Setting up a Home Pottery Studio – Ceramics by Jas

Setting up a Home Pottery Studio

This week, I wanted to share some simple things you can do to get started with setting up a home pottery studio.
When I started pottery back in 2020, I did not start with an intention to build a business, at least not at the beginning. So it made sense to notinvest in large expensive equipment or rent out a space to give pottery a try.
It was a simple desire to learn something new and that lead me to order a basic pottery kit online and get a single bag of clay from a studio closeby. I don't know how but my collection of pottery tools kept growing, and before I knew it, I had a fully functional pottery studio right in my own home.
Creating your own pottery studio at home is really exciting and eliminated the need to travel to a studio every time you want to play with clay. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced potter, setting up a well-equipped and functional pottery studio is important for a healthy creative practice. Here is a guide to help you set up your home pottery studio. Do note that this is geared more towards hand-building but can easily be adapted for wheel throwing-
- Find a suitable space- Look for an area in your home that can be dedicated to your pottery studio. It should have sufficient space to accommodate your equipment (which in case of hand-building is minimal), a worktable, storage shelves, and a kiln if possible. (Though I have to say, a kiln is an expensive investment so go for it only when you are sure you want to pursue ceramics long-term). When finding a suitable space, consider factors like natural light, ventilation, and accessibility. I used a spare room in my apartment as my pottery studio for almost 2 years before moving into a commercial space. Some people even use their dining tables as their pottery studio. It all depends on what you want to do. The biggest issue with using dining table for pottery is dust. And if you do plan to use any high footfall areas for pottery, make sure they are well-ventilated and always cover the work surface with plastic for easy clean up.
- Gather essential tools and equipment- Depending on your preferred pottery technique, gather the necessary tools and equipment. You can refer to my guide on basic and advanced tools for hand-building. Other than these you will need a worktable which can double up as your clay rolling table and a wedging table for recycling clay. The most important considerations for choosing the table is the table height and its sturdiness. I used a high bar table as a worktable for the longest time. I had to stand while working because there wasn't enough space to squeeze in a chair or stool. The high table did its job, but it wasn't great for tasks like wedging and rolling out clay. So I used an old random table with a lower height, for those jobs. I currently use repurposed dining tables in my studio as my work tables.
- A place to store your fired and unfired pieces- As you make your pieces, you need a place to dry and store them. Utilising the vertical wall space with shelving and racks is a great way to store your pieces, some tools and equipment. I use metal shelves from Ikea for storage which also double up as drying shelves. I think wooden shelves are more suitable for display. Apart from Ikea, you can find a lot of old shelves and racks on sale at FB marketplace, to use as studio storage. You can also use large plastic containers for storing and transporting green and finished pieces. In fact, I used these large Ikea containers to store my finished pieces. And as I started running out of space, I stacked one on top of the other in a corner in my balcony. If you are planning to store them in an area exposed to the elements, make sure you cover them well as they may slowly start losing their strength and end up breaking & disintegrating.
- A local place to source clay & other raw materials including glazes- Research and find local clay suppliers for all your clay and glaze needs. Buying clay and glaze from Amazon, especially from overseas, will definitely be a lot more expensive. So always try and find local suppliers and buy locally to keep your costs down.
- System for recycling- Recycling is an essential component of setting up a clay studio. This basically includes clay and water recycling and disposal
Clay- Clay scraps from different projects can be recycled and used again to make more pieces. Different studios have different ways to recycle clay. In a home studio, especially at the beginning, your production will be limited. So an easy way to recycle clay is to just take the clay scraps, dip them in water and seal them in plastic bags to keep them soft. And as the bag fills up, wedge up the clay and use again. You can also use a bucket with a lid for storing your scraps. And remember, if you are using different clays with different firing temperatures or colors, then store them in separate bags/ buckets to avoid contamination.
Another way to recycle is to let the clay scraps dry out completely in am open container. Once they are bone dry, add water to slake them down (Dry clay disintegrates faster than wet clay) and form clay slurry/ slip. Then scoop out this slip onto a plaster bat or a wooden bat covered with thick canvas cloth. The plaster bat and the canvas help to soak the water from the clay turning it from slip back to usable clay. As the clay dries, wedge it up again and use.
Water- Another thing to note is to have a system for recycling water and throwing the clay waste. You cannot throw clay or glaze water down your washroom or kitchen sink as it will end up clogging your drainage system. I usually let my clay water sit still for a couple of days so that the clay particles settle down. I then siphon off the clear water from the top. This water is now safe to be thrown down the drain. I scoop up the sludge settled at the bottom of the bucket into a garbage bag and dispose it with the rest of the waste.
- Access to a kiln- When you are just starting out, I would not recommend buying a kiln right away. Kilns are expensive and you need a separate space to store and proper ventilation to fire your kiln. Another consideration is the kiln size- for home studios you will be restricted by the maximum electric output available, unless of course you have the budget to rewire for a bigger kiln. Please note, kilns usually require dedicated circuits and higher voltage outlets. I had a 30 amp circuit already installed in my balcony, so for me it was an easy decision to make while buying my first kiln. Even though I wanted to get a bigger kiln, I bought the one that could run on the existing power load. Also since the kiln was sitting in my balcony, I covered a part of the balcony to ensure that the kiln is protected from rain. Your local clay supplier is a good starting point for checking on the kiln electric requirements for a home studio.
So when you are starting off, look for clay studios in your neighbourhood which offer kiln firing services. Once you have a box or two of greenware ready to fire, you can take them to the studio to fire. Kiln firing is a common service offered by a lot of studios. A quick google search will also give you plenty of options for firing.
- Consider safety measures- If you want to continue pursuing pottery long term, its a good idea to implement certain safety measures.
- Pottery means working in dust so always ensure proper ventilation of your work area
- Always wet clean all your work surfaces, tools and the floor
- When mixing dry materials for glazes, always wear a mask designed specifically for fine dust particles.
- You may need protective eye wear along with the mask when sanding the pot bases and dremeling the glaze drips etc
- Protecting your hands with nitrile gloves when using some full strength stains & oxides.
- Create a system for organising your tools and materials- with designated areas for your clay, glazes, tools, and finished pottery to have an easy workflow. Proper storage helps protect your materials and keeps your studio clutter-free.
 
These guidelines should get you started on your journey of setting up a home studio. If you have any other questions regarding home studio set-up or pottery in general, please feel free to email me!
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