If you're a new potter or even if you've been at it for a while this video is worth watching. I
Marie here. This video will be a little different from my normal videos. I'm going to go over 10
helpful rules that I've developed for myself to help succeed as a potter. Follow along as I share
my fears and doubts that I had in the past and what to do to overcome those thoughts to succeed.
Any important information I mention in the video along with any important links will be
listed for you in the show notes below. Let's dive right in and start with my first rule.
Progress over perfection when crafting your pottery. Handcrafted pottery is not all about
perfection. It's about creating a piece of unique functional or non-functional art. I'm
not talking about sets like a set of dishes. Of course, you want them all to be the same size.
Your handcrafted pottery comes from being one of a kind and doesn't have to be perfect. I made a
mug that I didn't think was good enough, but I put it out there anyway and I sold it. To my surprise,
she came back months later and told me how much she loved that mug. It's now her favorite mug.
When our hands are able to mold a piece of clay into something our minds have envisioned there's
always some part of our character in each piece. My teacher would say if anyone wants a perfect
mug that looks like it came off the assembly line they can get it at the store. Which is not unique.
There is no personal connection in that pottery. She was encouraging us to be creative and not
be too concerned about being perfect as we were learning the craft. Now you can strive
for perfection but don't let it stop you from feeling that it has to be perfect. Handcrafted
pottery is like nature, unique and beautiful, and ever-changing. Rule number two. Practice patience.
When it comes to crafting pottery, slow is the only way to go. From molding your clay,
decorating, drying, and glazing, to firing the kiln. If you're not taking the time to properly
compress your clay, don't let your pottery dry thoroughly before firing in the kiln,
or fire too fast, you will run into problems and most likely ruin your pottery. Creating pottery is
known to be therapeutic. It requires a good amount of patience and focus. Even when I'm teaching I'm
not rushing through it like the house is on fire. If you want to rush through the process then
pottery is not for you. Exercising patience brings your success rate way up. Rule number three.
Don't give in to your fears and self-doubt. Do you give in to your fears or self-doubt and start
thinking of reasons why you can't create something before you even try. I sure did.
Mine was glazing. Now I love forming the clay, but glazing, not so much. When it came time to glaze
Fear set in and I was loaded with self-doubt. My first glaze didn't turn out so well.
Most everyone keeps their first pot. Right? I searched the recesses of my brain to find a way
to make pottery without glazing it. I know I'll use colored clay and burnish all of my pottery.
That's it I can burnish everything. I burnished and Bisqued a few pieces and that's as far as I
got. I really didn't want to burnish my pottery I wanted to glaze. So I knew what I had to do.
Get over my fear of glaze melting all over the kiln shelf and start glazing. Of course, my glaze
was way too thin until I finally learned how to make cookies. If you need to know how to make
cookies I have a video for you on how to make them and a video on ways to protect your kiln shelves.
I left links for you in the show notes below. I'm so glad I overcame my fears and self-doubt
and started glazing. Did I make mistakes? Sure I did, and I still do. But now I enjoy glazing. It's
so exciting to see how your pottery will turn out. Don't let your fear or self-doubt hold you back.
Ask questions and learn from your mistakes. That's the only way you can succeed.
Is there a step in the pottery crafting process that you're in fear of doing?
Let me know in the comments section below. Rule number four. Know all the rules of making
pottery before you can bend them. As you go along on your pottery crafting journey there are rules
that you have to adhere to in each stage of clay or your pottery will crack break or even explode.
Then you look at the professional potters and they don't seem to be following all the rules
and you get confused. Why is that? Because the more you learn the craft and grow your skills
you'll find which rules you can bend and which ones you can never break. As you advance as a
potter you're able to mix different clay bodies together, you may even make your own glazes where
you're able to adjust and modify ingredients. Like using different fluxes in your glaze recipes, also
creating your own kiln program, by adjusting each segment with the time, rate of speed, temperature,
and hold on the kiln. You're able to bend the rules because you've been test-firing clays,
glaze recipes, and adjusting the firing many times until you find what's unique and works for you.
Knowing all the rules will help you succeed and advance as a potter.
If you're getting any value from this video give me a thumbs up at any time during the video.
Rule number five. Be willing to make changes and ask. I if you're crafting your clay or
glazing your pottery and it's not working for you you need to make changes pottery is not
a simple art form with one or two set ways of doing things there are so many variables that
come into play when crafting your clay don't be afraid to ask I found the pottery community is
most helpful if you're having any problems with crazing or pinholes i have articles on each of the
problems on my pottery crafters website that can help i left links for you in the show notes below
Number six. Stop the mythical thoughts in your head. Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy.
You may stop creating because you think you're not good enough or be negatively influenced by
someone else's opinion. It's funny for some of us you can have over a hundred people tell you they
love your work, and one person comes along and makes a negative comment, and oh no you're done.
You just believed in one negative comment and dismissed
all the positive ones. For some reason, you can't get that comment out of your head.
That's why it's important to dismiss the one person's negative opinion
and say next and move forward to more positive thoughts. Like the hundred positive people that
love what you create. Enjoy what you do and try not to allow any negative thoughts in your head.
Number seven. Take risks. You'll never grow or evolve if you don't take risks,
especially when it comes to the art of crafting clay. Don't think you can't create something
similar to what you've seen. That's when you need to push past your comfort zone and try it anyway.
As you push past your limited beliefs you'll find that you're the only one that's holding
your creativity at bay. When it comes to playing with clay never play it safe try to make your
pot bigger or your cylinder taller. Push yourself past your preconceived limitations. If you don't
you'll never grow and evolve as a potter. After all, it's only clay and you can recycle it.
And if you like a less messy way to recycle your clay, check out my video on the top of the screen.
Number eight. Be persistent don't give up. Well let me tell you
I love throwing on the wheel but the biggest obstacle I had was getting that clay centered.
It took me longer to try and center the clay than it did to make the pot. I'm not kidding. A half
an hour later and half the amount of clay was left, and I finally centered it. I had a choice
give up or keep trying I'm glad I kept trying. Now I can center my clay in a minute.
Or sometimes two. I have a video in the top corner on eleven problems centering your
clay and how to fix them. Because I had all 11 at one point or another and I want to share with any
other potter that is having the same struggles with centering. So if you're struggling in any
area keep trying until you succeed. Number nine. Believe in yourself and stay confident. If you
don't believe in yourself and the work that you do how can you expect anyone else to. You may think
I can't make that pottery like that other potter does, or I can't throw on the wheel like that. The
good news is you don't have to. The great thing about pottery crafting is that it's so subjective.
There's so many different ways that you can form clay, decorate, and glaze. It's quite endless.
If you love to craft clay just believe in yourself and keep improving your skills. People have
different tastes so you do you and believe in what you do. You're unique and it's important
to believe in yourself to succeed. Rule number 10 plan plan plan and plan some more. In order
to get anywhere, you have to know where you're going. When you go on a trip you need a plan
and you have a map showing where you're going on your phone. The same goes with crafting your clay
you need a plan to succeed. You need to plan out how you're going to make something. All the tools
and supplies you need. Plan out how you're going to set up your studio. Plan out your workflow.
Now that you've created all this cool pottery what do you plan on doing with it?
Are you going to sell it or are you going to become a collector of your own art?
If you're going to sell your pottery you need a plan and there are different ways you can
do it. You can make a business of it and have a pottery shop or you can set up a pottery studio.
I hope I've helped you on the road to success in the wonderful world of pottery crafting.
Don't forget to hit the like button and to see more videos in the future make sure you subscribe
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You watching helps me to make more videos, like this one. Now head on over to my how to choose
clay video, or 21 glaze questions video. If you do I get to play with more clay. Let's stay dirty.