8-week Introduction to Ceramics Course

ByTurning Earth

Pottery & Ceramics

Beginner

A structured beginner course covering hand-building, wheel techniques, decorating and an introduction to glazing through group teaching and individual practice.

About this course

The course introduces clay preparation, studio safety and core hand-building methods, including pinching, coiling, slab building, joining and scoring. Participants then work with the wheel, practising centring, pulling walls, forming cylinders, cups and bowls, and trimming thrown pieces. Additional techniques include using hump moulds, pulling handles, decorating with slips and sgraffito. Sessions combine demonstrations and new techniques taught to the group with time to practise independently, leading from initial making through to finishing and an introduction to glazing.

What you'll learn

  • Prepare clay using wedging
  • Build forms through pinching, coiling and slab building
  • Join clay using scoring and joining techniques
  • Centre clay and pull walls on the wheel
  • Trim and refine thrown forms
  • Apply slips and sgraffito as decorative techniques

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for beginners, including people with no previous experience of working with clay. It offers structured group instruction followed by individual practice, covering both hand-building and wheel work.

  • No previous experience is needed
  • Suitable for learners seeking an introduction to both hand-building and wheel techniques
  • Participants practise independently after learning techniques as a group

Before you go

  • Tuition, clay, glazes and use of studio equipment are included.
  • Firing is charged separately.

Turning Earth

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