▲ A Creature That Looks Like a Sheep, a Deer, and a Dragon
《The Basics of Pottery Making》
Preparing the Clay➠Shaping➠Bisque Firing➠Glazing➠Glaze Firing
1. Preparing the Clay:
This involves techniques like folding, slapping, wedging, or kneading the clay to remove air bubbles and make it smooth and workable.
2. Shaping:
Shape your creation by hand-building or using a pottery wheel. While the clay is still soft, add textures, carve details, or even sign your name for a personal touch. Depending on the weather, it takes about five to ten days for the pieces to dry.
3. Bisque Firing:
The first firing, usually between 700–900°C, hardens the clay and makes it porous. This prepares it for glazing. My teacher typically fires our pieces at 1000°C, the firing process takes approximately 8 to 10 hours.
4. Glazing:
Decorate your piece with underglaze! You can dip, spray, or pour glaze onto your work, but I love painting intricate designs with a brush. Glazing not only adds colour but also protects the pottery.
5. Glaze Firing:
After decorating, a final layer of glaze is applied to seal and finish the piece. There are endless options—transparent, opaque, shiny, or matte. I usually go for a clear, glossy finish. The kiln is then fired above 1200°C (my teacher sets it to 1260°C, the firing process takes approximately 12 to 15 hours.) to fuse the glaze and clay into a single, beautiful piece.
One of my biggest creative breakthroughs this year was stepping into a pottery studio! I really like my pottery teacher Sachiko. Follow her tutorial, I explored hand-building with clay, throwing on the wheel, and learned the basics of the firing process. Along the way, I discovered my favourite part: designing and decorating. Whether it’s sculpting quirky characters, feeling the texture of uneven clay, or painting intricate underglaze designs, I love the messy, chaotic process—it’s so much fun!
On the other hand, the meticulous, science-like task of testing glaze and firing techniques? Not my thing. As long as my piece survives the kiln so I can paint it, I’m happy!
Hand-building has become my favourite technique because it allows for endless creative possibilities. Using different attachment methods, I can create three-dimensional designs and experiment with spatial planning. Wheel throwing, on the other hand, requires a lot of patience and precision—skills I’m still working on. For now, it hasn’t felt as magical as I thought.
As for glazing, our teacher lets us mix and match colours, experimenting with how they transform during firing. The results are always a surprise—glazes look white before firing, so it’s impossible to predict exactly how the colours will turn out. But that’s part of the fun! Opening the kiln feels like unboxing a mystery gift, full of unexpected delights and excitement.
★Corners of the Pottery Studio
★Preparing Tools for Hand-Building and Wheel Throwing
★My First Practice Piece: A Plate
★A Gift for Mom: Hen with Chicks
★Creating Gifts: Personalized Teacups for My Sisters
★Home Decor: Little Elf Candle Holder + Vase
★Home Decor: Year of the Dragon Good Luck Ornaments
😍Finally wrapping up a year of learning pottery! I’m excited for the new year and looking forward to creating more cute and fun ceramic pieces! Pottery has been a wonderfully creative adventure, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next!
Wishing you all the best,
Susu❤️
–If you like to support me — ❤️ BUY ME A HOT CHOCOLATE❤️