Best Online Pottery Classes

Introduction

We know what you’re thinking: pottery? Online? Yes, most people get their first clay experience in the studio, but we’re firm believers that you don’t need a studio to start shaping clay—you can do it from the comfort of your own home! We’ve sifted through a myriad of online pottery classes and handpicked the best for you. Whether you’re looking to dip your toes in the clay or are itching to level up your skills, these classes are the real deal. We’ve tested them ourselves and can vouch for their transformative powers in your pottery journey. So, grab your clay and let’s get started!

Online Pottery Classes for Beginner

For those new to the clay world or returning after a break, Skillshare offers some fantastic beginner courses to build or refresh your pottery foundations. Regardless of were you are in your journey, these courses are clay-tastic options!

Introduction to Ceramics & Hand Building Techniques with Pau Stephens

Level: Beginners

Duration: 37 minutes

Materials: clay, toolkit, kiln access

Interested in learning about the world of hand building? This course covers 3 of the essential building blocks, all in under 40 minutes! You’ll learn your classic slab building, pinch pot, and coil hand building skills, and use those skills to make a final pot or vessel. And, Pau shares clay tips that “she wishes she knew when she started” her own clay journey, giving beginners who take this course a leg up! You learn a lot in a short amount of time, so buckle up for this roller coaster of a course!

Pottery Wheel for Beginners with Mia Mueller

Level: Beginners

Duration: 56 min

Materials: wheel, clay, beginners tool kit, glaze, kiln access

A course for absolute wheel newbies, Mia will take you through all of the stages of throwing your very first piece. You’ll start with wedging, and move into throwing, learning essential skills like centering, opening the hole, and pulling the walls. Then, you’ll learn the secrets to trimming, drying, bisque firing, and glazing. At the end of the course, you’ll be able to throw a cylinder, a great starting point for any wheel creation! Whether you’re in a pottery class and want some extra instruction, or you’re looking to get a feel for throwing in studio hours, this class will turn you into a wheel enthusiast in less than an hour. 

Short, Project-Based Online Pottery Classes

Want to start creating with clay, but don’t want to spend an hour learning basic skills? Check out these short courses from skill share. In these classes, you’ll make a unique beginner project and understand some of the basics of clay in the process. 

How to Make Ceramic Spoons with Nives Ratkajec

Level: Beginners

Duration: 12 min

Materials: covered in lesson

Want to make something quick, beautiful, and functional? This spoons course is calling your name. In just 12 minutes, you’ll learn to craft a simple yet elegant ceramic spoon that you can use for sugar, spice, and everything nice. Nives will walk you throw how to hand build the spoon, decorate it, and fire it. The end result is a charming piece of tableware, and some newfound confidence in your clay skills.

Ceramic Love Birds with Anne Goodrich Hunter

Level: Beginners

Duration: 12 min

Materials: clay, basic toolkit, slip, kiln access

More interested in the sculpting side of clay? In this course, you’ll learn how to make a bird sculpture using the hand building pinch pot technique. You’ll perfect a basic form, and learn how to apply the technique to sculptural projects. And, who doesn’t love a little ceramic animal? 

Online Pottery Classes to Help You Level Up

These classes are great for helping you hone in your skills. Take the first couple of classes we suggested to get the basics down, and then turn to these to start tackling more complex pottery projects!

Creating your First Ceramic Vessel with Lily Maetzig

Level: Beginners

Duration: 3 h 41 min

Materials:  2-5kg of clay (ideally stoneware or earthenware), a rolling pin, some guides (like flat sticks of wood or magazines), a knife, ribs,  a ruler, a paintbrush, sponges, a bowl of water, pens, pencils, paper, scissors, a wire to cut the clay, an extra board to work on, and plastic sheets

Start to create professional looking pieces at home. Using minimal materials and resources, you’ll make gorgeous vases by the end of this course. Lily covers the basic hand building skills (pinch, coil, slab), but your ultimate project will be focused on perfecting your slab skills. You’ll learn how to assemble your vessel, add personal touches, and then dry, glaze, and fire it. As a bonus, Lily also added a segment on how to recycle your clay scraps! You’ll be running your own studio in no time.

Stamp Making for Textured Pottery with Sarah Pike

Level: Beginners

Duration: 3 hr 27 min (15 lessons)

Materials: clay, glaze, wax, an MDO board, a cement board, a banding wheel, wooden slats, a rolling pin, ribs, carving tools, access to a kiln.

In this course, you’ll not only learn how to make a slab built cup, you’ll take mug building to a pro level. Sarah will show you how to form your clay into a cylinder, but also will show techniques to add texture, and transform your mug into different forms. The real highlight of this class is carving your own stamps out of clay. Sarah shows that there are no limits to what you can do with pottery, and you’ll be inspired by her attention to detail and creativity!