Handbuilding Beginner Course (6 lessons)

Introduction to Handbuilding

Level

Beginner

Duration

6 lessons up to 2 months to complete

Each lesson is 2.5 hours

Fee Includes

• Materials and a starter toolkit
  
• 5 pieces of end products (Additional pieces are subjected to standard firing fees)

Available booking slots

*Lessons will be conducted only during this timing each week
*No refunds will be issued for cancellations.
*Make-up lessons may be arranged on a case-by-case basis, subject to availability and approval.

Course Description

Discover the art of working with clay in this beginner-friendly pottery course focused on handbuilding techniques. Over six sessions, you’ll learn how to shape, form, and decorate clay using simple tools and your hands—no pottery wheel required.

Starting with the fundamentals, you’ll explore essential skills such as wedging clay, controlling thickness, and forming basic shapes. You’ll then progress through core handbuilding methods including pinch pots, coil construction, and slab building, creating functional and decorative pieces along the way.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a collection of handmade ceramic pieces and theconfidence to continue exploring pottery on your own.

Perfect for: Beginners, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creative, hands-on craft.
No prior experience required.

Weekly Lesson Breakdown

Lesson 1
Topic: Introduction to Pinch Pot

• Understanding processes involved in pottery making
• Wedging of clay
• Understand thickness and forming of small Vessels
  

Lesson 2
Topic: Introduction to Coiling

• Introduction to the banding wheel
• Understand coiling and forming of small Vessels
• Coiling of symmetrical object
• Understanding how to refine your creation

Lesson 3
Topic: Coiling II

• Coiling and alteration
• Coiling of non-symmetrical object
• Understanding how to refine to your creation

Lesson 4
Topic: Introduction to Soft Slab Construction

• Introduction to rolling of slab
  
• Introduction to forming shapes with soft slab
• Prepare materials for next lesson - hollowing

Lesson 5
Topic: Introduction to hollowing - Boxes

• Introduction to carving out clay
• Introduction to the idea of lid

Lesson 6
Topic: Basic Glazing Theory

• Introduction to glazing process
  
• Understanding of glazing application through brushing, dipping, and pouring

Course Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to: 

1. Apply core handbuilding techniques

• Create forms using pinch, coil, and slab methods
• Control thickness and structure for durable pieces

2. Construct functional and decorative ceramics

• Build simple items such as bowls, cups, vases, or plates
• Assemble components using scoring and slipping techniques

3. Demonstrate surface decoration skills

• Apply textures, carving, and slip decoration
• Develop basic design and aesthetic awareness

4. Understand the ceramic finishing process

• Recognize drying stages (leather-hard, bone-dry)
• Explain basic firing and glazing processes

5. Complete and evaluate finished pieces

• Prepare works for firing and glazing
• Reflect on craftmanship and identity areas for improvement