QothW: How would you help out beginners stuck working alone with their processes?

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Pres, who normally does the Q of the week, is taking some well deserved time off, and we’re filling in for him for a few weeks. There’s a couple of suggestions in the list that we’ll be using, but I wanted to start off with this question.

Personally, I’m always interested in what other people make, and how. I don’t think pottery videos will ever get old. What I’ve noticed over the last 2 years especially, is that there’s a lot of folks that took up doing pottery at home, learning online, and posting it on social media.  

In perusing the socials, especially the video based ones,  I come across a lot of beginners who are doing a lot of  things awkwardly or inefficiently, as you’d expect for folks getting started. But if you’re working alone in your workshop, you don’t have access to others at a similar stage of learning to trade ideas with, or help problem solve.  Without making light of anyone, and acknowledging that sometimes people do “inefficient” things because they feel otherwise satisfying,  what things would you suggest to any beginners to make their lives easier? Are your suggestions based on the assumption the advisee is working towards a more professional level of work, keeping it as an enjoyable and small scale activity, or will it work for everyone?

I’ll start with a maybe slightly controversial one for the non-professionals  who are considering buying bat systems: You don’t need bats for mugs, unless they’re wider than they are tall. Learning to lift small items cleanly onto a ware board cut to fit your shelves saves more space. You won’t regret it.

Along similar lines, I’d also like to suggest that if you don’t like cleaning bats, take your sponge to it before you remove it from the wheel and the slip is still wet. It’ll help lower dust in your studio a lot, and then all you have to do is scrape the remaining clay off with a  6” drywall knife/scraper when you take the piece off the bat.

[Min]

I'm coming at this question from one of the things I made a mistake with when starting out. I had taken some ceramics classes as a kid and loved it, fast forward a number of years and after my fourth child I had some postpartum depression and needed to get out of the house. Local rec center had pottery classes which I signed up for without knowing anything about the instructor. Big mistake! No end of things the instructor did incorrectly (including sieving a bucket of glaze materials dry, in the class and with no ventilation system or masks). I was the only new person in the class, everyone else had taken classes with the previous instructor who was great but was no longer working there, they all just used the class time to work on the wheel or handbuilding but didn't glaze anything.  New instructor had no knowledge of the glazes and gave very little instruction on how to throw pots. It was very discouraging to say the least. 

Back to the question of the week, if I were starting again I would vet the sources I'm getting info / techniques from. Really not helpful to watch someone throw a pot or give advice if they don't know what they are doing.

Oh, and one other thing, don't cat lick your pots. 

[Denice]

I think trying to learn pottery without proper education is like the people who think they can rebuild a house without any experience or training  in the trades.   Plumbers, electrician and carpenters have gone to school and spent years of training ,  the same goes for potters.   I wouldn't dream of telling my electrician that I can wire my own kiln because I watched a couple of video's.  I have even had a few people asked me if they spent a couple of hours in my studio they could learn how to make tile  they way I do.   The first thing someone told me to do when I decided to get serious about clay was to buy some books they recommended and study them.   That was 50 years ago and they are extremely out of date now but I am sure there has to be some books out there that would be a good start for a aspiring potter.    Denice

[oldlady]

spot on. denice!    IFa beginner has found this forum, they have at least found a lot of information that is in the very first section.   start with the glossary.   learn the proper terms for what you want to ask about.   learning to read starts with the alphabet, the glossary has that alphabet for you.   get some old books, the 70s was a time publishers did a good job with what became textbooks.   yes, things they made might not be what you want to make but the basics is what you need and that is covered.

there are posts on here about " What is on your bookshelf?"   if you can find that original question, you will have quite a good list to start with.   see how things are DONE!  ignore the final results that would be something you would never make..     remember you are learning a skill.     do you think those fabulous figure skaters started out throwing or being thrown many feet in the air without seeing a description of how it is done?

and do not ever mistake cone 06 for cone 6!!!   now, go to the glossary and look up what a cone is.
 

[shawnhar]

On 6/15/2022 at 6:38 PM, Denice said:

 I wouldn't dream of telling my electrician that I can wire my own kiln because I watched a couple of video's. 

 I would! (And I did)

I love books for learning things like how to wire electricity, or replace the ecg valve in your car, but I HATE books for learning movement/skill things, like pottery or guitar.

Find what works for you, and don't be afraid to fail up.

[kswan]

I started making pottery about 20 years ago, and I am one of the slowest and most inefficient people on the planet! But I do things this way because it's part of my personality, and it would stress me out to do it differently. 

@Callie Beller DieselActually, I love using bats for mugs, because I don't trim them and rib them smooth before taking the bat off the wheel. If I lifted it off with my hands, it would smudge it all and mess up my foot.  But 100% agree about precleaning your bat! I wipe the whole thing off with my sponge and then I use one of the green Mudtools rib to scrape the rest into my reclaim bucket.

One thing I'd tell someone just starting out is that you don't have to send every piece you made through to glaze firing. Especially at the greenware stage, it's easy to scrap a piece and reuse it. You can spend a lot of time futzing around with something trying to fix it, or just start over and make something again in the same amount of time.  

Another thing for beginners to know about is good posture!! I have a block under my left foot when my right foot is on the pedal to keep my feet on the same level. My wheel is raised on blocks, and my chair adjusts up and down. Some people stand at their wheels. I have a mirror in front of my wheel, so I don't have to scrunch over to see the profile. I take breaks and move around.  I guess talking about back pain wouldn't make for a good Instagram post though!!  

 

[Denice]

I still have to disagree with someone watching a video and then wiring a kiln.   There use to be a new potter on another forum that had his neighbor wire in his kiln.   The first time he fired it the wires inside his walls caught fire.   It was a old house with knob and tube wiring,  he had to have the lathe and plaster stripped off and the house rewired and sheet rocked.   He decided to quit clay,  he didn't want to take the time to get the knowledge he needed to be a potter.      Denice

[LeeU]

I can not find it in me to be encouraging of a beginner who is wanting to work in clay to attempt it alone and isolated from other people making ceramic objects. Just the other day an acquaintence said she wants to pay to support her adult daughter (who has ADHD and a short span for the latest interest) to "make mugs and sell them at craft fairs".  Asked me if I think should she buy her that (joke of a used crappy small) kiln on eBay? Daughter has watched some videos, has never had her hands on clay.  Thinks it "looks like fun" and she "can do it at home".  No, mom, do not buy her that kiln; pay for some classes--and I will help you locate the better ones in decent traveling distance in her area. 

[oldlady]

lee, what i find interesting is the number of people who ask me something and i suggest they come and visit my studio to learn what all is involved.  the funny thing is that i must have invited over a hundred people over the years and so far nobody has come except a customer who wanted  "another one just like the first one".   she and a friend came out and we had a great time.  they each made something uniquely theirs and nothing like mine.  both found some item in the studio that intrigued them.  i wish i had made something as terrific as the friend made.  

we went out on the boat and they discovered why i usually go out close to sunset, the sun was really bad.   good thing i have lots of very broad brimmed hats for visitors.  who never come.

[Pres]

I love pottery videos, but I didn't learn from then, and I didn't teach with them. Nothing beats a good coach. . . whether learning a sport, trade, or how to throw! Having someone guide you in the good habits, correcting you from bad ones like poor posture, chicken winging, over pressure, too much or too little water, cleanliness habits when throwing, use of ribs, hand and finger positions, arm bracing and so much more is easier, more effective and efficient with a good coach.

From London,

AIMHO

best,

Pres

[Roberta12]

How to help out beginners stuck working alone with their processes?    What helped me the most (and still does) was to find a clay buddy.  Even if you can't connect in person,  connect via email, phone, text, whatever.  Simply having someone to bounce ideas around with!  And for me, books were a lifesaver.  All the great ones we have talked about here on the forum, whether it was Clary Illian or Val Cushing or Bill Van Gilder.  I would recommend a great reading list.  Then offer up some time for conversation and exploration.

Roberta

[Mark C.]

For me watching videos or reading books would not have been enough to get me on my path that has made me a production potter for 5 decades . Those things are just ad ons to the real education I got at school from those who knew more in ceramics than most.Nothing beats the learning directly from teachers especially with throwing,glazing and firing. Maybe as a hobbist it will do fine but for a professional no way.My 2 cents 

Junior collage can be done on the cheap these days

[Roberta12]

19 hours ago, Mark C. said:

For me watching videos or reading books would not have been enough to get me on my path that has made me a production potter for 5 decades . Those things are just ad ons to the real education I got at school from those who knew more in ceramics than most.Nothing beats the learning directly from teachers especially with throwing,glazing and firing. Maybe as a hobbist it will do fine but for a professional no way.My 2 cents 

Junior collage can be done on the cheap these days

I do agree Mark.  If you are looking to have a thriving business, an education is imperative, apprenticeship or something (unless you are a highly motivated person who is able to do it alone) however, if you live in the middle of nowhere without access to classes or education, you will need to find your clay community wherever you can.  That may be online, videos or books or whatever.  And workshops away from home can be great as well! 

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Especially in the last 2 years, there’s been some fantastic instructional videos and online instruction options come about. It’s really increased the accessibility of learning, imo.