Working with pottery at home

Hi. I would like to working with pottery at home at home. How much
realistically will I need to spend $$$, and what exactly will I really
need to get started? Are any of those kits worth looking at, or are
those scams? Please also suggest a good book or 2.

Thanks.

--

Lewis Lang

"Lewis Lang" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi. I would like to working with pottery at home at home. How much
realistically will I need to spend $$$, and what exactly will I really
need to get started?

[If you are sitting on a clay mine, with plenty of wood around for fuel, you
could probably build yourself a kiln in the backyard and do it for free, or
nearly. Otherwise, you need to buy clay, which is "dirt cheap" and get a
kiln, or access to one. The rest is optional.]

Are any of those kits worth looking at, or are
those scams?

[What kits?]

Please also suggest a good book or 2.

Thanks.

--

Lewis Lang

[My favorite is Daniel Rhodes' classic "Clay and Glazes for the Potter", but
it may be out of print. It really depends on what you want to do - throwing,
handbuilding, sculpture, beads, cast figurines - there's a lot out there -
check Amazon.com, under Ceramics, or visit your local ceramic supply - they
usually carry books as well as everything else you might need.]

Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com

This is a troll - the replies go to photo groups and not at all to this
group.

That said, here is my reply to anyone who IS wondering about this!

I work mostly at home, but I do a course once a week (when I have time) and
get my pots fired there.

You don't say how much you know already about pottery, so I will guess you
are the beginner I was 3 years ago.

There is SO MUCH to learn about pottery, and so many different ways of doing
it, that I would suggest you take a course or two. Try out using a wheel -
some like to work on the wheel, some prefer to hand build things and/or
sculpture.

Until you know exactly which methods you like to work with, it would be
wrong of you to invest in expensive equipment.

You might be lucky and find a used wheel cheap. Other than that, you really
don't need much to start with, although books will give you a huge list of
stuff you might need, but your MOST IMPORTANT TOOL is YOUR HANDS!

Eg. an old knitting needle with a sponge tied on one end can serve you for
many purposes - reaching into the finished pot to remove water - the sharp
end to undercut your piece in order to be able to lift it from the wheel.

You also "need" to figure out what kind of clay you like to work with. There
are so many different clays with different properties - and it is very much
a pesonal thing which ones you like.

Take at least one course - preferably 2 or 3 - before you make ANY big
investments!

For books - have a surf at Amazon.com - they have the "look inside" feature,
so you can see if this is a book that covers your needs. Search for keywords
like pottery, beginners, basics etc.

Best of luck!

Marianne