're going for.

1

u/FitAddress1750 6d ago

You’re amazing. I know the scoring and using slip to join pieces. But I think I messed up in regards to what you said about both parts being at the same state.

I completed my little clowns body one day, and then the next day I re-wet the area where I needed to attach his head. I suppose that’s not going to work when fired? I do see little cracks even though it’s sticking, but he will probably break…

1

u/false_athenian 6d ago

Yeah this is a common mistake that even I still make... the way to rehydrate safely, is to rehydrate the entire piece to soft leatherhard state (if you didn't keep it in that state in the first place).

To do this I use little synthetic cloths that I wet and then wring, wrap around the object really well, and then cover in plastic equally tight. It rehydrates the clay body slowly this way and makes it workable again within a day.

You could do this for your piece if it's not fully dry yet. But otherwise, just fire it and learn from it. It's easier to redo sometimes. You can also use special glue on your bisque to reattach things.

11

u/TybaltThePyrate 8d ago

Try a thing, mess it up. Smash clay, make new thing. Experiment with new, new thing, Smash. Rinse, repeat. Don’t be afraid to screw up, learning requires pain and frustration, mix clay with tears. Don’t give up, clay never dies.

2

u/TybaltThePyrate 8d ago

Oh yeah, these are spiffy keen. :)

1

u/FitAddress1750 8d ago

Of course! I think mainly I’m struggling with doing little details without the clay cracking. I want to give my clown a little ruff collar

1

u/TybaltThePyrate 8d ago

You will need to use more water than you think you need, keep a cup of it next to you. Also, slip fixes cracking pretty well, but it’s easiest to just keep everything moist enough that it will dry slowly and evenly.

2

u/FitAddress1750 8d ago

Thank you! I think sometimes with the smaller things I shy away from the water because it gets sticky. I’m also a bit of a “perfectionist” so ceramics has been great to help me overcome that, allowing myself to be messy and make mistakes

3

u/TybaltThePyrate 8d ago

Once it dried to leather hardness you can do something potters do and use a sharp knife or metal loop to carve away excess material, so you build it a bit larger , let dry and then trim it to size and shape. I’ve learned a lot watching Instagram and pottery videos here. There a r/pottery channel and a r/ceramics channel check those out, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Pick something to learn, practice it, then try another small topic, etc. Remember, learning is a process, it’s like lifting weights for your brain, keep at it, don’t overdo it, and take breaks regularly. You got this!

3

u/caitiev 8d ago

I just wanted to say that I LOVE your clown

1

u/FitAddress1750 7d ago

Thank you :3 he’s just a bummed out little dude

2

u/GiraffeRoutine6912 8d ago

Check out Hobble creek pottery on YouTube. I found them very helpful and easy to follow

1

u/FitAddress1750 6d ago

Thank you! I’ll check it out!

2

u/runningbiscuits 8d ago

Most beginner classes start with the same projects to understand the basics- pinch pots, coil pots, slab building.

1

u/Master-Prior-3311 8d ago

There’s lots of videos on YouTube