Notes from the studio
Projects, techniques, and the confidence to make a first piece your own.
Journal
August 29, 2026
Speckled Stoneware Clay
Mineral particles in speckled stoneware clay create natural flecks after firing. Learn about its firing range, forming behavior, and studio requirements before deciding whether it suits your work.
Read the articleAugust 29, 2026
Pottery Trimming Spinner
A trimming turntable suits home studios that need to adjust viewing angles by hand, lightly trim foot rings, and refine profiles. Before buying, compare tabletop size, rotational inertia, bearings, base stability, and cleaning method against the forms you make most often.
Read the articleAugust 29, 2026
Pottery Wheel Maintenance
Build a home-studio maintenance routine covering daily cleaning, regular inspections, lubrication, and troubleshooting to reduce clay buildup, unusual noises, and interruptions.
Read the articleAugust 28, 2026
Electric Pottery Wheel For Beginners
Start by defining the forms you make most often, your workspace, and your cleanup routine. Then compare motor performance under load, wheel head size, centering capacity, foot pedal control, noise, and accessory compatibility.
Read the articleAugust 25, 2026
Electric Kiln For Pottery
Confirm your electrical setup, kiln location, and firing schedule before comparing capacity and controls, so the kiln can be installed and used smoothly.
Read the articleAugust 22, 2026
How To Sharpen Pottery Trimming Tools
From inspecting the edge and confirming its original angle to test sharpening and test trimming, this article presents a cautious approach to maintaining trimming tools and explains when to stop sharpening and consider replacing the tool.
Read the articleAugust 21, 2026
Ceramic Glaze Techniques
From layering, brushing, and dipping to wax resist, learn how different glazing methods affect surface results and use test tiles to develop a process suited to your clay body and kiln.
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