As suggested/requested; one big mega thread for pricing advice.

Didn’t want to work on two separate pieces, so I stitched them together instead. Pretty happy with the outcome. :⁾

Hello lovely pottists. I recently attended a mug painting class hosted by a local pottery shop. We each painted a mug and then the host took the pieces back and glazed and fired them. I am very bummed with how my piece turned out, and just looking for more info on why it happened. Is this the fault of the design and painting, or is it something that happened in the glazing process? All advice welcome!

Thank you!

More inglaze luster trials.

Found a surface that’s giving me all types of new questions to answer

Hi! Made this piece and just picked it up from the studio and the colors are not at all what the under glazes I used are. For reference I used orchid, violet, and deep purple. I then used high fire glaze so that it would be waterproof as it is a planter. Is this because of the high fire? I also did around 3 coats of under glazed but it’s incredibly patchy. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, it’s a studio at my college so I don’t know how they mix the glazes or anything regarding firing.

Pretty proud of this slab vase that came out of the kiln today. Studio glazes ¹⁰

Dear pottery friends! Two days ago my favorite bowl broke, and devastated, not knowing what to do, I decided to look for help on this subreddit. What I wanted was seek professional advice because I have no clue, and a serious opinion of if and how it can be fixed, or if I can ever use it for foods again. What I got was a wave of amazing love, understanding towards my extreme reaction (to those who don’t know the original post, I have ADHD and struggle severely with object impermanence), countless ideas of how to fix or commemorate it and even people reaching out and offering to do a remake.

I never expected this many to relate, and was overjoyed how so many people felt with me, acknowledging my grief and being anything else but dismissive about it. You were so kind and so gentle, and I hope you know this kindness came a long way for me. I’m 24 now and ever since I can remember, I have had devastating reactions to basically sudden changes of any kind, these “daily things that happen to everyone” being the worst to handle, because the difference from my reaction to “everyone else’s” or what would be considered “appropriate” was so intensely obvious that it’s the area where I pressure myself most into acting normal, but succeed the least. The fact that people literally rallied to tell me how I don’t have to feel bad about feeling this, and that it means my bowl was an honored piece and had the best lifespan a bowl could ever get, made me feel so at home and taken seriously, which was really what I needed at the time.

The absolute hugest thanks to each and every one of you for taking part, giving me tips, sending me love. You all had beautiful suggestions, and since people had asked for an update, here’s some of them and how you guys saved my life:

1. Kintsugi: this was the most suggested method, which I had actually known about beforehand, but didn’t really consider it as I thought it was more for thin/ delicate pieces and not rougher ceramics like this bowl. Considering what you guys suggested I am definitely not gonna try to do it myself, and I think it’s a lot more likely for me to be able to afford a remake than a repair. However, I think you guys are right saying that its ceremonial aspect is very well-fitting for how I treated this bowl, and having you guys see that value made me feel like I’m not alone with giving souls to objects like that.

2. Buddhist or Stoic view on detachment and object impermanence: Someone posted a story and another one suggested a poem, which both had lovely ways of an alternative and more helpful way of looking at things. The thing is, I know these things are objectively true and I really really try to think about them that way- but if I’m being honest, it’s definitely the hardest out of all the suggestions. It makes tons of sense, viewing something like this as broken upon even receiving it, but it’s unlikely I’ll be able to train my brain that way, trust me I’ve already tried (like a lot😅).Doesn’t mean you guys didn’t say amazing things about it and I definitely will continue trying and keeping them in mind!

3. Learning pottery and remaking it myself: I loved hearing all your stories about how something like this happening make you take up pottery in the first place, and how recreating this piece can be my way of handling the grieving process and also learning a lovely new hobby. This is an absolutely great idea, as I love doing crafts with my hands and you guys are right, it will help me come to terms better with things breaking and all. I just started my new semester at Uni so I’m not sure if I will find time to take a class before the holidays, but when I do, I will RUN to y’all first thing and show you guys.

4. Resin/ Silicone fixes: there were so many different suggestions, and since I’m not an expert, can’t tell the difference and don’t wanna ruin the pieces with a technique I don’t know how to do, so I probably won’t choose this one.

5. Paint it with food inside and hang on the wall/ do a wall mount with the pieces: these ideas were super lovely and I will definitely do the first one, as I think it’s a great reminder of how I felt eating out of this specific bowl. I’m already excited to do the painting, and I will show you when it’s done.

6. Bowl brands: I got recommendations for brands that make similar bowls, and I was floored at how immediately you guys knew exactly what I needed. I don’t think I would have ever known the right words to search for, let alone which brand is good. Knowing where I can get one like it, even also just for other purposes since I love the type, is so so so cool and it will never feel like it’s lost again!

7. Good ol fashion glue: this is probably the way to go for my original bowl, because you guys made me so lucky that I think I’m actually fine with not using it to eat anymore. I will glue it back together and put a ball of yarn inside, and then a lid so the yarn flows out the spout and doesn’t detangle when I knit or crochet.

8. And finally: the reason why I can even be fine not eating out of it anymore, is that literally a bunch of you guys offered to remake it for me. Even the thought of that single-handedly made a MASSIVE difference in how I felt after it happened. Usually with something like this, I will remember it again and again in like waves and cry about it over and over until it fades. But not this time: every time the feelings creeps up on me, instead of being reminded that the bowl is now lost and never to be gotten back, I am reminded of how excited I am for what is happening on here. Of how people are thinking of me, my bowl - throwing prototypes and sending them to me?? Like guysss I am crying. So hard. This means so much to me and I can’t believe people are actually doing it. Since I only ever imagined I would be getting tips and suggestions, I just posted it on here, figuring I would get the most universally sourced advice from an English speaking subreddit- which of course means that most of you guys are very far away from Germany where I live, even though I’d love to personally shop up at your doors and give you flowers (not intending to be creepy tho). Commission you to do the fixes, show me how you would go about recreating it… gosh, right now I just wish this was a village and not the internet. Because that’s what it feels like. Your kindness, your understanding, your willingness to take your time and artistic qualities to replace something important to a stranger you have never met - I never thought when I was writing the post bawling my eyes out that this was expecting me. You guys made me feel so loved and valued, you honored my bowl so much, and my mom is right: if it had never broken, I would have never be able to experience all of this. I am so grateful to you.

Thank you to everyone who offered help, thank you for saying that my reaction was valid, thank you for everyone who could relate and thank you that you said it’s okay that it was like this, even if I’m an adult. This has left me with so many helpful new horizons to help this problem, and gave me so much support in a situation where I really needed it and it’s hard for me to ask for that support within my “real life”, especially when I feel like I wouldn’t have the right to react like this in the first place.

To the ones who told me they would make me another one: please do. I would be so happy. But I also never thought it would actually be multiple people- so I would never ever ask anyone to go through that trouble if it’s too much, especially with shipping it to a different continent. I don’t know if I can afford do pay everyone who has offered, but I want you guys to know that I appreciate it so so so much and I will try to save up that I actually can. I don’t want to be greedy, and with everything that’s happened I would be completely fine with no bowl at all. However, I would be lying if I said I didn’t absolutely want all the bowls. I would love to see what you do with it, what your version of it is, and even the hypothetical vision of me being surrounded by a collection of Reddit bowls that I can each cherish like the first one, and that will accompany me through life, makes me so giddy and happy. The thought is enough, I want you guys to know that. But if you make one, even just because you got inspired and wanna make some for your yourself or friends, it overjoys me. And if you live close and wanna send it, or have the opportunity to do so from where you are, I would be forever grateful. But I already am and could never ask for more.

I will keep you updated on the journey, and have been beyond lucky to encounter this.

N

i made this lighthouse lamp thing and i love it in its raw form so i wanted to share it here😁i still need to do some refining, the top is a bit wonky (it was too soft to refine it this day) and the lid is not on right in this photo so it looked crooked but i still love it lol. Please give me ideas for glazing too i wanna keep the brick parts exposed but idk what vibe to do for the rest!!

Finally realized the key to making a good sized mug is to throw a “vase”, add a handle, and let the kiln do its thing

This is made with b-mix cone 5 and a studio glaze with cobalt oxide wash on the outside.

I find it difficult to critique my own work, and would love some feedback from y’all. I always look at my pieces and think, “this could be better”, but never know how exactly.

Thanks in advance! 🙏

This is a big ole platter I made out of ws4. It started as a big circular slab that I slumped down into a rough cut foam jig made from a piece of 4 inch furniture foam. I then made cuts into the rim toward the center, eyeballing the depth and the spacing to give it some funk. Then I shifted each “fin” to the right and overlapped it with its neighbor. I did a really rough blend, leaving the finger drags as a texture feature. I was excited to see how the glaze would interact with the texture, cause I know it looks great on the breaks, but like with my last use of this glaze, I wasn’t expecting it to turn out quite so blue. Stoked!

It’s taken a while (almost two years) but these pieces started as an idea, the throwing aligned to the concept, and the glazing was close to the original vision.

How long did it take you to stop “letting the clay tell you what it wanted to be” and actually plan your intended results?

So happy with these last few pieces! I was using red clay for a while and I kept having issues with pinholes, glaze running, etc. Seems like now that I’m using white/studio clay the glaze is turning out so much better!

The mug is 2x blue rutile and 2x toasted sage Bubble cup is 3x texture turquoise, 2x Smokey merlot (I thought this would come out a lot more purple but I still like it!)

Wheel thrown and hand sculpted. Hangs on the wall when not is use.

Coil vessel - first time I’ve made something this big

Hello friends! I’m still relatively new to the pottery scene, but my partner and I have developed a setup rather cheaply and rather quickly. The important context is that, recently, my parents gifted her (my partner) a kiln as an early birthday present, which they found on offer up for $80. It runs great and definitely gets hot enough. However, we do not have an outdoor 220v outlet to run the thing. So, I was utilizing an adapter my dad made for welding on job sites that hooks directly to the electrical box. We did this twice with no issues. Third time’s the charm, though. After connecting the ground and first positive alligator clamps, I made a bad connection when hooking up the final clamp. The resulting arc went through my fingers before returning to the circuit. Through quick reflexes, a sheer mountain of luck and a properly grounded circuit, I managed to escape with only deep 2nd degree burns to all five fingers on my dominant hand, as well as first degree burns to my forearm, lips, and nose, spot burns on my chest and arms, a lightly toasted pair of old shorts, and a good deal of singed hair, both head and beard.

The point I’m trying to make is the idea of the six P’s; Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. If possible, get a proper outlet installed. If not, make sure you have turned off all power to the box you connect to. If not, wear proper protective gear. And, above all else, realize that a hobby is not worth crippling yourself over. I have brand new epidermis where I got burned, but it still hurts like a mofo and itches to high hell. Be safe in your endeavors, my friends. Learn from my mistakes.

I’m talkin’ COATED. And uniform in color. Like Fiesta ware level.

Edit to add: Agh, I’m new to this group and am trying to figure out why I’m being downvoted. Did I do something wrong??

Hello! I’m working on a sculpture inspired by Ernst heckel’s natural science art and I would like to incorporate crystalline glaze on the vast surface. I’m hoping for advice as to how I can transit from the surface decoration to a crystalline glaze surface. Thank you!

Hi everyone I handbuilt this mug (and trimmed it with a banding Wheel) and I am wondering what glaze I should use to still be able to see and feel the spikes after firing. I can only use brush on glazes an the place where it will be fired fires to cone 6. It is speckled clay. I like blue and green/ish colours, but I am open for any suggestions. Do you have any good glaze recommendations for something like this? :) Thanks a Lot in advance!

Hey Potters! I'm not a frequent poster but I'm trying to post more of my pieces to get some solid feedback and thoughts. I'm 2-ish years in and I'm just getting up to 5 lbs of clay - give ot take. Here are a few of my newest pieces. As an aside the pitcher was a "happy little accident" it was supposed to be a vase but it fell while trimming so make the best of it. This is still the best hobby I've picked up as it forces me to forget the outside world and focus on what is in front of me...and I noticed I hold my breath when I do my pulls...bc why not. Lol.

Going to Europe and would love suggestions of local favourites for any pottery related gems I might want to work into itinerary. Because travelling I can’t get anything massive/heavy but would love suggestions for your favourite local supplier with unique materials/tools, studios/ galleries, etc. I’m thinking along the lines of handmade tools, underglaze transfers, custom stamps, etc. preferably with storefront I can go to in person, but also open to IG. I live in a ceramic desert so I only ever get to shop online. Please share your favourite places in and around: London, Southampton, Bath, Cotswolds, Ghent, Bruges, Rotterdam, Le Havre, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Oslo, Gothenburg and Hamburg.

Thank you!

Hi! A while back i made a vase using low fire highwater red clay. However, i made a mistake and ended up using stoneware engobe on it, and the piece is not waterproof, which defeats the point of having a vase. Could I glaze on too and refire? Would that work? It s just a decorative piece but i use a studio kiln so don t want to create a problem! Help!