Set Up Your Pottery Studio

It may seem obvious, but creating pottery requires a space in which to work. For some, this may be a freestanding studio. For others, this may be a classroom space shared with other students. For yet another group, this may be a part of their home or garage. In creating this space, you need to consider:
First, define how deeply your interest in working with clay goes. Are you just trying ceramics out, and you aren't certain how involved you will want to become? Are you just getting started as a potter but you want to really develop your talents? Are you serious about being a potter but you have been working in someone else's space, perhaps as a student or as an apprentice?

Hand Building versus Throwing

If you are building pots by hand, you will probably require less space than if you have a potter's wheel and are doing throwing. You can easily build pots by hand on your kitchen table, and still be able to clean up for dinner quickly.Throwing is also inherently messier. Inevitably, throwing will leave splatters on your walls, floor, and furniture, and really requires a dedicated studio space. In addition, the wheel itself take up more space.

If you are throwing, will it be with a smaller electric wheel or a bulkier kick wheel? How much table space will you need for wedging and modifying thrown pots? If you are hand building, how large of a table will you need to work on your pieces?

How Much Space Will You Need?

You have now defined your level of interest and whether you will be hand building or throwing, or both. It is time to ask yourself how many pots or sculptures you will be creating and how large you will be working. For example, if you will only be making one or two small pieces in a month, the best clay space for you will be quite different than if you will be throwing a hundred large pots in a week.