Pottery for beginners
- Course Code: VR739
- Dates: 26/10/24 - 07/12/24
- Time: 10:30 - 16:30
- Taught: Sat, Daytime
- Duration: 7 sessions (over 7 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Kate Starkey
Course Code: VR739
Duration: 7 sessions (over 7 weeks)
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.
What is the course about?
This is a course for beginners in Pottery. The course will give students an introduction to all main pottery techniques What students liked most about this course run in 2015/16: "I learnt a huge amount in a short space of time. I liked that I got a good grounding in different techniques to help me decide what to continue with as a next step. The tutor was very helpful and encouraging as well as knowledgeable."
including the hand-building techniques of pinching, coiling, press moulding and slab building. There will be an introduction to throwing on the wheel. Simple surface decoration, glazing and firing will also be taught.
What will we cover?
The aim of this course is to teach basic pottery processes. The techniques taught are pinching, coiling, press moulding and slab building forms, simple throwing on a potter’s wheel, decoration and glazing of work. Kiln firing will be explained.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Make simple forms using the techniques of:
- Pinching.
- Coiling.
- Slab building.
- Press moulding.
- Throwing.
Decorate the forms with different surface decoration techniques.
Glaze your work using department glazes and understand how the work is fired.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for newcomers to pottery.
You should be able to understand simple written and verbal instructions to follow demonstrations and read handouts and health and safety information. You should be able to use numbers in order to do very simple measurements and
calculations.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Through group and individual tuition and practical demonstrations.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There is a charge of £2.50 per 500g for clay before firing, the porcelain charge is £20.00 per bag/ £10.00per half bag.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
City Lit offers other Pottery course where you can learn further techniques. At the end of the course you will be given information about further courses available for those who wish to continue.
Kate Starkey graduated with an MA in Ceramics and Glass from the Royal College of Art in 2002. Since then Kate has taught at The City Lit at all levels from beginner to the advanced City Lit Ceramic Diploma course. Passionate about her subject Kate loves helping students to discover and develop their creativity and the joy of clay. A practising artist; Kate makes sculptural work in response to objects seen on the foreshore on her regular walks along the Thames at low tide.
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.
