Using a Pug Mill to Reconstitute Clay by Expert Village

Hi I'm Betty Ingham my husband Ben and I have our own business called the Hairy Potters and we make pottery and I'm speaking today on behalf of Expert Village. When we get to about right here we put this brick and this brick will tell us the temperature... Read More »

How to Trim a Clay Lid by Expert Village

So now both of my base and my lid had set up to the leather of our stage. What that means is if I rub it with my finger I am not going to create a indention but if I stick a fingernail in I get a indention really easily. It is about the consistency of... Read More »

Template Clay Design Cutting Tips by Expert Village

So once you've got your design etched onto the piece, you want to take a really sharp knife. I like to use something like this. And then just gently trace your lines. And after each cut, you can just push that piece of clay out and take it away. Now when... Read More »

How to Make Clay Slip by Expert Village

Another great way to decorate slab built pieces is called slip trailing. Slip is actually just a slurry of very thin clay. Now this particular bucket of slip is the dregs from my throwing wheel and I save it to use for making slip. If you don't throw and... Read More »

Opening Clay on the Potter's Wheel by Expert Village

Now that we have the clay centered we are going to want to open it up and create a hole in the center and that is how you get the form that you are looking for. To start the opening I like to take my hand into a fist just like when I was centering but... Read More »