Practical pottery guides and tool advice for modern ceramic artists

Studio-tested techniques, firing knowledge, and tool recommendations from working potters.

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Artabys is for recreational clay artists who want to explore ceramics without turning it into a factory job or an academic deep dive. It’s built for the garage potter, the curious maker, and the creatively restless artist who’s more interested in handbuilding techniques, surface, form, and expression than chasing perfect cylinders on a wheel.

You’ll find practical guidance on tools, techniques, ceramic history, and studio workflow, without getting buried in glaze chemistry formulas or production-speed advice. Everything here is grounded in real studio experience, shaped by decades of working with clay as an art form rather than a manufacturing process. Artabys exists to help you understand why things work, not just how, so you can make more intentional, expressive work on your own terms.

Clay Shaping & Handbuilding

Exploring Clay in Practice

This section brings together ongoing explorations of clay, tools, surfaces, and studio practice. Rather than chasing trends or quick answers, these pieces reflect the questions that come up naturally in the studio: how materials behave, why certain techniques work, and how artists solve problems through making. Think of this as a window into the kinds of ideas worth spending time with.

I Tried Making Pottery Without a Wheel… This Changed Everything

February 4, 2026

Pottery does not start with a wheel. It starts with your hands. Hand building is where the real molding memories happens. Pinching clay into your first tiny bowl, rolling coils like clay snakes, pressing texture into slabs, or sculpting a form that did not exist five minutes ago. These techniques do not just make pottery. … Read more

How to make a flared Mug: Flare up your coffee game

February 3, 2026

I’ve made a lot of mugs over the years, and I’ll tell you this straight: the difference between a mug people reach for every morning and one that sits in the back of the cupboard usually comes down to the rim and the belly. A straight cylinder works, sure. But a gentle flare at the … Read more

I Made My Own Clay Texture Rollers… The Results Shocked Me

February 2, 2026

Clay texture rollers are one of those tools that look simple until you realize how much control they actually give you. Get the diameter or height wrong, and your pattern repeats awkwardly. Get it right, and suddenly your surfaces feel intentional, balanced, and professional. This guide walks through how to make your own clay rollers … Read more

What Happens When Form Comes First in Pottery

January 23, 2026

The first time I handbuilt a mug that wasn’t round, it annoyed me. The handle felt like it had opinions. The walls leaned slightly. The rim refused to line up with anything I could measure. On the wheel, I would have fixed all of that. By hand, the clay kept saying, “No, this is what … Read more

Find Pottery Tools Based On Your Style

Picking the right pottery tools isn’t just about brand names it’s about how you actually work with clay.

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Tools That Support the Way You Work

This section focuses on understanding tools in context: what they’re designed to do, how they affect your process, and when they actually matter. The goal isn’t to collect more equipment, but to choose tools that support the way you shape, build, and work with clay.

Firing & Kiln Essentials

Firing is where intention meets reality, and understanding the process matters long before you chase perfect results. This section focuses on the fundamentals of firing and kiln use with an emphasis on safety, awareness, and practical understanding, especially for small studios and home setups. The aim is confidence and clarity, not mastery or optimization.