A visit to the make and take ceramic shop offers a wonderful way for a family to spend a special afternoon. Families can visit the pottery studio while on vacation where they can create a special one-of-a-kind souvenir to commemorate the trip or they can visit a local ceramic shop and make a fun family memory. All necessary supplies are provided for the make-and-take experience. These supplies will include sponges, pottery paint and other ceramic necessities.
Pottery Classes
The pottery classes can vary in expense and set-up. Clients are usually encouraged to walk around and choose their project from available studio inventory. Choices from ceramic plates, ceramic mugs, and ceramic figurines are only a few of the items available. The instructor will explain how the process works and will walk each client through the steps of making their own ceramic art project. The students will use a damp sponge to wipe away any excess dust on the chosen ceramic piece and will then be ready to pick out their paint.
Pottery Paint
The student will use pottery paint to custom design a special creation. The paints are available in many colors or hues. Food-safe paints are available for ceramic plates and mugs that will be used for family meals. Even if the family plans to put the creations on display and doesn’t plan to eat from them, future generations might, so consider this when picking out the paint.
The paint will appear lighter when wet than it will after it’s fired in the kiln. Make sure to keep this in mind when choosing the desired colors so the finished product will have the proper finished effect.
Ceramic Supplies
There aren’t many ceramic supplies that will be needed for the class. The chosen piece of ceramic pottery will be the main item needed. A small bowl of water and a sponge will allow the artist to clean the piece in preparation for painting. Paintbrushes and paint will be the next ceramic supplies that are used. The majority of class time will be spent painting the ceramic object.
After the project is painted, the studio will “fire it” in the kiln. This process is the final step of the make-and-take experience. Most studios offer overnight firing, but in some cases the process will take several days.
The make-and-take shops offer classes, the walk-in experience and even serve as gift shops for the non-artsy person who wants a handmade gift item for a special event. Some pottery studios will charge by the piece, while others charge separately for the item and the studio time. Make sure to clarify the fees before starting the project. As soon as the project is chosen, relax, pick out the perfect color of pottery paint and get to work creating a unique ceramic masterpiece.
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Paige Dooly - Paige Dooly is the author of nineteen books and novellas and has written and published over 200 articles. As a homeschooling mother of ...
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