The Beginner’s Guide to Ceramics
Curious about ceramics, but not sure where to start? You’re not alone. Pottery’s popularity is booming, but figuring out the basics can feel daunting.
This guide breaks it all down—from essential terms and techniques to the tools and materials you’ll need—so you can dive in with confidence.
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What’s the Difference Between Ceramics and Pottery?
Though they’re sometimes used interchangeably, ceramics and pottery aren’t quite the same. Pottery is a specific type of ceramic made from clay. It’s used to create everything from mugs and bowls to vases and sculptures.
To better understand pottery, it helps to first understand what ceramics really are. Ceramics are non-metallic, inorganic materials (that is, not derived from living matter) that have been hardened by heat. Clay is the most familiar example, but glass, silica, and the glazes that give pottery its smooth, glossy finish are ceramics, too.
Ceramics play a major role in everyday life beyond the studio. They’re used in cookware, construction materials, electronics, and even advanced medical devices.
Common Pottery Clay Types
Pottery clay is the core material at the foundation of every piece of pottery. But what exactly is clay, and why do potters use specific types?
Clay is a natural material made of fine particles formed from the breakdown of rock over time. When mixed with water, it becomes soft and workable—a quality called plasticity—that makes it ideal for shaping and sculpting. Most pottery clays are specially processed for studio use. These blends, called clay bodies, combine natural clay with other materials to improve workability, firing performance, and finished results.
Below, we’ll explore some of the most common clay bodies used in ceramics today.
Earthenware
Soft, easy to shape, and forgiving—earthenware is great for beginners learning hand-building or wheel throwing. Loved for its warm, natural earth tone, earthenware fires at lower temperatures, making it accessible for home or studio kilns.
Appearance: Earthy reddish-brown to white, depending on processing.
Firing Range: Low-fire; 950°C–1100°C (1745°F–2012°F).
Cone Range: Generally between Cone 06–Cone 2
Characteristics: Hard but porous; requires glazing for food or liquid use.
Best For: Beginners, hand-building, planters, decorative objects, and jewelry. Works well in oxidation firing, which electric kilns provide.
Stoneware
Stronger and less absorbent than earthenware, stoneware is a versatile favorite for both functional and decorative objects. It’s plastic enough for coiling and throwing, yet durable enough for daily use.
Appearance: Typically gray or brown; fires to an earthy or neutral color.
Firing Range: Mid to high-fire clay; bisque fired around 980°C (1800°F), glaze fired at 1200°C–1300°C (2192°F–2372°F).
Cone Range: Generally between Cone 5–Cone 10
Characteristics: Strong, dense, and non-porous when fully fired.
Best For: Functional pottery, wheel throwing, hand-building, sculpture, and mixed media. Works in electric, gas, or wood kilns.
Porcelain
Made from kaolin, feldspar, and silica, porcelain is a fine-grained, high-fire clay prized for its smooth surface, strength, and delicate appearance. Though less plastic and more challenging to shape, it’s excellent for refined forms and capturing detail.
Appearance: Bright white when fired; some types are slightly translucent.
Firing Range: High-fire clay; 1260°C–1400°C (2300°F–2550°F).
Cone Range: Generally Cone 8–Cone 12
Characteristics: Delicate and completely non-porous, even without glaze.
Best For: Fine dinnerware, teacups, sculpture, decorative pieces, jewelry, and detailed work. Works in electric, gas, or wood kilns.
Raku Clay
Raku clay is made to handle extreme temperature changes, which makes it perfect for the fast and dramatic raku firing process. It usually includes grog (tiny bits of fired clay) or sand to help it stay strong when heated quickly and cooled suddenly.
Appearance: Varies depending on glaze and firing method—often with smoky, crackled, or metallic effects.
Firing Range: Low- to mid-fire; usually fired to 870°C–1000°C (1600°F–1830°F), then removed from the kiln while still red-hot.
Cone Range: Generally Cone 06–Cone 04
Characteristics: Porous and strong under thermal shock, but not watertight or food-safe unless specially glazed and tested.
Best For: Sculptural or decorative pieces. Great for artists who love experimenting with texture and surface effects. Intended for raku kilns or other alternative firing methods, not for high-fire or functional work.
Slip
A pourable, pre-mixed suspension of clay in water used for slip casting—where liquid clay is poured into plaster molds to form consistent, hollow shapes. Slip is also used for decorating and joining leather-hard pieces, where it acts as “glue” in part attachment.
Appearance: Pourable and creamy when wet. Fired color depends on the clay body.
Firing Range: Available in low-fire, mid-fire, and high-fire formulas.
Characteristics: Flows easily and forms a uniform shell as the mold absorbs moisture.
Best For: Mold-made ceramics, decorative objects, figurines, production pottery, and part joining. Compatible with various firing atmospheres depending on the clay body used.
How to Choose Clay: Additives and Other Considerations
When shopping for clay, you might notice terms like "grog" or "paper" on the label–these refer to additives that change how the clay behaves. Choosing a clay body with the right additive can make your project easier and more successful—especially if you’re hand-building, sculpting, or looking for a special effect.
Here are some of the most common:
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Grog: Fired clay ground into granules and added back into a clay body. Grog adds strength and reduces shrinkage—great for building larger forms. Coarse grog adds texture while fine grog is subtler–just be aware that it can feel gritty on your hands when throwing..
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Sand: Like grog, sand increases structural strength but must be used carefully. Excess or impure sand (like beach sand) can cause glaze fit issues. Always use sand sourced from ceramic suppliers.
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Paper Pulp: Added to make paperclay, a type of clay that incorporates paper pulp or cellulose fibers into the clay body. This addition provides several advantages, including increased strength, reduced shrinkage, and lighter weight.
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Nylon Fibers: Short synthetic fibers added for internal support in large pieces. Best added to wet clay slurry, then reconstituted. Use sparingly to avoid damaging equipment.
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Mason Stains: Colored oxides that tint the entire clay body. Common ratio: 1 part stain to 10 parts clay.
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Granular Magnetite: Adds decorative speckling to clay and glazes, unlike smooth iron oxides.
Shaping Clay: Methods and Techniques
When you think about working with clay, shaping is probably what springs to mind. It's what gives pottery its form, function, and personality. Both hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques are core to ceramic art. Choosing one (or both!) depends on your tools, space, and creative style.
Prepping Your Clay
Before clay can be shaped, thrown, or sculpted, it has to be wedged—the pottery equivalent of kneading dough. Wedging helps remove air bubbles, balance moisture, and align the clay’s particles, making it easier to shape and less likely to crack or explode during firing. You can shop a variety of options for wedging clay, from small wedging boards to large clay wedging tables.
There are different wedging techniques, but for beginners, spiral wedging is a great place to start.
Hand-Building Techniques
Hand-building is a tactile, intuitive way to shape clay as old as ceramics itself. Hand-throwing remains one of the most expressive and accessible forms of pottery–no wheel required. Below, we’ll overview three essential hand-building techniques.
Pinching
Clay is shaped by pinching it between fingers and thumb. Great for small bowls and sculptural forms.
Coiling
In this method, long rolls of clay are created and stacked on top of each other to build up the walls of the pot. These coils can be smoothed over and shaped into various forms.
Slab Building
Flat pieces of clay–known as slabs–are cut and joined together to create boxes, plates, or other geometrical forms. Utilize slab rollers to roll clay into slabs of uniform thickness.
Wheel-Throwing Techniques
If you've ever admired the graceful curves and symmetry of a ceramic vase, you have the all-powerful pottery wheel to thank. While wheel-throwing requires time and practice, it’s what allows potters to create consistent, balanced forms with precision and control.
Centering: The process of stabilizing clay on the wheel.
Cone Up: Even pressure is applied to push the clay upward into a cone.
Cone Down: Downward pressure is used to guide the clay down into a centered mound.
Opening: A divot is pressed into the center of the mound using a finger.
Widening: The opening is slowly pulled outward, leaving about ½" of clay at the base.
Pulling: Hands are positioned at 3 o’clock, with the inside hand slightly higher than the outside.
Lifting: The wall is squeezed and lifted upward, with the rim compressed after each pull.
Shaping: The form is defined using hands or tools, trimmed, and finally cut off the wheel with a clay cutting wire.
Stages of Drying and Firing
Before you can fire your clay, it needs to dry completely. This stage is just as important as shaping or firing—so don’t rush it! Letting your clay dry slowly under some plastic helps prevent uneven drying from drafts, which can cause cracks, warping, or even breakage in the kiln.
This is also the best time to carve fine details with clay shapers, clean edges with pottery ribs or sponges, and add decorative textures with clay texture tools.
From wet clay to finished glazeware, here are the different stages of clay:
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Slip: A mixture of clay and water with a consistency similar to heavy cream. Used for casting, joining parts, or decorative techniques like slip trailing.
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Wet Clay: Pliable and workable, wet clay is soft enough to shape, yet firm enough to hold its form without collapsing.
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Leather-Hard Clay: Partially dried and firm, but still slightly flexible. This is the stage for trimming, carving, joining handles, and applying underglazes or slip decoration.
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Greenware: A collective term for unfired clay—includes wet, leather-hard, and bone dry stages. All greenware is fragile and water-soluble until it has been bisque fired.
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Bone Dry: Fully air-dried and no longer cool to the touch, bone-dry clay is extremely fragile and ready for the kiln.
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Bisqueware: Clay that’s been fired once to a low temperature. It's hard, porous, and no longer water-soluble—ready to accept glaze or other surface treatments.
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Glazeware: Glazed bisqueware is fired a second time, producing a smooth, sealed surface. The piece is now functional, durable, and finished.
Drying times refer to how long it takes for wet clay to become bone dry and safe to fire. This can vary based on several factors, including the thickness of your piece, the type of clay, and the conditions in your environment. As a general guideline:
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Small or thin pieces: Allow up to 3 days to dry completely.
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Large or thick pieces: May require 10 days or more.
Pro Tip: Never fire clay that still feels cool—it may contain moisture and could crack or explode in the kiln.
Firing and Kilns: What You Need to Know
The final and most transformative step in the process, firing is where bone-dry clay becomes a strong, finished piece of pottery using a kiln. Firing doesn’t just harden the clay—it changes it permanently through two key stages, each with its own purpose and science.
Bisque Firing (First Firing)
The first trip to the kiln is called bisque firing. As the temperature rises, a process called sintering begins: clay particles fuse together, burning off organic materials and hardening the form.
Glaze Firing (Second Firing)
After glaze is applied, the piece returns to the kiln for a second, higher-temperature firing. This stage triggers vitrification, where the clay body partially melts and becomes dense and non-porous. The glaze fuses into a smooth, glass-like coating, completing the transformation from raw clay to finished ceramic.
Understanding Kiln Temperatures and Cone Ranges
In ceramics, firing isn’t just about reaching a certain temperature—it’s about heatwork, the combination of temperature and time. Heatwork is what determines how fully clay matures during firing. That’s where cones (short for pyrometric cones) come in.
Cones are small, pyramid-shaped tools made from a carefully calibrated blend of clay, fluxes, and refractory materials. Designed to bend at a specific level of heatwork, cones give potters a clear visual signal that the kiln has reached the right point in the firing cycle.
Unlike digital thermometers, cones measure what your clay actually experiences—not just the kiln’s temperature. Since firing speed affects how heat is absorbed, cones provide a more accurate picture than temperature readings alone.
Pyrometric bars are made from the same material as cones but work differently. Used in Kiln Sitters, they bend at the right point and trigger the kiln to shut off automatically.
Choosing the Right Cone
Both your clay body and glaze will list a recommended cone range—this tells you the right firing level to use. Here's a quick guide to common cone ranges:
| Cone Range | Firing Temperature | Firing Range | Typical Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cone 06-04 | 1820°F–1940°F (993°C–1060°C) | Low Fire | Earthenware and decorative pieces. |
| Cone 4-6 | 2102°F–2192°F (1150°C–1200°C) | Mid-Range | Stoneware, some porcelain. Produces functional, food-safe work. |
| Cone 8-10 | 2300°F–2380°F (1260°C–1300°C) | High Fire | Porcelain and some professional-grade stoneware. |
Pro Tip: While cones are mostly used to monitor firing, they also give potters clues during cooling. Rapid cool-down—especially after high-fire temperatures—can lead to cracks or glaze defects. Cones can help identify uneven cooling, giving potters a chance to adjust and protect their final results.
Shrinkage
Clay’s high water content is what gives it its soft, pliable quality. But as clay dries—first in the air, then in a kiln—the water evaporates, causing the clay to become denser and more compact. This natural process is called shrinkage, and understanding it is essential at every stage of working with clay:
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Planning: Shrinkage affects the final size of your piece. Potters need to account for it from the start to ensure their finished form matches the intended dimensions.
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Glaze Fit: Clay and glaze must shrink at compatible rates to form a solid bond. If they don’t, surface issues like crazing (fine cracks) or shivering (flaking glaze) can occur.
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Preventing Defects: Knowing how much your clay shrinks helps avoid common problems like cracking, warping, and glaze flaking—especially when adding slips or surface decoration.
Shrinkage Rates by Clay Type
Shrinkage varies depending on the clay’s composition. These are general guidelines:
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Earthenware: ~5–8%
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Stoneware: ~10–12%
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Porcelain: ~12–15%
Exact shrinkage rates depend on the specific clay body and how it’s processed and fired. Always test unfamiliar materials before committing to a final piece—especially when precision matters or when using multiple surface treatments.
Types of Kilns and Their Uses
The type of kiln you use has a big impact on the final look and feel of your pottery. Each kiln offers different firing atmospheres, temperature ranges, and creative possibilities—whether you're aiming for consistent results or unpredictable, organic surfaces.
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Electric Kilns: Clean, convenient, and easy to control. Ideal for oxidation firing. Common in home studios, classrooms, and community centers. Suitable for both bisque and mid-range glaze firings.
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Gas Kilns: Fuel-powered (natural gas or propane) kilns that support reduction firing, which affects glaze color and texture. Best for high-fire stoneware and porcelain. Require more ventilation and experience.
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Raku Kilns: Small, fast-firing kilns. Pieces are removed while red-hot and placed in combustibles like sawdust or newspaper. Known for creating crackled, smoky, or metallic glaze effects.
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Wood-Fired Kilns: An ancient, atmospheric firing method. Wood ash settles on the ware and naturally forms glaze. Produces unpredictable, one-of-a-kind surface textures and color variations.
Glazing & Surface Finishing Techniques
Glazing is one of the most exciting parts of making pottery—when your piece emerges from the kiln transformed, almost like magic. If you’ve ever seen pottery before and after glazing, you’ve likely wondered how it works.
Glaze is a thin, mineral-rich coating applied to bisque-fired pottery. During a second firing, the glaze melts into a smooth, glass-like surface, sealing and completely changing the appearance and texture of your pottery.
Potters glaze for two key reasons:
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Function: Glaze makes pottery watertight, food-safe, and more resistant to wear.
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Aesthetic: Glaze comes in many colors and surface textures to give your work visual depth and personality.
Choosing a Glaze:
While decorative pieces are often left unglazed, functional items like mugs, bowls, and plates typically require it. That’s because choosing a glaze goes far beyond color. When selecting a glaze, consider:
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Firing Range: Glazes are formulated for specific temperature ranges (low, mid, or high fire), and must be compatible with your clay and kiln.
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Purpose: Will the piece be used for food or liquid, or is it purely decorative?
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Surface Finish: Consider the final look and feel—glossy, matte, textured, transparent, or opaque.
Glaze Types & Effects by Firing Range
Glazes behave differently at various firing temperatures. Low-fire glazes tend to be bold and playful, while mid to high-fire glazes offer more depth, durability, and nuanced surface effects.
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Mid to High-Fire Glazes
Mid to high-fire glazes are typically used with stoneware or porcelain and fired in the cone 5–10 range. Known for their depth, durability, and rich surface variation, they come in a wide range of surface textures:
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Gloss, Matte, Satin: Range of smooth finishes from shiny to soft sheen
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Transparent vs. Opaque: Show or hide texture/underglaze decoration
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Celadon: Soft, translucent color with fine crackle
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Crystalline: Decorative crystals form during cooling
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Textured & Specialty: Floating, reactive, or layered effects
Low-Fire Glazes
Low-fire glazes are typically used with earthenware and fired in the cone 06–04 range. Known for vibrant colors, playful finishes, and decorative effects, they offer a variety of exciting surface textures:
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Gloss, Matte, Satin: Smooth finishes ranging from bright to soft with subtle sheen.
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Transparent vs. Opaque: Choose to highlight underglaze decoration clearly or create solid, uniform coverage.
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Raku: Metallic, smoky, or crackle effects created through post-firing reduction.
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Lusters & Metallics: Shimmering, reflective finishes that add accents or dramatic detail.
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Textured & Specialty: Unique surface effects, including crackle, reactive, layered, and experimental finishes.
Ceramic Glaze Safety
Understanding ceramic glaze labels and safety instructions will help you make informed decisions, whether you’re handling wet glaze, firing, or considering how best to use your finished piece.
Safety Certification Seals of the Art & Materials Institute (ACMI)
AP Seal
The AP (Approved Product) Seal means a qualified toxicologist has evaluated the art material and determined that it contains no materials in sufficient quantities to be harmful to humans, including children.
Suitable for all ages, including children ages 12 and younger
Non-toxic to humans when used as intended
CL Seal
The CL (Cautionary Labeling) Seal indicates that the product requires caution during use and has been evaluated by a board-certified toxicologist. Products with the CL seal may involve special handling instructions—such as using gloves or working in a ventilated area—but are safe when used as directed.
Suitable for adults and children beyond sixth grade
Safe to use when label instructions are followed
Always read the full label before opening or handling
Ceramic glazes and other art materials sold in the U.S. often carry one of two ACMI safety seals: AP or CL. These seals indicate that the glaze has undergone thorough evaluation by board-certified toxicologists to make sure it’s properly labeled for safe use.
For more information about these ACMI seals, visit our Health & Safety page.
Food Safe vs. Dinnerware Safe Glazes
‘Food safe’ is a commonly misunderstood term in ceramics. It refers to glazes that–when properly applied and fired–are considered safe for contact with food and beverages.
In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines food safety standards by setting acceptable limits for substances like lead and cadmium. However, because manufacturers may use the term ‘food safe’ differently, it’s important to understand what it actually means.
It’s also helpful to understand the differences between food safe and dinnerware safe–two similar-sounding terms that aren’t always interchangeable.
Food Safe
Indicates that the glaze, once properly fired, is non-toxic and safe for contact with food. It meets standards for lead and cadmium release but may not be durable enough for frequent or heavy use.
Dinnerware Safe
A step beyond food-safe. These glazes are not only safe for contact with food but are also durable enough to withstand daily use, including exposure to utensils, washing, and acidic foods.
When choosing glazes for functional pottery, choose those labeled food safe and dinnerware safe. Carefully check product labels and safety data sheets to confirm suitability for food contact. If you’re unsure, contact the manufacturer or supplier.
Alternative Surface Finishing Techniques
Glaze isn’t the only way to finish a ceramic piece. Potters have long used a range of techniques—before, during, and after firing—to add color, texture, and personal expression. These alternatives can be used on their own or combined with glaze for layered, one-of-a-kind surfaces.
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Underglazes: Clay-based colorants applied to bisque-fired pottery for detailed designs such as lettering, illustration, or patterns. Unlike glaze, underglazes stay in place during firing and retain their color. They’re often finished with a clear glaze for a smooth, glossy surface.
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Engobes: Slip-like coatings applied to leather-hard clay to add color or texture. Similar to underglazes, but typically thicker and less intensely pigmented. Ideal for carving, stamping, or layering while the clay is still workable.
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Wax Resist: A liquid wax applied to areas where glaze is not wanted. It burns off cleanly during firing, leaving those sections unglazed. Commonly used for creating crisp lines, patterns, or to keep glaze off the base of a piece.
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Texturizers: Liquid additives that are brushed or sponged onto bisque or greenware to create beautifully raised, textured surfaces after firing.
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Oxide Washes & Stains: Metallic oxides or ceramic stains mixed with water and brushed onto clay to add depth, contrast, or surface variation—especially in carved or textured areas. Can be used under or over glaze.
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Burnishing: The process of polishing leather-hard clay with a smooth tool—such as a stone or spoon—to create a natural, soft sheen without glaze. Often used on low-fired pieces for a subtle, elegant finish.
Essential Tools & Equipment
Diving into the world of ceramics doesn’t require a fully stocked studio. With just a few versatile pottery tools, you can shape, smooth, and finish your first pieces with ease and creativity. Here’s a curated list to help you get started:
Clay Prepping Tools
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Slab Roller: Useful for flattening clay into even slabs for hand-building projects like trays, tiles, or mugs. It saves time and gives you consistently smooth results.
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Wedging Board: A portable, non-stick surface that’s perfect for wedging your clay to remove air bubbles or for rolling out smaller pieces.
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Sponge: Helps control moisture and smooth out surfaces, whether you’re hand-building and throwing on the wheel.
Cutting Tools
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Fettling Knife: A slim, flexible blade for refining shapes, cutting, and cleaning up edges.
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Clay Cutting Wire: A simple tool with two handles and a wire—used to slice clay from a block or cleanly cut finished pieces off the wheel.
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Clay Cutter Shapes: Variety of shapes—including circles, flowers, and stars—that make it easy to cut out consistently uniform designs.
Trimming and Shaping Tools
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Needle Tool: A versatile, pointed tool for scoring clay, trimming edges, poking air holes, adding fine details, and measuring thickness.
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Loop and Ribbon Tool: Ideal for carving, trimming, or hollowing out areas of clay. Commonly used for sculptural work and refining the bottoms of wheel-thrown pieces.
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Pottery Rib: Made from plastic, metal, or wood, this tool is great for smoothing, shaping, and compressing clay surfaces. It gives your pieces a crisp, polished finish.
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Clay Shapers: Designed with flexible silicone tips to help you sculpt, blend, smooth seams, and refine fine details. Especially useful for creating delicate textures or smoothing tight areas without leaving any marks.
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Clay Stamps: Pre-made or custom stamps that let you press patterns, logos, or designs into your clay.
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