Learn lots of different ways of making pottery, from handbuilding to throwing. Look at a variety of different ways to decorate your work. All levels welcome.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
This is a flexible ceramics course. For the beginner there will be simple projects to follow that teach the basics of pottery: throwing, hand building, surface decoration and glazing. The more advanced students will be encouraged to develop their own ideas and styles of making.
What will we cover?
We will cover the different ways of making ceramics: hand building, exploring clay from wet soft to leather hard, throwing and surface decoration. Glazing and firing will be taught. In addition, we will cover ways of developing and expressing personal ideas through making, working in sketchbooks and discussing ideas with fellow students and the teaching staff.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Make ceramic pieces through one or more of the following methods: - Pinching - Coiling - Slab building - Press moulding - Throwing - Sprigging - Use a sketchbook effectively to investigate new ideas, and document learning - Decorate these pieces with a variety of surface decoration processes - Glaze your work - Develop your ideas through experimentation and discussion.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for beginners and intermediate students.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Through practical demonstrations, group and individual tuition, slide talks and hand-outs. Using a Sketch Book both in class time and from week to week where appropriate.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There is a charge of £2.75 per 500g for clay before firing, the porcelain charge is £24:00 per bag/ £12:00 per half bag. In the final week you will need to pay for materials that you have used, payments to be made by contactless card reader.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Pottery on Saturdays: intermediate – VR725
Your tutor will advise you on which courses to progress. Within City Lit you could progress onto the City Lit Ceramics course - VR710, the Ceramics Intermediate Course - VR711, the Diploma Course in Ceramics - VR712, all of which are structured courses that can lead to higher education or independent studio practice.
Lauren Ilsley is an artist who predominantly makes ceramic sculpture. She works from her studio in East London, which she set up after graduating from the Royal College of Art with a Master’s degree in Ceramics and Glass. Lauren specialises in combining industrial ceramic processes with hand-building, often modifying tools and techniques to build unique objects. She exhibits her work regularly and is a member of the artist collectives/research groups - Undertow and [ALLOY]. Lauren is committed to teaching alongside her creative practice to pass on her knowledge, skill and passion for ceramics and sculpture. She is currently a ceramics tutor at City Lit and the London Sculpture Workshop; at the latter she helped to design and set up the ceramics facility. http://www.laurenilsley.com
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/pottery-on-saturdays2488054Pottery on Saturdayshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/i/m/img-20250811-wa0029.jpg599599GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Art & design/Courses/Art & design/Ceramics & sculpture/Ceramics & pottery/Courses/Art & design/Ceramics & sculpture22851132114314311228511321431Learn lots of different ways of making pottery, from handbuilding to throwing. Look at a variety of different ways to decorate your work. All levels welcome.002539756Pottery on Saturdays599599https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/i/m/img-20250811-wa0029_1.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekend2026-02-21T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allFeb 2026Art & designVR724599599Pottery on Saturdays479389599Lauren Ilsleypottery-on-saturdays/vr724-2526Learn lots of different ways of making pottery, from handbuilding to throwing. Look at a variety of different ways to decorate your work. All levels welcome.0000-Available|2026-02-21 00:00:00This is a flexible ceramics course. For the beginner there will be simple projects to follow that teach the basics of pottery: throwing, hand building, surface decoration and glazing. The more advanced students will be encouraged to develop their own ideas and styles of making.Learn lots of different ways of making pottery, from handbuilding to throwing. Look at a variety of different ways to decorate your work. All levels welcome.We will cover the different ways of making ceramics: hand building, exploring clay from wet soft to leather hard, throwing and surface decoration. Glazing and firing will be taught. In addition, we will cover ways of developing and expressing personal ideas through making, working in sketchbooks and discussing ideas with fellow students and the teaching staff.- Make ceramic pieces through one or more of the following methods:<br/> - Pinching<br/> - Coiling<br/> - Slab building<br/> - Press moulding<br/> - Throwing<br/> - Sprigging<br/> - Use a sketchbook effectively to investigate new ideas, and document learning<br/> - Decorate these pieces with a variety of surface decoration processes<br/> - Glaze your work<br/> - Develop your ideas through experimentation and discussion.This course is for beginners and intermediate students.<br/> <br/>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and <br/> safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.Through practical demonstrations, group and individual tuition, slide talks and hand-outs. Using a Sketch Book both in class time and from week to week where appropriate.<p>There is a charge of £2.75 per 500g for clay before firing, the porcelain charge is £24:00 per bag/ £12:00 per half bag. In the final week you will need to pay for materials that you have used, payments to be made by contactless card reader.</p><p>Pottery on Saturdays: intermediate – VR725<br/><br/><br/>Your tutor will advise you on which courses to progress. Within City Lit you could progress onto the City Lit Ceramics course - VR710, the Ceramics Intermediate Course - VR711, the Diploma Course in Ceramics - VR712, all of which are structured courses that can lead to higher education or independent studio practice.<br/><br/> </p>Ceramics & sculptureCeramics & potteryvirtual479599389VR724NONESat21/02/26 - 28/03/2610:00 - 17:0010:0017:006 sessions (over 6 weeks)65-10 weeksDaytimeWeekendKSKeeley StreetLauren IlsleyBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-02-21T00:00:00+00:00Feb 2026Art & design599599Pottery on Saturdayspottery-on-saturdays/vr724-2526Learn lots of different ways of making pottery, from handbuilding to throwing. Look at a variety of different ways to decorate your work. All levels welcome.0000-Available|2026-02-21 00:00:00This is a flexible ceramics course. For the beginner there will be simple projects to follow that teach the basics of pottery: throwing, hand building, surface decoration and glazing. The more advanced students will be encouraged to develop their own ideas and styles of making.Learn lots of different ways of making pottery, from handbuilding to throwing. Look at a variety of different ways to decorate your work. All levels welcome.We will cover the different ways of making ceramics: hand building, exploring clay from wet soft to leather hard, throwing and surface decoration. Glazing and firing will be taught. In addition, we will cover ways of developing and expressing personal ideas through making, working in sketchbooks and discussing ideas with fellow students and the teaching staff.- Make ceramic pieces through one or more of the following methods:<br/> - Pinching<br/> - Coiling<br/> - Slab building<br/> - Press moulding<br/> - Throwing<br/> - Sprigging<br/> - Use a sketchbook effectively to investigate new ideas, and document learning<br/> - Decorate these pieces with a variety of surface decoration processes<br/> - Glaze your work<br/> - Develop your ideas through experimentation and discussion.This course is for beginners and intermediate students.<br/> <br/>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and <br/> safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.Through practical demonstrations, group and individual tuition, slide talks and hand-outs. Using a Sketch Book both in class time and from week to week where appropriate.<p>There is a charge of £2.75 per 500g for clay before firing, the porcelain charge is £24:00 per bag/ £12:00 per half bag. In the final week you will need to pay for materials that you have used, payments to be made by contactless card reader.</p><p>Pottery on Saturdays: intermediate – VR725<br/><br/><br/>Your tutor will advise you on which courses to progress. Within City Lit you could progress onto the City Lit Ceramics course - VR710, the Ceramics Intermediate Course - VR711, the Diploma Course in Ceramics - VR712, all of which are structured courses that can lead to higher education or independent studio practice.<br/><br/> </p>Ceramics & sculptureCeramics & potteryconfigurable
