If the pottery world interests you, the first thing that would pop into your mind is to enroll in a pottery class. However, the regular travel requirements and expensive fees can deter you from starting your pottery-making journey. However, with a little effort, you can start your pottery-making escapades right from home with a well-planned pottery studio at home for oven firing. You don’t really have to invest in an expensive kiln or pottery wheel to start out. Here are some tips to help you create a pottery studio in your home for oven firing!
Steps To Create A Pottery Studio In Your Home For Oven Firing
1. Select The Right Space:
Preparing pottery in your home oven requires more than just an oven. You need to have several pottery tools by your side to craft your favorite piece with ease. It is important to select a proper space to place all these tools and equipment. Make sure you select an area that isn’t exposed to dust yet properly ventilated to ensure the toxic fumes can escape easily. A few examples are an unused garage, shed, summer house, outhouse, basement, or any spare room inside your house. Because you won’t be working with large equipment like a kiln or pottery wheel, it is fine if your workspace isn’t as large.
2. Ensure Proper Lighting:
When working with pottery ware, it is important to ensure that the area is well-lit. This will help you implement minor details into the pottery ware without any errors. You might also have to work with some sharp tools, and proper lighting will avoid any injuries. At times, a pottery piece made in dim light might look perfect. However, when you view it in decent lighting, the flaws are visible. So, it is important to ensure the lighting in the pottery studio is perfect.
3. Check Your Electrical Fittings:
Oven pottery making requires your pottery studio to have perfect electrical connections. Any type of short circuit or improper wiring can hamper your pottery-making process. Make sure the socket allows the oven to draw in the required power for thorough firing without any temperature fluctuations. Also, consult with your electrician for voltage supply and other power requirements.
4. Have A Tap & Sink Close By:
When creating art with clay, it is important that you have access to proper water flow. It will help you add enough moisture to the pottery ware without having to carry extra loads of water buckets from your kitchen or bathroom. However, it is important that you don’t drain out the excess clay in the sink, as it can clog up the pipes. And it can cost a lot to get your plumbing systems repaired.
5. Get A Sturdy Table For Sculpting:
Before you pop your clay into the home oven, you need to sculpt it to your desired shape. However, you cannot do so on a wobbly or improperly balanced table. So make sure you get a sturdy table for sculpting and ensure that it is completely clean. You can also place a table mat to prevent water from seeping into your table, especially if it is a wooden piece.
6. Add Multiple Shelves To The Pottery Studio:
Once your artwork has been fired in your home oven, you will need a dedicated space to store your pieces. In such cases having multiple shelves in your pottery studio would come in handy. The Homedant Shelving Unit is a great choice for stacking your artwork after baking it in your home oven. Its laminated boards are designed to avoid rotting issues caused due to moisture.
7. Invest In Pottery Tools:
Apart from the clay and oven, you also need to have the right pottery tools to work with. You can invest in tip carving tools, sponges, potter ribs, needle tools, clay cutters, fettling knives, loop tools, and many more. You can also get ribs and scrapers to add some finesse to the pottery piece.
Conclusion
Creating your very own pottery studio might seem like a time-taking affair, but it doesn’t have to be. With proper planning and budgeting, you can have your own studio ready in days. Instead of purchasing a new home oven, you can use the old ones not being used for cooking in your house. If it can be mended with a few repairs, it is surely the way to go, and you can save a lot of money.
