The Basics of Making Pottery

Pottery is an ancient art form that began when humans discovered the transformation of clay into useful utensils and decorative vessels. Since pottery is both durable and lightweight, it was a practical choice for early peoples to create tools that were useful in the wilderness and in towns. Pottery also helped early civilizations advance, as potters learned to add sculptural designs, refine glaze colors and develop unique shapes that were not available in nature.

While it takes a lot of time, patience and practice to become a skilled potter, anyone with the interest in creating their own pottery can start with very basic equipment that can be set up in any spare room or garage. A few special tools can make the process easier and more efficient while helping a potter expand their capabilities. An apron and towels are also recommended, as pottery is a messy art form.

To begin making pottery, the potter must first find usable clay. Archaeological finds show that the earliest pottery was made near natural clay deposits. Then, methods must be developed to reliably transform the clay into ceramic. The earliest pottery was fired using open fires, but the Chinese were the first to perfect techniques that could consistently produce fine pottery.

The clay used to create pottery must be free of grit, which can cause the potter to suffer from silicosis, an occupational lung disease. Today, potters can avoid this health hazard by using the latest equipment that sifts out any grit from the raw clay. This allows a potter to work more quickly, efficiently and without a significant risk of silicosis.