Oxford Clay

Using moulds in pottery is amazing! Moulds allow Potters to make the same shape consistently over and over again, create sets of pots, and save time and energy in their making process.

Moulds can be used to make the main body of the pot or for creating decoration. 

In this episode I talk about the 5 types of moulds available to Potters and how each one is used: 

*Press mould

*Hump mould 

*Slip-casting mould 

*Sprig mould (plaster of Paris) 

*Sprig mould (silicone)

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

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Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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Pottery is a very safe activity but there are certain times when Potters need to protect their lungs from fine powders. That’s where FFP3 face masks come in!

In this episode, I talk about what an FFP3 face mask is, how it works, and four scenarios when a Potter would need one:

*When making pottery glazes or clay.

*When sieving plant ashes. 

*When scraping dry clay.

*When applying glaze to pottery by spraying.

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

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Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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Did you know that clay is actually made from lots of different materials such as crushed rocks, ball clays and china clay? 

Making your own clay can be a great option for Potters who want to know exactly what ingredients are going into their clay to minimise the environmental impact of their pottery. Making clay yourself can be cheaper than buying it commercially and you can save the time, effort and CO2 emissions of haulage to get (heavy!) wet clay to you.  

In this episode, I talk you through the ingredients and process I use to make my own stoneware clay. Firstly by creating a casting slip, that I later reclaim back into clay for throwing!

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

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Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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There is some incredible equipment out there that is not necessarily made for the handmade pottery industry, but Potters can use it for amazing results!

In this 2 part episode series I’ll tell you about 16 of my favourite pieces of non-pottery equipment that I regularly use to make my pottery.

There's actually so much great equipment out there that I had to split this topic into two parts!

In part 2 I tell you about how I use these things in pottery: 

*Silicone spatula

*Gardening Scoop 

*Stone Pestle and Mortar 

*Slate Table Mats 

*Tea Towel

*Flexible Bucket (also known as a Flexi Tub) 

*Tupperware boxes

*Makeup brushes 

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

-------------------------------

Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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There is some incredible equipment out there that is not necessarily made for the handmade pottery industry, but Potters can use it for amazing results! In this two-part episode series I’ll tell you about 16 of my favourite pieces of non-pottery equipment that I regularly use to make my pottery.

There's actually so much great equipment out there that I had to split this topic into two parts!

In Part 1 I tell you about how I use these things in pottery:

*Cellulose Decorators Sponge

*Microfibre Cleaning Cloth

*Plasterer’s Bucket

*Electric Paddle Mixer

*Enamel Pie Dish

*Vegetable oil

*Bamboo Kitchen Roll

*Catering Electric Stick Blender

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

-------------------------------

Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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Did you know that vinegar has several uses in pottery?

In this episode, we explore three excellent ways Potters can use vinegar in their work, from helping to stick clay together, to thickening slips and even as an ingredient in making homemade pottery colouring oxides!

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

-------------------------------

Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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Slip casting is a fantastic way of making pottery. It allows Potters to make the same shape of pot over and over again, saving time and effort. Slip casting also allows Potters to make sets of items and standardise their making process to ensure they can consistently replicate the quality of their pots.

At Oxford Clay, I've been slip casting for a number of years now and have experienced a lot ups and downs with learning the process! In this episode, I talk about the 10 best slip-casting tips I’ve learned over the years, from making your own casting slip to adding paper to the slip recipe to strengthen the clay!

The stoneware slip-casting slip recipe mentioned in this episode can be found in the book Eco-Friendly Pottery: 30 Simple Ways to Make Your Pottery Practice More Ethical and Sustainable, by Oxford Clay available on the Oxford Clay website or on Amazon.

Links for the Eco-Friendly Pottery Book with the slip recipe:

Amazon

Oxford Clay website

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

-------------------------------

Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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Plaster moulds are a great resource for Potters. Moulds can be used in pottery to press clay into (a press mould), smooth clay over (a hump mould), or pour liquid clay into (a slip casting mould).

Plaster moulds allow Potters to make lots of the same shapes of pots simply and accurately. At Oxford Clay, I use a one-part plaster mould for slip-casting my work. In this episode, I talk through the step-by-step process of how I make my plaster moulds, by casting the profile of an enamel pie dish into plaster of Paris. You’ll hear how achievable making your own plaster mould really is!

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

-------------------------------

Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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What are clay bodies made from and do you need to make your own as a Potter?

Have you ever heard the term ‘clay body’ and been curious about what it means? Well, the ‘clay body’ and clay are the same thing! In this episode, we investigate what clay or clay bodies are made from, how they’re made and three reasons why a Potter may choose to make their own.

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

-------------------------------

Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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If you've ever felt blocked creatively in pottery or like nothing you’re making is any ‘good’ (who hasn’t?) this episode is for you! We discuss five tips for getting your creative flow back and generating original ideas in pottery. Some of them are just about getting out of our own way and not believing the thoughts our brains like to generate about our pottery practice.

Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube

✨Support the Podcast

-------------------------------

Resources for Potters:

⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon

Free Pottery Guides:

🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners):

🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule)

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