The Best Cleanup Tools for Ceramic and Art Studios

The Carlisle Mop Bucket, one of two top picks for a studio mop bucket.

Updated and revised, June 12, 2021

In a studio, it’s important to have the right clean up tools to keep things neat, organized, and safe. This is especially true in ceramic and sculpture studios, where dust can be an issue. And while any sort of clean up tool will be better than nothing, high-quality, well-designed tools do stand the test of time and most importantly, really work.

This post is an overview of quality clean-up tools that get the job done. These are the exact tools that I use in my studio.

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Table of Contents

• Dust Pan and Bench Brush

• Long Handle Dust Pans / Lobby Pans

• Brooms

• Sweeping Compound

• Mop and Bucket: Rubbermaid Commercial and Carlisle

• Large Yellow Sponges

• HEPA Vacuum

• Walk Behind Floor Scrubbers

• Clean-Up Recommendations

• Summary

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Dust Pan and Bench Brush/Duster

The Rubbermaid Commercial Dust Pan and Bench Brush/Duster are simply the best dust pan and brush combo that I’ve ever used. The pan is sturdy, functional, and hangs nicely on the wall. It is 12.25” wide and about 3 inches deep at the tallest point.

The bench brush is where you really step up your cleaning game: It’s a heavy-duty brush with relatively soft bristles that clean evenly and completely, and can be washed if needed.

This combo is great for cleaning dirty tabletops, sweeping up larger chunks of clay, sawdust, brushing off a kiln shelf, or for light-duty floor cleaning.

When compared to other dust pan and brush combos, there is simply no comparison. These are long-lasting, functional upgrades to your studio. They will last years, if not decades, under normal use.

The Rubbermaid Commercial 12.5” Dust Pan

The Rubbermaid Commercial Bench Brush / Particle Duster

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Long Handle Dust Pans / Lobby Pans

A long handle dust pan and broom are your other tool for dealing with chunks and dust. They really save your back and make cleanup that much easier. And in a shared studio space such as a community studio, having a long-handled dust pan will greatly increase the likelihood of studio members doing their part to clean up.

Oxo Good Grips Sweeping Sets

The slightly larger Oxo Good Grips Sweep Set with the extendable handle broom.

The Oxo Good Grips Sweeping Sets are my favorite long-handle dust pans and broom combos. Thoughtfully designed and sturdy, it’s what I currently use in my studio and I even purchased the smaller combo for use at home.

The larger “extendable handle” set (shop at Amazon) has a 10.8” wide dust pan that is 3.5 inches tall. The dust pan handle is 35” high, and the broom handle can be extended from 35” to 53” inches.

The smaller set (shop at Amazon) has a 9.5 inch wide dust pan that is 3 inches tall, and the dust pan and broom are around 35 inches tall or 38.5 inches when hanging upright.

Both sets are made from the same sturdy plastic and design, including a swiveling dust pan that can lock in place. The thick rubber “comb” on the dust pan help clean the bristles of the broom. This is especially good for removing hair and dust balls that stick to the broom.

The dust pan handle also contains a handy snap, so the set clicks together for easy storage both upright or hanging. In the hanging mode, the head of the broom can be easily tucked into the dust pan. It’s an all-around great combo.

Rubbermaid Commercial Long Handled Lobby Dust Pan

Another great long-handle dust pan option is the Rubbermaid Commercial Lobby Dust Pan. It has a much larger dust pan than the Oxo version, making it perfect for academic studios and larger spaces, such as community or garage studios. It is heavy duty, holds a large amount of dust and trash, and the pan swivels for picking up and dumpling. For storage, it will sit on the ground or can be hung up by the handle hook.

Rubbermaid Commercial Long Handle Lobby Dust Pan

Rubbermaid Commercial Lobby Broom. Just 7.5” wide, so a standard broom may be better for studios.

This dust pan pairs well with either a standard angle broom or the small lobby broom. The lobby broom is 7.5” wide, putting it on the smaller side if your goal is to clean up dust. I generally prefer a standard angle broom (see below) but the lobby broom does have a shorter handle, hangs up easily, and is good for sweeping larger chunks into the dust pan.

My only complaint about this dust pan is it doesn’t have a clip to hold a broom in place. But like most other Rubbermaid Commercial products, this is a well-built tool that will last forever.

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Brooms

The Rubbermaid 10.5” Angle Broom.

Angle Broom

If you are working in a studio that generates dust, such as a ceramic studio or woodshop, you need to be mindful when sweeping and generating any sort of dust. Sweeping compound can help trap dust at the ground level before it gets in the air, but another way to avoid creating airborne dust is to sweep gently with a soft-bristled broom. Move dirt deliberately into piles, then get it into your dust pan and you should be fine.

The best all-purpose broom for a studio is a simple angle broom. My favorite is the Rubbermaid Commercial 10.5” angle broom. It’s a quality broom and if you ever do actually wear out the brush head, you can buy replacement heads.

Push Broom

Rubbermaid Commercial Smooth Surface Fine Duty brush head for a push broom.

For larger rooms, you may want to also have a push broom or two. These are especially great for larger academic studios, outdoor concrete pads, or hallways. It’s harder to maneuver these around table legs and chairs.

As mentioned above, the way to go with possibly dusty floors is to get the softest bristles possible. For a push broom, the Rubbermaid Commercial Smooth Surface Fine Duty brush head is the way to go. Pair it with a broom handle, and you’ll have a great broom.

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Sweeping Compound

SpillFix all purpose absorbent / sweeping compound.

Anytime you are sweeping a dry or dusty floor, sweeping compound will greatly reduce or eliminate any potential airborne dust and help you grab all the dust and debris. Sweeping compound is typically some form of oily sawdust. It is tacky enough to grab dust and dirt, but dry enough that there is no trace of oil left on the floor. Some sweeping compounds also double as absorbents for oil or other materials.

The best way to use sweeping compound is to fill a plastic cup with a bit of sweeping compound and fling it in a low, horizontal motion in order to distribute it evenly. Then, sweep as normal.

For busy studios, sweeping compound can be ordered in large bags or drums from most hardware stores or warehouse supply stores. Sweeping compound will dry out over time, so it’s best to order what you can use in 6 to 12 months. For smaller studios or if you are trying sweeping compound for the first time, the smallish jar of SpillFix linked below is a great way to test it out. Once you start using sweeping compound, you’ll wonder how you ever swept a studio floor without it.

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Mop and Bucket

Rubbermaid WaveBreak Wringer Bucket

A mop and wringer bucket is an important part of any studio clean-up operation, especially if you are working with clay and want to avoid dust. The best wringer bucket is the Rubbermaid Commercial Wavebreak Bucket Wringer Set and for the mop, my preference is the Rubbermaid Side Gate Mop Handle with a blue mop head.

Rubbermaid Side Gate Mop Handle

I know this post is starting to seem like it’s all Rubbermaid Commercial products, but I have used and can vouch for the quality, durability, and design of these products. (For a review of a Rubbermaid product I don’t endorse, read about 10 gallon buckets here) The good news on wringer buckets is there are a variety of side-press wringer buckets that are all about the same price and are highly reviewed, including Carslisle and Amazon Basics.

The main additional feature of the Rubbermaid is the “WaveBreak” system, essentially two flanges inside the bucket to help control the water when you are rolling the bucket. For me, the WaveBreak doesn’t add much, but I do appreciate the quality of the caster wheels and the wringer system on the Rubbermaid.

For a mop head, I find that the blue headband-style mop heads hold the longest. I prefer the standard 20” length, but there are options out there.

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The Carlisle Mop Bucket is available in a 35 and 26 quart size.

Carlisle Mop Buckets

For an alternative to the Rubbermaid Mop Bucket, check out the Carlisle Mop Buckets. They are available in two sizes: 26 quart and 35 quart, and a variety of colors. Options are good! And the smaller size is appropriate for smaller studios. They do not feature the “Wavebreak” middle bumper found on the Rubbermaid bucket, but this actually makes it easier to clean out the grime that settles to the bottom of the bucket.

I use and stock the 35 quart Rubbermaid bucket in larger studios, but in my own personal studio, I have the 26 quart Carlisle bucket. The mop wringer top part is the same size as the larger model, but the 4.5 gallon bucket takes up less room while providing enough water for cleanup. The casters don’t seem as robust as the Rubbermaid buckets, but overall, it’s basically the same, well-built mop bucket.

The Carlisle Mop Buckets are also available in a five colors.

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Large Yellow Sponges

Armaly ProPlus Grouting and Cleanup Sponge

Large yellow sponges are one of the best cleanup tools for the size, versatility, and ability to pick up large volumes of liquid. I use them every day in the studio and have tried just about every brand name and generic out there.

My advice is to go for quality on yellow sponges, and my favorite is the Armaly ProPlus Grouting and Cleanup Sponge. It does cost more, but it lasts so much longer. The generic packs you’ll find online contain sponges that usually fall apart in weeks. The Armaly Pro sponges last 6 months or longer under heavy use in the community studio I manage, and should last even longer in a personal studio.

Another decent option is the QEP yellow sponge, which will also last longer than generics. For a full rundown of heavy-duty cleanup sponges, click here. If the prices online seem too high, you may be able to find these sponges for less at big box hardware stores.

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HEPA Vacuum

Nilfisk Alto Aero 26 Hepa Vacuum.

A quality HEPA vacuum is a must-have in any studio, especially if you are working with clay, plaster, or wood and generating dust. It’s always best to wet mop (or use sweeping compound) to avoid putting dust in the air, but if you do use a vacuum, you want to know that you have good filters and are not putting the fine dust back in the air. And for situations like cleaning the inside of a kiln, you definitely need a good vacuum.

The Nilfisk Alto Aero HEPA vacuum is a good balance of quality, and design. It is certified for drywall dust abatement. It’s on the more expensive side for a wet/dry vac, but it’s on the cheaper side for high quality HEPA dust vacuums. (I personally use a 20-year-old Nilfisk GM80. Those are great vacuums if you have $1400…)

I have used other Nilfisk vacuums at various shops and have always been impressed with their quality. Expect this to be an investment that lasts for years or decades.

For a complete review of HEPA vacuums that work for silica dust abatement, click here.

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Walk Behind Floor Scrubbers

The Clark Vantage 14, a walk behind floor scrubber made by Nilfisk-Advance.

For larger studios, a battery-operated floor scrubber can be a quick and effective way to clean up. These machines put water down, scrub and clean with a rotating head, and then a rear squeegee helps collect water that is sucked back into the machine.

Available in a variety of sizes, these machines will make short work of even thousands of square feet of studio space. They do costs thousands of dollars, making them more appropriate for larger studios. But in the end, a unit like this will save time and result in cleaner floors. One piece of advice is to definitely get a cordless model.

A smaller option for this type of machine is the Clarke Vantage 14, which is made by Nilfisk-Advance. It has a 14 inch scrubber head, 3 gallon capacity, 100 minutes of battery life, and produces a relatively quiet 64 dB of noise when in operation.

Tennant T2 Walk Behind Floor Scrubber

The Tennant T2 floor scrubber.

A larger, battery-powered floor scrubber is the Tennant T2. It has a 17 inch wide scrubbing disc, a 7 gallon capacity for water or cleaning solution, and a 9.5 gallon reservoir for soiled water. It has a quiet, 68 dB operating noise and is somewhat compact at 44 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 36 inches tall.

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Clean Up Recommendations

Here is how I clean up:

Tables and countertops
Use bench brush and dust pan to clean large chunks. Then wipe clean with water and large yellow sponges.

Floors
Spot-sweep as needed with broom and long-handled dust pan.
Use sweeping compound and sweep. Vigorous sweeping can produce airborne dust, so work slowly and carefully.
After sweeping, then mop floors. If needed, a second mopping should get things spotless.

Kiln room
Kilns are vacuumed as needed with a HEPA vacuum.
Floors are cleaned as described above.
As kiln rooms are sources of a lot of dust from ware storage, kiln wash, kiln shelf maintenance, etc, I am extra vigilant about cleaning frequently in kiln rooms.

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Summary

This post has covered all the clean up tools I use in my own studio and studios that I manage. These recommendations are made based on years of personal experience and what has worked for me and other studio members. Cleaning up is an incredibly important part of the art making process, and you want to have the right tools to make the job efficient and effective.

What clean up tools do you use in your studio? Let us know in the comments.

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How To Mix a Ceramic Glaze From Scratch

A red iron oxide glaze in the process of being run through a Talisman Glaze Sieve.

This post is an overview of how to mix a ceramic glaze from dry ingredients, including the tools, techniques and procedures to get you started.

Whether you buy a pre-mixed dry glaze or weigh each ingredient, there are a lot of advantages to mixing your own glaze:

• Save money: Mixing glazes in your studio is always cheaper, sometimes as much as 80 to 90 percent cheaper than bottled glaze.

• Customize: Learn how to modify slips and glazes to suit your kiln and clay bodies.

• Learn glaze chemistry: Even a bit of info can help you get the results you want.

A variety of our favorite glaze recipes are posted here, and there are lots of websites and books with glaze recipes. There are endless amounts of glaze recipes, so if you are new to this, just start with one basic one such as a glossy clear. There are also pre-mixed, dry glazes which are effective and still save some money over buying bottled glazes.

Keep reading for the complete how to instructions.

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Table of Contents

• Glaze Mixing Tools and Accessories

• How To Mix Glazes From Scratch

• Testing and Storing Glazes

• Summary

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Glaze Mixing Tools and Accessories

Here’s what you need to mix glaze in your studio:

• Scale that can measure to 1 gram accuracy or better (Read our scale review here)

• Dust mask, preferably a respirator

• Bowl or pan for the scale (Read our glaze accessories recommendations here)

• Electric drill with mixing attachments, or a large whisk

  (Read our review of cordless drills or corded drills here)

• Fine Sieve (80 mesh) from a ceramic supply store, and a coarse sieve, from a supermarket or hardware store

• Buckets for mixing and storing glaze, 1 gallon to 10 gallon or larger depending on your needs

• Large plastic scraper, for cleaning sides of buckets

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How To Mix Glazes From Scratch

1. Review recipe.

   Check to make sure you have enough of each ingredient. It can be helpful to calculate and write out the amount of each material, to be used as a checklist.

2. Prepare work area

   Put on a dust mask, clean your scale and work area. Get your materials, buckets, and scoops together.

3. Zero scale

   Place your measuring pan or bowl on the scale and turn it on. If needed, press the tare button so that the scale is zeroed out.

4. Weigh ingredients

   Weigh each ingredient (this is where your checklist is handy) and put them in a dry bowl or bucket. After measuring all the ingredients, mix the dry ingredients together. Some glaze ingredients, such as bentonite, are prone to clumping so it is important to mix everything dry first.

5. Add to water and mix

   Add the mixed glaze materials to water and mix until it is thick cream or buttermilk consistency. An electric drill with a proper mixing blade greatly speeds up this process. A large plastic scraper will dislodge material from the side of the bucket. Once all the dry ingredients have been mixed with water, you can remove your mask if desired.

   Note: it’s best to add glaze materials to water. If you add water to a bucket of dry materials, it’s hard to get everything in the bottom corners mixed.

6. Sieve and homogenize

   Prepare another clean bucket with a sieve, preferably a fine 80 mesh sieve. Run the glaze through the sieve this first time, to break up any clumps. A brush can help push material through the sieve, or a Talisman Glaze Sieve is a tool made specifically for mixing glaze into 5 or 10 gallon buckets.

   Then, clean the bucket where you will be storing the glaze. Run the glaze through the sieve a second time into this clean bucket.

7. Test glaze consistency

   Glazes are typically mixed to a specific gravity, which measures the amount of dissolved solids in the water. Usually glazes are around 1.50, which means 50 parts dissolved solids to 100 parts water. Keep records and mix the glaze to a consistency that works for you.

   Specific gravity can be measured with a specialized (but fragile) hydrometer, or you can use a graduated cylinder on your scale. With your cylinder zeroed out on the scale, pour in 100ml of the mixed glaze and check the weight. Add water as needed, and mix.

8. Label and store

   Glaze containers and lids should be labeled with the name, temperature, and any other information that will help you. Laminated, waterproof labels are best but packing tape can also protect a label for some time.

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Testing and Storing Glazes

Testing Glaze

It is helping to make a test tile of a glaze, on each clay body you use. Vertical test tiles such as tubes from an extruder are best, as they show how a glaze will “move” with gravity. Dip your test tile with one and two dips to show how different thicknesses of glaze affect the color.

Some studios choose to make a test tile with each batch of glaze. But if you are careful to mix the glaze accurately to a similar specific gravity, and your firings are repeatable, you should get roughly the same glaze results each time. There are no guarantees with glaze though. It is important to keep records, both in a glaze book and a kiln log, in order to get standardized results. But, glaze materials do change over time so as necessary you can make new test tiles.

Storing glazes

Glazes can be stored in sealed containers or buckets almost indefinitely. Most glaze ingredients are inorganic and will not rot. But some ingredients, such as bone ash, can cause some rotting smells. To avoid this, make sure the glaze is mixed with some frequency. If the odor persists, you can add a trace amount of copper to any glaze (even white glazes!) without affecting the color. Copper is an anti-fungal and can cut down or eliminate odor. Read our post on that here.

Remixing glaze

As they are used, glazes do lose some moisture to evaporation and bisqueware can suck extra water out of the glaze mix. It can be helpful to mix and then do a quick visual check of the glaze. If necessary, you can re-check the specific gravity and add water. If a glaze seems thick or is glopping onto your pieces, it’s definitely time to check it and probably add water.

In addition, when I mix glaze, I will usually run all the old and new glaze through a sieve. Small bits of bisque and other contaminants can fall into a glaze bucket. When I’m using it, I want to know what I’ve got in that bucket. It does take extra work but having a double-sieved, homogenized glaze will result more even glaze application and hopefully, better results.

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Summary

This post has covered a basic overview of mixing glazes from scratch. It covered the tools, techniques, and a few helpful hints to mix and store glazes. If you can follow a recipe, you can mix glaze. There is an overwhelming amount of glaze info out there, but if you start with just one basic recipe and grow from there, you will be a glaze master in no time and you will be able to customize and mix glazes to suit your own needs.

If you are looking for more info on mixing glazes, the glaze books by John Britt are some of the best resources.

The Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes

Buy at Bookshop.org

Buy at Amazon

The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes

Buy at Bookshop.org

Buy at Amazon

Questions or comments? Let us know in the comments.

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The Best Corded Drills for Art Studios and Workshops

A corded drill is always worth having in a studio or home workshop. They are powerful, durable, and affordable. The trade off is that you have to deal with a cord. But if you are working near a power source and don’t mind the cord, there is nothing better and more powerful. This post will review a few recommended drills, cover the advantages and disadvantages of a corded drill, and share some tips on how to use drills for mixing glazes and other studio tasks. If you are looking for a cordless drill, check out our review here.

TOP PICK: DeWalt DWD 115K 3/8” Variable Speed Drill

The DeWalt DWD 115K Drill is my top pick for a corded drill. It’s what I use — my DWD 115 from 2008 is still going strong after more than a decade of heavy use. The newest model, the 115K, is virtually unchanged from previous models. Why mess with a classic? The drill is on the heavy side, weighing just over 4 lbs, but it is solid, evenly balanced, has a ton of torque, and will do almost everything you need it to do in a very affordable package. It’s especially great for drilling and using with mixing blades. It’s not a contractor-grade jobsite drill, but for the rest of us, this is the best corded drill. A full review of this drill is below

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Table of Contents

• Top Pick: DeWalt DWD 115K 3/8” Drill

• Runner Up: Metabo HPT 3/8” Drill

• Third Pick: Bosch 3/8” Drill

• Other Corded Drill Options

• Favorite Mixing Blades and Drill Accessories

• Corded vs Cordless Drills: Advantages and Disadvantages

• Background and Research

• Summary

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Top Pick: DeWalt DWD 115K 3/8” Drill

The DeWalt DWD 115K 3/8” Drill with variable speed and keyless chuck.

The DeWalt DWD115k 3/8” Drill is my top pick for a corded drill and it’s far and away the best drill in this category and price among any brand. It is durable, powerful, and affordable. I’ve used a DWD115 model for more than a decade, and it is held up under heavy use. I expect my drill to last for decades longer! The DeWalt 115 model is a classic and the newest model is little changed. The 115K is not a lightweight drill, weighing 4.1 lbs, but it feels evenly balanced and despite the weight is comfortable to use. It has a convenient flip-switch right above the pistol-trigger, to toggle between forward and reverse without moving your hand. It has a well-built keyless metal chuck, but there is a model with a keyed chuck, if that is your preference.

My drill: a DeWalt 115 Drill that is still looking good after more than a decade of use. This model of drill is a classic.

The drill doesn’t come with a very long cord, so you’ll most likely need a quality extension cord to put this into use. You’ll also need to get drill bits and mixer blades, which are covered farther down in this post.

I used to work in a busy academic studio where one of these DeWalt drills was used for mixing glazes. The DeWalt endured all sorts of misuse at the hands of the students (glaze splashes, dirty hands, etc.) and it kept going strong.

If a corded drill is what you need, this is the drill to get. It is tough, powerful, and well-built. If it’s maintained, it might be the only corded drill you ever buy.

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Second Pick: Metabo HPT 3/8” Drill

The Metabo HPT 3/8” Drill

The DeWalt DWD115K is such a leader in this category that it’s hard to recommend other drills. But the Metabo HPT 3/8” Drill is a distant second.

Metabo is a rebranded version of Hitachi Power Tools (hence, the HPT in the name) and it has many great features: an all-metal keyless chuck, decent amount of power, good ergonomics, and an affordable price of around $50. You can definitely get a lot more features if you step up to a 1/2” drill and are willing to spend $100 or more, but this drill is a good compromise.

Close up of the variable-speed dial on the trigger. It’s a funky, awkward design.

Hitachi made quality, long-lasting tools and the rebranded Metabo should be the same. But it’s just been since the Fall of 2018 that the Metabo rebrand took place so the jury may still be out on what changes, if any, happened with the name change.

Compared to the top pick, you get a similar all-metal keyless chuck, almost as much power (7.0 amps as opposed to 8.0) and a drill that is 1 pound lighter, at just over 3 lbs. I will happily trade a bit of power for a lighter drill that is comfortable to use over time.

The trade off comes in the trigger. It’s got a variable-speed dial built right into the trigger, which is a very funky design. And flipping between forward and reverse is not as easy with just one hand as the on the DeWalt.

This drill will run you about $15-20 less than the DeWalt and occasionally, Amazon has refurbished or “renewed” versions of this drill for $25. You can’t beat that for a decent drill, and if money is the bottom line, this is a good drill.

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Third Pick: Bosch 1006VSR 3/8” Drill

The Bosch 1006VSR 3/8” Drill.

The third pick is the Bosch 1006VSR 3/8” variable-speed, corded drill. Bosch makes high-quality, well-respected products and this is a good drill. It’s just not as good as our top pick, but it’s also $10-15 cheaper. Rather than an all-metal chuck, it has a metal chuck with a plastic collar. In my experience, these plastic collars or plastic chucks just don’t stand the test of time but when I make this consideration I’m thinking about heavy use over 5 or 10 years in a communal studio, where the drill is getting used on an hourly basis for mixing glazes. Your use may vary.

Aside from the partially-plastic chuck, this drill has 6.3 amps (as opposed to 8 on the DeWalt), has a large, two-finger trigger, and a button to switch between forward and reverse. The button is not as ergonomic as the DeWalt, but it does stay locked in place.

The drill weighs 4 lbs, about the same as the DeWalt but 1 lb more than the Metabo. Aside from that, it’s a standard, well-built drill that should handle most things needed in a studio or at home.

As stated before, the DeWalt is the clear market leader for this type of drill. But if I was choosing between the second pick and the Bosch, I would evaluate my trust in the Bosch name, how I felt about an all-metal chuck versus this plastic-collar chuck, and the difference in the weight of the drills. The Bosch was almost my second pick but I don’t have as much confidence in the chuck.

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Other Corded Drill Options

As with any electronic tool or gadget, there’s an innumerable amount of options and designs from both name-brand and generic makers. Hopefully the three drills above will give you a starting point. But there are some other drills to consider, which I’ll cover briefly.

The first drill I ever bought was a Craftsman, and the Craftsman 7 amp 3/8” drill is very similar to the model I had and used for almost 10 years. Generally, I’m a fan of Craftsman products (Must be all those years of hanging out in my grandfather’s woodshop with his Craftsman tools) and this drill is ok. But with a plastic chuck? I don’t know. It does have a toggle forward/reverse switch like the DeWalt, and a “lock on” switch for continuous use. But it’s just not as good as our top picks.

The Porter Cable 6-amp, 3/8” drill looks quite similar to the Craftsman model in make and build, including a plastic chuck and a toggle forward/reverse switch, and the “lock on” button on the handle. It’s another old-school brand that I want to trust, but a drill like this makes me wonder if it is coasting on its history and basically rebranding a generic drill.

The Black and Decker 6 amp 3/8” Drill is in many ways similar to the drills above, but it has a plastic chuck. Online reviewers noted that there was some “play” in the chuck if they didn’t get the bit set just right. I mention this drill here as a comparison. Generally, I don’t ever buy Black and Decker tools as I find that they are cheaply made and do not last over the long haul.

More Powerful / Larger Drills

So far, every drill I’ve mentioned has a 3/8” opening in the chuck. If you want a step up in power or size, there are some great 1/2” models that don’t cost too much more than our top pick.

Dewalt has a 7.8 amp, 1/2” drill with a keyed chuck that runs about $100, or a more powerful 10 amp, 1/2” drill for about $120. These are both great drills with the same level of DeWalt quality throughout.

Milwaukee also has an 8 amp 1/2” drill with a keyed chuck for around $120 that is well built, powerful, and long lasting.

If you are really having a hard time deciding what kind of drill you need, the best thing is to go to a store and handle them and see what feels good to you. If the store will let you try drilling something, then you’ll really know what is the best drill for you.

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Mixing Blades and Accessories for Your Drill

With your drill, you’ll need bits, screws, and mixer blades to put it to work. Here’s what I recommend:

DRILL BITS AND SCREWS

Any quality brand of screws and drill bits should get the job done. But just like drills, there are tons of options out there. Your local hardware store might be the easiest way to see what you need in person, but for shopping online, here are some links:

Drill bits: This basic 14-piece set from DeWalt is a great place to start.

Screwdriver set and bits: This set from DeWalt covers all the basics.

Hollow Core Diamond Drill Bits from Neiko

DIAMOND BITS

Diamond bits really help if you are working with glass, tile, hard plastic, or ceramic. For glazed ceramics, diamond bits are your only option for cleanly drilling a hole.

This 5 piece set of diamond-dusted, hollow core bits from Neiko has decent quality despite being less than $10. It will cut holes right through bisqueware (make sure to do it under running water) and it will also work on glazed ware. Just be slow and steady when using these on glazed ware, and use proper protection such as goggles.

The small Jiffy LM10 Mixer Blade

SMALL MIXER BLADE

To mix pint jars and small cups, the Jiffy LM10 Mixer Blade is just the right size. It’s 10 1/4” long with a 1 1/4” head.

Helix mixer blade for 1 to 2 gallon buckets

MEDIUM MIXER BLADE

For one to two gallons, I prefer a helix mixer designed for 1 gallon buckets. It’s cheaper than a metal blade but it can really mix. As long as you don’t grind the plastic blades against buckets, these economical blades should last for years and also work well for jobs such as mixing plaster.

Jiffy ES Mixer Blade closeup.

LARGE MIXER BLADE

For 5 or 10 gallon buckets, the Jiffy ES mixer blade is the way to go. It has a 20 1/2” long, 3/8” shaft and the head is 3 3/4” wide.

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Corded vs. Cordless Drills

A corded and cordless drill each have their advantages and disadvantages. I like to have both but most people get by with just one drill. If you are looking for a cordless drill, check out our cordless drill recommendations here. Here’s some things to consider when choosing a drill:

Advantages of a Corded Drill

• Affordable: Cheaper and more powerful than a cordless drill.

• More power: You’ll get a stronger motor and heavier build quality on a corded drill than a cordless drill at similar prices.

• Instant torque: You don’t have to wait for a corded drill to get up to speed.

• No stopping to change or recharge batteries.

• No future expense of replacing batteries as they wear out.

• Less wasteful: A corded drill won’t result in worn-out batteries that need to be recycled or disposed.

Disadvantages of a Corded Drill

• A corded drill limits you to being plugged in to a power source or working with an extension cord.

• Usually Heavier: The extra weight may not work for everyone. I’m thinking of shared ceramic studios with students of all ages. A lighter cordless drill is more accommodating for all.

• For certain projects, such as drilling screws, corded drills are almost too powerful. Crazy, huh? Cordless drills are generally weaker and you’re not as likely to over-torque or damage screws, etc. A gentle touch on any corded, variable-speed drill should work, but if you have a heavy trigger finger, get a less powerful drill. Or — this is another reason to have both types of drill. A corded drill is great for drilling and using with mixing blades, while a weaker cordless drill is perfect for driving screws.

Considerations for all drills

• Keyless or keyed chucks? Generally, a keyed chuck can be locked in super tight, but you’ll need to use (and not lose) the key. Keyless chucks are more convenient but can wear out

• How often do you use the drill? If it’s infrequent, you may find that a cordless drill always has a dead battery when you need to use it.

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BACKGROUND

I have used tons of different drills over the years, and this review is based on that experience along with looking at many recent reviews of corded drill reviews and every other source I could find, include user reviews on Amazon and checking out models in person. In the studio, I like to use the best tools at the lowest price. What that means in practice is I avoid the super-cheap brands such as Black and Decker, or Ryobi, and will generally choose the base models of top quality brands such as Milwaukee, Bosch, and DeWalt. I totally understand the need for a powerful, $200+ drill for a construction job site. But in my experience, the entry-level drills are powerful enough for most uses. They work for me and I think they’ll work for you too.

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Wrap-Up

This post covered top picks for corded drills, as well as some useful tools and accessories. My top pick was the DeWalt DRD115K 3/8” drill. It’s a durable, powerful drill that is versatile, comfortable, and should work for most situations in a studio or home workshop. With this drill, I keep a variety of mixer blades, as well as drill bits, screwdriver bits, and hollow-core diamond bits.

A corded drill is a vital tool in the studio. What type of drill do you like to use? Let us know your favorite models and accessories in the comments.

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The Best Cordless Drills for Art Studios and Workshops

A good cordless drill is a must have in any studio. Between a corded and a cordless drill, I’ll always grab the cordless first. But with numerous options, it can be hard to know where to start in picking a drill. This post will review the best cordless drills for a ceramic or art studio, share my philosophy on how to shop for tools like this, and list a few favorite drill attachments for use in a ceramics studio.

TOP PICK: Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill/Driver

Before jumping into the complete post, the top pick is the Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill/Driver. It’s a compact, lightweight, and powerful drill that is not too expensive but has excellent build quality. It also has a comfortable grip and the M12 battery system makes it compatible with a huge variety of Milwaukee tools. It’s what I stock and use in my own studio, but the smaller size and light weight make this a drill that can be used by just about anybody.

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Table of Contents

• Top Pick: Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill

• Runner up: Dewalt 12V Brushless 3/8” Drill

• Third Pick: Bosch PS31 3/8” Drill or Bosch PS32 3/8” Brushless Drill

• Other Drill Options

• Favorite Mixer Blades and other attachments

• Cordless vs. Corded Drills

• Background and Research

• Wrap-Up

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Top Pick: Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill/Driver

The Milwaukee M12 3/8 Drill Driver

The Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill/Driver is my top pick for a cordless drill, and it’s the drill that I use and stock in my studio. It’s compact and lightweight, but with enough power to really mix a 5 gallon bucket of glaze and just enough power to mix a 10 gallon bucket. The build quality is excellent, and it includes variable speeds, a battery charge light indicator, and the keyless chuck makes it easy to change bits as needed. I use a variety of mixer blades including an ES Jiffy Blade, and this drill can go slow enough to mix a pint jar and is powerful enough to mix 5 or 10 gallon buckets of glaze.

The Milwaukee M12 3/8 Drill Driver Kit

This is the drill that I have stocked in academic and community studios, which are used by scores of students weekly. This drill holds up under those intense conditions. In educational spaces, these tools get used hard and are often subject to misuse, such as splashes of glazes. So far, this drill has survived everything but if it was damaged beyond repair, the basic drill without a battery is especially affordable and would be easy to replace. You can buy just the bare drill with no battery for around $55. The 2407-22 Kit, which includes a drill, charging station, 2 batteries, and bag, costs around $115 at the time of this review. Without a battery, this drill weighs 2.1 lbs.

Additionally, the M12 battery makes this an attractive option if you wanted to use any of the other 100+ Milwaukee tools in the M12 System, such as a jig saw, circular saw, or compact leaf blower.

For extra batteries, definitely get the official Milwaukee brand batters, such as this extended capacity option. Speaking from experience, the generic batteries I tried were completely dead after about 12 months of use.

The drawbacks of this model would be the relative lack of power. It’s not a super-powerful drill, especially for something like a construction job site, but it has enough juice to mix up to 10 gallon buckets of glaze, which is everything I need and might cover your needs too. For an art studio, whether home or educational, this is a great compact drill that does a lot and will last for years. That it has all of this in one of the cheaper models is also the reason why it’s my top pick.

Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill/Driver Kit

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Runner Up: Dewalt 12V Brushless 3/8” Drill/Driver

The DeWalt DCD701F2 Xtreme 12V Max Brushless 3/8 in. Cordless Drill/Driver

This is a very compact, powerful drill that does cost more than the top pick but comes with a more powerful and responsive brushless motor. Dewalt tools are always great quality and this one is no exception. Other reviewers love this drill, such as the Wirecutter, which named this their top pick for a small household drill. (And if you’d like to read an explainer on brushless motors, check out this article from Popular Mechanics.)

This kit includes the drill, two batteries, charging station, and a bag. Without the battery, this drill weighs 1.9 lbs. The DeWalt 12V Max battery system includes a variety of tools, including other drills, lights, and sensors, but not as many options as the Milwaukee M12 system.

The flat-bottomed battery that comes with this drill also allows it to stand up. With the Milwaukee, you’d have to order the extended capacity battery for that feature.

DeWalt makes some other entry-level drills that are cheaper than this drill and seem suitable for a studio, but they have very mixed reviews. This model does cost more but the brushless motor should provide more torque and hopefully last longer. The compact size of this drill makes it an attractive option for any studio, as space is always at a premium.

In the end, you have to decide if the extra money for this drill is worth it. It’s a great option and one that I heartily recommend.

DeWalt DCD701F2 12V Brushless 3/8” Drill/Driver

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Third Pick: Bosch PS31 or PS32 3/8” Drill/Drivers

The third pick is two different Bosch drills that match many of the specifications of the top two picks. The cheaper PS31 model is similar to the Milwaukee M12, and the PS32 option has a brushless motor like the DeWalt. Both are great drills that will work well, depending on your needs and price range.

The Bosch PS31 3/8 Drill kit with drill, two batteries, charger, and case.

Bosch PS31 3/8” Drill/Driver

This compact drill is similar in many ways to the top pick with a 3/8” inch chuck, variable speeds, and the kit comes with two small batteries. Without a battery, the drill weighs 2.1 lbs. This drill was picked by the Wirecutter as the runner up for their best household drill, and it generally has favorable reviews on Amazon and other sites. Some complain about the ergonomics, however, and an uneven balance. But Bosch tools are generally high quality and this drill will do everything you need to do. This is a great drill, but I prefer the Milwaukee for the wider variety of tool options that comes with the M12 system.

Bosch PS31 3/8” Drill/Driver Kit

Bosch PS32 3/8” Drill/Driver with Brushless Motor

The Bosch PS32 3/8 Brushless Drill Driver kit. Note that the motor area is slightly larger than the Bosch PS31 but the two drills have about the same weight.

The PS32 has many of the same specs and design as the PS31 but is a stepped-up model with a brushless motor that should provide more torque and longer battery life. Head to head, it’s a very similar to the DeWalt drill mentioned above, so choosing this comes down to design and other features. Without a battery, the bare drill weighs 2 lbs and the kit comes with two batteries, charging station, and bag. Personally, I would go with the DeWalt for an entry-level brushless drill but many people love Bosch tools. This PS32 drill was named as a top pick recently by Consumer Reports. It’s not my top pick, but it will do the job for you. Bosch doesn’t have as many tools that use the same batteries in their product line, so if you were looking to start an expandable set of studio tools that utilize the same batteries, you’d want to consider other manufacturers such as DeWalt or Milwaukee.

Bosch PS32 3/8” Drill/Driver with Brushless Motor

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Other Drill Options

The main thing I use drills for is mixing glazes. All the drills reviewed above will do a great job mixing 1 to 5 gallons of glaze, and they have enough power for a 10 gallon bucket of glaze. But if your studio is full of lots of 10 gallon buckets, you may want to get a more powerful cordless drill, or think about going with a corded drill. In general, these more powerful drills weigh more and the designs get more awkward. You’ll have to think through who is using your studio and if they are able to handle the size of the larger drills.

DeWalt 20V 1/2” Brushless Drill/Driver

For a more powerful cordless drill, the DeWalt 20V Max 1/2” Drill Driver Kit is really great. It’s a step up in power, and will accommodate larger mixing blades. It is quite a bit larger and heavier, weighing 3.4 lbs. This is 1.5 lbs heavier than the DeWalt model reviewed above, but with the heavier weight you will get a larger motor with more power. There’s even an option with bluetooth connectivity, which is mostly useful if you lose your drill or for jobsite inventory management.

Milwaukee M18 1/2” Brushless Drill Driver

The Milwaukee M18 1/2” model is also another powerful cordless drill. The kit clocks in at a lower price than its competitors, but that’s because the kit has just has one battery! So if you go this route, definitely factor in the cost of an extra battery. Battery aside, you’ll get a great drill that packs a punch in a well-built design. Without a battery, this drill weighs 2.5lbs, which is just a half pound more than the M12 model. Milwaukee has been able to squeeze more torque and power into a drill without much added weight.

Milwaukee M18 1/2” Brushless Drill/Driver

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Mixing Blades and Accessories for Your Drill

With your drill, you’ll need bits, screws, and mixer blades to put it to work. Here’s what I recommend:

DRILL BITS AND SCREWS

Any quality brand of screws and drill bits should get the job done. But just like drills, there are tons of options out there. Your local hardware store might be the easiest way to see what you need in person, but for shopping online, here are some links:

Drill bits: This basic 14-piece set from DeWalt is a great place to start.

Screwdriver set and bits: This basic set from DeWalt covers all the basics.

DIAMOND BITS

Hollow Core Diamond Drill Bits from Neiko

Diamond bits really help if you are working with glass, tile, hard plastic, or ceramic. For glazed ceramics, diamond bits are your only option for cleanly drilling a hole.

This 5 piece set of diamond-dusted, hollow core bits from Neiko has decent quality despite being less than $10. It will cut holes right through bisqueware (make sure to do it under running water) and it will also work on glazed ware. Just be slow and steady when using these on glazed ware, and use proper protection such as goggles.

SMALL MIXER BLADE

To mix pint jars and small cups, the Jiffy LM10 Mixer Blade is just the right size. It’s 10 1/4” long with a 1 1/4” head.

The small Jiffy LM10 Mixer Blade

MEDIUM MIXER BLADE

For one to two gallons, I prefer a helix mixer designed for 1 gallon buckets. It’s cheaper than a metal blade but it can really mix. As long as you don’t grind the plastic blades against buckets, these economical blades should last for years and also work well for jobs such as mixing plaster.

Helix mixer blade for 1 to 2 gallon buckets

LARGE MIXER BLADE

For 5 or 10 gallon buckets, the Jiffy ES mixer blade is the way to go. It has a 20 1/2” long, 3/8” shaft and the head is 3 3/4” wide.

Jiffy ES Mixer Blade closeup.

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Cordless Vs Corded Drills

A corded and cordless drill each have their advantages and disadvantages. I like to have both but most people could get by with just one. If you are looking for a corded drill, check out our recommendations here. Here’s some things to consider when choosing a drill:

Advantages of a Cordless Drill

• No cord! You’re free to take the drill anywhere. This is especially good for tight locations, or if it’s not easy to access a power source.

• Usually lighter: Cordless drills are designed to be carried around. The models reviewed here are compact and light, which makes these drills more easier to use for everyone.

• Good for drilling, but especially good as screwdrivers.

Disadvantages of a Cordless Drill

• More expensive: The batteries and charging station add a cost that you don’t have with corded drills.

• Less power: Not as much power as a corded drill, and the power may wane as the battery loses charge.

• Less torque: This may be good in some cases, such as for use as a screwdriver. But cordless drills are not as good for loosening stuck bolts, or for situations where lots of power or torque are needed.

• You will need to stop to change or recharge batteries.

• Future expense: batteries wear out and need to be replaced.

• More waste: Worn out batteries have to be recycled or disposed.

Considerations for all drills

• Keyless or keyed chucks? Generally, a keyed chuck can be locked in super tight, but you’ll need to use (and not lose) the key. Keyless chucks are more convenient but can wear out

• How often do you use the drill? If it’s infrequent, you may find that a cordless drill always has a dead battery when you need to use it.

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BACKGROUND

I have used tons of different drills over the years, and this review is based on that experience along with looking at many recent reviews of cordless drill reviews and every other source I could find, include user reviews on Amazon and checking out models in person. In the studio, I like to use the best tools at the lowest price. What that means in practice is I avoid the super-cheap brands such as Black and Decker or Ryobi, and will generally choose the base models of top quality brands such as Milwaukee, Bosch, and DeWalt. I totally understand the need for a powerful, $200+ drill for a construction job site. But in my experience, the entry-level drills are powerful enough for most uses, and they are lighter, more compact, and easier for most people to grip. They work for me and I think they’ll work for you too.

Other Considerations when choosing a cordless drill:

Beyond the drill, there are a few other considerations when selecting a cordless drill:

• Committing to one company / battery style? Batteries vary by manufacturer, so you may have the option to swap batteries between multiple devices. This can save money, but also locks you in to that brand. Having multiple tools with one model of battery and charger can simplify your life.

• Off-brand batteries: These are available for most brands. My advice is to avoid them as they usually wear out faster and don’t hold a charge as long. Be careful of aftermarket kits on Amazon. Many of the cheaper kit options combine brand name drills with cheaper, aftermarket batteries.

• Size of the chuck and what attachments you will be using. What kinds of mixer blades and bits will you be using? Make sure they will fit the drill. The drills reviewed above usually have a 3/8” chuck. Only rarely have I needed a 1/2” chuck to accommodate larger shaft sizes.

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Wrap-Up

This post covered top picks for cordless drills, as well as some useful tools and accessories. My top pick was the Milwaukee M12 3/8” Drill/Driver. It’s a well-made drill that is versatile, comfortable, lightweight, and is still powerful enough for most uses. With this drill, I keep a variety of mixer blades, as well as drill bits, screwdriver bits, and hollow-core diamond bits.

A cordless drill is a vital tool in the studio. What do you like to use? Let us know your favorite models and accessories in the comments.

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Tools for Home and Studio

There are many tools that are equally valuable at home or in the studio. Sometimes, it seems like most tools that are useful in a kitchen can also be put to use in the studio.

This post includes reviews of a few favorites that will hopefully give you some ideas for new tools to use, either at home or in the studio. What do you use in both the kitchen and studio? Please share in the comments.

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Swedish Notched Rolling Pin

This notched, diamond-pattern wooden rolling pin or kruskavel can be used in the studio to roll out textured clay slabs. It’s especially useful for making test tiles. Or put it to use at home making crackers. It’s designed to make Swedish knaackebrods but the simple pattern looks great on a variety of baked goods.

Uses:

At home: roll out dough crackers, flatbreads, Swedish knaackebrods, or add notches to baked goods
In the studio: add the diamond texture to clay slabs and test tiles

Linden Sweden Deep Notched Rolling Pin

Swedish Notched Rolling Pin

Patterned Wooden Rolling Pins

This set has 10 wooden rolling pins with a variety of patterns. It’s is probably more useful in the studio than at home, but it can be used on crackers and flatbreads just as easily as clay slabs. These roller are relatively small, ranging from 3.5 to about 5 inches wide.

Uses:

At home: patterned crackers
In the studio: textured slabs, roll patterns on to thrown pots, create textured slabs to add to other pieces.

10-pack of textured clay rollers

Set of 10 Wooden Pattern Rollers
This set is listed twice on amazon. Find it here or try this link.

Wooden Meat Tenderizer Mallet

An all-wood meat tenderizer mallet is another texture tool for the studio, or a useful addition to your kitchen. Wood is less likely to stick to clay than metal, so this all-wood option is the way to go.

Uses:

At home: tenderizing steaks, fish, poultry, etc. Great for making flattened chicken breasts.
In the studio: similar to the diamond-pattern of the Swedish rolling pin, this is also a great tool for making patterns on individual test tiles

Double Side Heavyweight Wooden Meat Tenderizer Mallet

Round Cutters in Graduated Sizes

The Kayaso nesting round metal cutter set

This set of circular cutters is another tool that is equally at home in the kitchen or studio. Great for biscuits or other round baking needs, it’s also perfect for making circles out of clay slabs. The simple design makes it easy to clean, and the container helps organize the pieces for storage.

There are also fluted circular cutters, which can add some nice patterns to your work. It’s best to stick with firm metal cutters, the softer plastic options are often not strong enough for the kitchen or studio.

Uses:
At home: cut biscuits, bread, English muffins, fondant decoration
In the studio: cut circular slabs, trace circles

Nesting Round Metal Cutters Set
There are name brand and many generic versions of this type of tool. Pictured is the Kayaso version, but there are other options such as this or this 6 piece option from Wilton.

For a fluted option, try this 11-piece set from Jokumo, or a 6-piece set from Wilton.

Wooden Thread Spiral Rolling Pin

Another simple but useful tool, this wooden rolling pin will add texture to your baking or clay projects. All wood is great because it’s less likely to stick to clay.

Uses:

At home: add texture to cookies, dumplings, pastas
In the studio: add texture to slabs. Great for adding texture and then stretching

Spiral Threaded Wooden Rolling Pin

Silicone Mats for baking or studio use

The Amazon Basics silicone mat

A non-stick work surface is vital if you are baking or working with clay. Products like Silpats or silicone baking mats give you that flexibility and are a tool for the home or studio. It’s handy to have these around for working on craft projects, or handbuilding with clay.

If you are looking for ceramic-specific work mats, the Ceramic Shop in Philadelphia has a variety of options. Those are nice options, but a silicone baking mat is often cheaper, almost as stiff, and can be used in a variety of ways.

Amazon Basics Silicone Baking Mat

Green Bell G-1008 Nail Clippers

The Green Bell G-1008 Nail Clipper

If you are cooking or working in the studio, long nails can get in the way. Nail clippers may seem like the most mundane thing, but upgrading to a pair of Green Bell clippers shows how just about any other clippers is not as good.

I discovered the Green Bell Clippers years ago via this rhapsodic review, and they truly are the best nail clippers I’ve ever used. Made in Japan, these clippers effortlessly cut nails with a perfect tension. They also have a built-in nail file and are constructed with a weight, finish, and somewhat hefty quality that is just a step above any other nail clipper. Sure, they are now about $21 but you’ll most likely never need another clipper.

Green Bell Nail Clippers
I recommend the Green Bell G-1008 at amazon. For a smaller, narrower option, try the Green Bell G-1205

GorillaPod Phone Tripod

GorillaPod GripTight Pro

A flexible phone tripod is a handy tool to have anywhere these days, but especially at home or in the studio. Need to set up your phone to read a recipe? Trying to capture the perfect selfie? Or maybe you’re getting into timelapse recording of your work? This is the perfect tool for that.

GorillaPod Mini

There are numerous knockoff options, many that will do a fine job, but I have been very happy with the original version of this product, the Joby GorillaPod. I frequently use the phone option, and I have the larger 3K kit that can hold my big DSLR camera. They do cost a bit more, but Joby products stand the test of time.

Currently, there are two options for phone holder. The pro-grade phone stand that retails for almost $60, and a newer mini option that is $15 or less. The pro-grade model gives you longer legs that will allow the tripod to grip unusual objects, such as a stick or pole. The smaller option is good for a simple tripod or to stand on an uneven surface, but I wouldn’t expect it to grip too tightly.

GripTight GorilliaPod Phone Stand / Tripod

What are the essential tools that work in your home or studio? Please share in the comments.

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Centering by M. C. Richards

“It is not the pots we are forming, but ourselves.” — M. C. Richards

Centering In Pottery, Poetry, and the Person by M. C. Richards is a pottery classic but also a great read for anyone interested in making, writing, and creating. First published in 1964, it remains Richards’s most popular work, a defining text of the time, and is a still relevant today.

Centering in Pottery, Poetry and the Person by M.C. Richards

Richards was a poet, essayist, and potter who first learned about clay at the famed Black Mountain College in the 1940s and 50s. She went on to teach and make pots, with the goal of using the malleability of clay to inform how people saw themselves. She was free-spirited and embraced an interdisciplinary approach to art and teaching long before it was fashionable to do so. In the book Live Form, Jenni Sorkin calls Richards an “enlightened amateur” who valued process over skill, and placed more value on experience than finished objects. She usually gave away or sold her ceramics for very low prices, and encouraged students to make clay forms and then recycle them or return the clay to the ground.

Sorkin cites Richards’s 1958 event Clay Things to Touch, to Plant in, to Hang Up, to Cook in, to Look at, to Put Ashes in, to Wear, and for Celebration as one of the earliest happenings and a prime example of Richards’s approach to making art. The show was just the one-night opening and clay and ceramic objects were sold or given away, prefiguring later happenings by Allan Kaprow or projects such as The Store by Claes Oldenburg. This event had the same spirit of Richard's’s teaching and Sorkin writes: “In guiding students toward non-object, process-based production, such as returning unfired clay to the ground after making a collective pot, Richards treated pottery as a secondary to its process. In this way, Clay Things anticipates the collectivity and vitality of socially engaged artistic practice fifty years later. . .”

Live Form: Women, Ceramics and Community by Jenni Sorkin

In Live Form, Sorkin devotes a chapter-length essay to Richards, along with chapters on Susan Peterson, Marguerite Wildenhain, and the Black Mountain Pottery Seminar. Live Form is a highly recommended read (one of the best books on ceramics) and makes a great companion to Centering. The idea of centering, whether on the potter’s wheel or in life, is the root of Richards’s book, and allowed her to spin off in many directions.

Richards writes: “As human beings functioning as potters, we center ourselves and our clay. And we all know how necessary it is to be “on center” ourselves if we wish to bring our clay “into center” and not merely agitate it or bully it.”

She also turns to wider themes of making:

“The creative spirit creates with whatever materials are present, with an umbrella, or a wineglass, or a torch. We are not craftsmen only during studio hours. Any more than a man is wise only in his library. Or devout only in church. The material is not the sign of the creative feeling for life: of the warmth and sympathy and reverence which foster being; techniques are not the sign; “art” is not the sign. The sign is the light that dwells within the act, whatever its nature or its medium.”

Centering is great read and highly recommended for anyone interested in clay, pottery, or the creative process. The book is also densely packed with great quotes. Here are just a few:

M. C. Richards Quotes

“Poetry often enters through the window of irrelevance.”

“In order to teach, you must be able to listen.”

“You don’t need me to tell you what education is. Everybody really knows that education goes on all the time everywhere all through our lives, and that it is the process of waking up to life.”

“It is not the pots we are forming, but ourselves.”

“I believe that pots have the smell of the person who makes them: a smell of tenderness, of vanity or ambition, of ease and naturalness, of petulance, uncertainty callousness, fussiness, playfulness, solemnity, exuberance, absent-mindedness. The pot gives off something. It gives off its innerness, that which it holds but which cannot be seen.”

On copying:
“Some craftsmen seem to be troubled by the question of originality and imitation. My only standard here is that a person be led into a deeper experience of himself and his craft. Human beings learn by imitation; certainly, in the years of childhood, almost exclusively by imitation. One is inspired by someone else’s example”

“It is the physicality of the crafts that pleases me: I learn through my hands and my eyes and my skin what I could never learn through my brain. . . And if it is life I am fostering, I must maintain a kind of dialogue with the clay, listening, serving, interpreting as well as mastering.

Add the books to your library:

Centering in Pottery, Poetry, and the Person by M.C. Richards
Buy at amazon.com
Buy at abebooks.com

Live Form: Women, Ceramics, and Community by Jenni Sorkin
Buy at bookshop.org
Buy at amazon.com

For more posts on books, podcasts, and studio inspiration, click here.

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How to Make Colorful Pancake Paintings

For years, I have been making colorful pancakes. It’s a great way to spend a morning, it’s fun for kids and adults, and the results are stunning. You can mix any pancake batter recipe with food coloring in a kitchen squeeze bottle, and make your own.

In this post I’ll cover the tools and ingredients needed, the method I use, share a sourdough pancake recipe, and a gallery of pancake paintings.

Have fun!

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Tools and Ingredients

Americolor Gel Food Coloring Student and Electric sets

Here’s what you’ll need:

> Pancake batter from scratch or a mix.
Use your favorite recipe or try a mix. A sourdough recipe is included at the bottom of this post. My favorite mix is Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk mix.

Shop Kodiak Cakes at Amazon

> Food Coloring
The key to the whole operation. I use the Americolor Electric and Student set, but you can use any food coloring. Or try making natural food coloring from blueberries etc.

Shop Americolor Electric Food Coloring at Amazon

> Wide-mouth plastic kitchen squeeze bottles .
My preference is 16 oz bottles, but you can use anything that will squeeze out batter with some accuracy. I have tried the pancake batter dispensing bottles and they aren’t as accurate for painting as basic ketchup/condiment squeeze bottle.

Shop 16 oz Squeeze Bottles at Amazon

> A cup and funnel to add the batter to the bottles.
I like colorful kitchen accessories such as the orange funnel set linked below. You will also need a whisk and chop sticks to mix batter in the bottles.

Shop Orange Funnel Set at Amazon

> Wide spatula or turner
If you keep your pancakes small, any spatula will do, but a jumbo plastic spatula or an oversized steel turner might help with larger creations. Look for a spatula with a low handle angle, which makes it easier to get underneath your pancakes.

Shop Nor-Pro Pancake Spatula at Amazon

> Large griddle
A low-side griddle or pan will make it easier to get your spatula underneath your pancakes, and a 2-burner griddle will give you plenty of room for pancake painting or making multiple pancakes at the same time. I use a 12x20” stainless steel griddle but there are a lot of cast iron and non-stick griddle options. If you want to really control the low heat needed for pancake painting, a standalone electric griddle is a great way to go too, if you have space to store it.

Shop 2 Burner Griddles at Amazon

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Here’s a video tutorial on how I make pancake paintings. I also wrote out instructions, link to that post in bio. Stay healthy everyone! 🥞❤️🥞❤️🥞 #pancakepainting #pancakes #pancakeart #pancakemorning

A post shared by Matt Merkel Hess (@mattmerkelhess) on Apr 11, 2020 at 7:19am PDT

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How to Make Pancake Paintings

Step by step tutorial

Step 1: Mixing in a custom Merkelware batter bowl

Step 1: Mix

Mix a semi-thin pancake batter from scratch or a mix.

The batter should be free of any lumps. It needs to be thin enough that it will squeeze out of the bottles, but thick enough that your pancake has some body. Adjust as necessary; you may need to add milk or water to thin your batter, or more flour to thicken it up.

Lately, I’ve been using sourdough batter for a few reasons:
1. I have leftover sourdough starter from baking bread and more importantly,
2. the sourdough culture stays active in the bottles so the batter doesn’t get “flat.”

Each pancake takes a few minutes to paint and cook, so if you want to have tasty pancakes, sourdough really helps. But if you’re not into the trouble of keeping sourdough (and it is a lot of time!) just use any pancake recipe or mix.

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Step 2: Add to Bottles

Step 2: Add batter to squeeze bottles

After mixing add batter to your wide-mouth squeeze bottles.

A funnel really helps this process. These days, I usually make 6 bottles of batter, but I have done up to 12. It’s fun to have a lot of colors but. . . there’s always clean up to consider too.

For clean up, I’ve found that cold water works best for getting flour off of bottles and utensils. Once free of stuck-on flours, then use hot water and soap.

Step 3: Add Color

Step 3: Add color to bottles and mix

You can make awesome pancake paintings without color. But adding color can be a lot of fun and really opens up what you can do on the griddle.

Typically, I will do one bottle of plain batter with 12-16 oz of batter. And then I’ll do 5 more bottles with about 1 cup / 8 oz of batter each.

To make colors, I’ll start by adding 3 drops of food coloring per cup of batter, and mix with the back end of a chop stick. If the color is not intense enough, I’ll add a few more drops. You can also mix colors. But be aware, if you add too much food coloring you can introduce off flavors into your pancakes.

Be sure to mix well. You may need to turn the bottle to the side to really get the bottom mixed.

More images of mixing batter:

Step 3: mixing

The back end of chop sticks are great for mixing

A bottle that needs a bit more mixing

The finished line up of colors. Even one or two colors can be a lot of fun.

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Step 4: Paint

Step 4: painting. The “top” side can be a bit more colorful than the side that is on the griddle first.

Preheat your griddle. Give it time to heat up so the temperature is evenly distributed, then oil your pan. Make sure the temperature is on low to give yourself time to paint. The hotter the griddle, the faster you will have to paint.

After oiling the griddle, it’s time to paint!

If it’s your first time painting, be sure to cut the nozzles on your bottles wide enough (approx 3mm) so that batter will dispense easily. I use a pair of kitchen shears for this, or a knife.

Step 4: The flipped pancake.

The painting is up to you, have fun and just see what happens. The results will always be tasty. 😋 You can make patterns, landscapes, portraits, marbleized color—anything. One of my favorite projects was making a self-portrait on Father’s Day for my kid to eat.

The first side that cooks can be a bit less colorful than the second side. But that first side is where you can be more exact. Remember, you paint “backwards” in that the first thing you put down will be at the front of the finished pancake.

Step 5: Enjoy

Time to enjoy your tasty creations. Will you go with the traditional maple syrup and butter? Yogurt and jam? Or do you make your own fruit sauce? Whatever you do, it will taste good and look great.

Have fun.

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Sourdough Pancake Recipe

I use a modified version of this recipe. In short, I took out the baking soda and baking powder and added more flour, some milk, and time. You have to let the sourdough grow a bit after mixing, but the result is a batter that stays fresh in the bottle and tastes great.

Ingredients:

• 500 g (approx 2 cups) mature 100%-hydration sourdough starter

• 3/4 c all purpose flour

• 1/2 c milk

• 2 T. maple syrup

• 2 T. vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 t. salt

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together with a whisk

2. Batter should flow easily, add milk if necessary

3. Cover and let stand for 1-2 hours until bubbles form on surface, then add to bottles for painting.

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Image Gallery

I started making pancake paintings in 2013. I saw this article and realized I could do the same thing, but with color. Here’s a few of the pancakes I’ve made.

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Do you make pancake paintings? Let us know about your experience in the comments.

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Shoji Hamada on Making Pots

The Way of the Earth, a 1994 book by T.C. McLuhan, is full of stories, philosophy, poetry, and thoughts on nature and art. Subtitled “Encounters with nature in ancient and contemporary thought,” this is one of those books that you can flip open to any page and find something interesting.

There are also a few great passages on pottery pulled from Bernard Leach’s 1975 book Hamada, Potter.

Here’s a passage from page 142:

Bernard Leach relates a conversation with Hamada in which the potter confesses that he did not begin to feel mature or authentic until well into his seventies. In the following passage, Hamada discusses the vital force at play in the creation of a pot.

It was not from my mind that it came but from my whole body; it emerged out of my middle, my lower abdomen. I have such a good feeling about having done this pot. . . This work does not come out of my thought; rather I simply permit the movement that my hands have learned over many years. In fact, in the work forged by my body during sixty years, there is an unconscious revelation. I sense the work has become more comfortable. . . I now hope that, rather than made things, born things will increase in my work.

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Later in the book, there’s a few pages devoted to Hamada. From page 188:

Shoji Hamada is Japan’s most renowned potter…Hamada was a major figure in the Japanese Folk Crafts (Mingei) movement and established a permanent collection of folk-craft products in Mashiko (Tochigi Prefecture), the place of his pottery beginnings and his workshop…Hamada’s pursuit and perpetuation of fundamental universal values through his work is reflected in his approach to art and living. “The right way,” he has said, “lies in plainness and naturalness.” Hamada referred to the goal of his “true craft” (a state of “always being born”) as “the way of pottery”—ageless wisdom he found mirrored in the four seasons. In fact, the sugarcane fields outside his workshop became his greatest inspiration and an emblem of his trademark. In a series of conversations with Bernard Leach, a close friend and equally renowned European potter, the master potter contemplates some aspects of the potter’s way as he recalls a trip he made to America in 1952. Hamada wore Japanese country clothes and chose not to speak English when he have wheel demonstrations. Many thought he was just a peasant.

When I went to America they thought I was a very simple person because I talked of ash glazes and they had long complicated formulas of calculated glazes. They did not realize that nature’s glazes are infinitely more complicated than any man can conceive. . .

What is best for a particular pot must come out of the potter himself. . . The appropriate technique for any pot has to emerge from the potter or the result is forced. . . The point is not to be purposeful but to be natural. . . It is not necessary to be concerned with achieving regularity or irregularity; the effort of the potter to achieve a specific effect will weaken the piece. If you are not worried about the pigment being even or uneven, the effect will certainly be good.

Once you have done something with your body, with the whole being, the whole body, then I feel that you are getting somewhere in understanding that you are in it. . .

Most potters think that unless they put specific patterns or drawings on the pot they are not making a pattern. They should realize that the pattern was being created from the very beginning of the pot-making process; the material itself creates the pattern. The potter must learn to see and to recognize this. . . I began to realize that there are two kinds of patterns to consider: the natural ones that come from the material itself and the kind that is intellectually conceived. . .

I remember the delightful experience of living in Okinawa with my wife and son for more than a year. The sugar-cane fields stretching endlessly in front of my workshop inspired me to create a pattern, which has continued to capture my interest, to my surprise, for these many years, without my becoming tired of it.

I drew the cane leaves, stem, and tops as they appear after being stricken by the violence of the typhoon. My style of drawing this pattern has changed naturally with the years, and my good friends tell me that they can detect changes in this sugar-cane pattern about every ten years. Now this pattern has become my trademark.

I have said for many years that I would try my hand at raku when I reached the age of seventy, but I have not done much yet. Because the low temperature firing keeps the form intact, with no firing distortion, I have been afraid that it would be essential for me to throw every pot with greater freedom and sensitivity. . .

The simplicity of raku [asymmetry and iregularity] cause it to be the most difficult of all to make. The reason is that the usage of raku ware by the Japanese is very subtle. It is so simple that you go through the full cycle of your development. I see it in terms of the four seasons. The best bowls are made by children who are unselfconscious. But just as you are reaching the peak of skill—summer—this is when the danger sets in. You become aware of your skill, and then you must get beyond that awareness before you can reach autumn and winter. Then you must come into the next spring. This is the period Japanese handcraftsmen know to be the time to develop their true craft. It is the second apple we are talking about, that is why it must be born, not made. Very often the craftsman does not live long enough, and not only that, when he is so old he may become brittle, rather than have a second childhood. If he becomes brittle, he must be very cautious. The second childhood must be the supple one, not a brittle one. To be able to make a good red or black raku in Japan is the heigh of good potting because of the difficulty.

No craft is easy to master. Pottery is among the most difficult to encompass. The reason may be that the glazing technique (which should be more properly called yugi, play or pastime) and the firing technique are over-stressed. We should put aside this over-emphasis. The right way lies in plainness and naturalness. If we reflect on our motive for making pottery we can make a start without mistakes. I think we can approach the way of pottery much more easily then.

For more on Shoji Hamada, check out Hamada Potter, by Bernard Leach. (Shop at Amazon | Shop at Abebooks)

For more essays like this, find a used copy of The Way of the Earth by T.C. McLuhan (Shop at Amazon | Shop at Abebooks)

Flip through the pages cited in this post:

For more posts on books, podcasts, and studio inspiration, click here.

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Parker Posey on Pottery and Wheel Throwing

“In the early aughts…I learned something that ought not to have been so difficult: pottery.”

Parker Posey’s 2018 memoir You’re on an Airplane is full of anecdotes, observations, and a chapter on her wheel throwing practice. She details how she studied at the La Mano ceramic studio in NYC, learning about clay bodies, wedging, centering and how to start pulling walls and throwing. Her description is surprisingly technical, but if you think of the book’s premise of Posey sitting next to you on an airplane telling you her life story, it makes sense.

On centering, she writes:

Your hand is listening now, keeping your mind’s eye centered as you push it down with the heel of your palm, still using your strength. You’re raising the phallus at the base and then pushing it down to the center of the wheel. It goes up, then it goes down; it goes up, then it goes down. It feels so amazing in your hands that you could do it for hours. It’s an erotic thing, what can I say?

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She continues with the sensuality theme later in the chapter, and links it to bigger themes:

In the beginning, throwing was the best—getting into the sensuality of the clay and centering for hours. My mind would go right to the stars and into the dirt and think about how we’re so disconnected from where things actually come from—that there’s so much more energy in things and objects than we give them credit for. I’d think of cavemen, and the first cavewoman who threw a pot from a kick-wheel. I’d think of how excited and pleased she must’ve been, how hairy her eyebrows were, or if one of her caveman friends ever threw a pot at her, how quick she was to duck out of the way and how fun that was for everybody. There was a time when vessels held offerings to the gods, and we know this because we’ve seen those pictures painted in the pyramids. We see now, in museums, how clumsy and childish those relics were.

All in all, a pretty interesting take on the practice of wheel throwing. Check out the book if you’d like to read more about Posey’s ceramics instructor, the pottery sculptures she created, and many stories and anecdotes from her life and career.

You’re On An Airplane by Parker Posey
Buy at bookshop.org
Buy at amazon.com
Buy at abebooks.com

Here’s a short video interview of Parker Posey on the wheel from 2013.

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A Potter's Workbook by Clary Illian

“It is a wondrous thing that long after it has ceased to be necessary, people still want to make pots on the potter’s wheel.” — Clary Illian

A Potter’s Workbook by Clary Illian is one of the best resources on making pots. Published in 1999, the book is full of images, drawings, and texts that illuminate and illustrate the how and why of making pots. It’s one of my favorite pottery resources, and I regularly share photocopied sections of the book with my students.

With just over 100 pages and 12 chapters, the book is full of information but not overwhelming. It starts with a a few short essays on the ideas of pots and then proceeds to cover practical aspects of each part of a pot, such as the foot and neck (the “Beginnings and Endings” chapter), cylinders, pitchers, bowls, lids, and then a few chapters on training your eye and finding your own style and voice. There is much practical information, along with more theoretical questions, such as:

“What is the heart of the matter in pottery making? To call into being an object and to ask the object to have qualities that evoke in the viewer a sense of rightness, beauty, or vitality is to tinker with the divine. Making pots offers a constant challenge to search for the mysterious underpinnings of the physical world itself.”

This style of pottery making and thinking about pottery shows Illian’s roots as a functional potter in the studio potter or Mingei tradition espoused by Bernard Leach and others. Illian apprenticed with Leach in 1964-65 after her undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa. After her time in Britain with Leach, she returned to Iowa where she set up her own pottery. While many of her pot evoke Mingei forms, Illian often turns to playful illustration and decorations that put her own spin on handmade, functional pottery.

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The book is illustrated throughout with simple line drawings and black and white images of greenware pots, shot by photographer and potter Charles Metzger. As opposed to other books that mainly show fired pots, or pots as they are being made on the wheel, the studio shots of greenware really illustrate the ideas that Illian presents in the text and help bring forth the attention that is needed to make a successful pot.

The book ends with a short chapter-length essay called “Place” that focuses on aesthetics and the role of the potter in contemporary society. Illian writes:

“Potters occupy a special position as communicators because they straddle the visual arts and arts of living; they have one foot in the spiritual realm of artistic value judgements and one foot in the material world of utilitarian objects. A useful object that has been crafted with artistic standards in mind is doubly special and celebrates both how and where it will be used…The sensuous appeal of a unique mug is linked to a nurturing moment, a moment of repose before the demands of the day begin. Food, drink, and plants are so central to our daily lives, so charged with emotions of self-gratification, nurturance, and relationship to other human beings that the containers associated with them will always be objects of symbolic power.

Delving into the spiritual along with the practical is to my mind, a great way to explore the mystery and power of pottery making. This makes A Potter’s Workbook a wonderful addition to any ceramics library and highly recommended for any potter.

For more on Clary Illian, check out this post from Craft in America. In 2014, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art published a monograph surveying Illian’s 50-year career.

Any thoughts on Clary Illian or A Potter’s Workbook? Let us know in the comments.

A Potter’s Workbook by Clary Illian
Buy at bookshop.org
Buy at amazon.com

A Few Images from the A Potter’s Workbook:

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How to Make a DIY Interchangeable Grinding Disc

A diamond-coated grinding disc is a great way to transform your pottery wheel into a grinding and polishing workhorse. All you need is a grinding disc, bat, and velcro. This DIY system is designed for interchangeable discs, giving you the flexibility to grind at 60 or 120 grit, and even finer.

Useful in any ceramics or pottery studio, grinding discs give you an easy way to clean up glaze drips, smooth the bottom of pots or kiln posts, and best of all, they make use of something you probably already have in your pottery studio: a wheel. Paired with a bit of water from a sponge, you will have a dust-free grinding disc that is similar to a lapidary wheel for grinding glass.

This tutorial will cover how to make your own interchangeable grinding disc using industrial velcro. This allows you to use different grits, and change them out on just one bat. To get fired ceramic super smooth, I like to start at 60 grit, then 120, 240 and finish with 400.

Here’s what you’ll need:

> Scissors
> Industrial Velcro
> Grinding Disc
8” Grinding Disc from Diamond Core Tools
8” Grinding Disc from Uxcell
> Waterproof bat such as an Amaco Plasti Bat

A note on grinding discs:
The Diamond Core grinding discs are really high quality, long lasting, and wonderful to use. They cost around $50 each and come with an adhesive backing. You may find one grinding disc is the way to go, in which case, I would get one high-end disc and use the adhesive to attach it to a bat.

The Uxcell grinding discs found on Amazon and other sites are generics, have a middle arbor hole, and don’t last as long. But, they are perfect for this DIY system as you can buy multiple grits and change them out on one bat using the Velcro. And depending on your situation and needs, you can find generic grinding discs in a range of sizes, from 6 to 12 inches wide. A small 6 inch disc might just be perfect for a small studio where you just need to grind foot rings or small pieces.

Here’s some closeups of the 8” 120 Grit Uxcell grinding disc used in this tutorial. Click to enlarge:

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How to Make a DIY Grinding Disc

Step 1

Step 1: Gather your materials

Gather your materials. You’ll need:

1. Diamond-coated grinding disc

2. Industrial Velcro

3. Scissors

4. Waterproof bat

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Step 2

Step 2: Cut Velcro

Cut one side of the Velcro and attach to the backside of the grinding disc.

Note: you can probably use 1/3 to 1/2 of what I used here!

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Step 3

Step 3: Cut other side of velcro

Cut the other side of the velcro to roughly match.

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Step 4

Step 4: Attach velcro to grinding disc and bat

Peel of the backing and attach the Velcro to your bat.

That’s it! You have a new diamond coated grinding disc. Time to get grinding!

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Step 5

Step 5: Ready to grind

Test your diamond grinding disc. You’ll just a need your wheel, bat pins, and a sponge and water.

As you can see from the pic at right, the Industrial Strength Velcro does create a small gap between the grinding disc and the bat.

When using, we periodically sponged fresh water over the entire grinding disc. Used water in the splash pan was discarded.

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Putting the Grinding Disc to Work

A dirty kiln post in need of grinding

The grinding disc made short work of the mess.

Summary

A diamond-coated grinding disc turns your pottery wheel into a grinding and polishing machine. This interchangeable DIY system gives you the flexibility to grind at a variety of grits. It’s a great addition to any studio.

Do you have any other ways of making grinding discs or transforming wheels into grinding machines? Let us know in the comments.

Check Amazon for prices on Industrial Strength Velcro, Uxcell Grinding Discs, and Amaco Plasti-Bats:

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Roger Herman Ceramics monograph

Roger Herman Ceramics is a massive, beautifully illustrated monograph of the Los Angeles artist’s ceramic work from 1997–2018. The book includes a short introductory essay by Matt Connors and page after page of ceramics, including exhibition installation shots.

Herman works intuitively with clay, but generally starts with wheel thrown forms that are stacked, cut, altered, and decorated. Often featuring bright underglaze colors contrasting with dark, glossy glazes, the pots range from small, handheld cup- or bowl-like pieces to massive vases, urn-like pots, and large platters. In exhibitions, these are displayed in groupings in bookcases, open shelving, on the wall, or on pedestals, often drawing power from the groupings and loose repetitions of forms or markmaking.

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Herman also employs many drawing and painting techniques, including inlay, scraffito, wax resist, oxide wash, and combinations of underglaze and glaze. Not bound by one style, some pots are abstract color fields while others are completely covered in figurative drawing. Often fired and refired, the pots exude a considered casualness that is also open, honest, and exuberant.

Originally a painter, this book shows that Herman’s 20-plus year investment in ceramics is not just a trifle; he is a contemporary master of the material who has pushed vessel-making and ceramics in new directions. The installation shots that include ceramics with his paintings show that there is a give and take in his practice that crosses mediums.

My only complaint with the book would be a complete lack of information on work titles, sizes, and dates. The book unfolds like a massive tumblr scroll and while full of very exciting pots, it’s hard to know when they were made or exhibited. But with that caveat, it’s a wonderful addition to anyone’s library and the lack of titles and words allow a real focus on the pots themselves.

Roger Herman Ceramics 1997-2018 was available exclusively through Arcana Books in Los Angeles for $95, 426 pages, signed, with an edition of 250. There are not always copies available used but try the links below.

See more of Roger Herman’s ceramics on his website

For a 2020 interview with Herman on Hyperallergic, click here.

A few images of the book

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You might also enjoy:

Lucie Rie monography by Tony Birks

Ben Okri: A Time For New Dreams

Amy Sillman on Painting

For more posts on books, podcasts, and studio inspiration, click here.

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Cone 6 Cobalt Blue Glaze (June Perry Red Variant)

Cobalt Blue is a dependable Cone 5-6 mid-range oxidation glaze with a deep blue glossy finish breaking to lighter blue highlights. On darker clays, or where it is thicker, it will turn a lighter, more cloudy blue that is still really nice. The base glaze is the same as the ever-popular June Perry Red, but this glaze has less tin and 2% cobalt oxide. Cobalt Blue layers well with other glazes and is one of the most popular glazes in the community studio I manage. This glaze stays a nice blue over darker clays, while going in a more ultramarine direction on white clays.

I’m unsure who developed this glaze variant, but it if you are curious about the original June Perry Red, you can see more of her recipes at Shambhala Pottery.

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The glaze tests here were oxidation fired to Cone 6 in an electric front-loading kiln, with a 10 minute soak and slow cooling due to the 6” thickness of the kiln walls. Try this glaze out, and let us know what you think in the comments.

Cone 6 Cobalt Blue Glaze, based on June Perry Red

Ingredient	Percentage	3000g batch
Silica	32	960g
Gerstley Borate	21	630g
Whiting	20	600g
Nepheline Syenite	16	480g
EPK	11	330g
Tin Oxide	2	60g
Cobalt Oxide	2	60g
	104	3120g

Test Tiles

Cobalt Blue on Standard 182 White Stoneware

Cobalt Blue on Standard 112 Brown Speckle

Cobalt Blue on Standard 308 Brooklyn Red

#Glazes That Work

This recipe is part of our series of posts of glazes that just work. There’s a million glaze recipes out there, but we’re posting a series of our tried-and-true favorites. Click here to see the other recipes we’ve posted.

For more info:

Read our guide on mixing glazes from scratch.
See our reviews of the best scales, cordless drills, or corded drills for mixing glazes.
Check out our recommended glazing accessories.

If you’d like to learn more about mid-range glazes, the best place to start is The Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes by John Britt. The book provides a comprehensive overview of materials, techniques and glaze recipes.

Buy at amazon.
Buy at bookshop.org.

Do you have a favorite mid-range cobalt blue recipe? Let us know in the comments.

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The Best Way to Eliminate Odor from a Stinky Ceramic Slop or Glaze Bucket

Updated and revised, September 9, 2023

A dirty, stinky throwing slop trash can in need of some cleaning and copper carbonate, to eliminate odors.

Stinky slop and glaze buckets can be a problem in any ceramic studio. The smells range from a swampy, pond-mud smell to a very strong sulfurous odor. All are caused by some kind of organic matter in your clay or glaze.

In addition, some glaze materials such as bone ash or CMC are organic materials and will start to smell over time, especially if the bucket is not stirred regularly.

To deal with smelly buckets, the best practices are to:

1. Keep organic materials like brush bristles, paper, etc out of your buckets and jars

2. Stir and mix your materials more frequently

3. Cycle materials more frequently

4. Clean your buckets with soap and water, and sterilize them with bleach

Adding bleach? In some studios, bleach is added to slop buckets or clean up buckets and mixed with the clay slop. This is an ok thing to do, but has it’s drawbacks. Usually, the bleach will just mask whatever the problem is for a few days or weeks, and then the smell will return. And I personally don’t like to add bleach to buckets where the material is being recycled such as clay slop buckets. And if you add too much bleach, the slop water can be rough on your hands.

The following article covers some ideas for eliminating odors from glaze buckets, underglaze jars, and slop buckets. Discussed is a somewhat extreme method of adding copper carbonate. In general, I would use this as a last resort after you have tried to cycle material, or clean outed and sterilized the problematic bucket. A little bit of copper can get rid of smells, because of the antimicrobial properties of the element, but using it does have some drawbacks as well.

This practice of adding a small amount of copper carbonate comes from a tip I read many years ago I read in Ceramics Monthly. (I haven’t been able to find the link) The tip from the potter was adding a trace amount of copper carbonate to glaze buckets. My memory is just a gram or two. It wasn’t enough to change the color of the glaze (even in a white glaze), but it was enough to prevent mold growth. If you have a glaze that regularly smells, try adding an extremely small amount of copper carbonate to any glaze, and see if that fixes the problem. The tutorial below also covers adding copper carbonate to slop buckets, in addition to some strategies to deal with smell glaze and underglaze jars.

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Table of Contents

1. How To Eliminate Odor From Glaze Buckets

2. How To Eliminate Odor from Underglaze Jars

3. Maintaining and Dealing with Odor in Slop Buckets and Reclaim Clay

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How To Eliminate Odor From Glaze Buckets

Stinky glaze buckets happen from time to time. Usually, this is caused by some sort of organic matter. It could also be caused by organic glaze materials such as bone ash or CMC gum. For bone ash glazes, try stirring the glaze more often, or proceed with the copper carbonate fix as detailed below. For glazes with CMC gum, try replacing that with bentonite, which is a very fine, inorganic clay that can help glazes stay in suspension.

Before adding copper carbonate to a stinky bucket, screen the glaze first to make sure you’ve removed any brush bristles, bisque chunks, or other foreign matter. Sometimes, just stirring the glaze more often may eliminate the issue, so try that first!

Method:

Add 1 gram of copper carbonate per 5 gallons of glaze, stir, and wait 24 hours.

That’s it!

Just a bit of copper should take care of the problem, and in such a small amount, it shouldn’t change the color of the glaze. I even did this once with 5 gallon bucket of white glaze. A little risky, but it worked without changing the glaze color.

If you are nervous about adding copper carb, or if your studio scale is not very accurate, try measuring the smallest amount you can, such as 2 or 5 or 10 grams, and then physically dividing it up to get down to something like .5 grams or 1 grams, and add that small amount to your glaze. If the smell isn’t gone in 24 hours, repeat the process.

If the copper carbonate doesn’t solve your problem, don’t keep adding it past 2 or 3 grams. Eventually, you will add enough to alter the color of the glaze. If the problem persists, you may have to discard the glaze and start over with a fresh batch.

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How to Eliminate Odor from Underglaze Jars

Underglaze jars can get really stinky. Some in particular, such as the various reds from the Amaco Velvet Underglaze line, seem prone to getting stinky.

To prevent odors with underglazes:
> Remove any cardboard liner from the caps
> Stir to mix. Don’t shake all the underglaze against these cardboard liners
> Try to prevent brush bristles from dropping in
> Keep any other organic matter out of the jar

But if your underglaze gets stinky? There may not be much you can do. It’s such a small volume, and our best remedy, copper carbonate, is a colorant. Still, you can try adding a very small amount of copper, approximately 1 gram or less. Stir into your underglaze, cap it up, and wait 24 hours. Check and repeat if necessary. Caution: you will change the color of your underglaze if you add copper to them! I’ve done this a few times with the extremely-prone-to-stinkiness Bright Red Velvet Underglaze. The copper mutes the red a bit, but it’s actually a lovely result that is still red.

But the conclusion is, there may not be much you can do for a stinky underglaze except to tolerate it and/or discard and buy a new jar.

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Maintaining and Dealing With Odor in Slop Clay Bucket

A slop bucket is a great way to reduce the amount of clay going into your sink and can also be used for initial cleaning of splash pans and throwing buckets. If there was room, I’d have a series of three of these for cleanup. But in the studio I manage, there is just one 40 gallon trash can with a mesh lid. It’s used to collect all the throwing slop.

Ideally, this trash can gets completely emptied about once a month and the heavier slop is saved and mixed with reclaim clay. But while the slop is building up, the bucket can get pretty stinky. And if you recycle stinky slop, then you have stinky reclaim clay (although the process of mixing does seem to help alleviate some problems with smell.)

The first step I would take with a stinky slop bucket would be to completely empty it and clean with soap. Then, sterilize the bucket or trash can with bleach and let it dry completely. Usually this will eliminate your stinky slop bucket problem for at least a few months up to 6 months. Slop buckets will always get smelly at some point so just plan to fully clean and sterilize it on a regular schedule.

A more extreme solution is adding a small but regular dose of copper carbonate to your slop bucket. Caution: adding copper carbonate to reclaim clay may result in small green spots showing up through white or clear glazes as you are adding copper to your clay! Use this method at your own risk.

The tutorial below covers maintaining a slop bucket with copper. As mentioned, try cycling your materials more regularly, keep organic material out of your bucket, and give your bucket a deep clean before trying this method!:

Step 1: Remove water, add copper carb, and stir

Ideally, the slop bucket is a settling tank so that heavier clay particles will separate and fall to the bottom. Pictured here is a 40 gallon trash can. As the can fills to the top and settles, pull off the top 10 gallons of water. This watery slip goes down the sink in my studio, but you could choose to let it settle and then decant.

After taking off the top 10 gallons, add about a half a spoonful of copper carbonate. This is about 2-3 grams of copper carbonate.

After adding the copper carbonate, stir or mix the whole slop bucket with a drill. It helps to disperse the copper.

Add about 2 to 3 grams (about 1/2 spoonful) of copper carbonate per approximately 20-30 gallons of slop.

Copper carbonate on the surface, ready to be mixed into the slop.

Step 2: Clean the Lid

A clean lid for our slop bucket.

Not exactly necessary, but a regular lid cleaning makes it easier to maintain and inspires respect from your fellow studio mates.

It’s a bit hard to see in the picture, but I am are using my favorite pro-grade cleanup sponges.

For the lid on our bucket has a DIY screen made by cutting a hole in the trash can lid and attaching rubberized mesh with nuts and washers. The mesh helps to keep tools, sponges, and large chunks of clay out of the slop bucket.

Step 3: Repeat as Necessary

Our bucket with a clean lid and a bit of copper to prevent any stinky odors.

As stated above, it takes us approximately 1 month to end up with about 15 gallons of heavy slip but usually every week or more often, I remove the top layer of watery slip from the bucket. Every time water is removed, I add copper to the bucket.

Once there is 15 gallons or so of heavier slop at the bottom of the bucket, I remove it and put it in 5 gallon “settling tanks,” This watery slop is then poured over dried out scraps or added to the pugmill as needed. It’s the best way I can think of to capture all the fine particles left over from the throwing process. I’ve also found that as this slop with copper moves through the reclaim process, it combines with other clay and helps keep that reclaim from getting stinky too.

Occasionally, I do notice a little green copper speck popping into a white glaze from the reclaim clay, so if you want to be extra careful, use the least amount of copper necessary, or mix it into a watery slurry before adding to your slop bucket.

Summary

This post has covered a variety of ways to deal with smelly glaze, underglaze, and slop buckets. Also detailed is how to use copper carbonate to eliminate odor in glaze buckets, underglaze jars, and slop buckets. It’s an effective and affordable way to manage the inevitable odors that arise in a ceramic studio.

Do you have any other techniques for maintaining odor-free slop and glaze buckets? Let us know in the comments.

Shop materials and tools mentioned in this post:

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How to Make a Booklet with a Long Reach Stapler

There are many tutorials on work arounds to make a DIY booklet with two staplers, but a long reach or long arm stapler makes it really easy. With this stapler and some office paper (and maybe some cardstock) you’re ready to start your own little booklet factory.

There are a few long reach staplers out there but my favorite is the Swingline Long Reach Stapler paired with Swingline Premium Staples. The Swingline can reach up to 12 inches, so you could potentially fold a 24 inch piece of paper in half to make a booklet. This tutorial will cover making a simple booklet with printer paper and cardstock to make a booklet, but with your own stapler, you can make whatever you want.

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Tutorial

Step 1: Gather Your Tools and Materials

As pictured above:

> Swingline Long Reach Staper (Shop at Amazon | Shop at Staples)
> Swingline Premium Staples (Shop at Amazon)
> Office paper (Shop at Amazon)
> Astrobrites Cardstock paper for the cover (Shop at Amazon | Shop at Staples)

Making this on an 18x24” Alvin Cutting Mat is also helpful. (Shop Cutting Mat at Amazon)

Step 2: Staple

Set your Long Reach Stapler for half the length of the paper you are stapling. In this instance, it’s 6.5”. The example booklet has 5 pages and the cover cardstock.

The Swingline Long Reach can staple up to 20 sheets of standard office paper, and the guiderail can accommodate a 12” reach. For thicker papers, expect this stapler to staple fewer than 20 sheets.

Staple through your cover so the exposed ends of the staples are inside your booklet.

For standard 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper, 3 staples should be enough.

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Step 3: Fold

Fold your booklet along the stapled spine, and you’re set!

Other Ideas for Booklets

This tutorial used blank office paper, which is great if you want to make a quick sketchbook or notebook. But there’s much more you can do:

> Order bulk drawing paper to make student-grade sketchbooks.
> Turn scratch / recyled paper into a quick booklet for notes or to-do lists.
> Make an old-school zine by taping, drawing, photocopying, and then stapling.
> Print a simple photobook (depends on your home print quality)
> Work with kids to design, print, and staple their own books or coloring books.
> Layout, print, and copy a simple booklet.

Shop drawing paper sheets at Blick

Shop bulk drawing paper at Amazon

To go a bit deeper on bookmaking including perfect binding and trimming, check out Stephanie Syjuco’s google doc on how to set up a bare bones printing facility for under $1,000.

To print your own booklet, it is really helpful to have a duplex or 2 sided printer to do double sided printing. One of the best options and most affordable options is the Brother 2710 all in one monochrome laser printer. (Shop at Amazon)

Do you have a favorite bookmaking or booklet project? Please share in the comments.

Shop tools from this post:

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The Best 10 Gallon Plastic Bucket

10 gallon buckets are a great way to store glaze and dry materials in a studio. The larger size accommodates bigger pieces for glaze dipping, and a 10 gallon bucket will easily hold about 50 lbs of any dry material, such as plaster or glaze ingredients. It’s important, however, to have a sturdy, long-lasting bucket.

The best 10 gallon bucket for glazes and other studio uses is the Carlisle Bronco 10 Gallon Bucket. It has thick walls and smooth interior. Other buckets, such as the new version of the Rubbermaid Brute 10 gallon, have upraised interior fluting that get in the way of mixing glazes or dipping work. For this reason, the Carlisle Bronco 10 gallon bucket is our top pick.

This post will review a few 10 gallon bucket options, describe the problems I ran into using the Rubbermaid bucket, and explain why I prefer the Carlisle Bronco.

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Table of Contents

1. Carlisle Bronco 10 Gallon Bucket

2. Rubbermaid Brute 10 Gallon Bucket

3. Rubbermaid Commercial 10 Gallon Ice Bucket

4. Summary

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Carlisle Bronco 10 Gallon Bucket

The Carlisle Bronco is the best 10 gallon bucket I’ve used. It has sturdy walls, a smooth interior, and will be a long-lasting addition to your studio. It looks like the “old style” Rubbermaid Brute, and is virtually identical to the more expensive Rubbermaid Ice Bucket. Most importantly, it has a completely smooth interior that allows for easy glaze mixing or scooping of dry materials.

The Carlisle Bronco 10 Gallon is 16 inches in diameter and 17 inches tall. Carlisle makes lids for 10 gallon buckets, or a Rubbermaid 10-gallon lid will fit perfectly. It’s also available in a variety of colors, including white, black, gray, blue, red, green, yellow, and purple.

It may seem like a simple thing, but having the right bucket really can make a difference in the functionality of your studio, and for that reason, go with the Carlisle Bronco.

The Carlisle Bronco 10 Gallon Bucket is available in a variety of colors.

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Rubbermaid Brute 10 Gallon Bucket

The Rubbermaid Brute 10 Gallon Bucket. Note the fluting on the side: good for trash can liners, bad for glaze mixing

I’m generally a fan of most Rubbermaid commercial products, but I can’t recommend the Rubbermaid Brute 10 Gallon Bucket as a glaze bucket or for dry materials storage. This is now advertised as a garbage / trash bucket and that is only what it is for. It has fluting down the sides and upraised reinforcement in the base. This allows it to be made from less plastic (which is good) but the bumps and exposed plastic corners on the inside do not work well with a ceramic studio.

I ordered one of these as a glaze bucket for the busy community studio I manage, and within a few months, a student drilled a hole in the bottom. The hole was made with a cordless drill with a Jiffy ES-21 mixer blade, and this metal blade and the upraised base on the Brute did not work well together. (See pics below)

If you need a trash can, this is a lightweight option that is cheaper than the Carlisle Bronco. Just don’t plan to use it for anything else.

Comparing the Carlisle Bronco and Rubbermaid Brute

Here’s two pictures showing the hole that was drilled in the upraised section of the Brute Bucket:

Below are two photos showing the Bronco (the clean bucket) in comparison to the Rubbermaid Brute. Note the upraised base of the Brute and the fluting, while the Carlisle Bronco is smooth inside.

The Rubbermaid Brute (dirty) alongside our new Carlisle Bronco 10 gallon bucket.

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Rubbermaid Brute Ice Bucket

A very similar option to the Carlisle Bronco is the Rubbermaid Brute 10 Gallon Ice Bucket. It’s confusing that Rubbermaid has two 10 gallon bucket options on the market, but note that this is the “old” style with no fluting etc, and a smooth interior. It’s basically the same as the Carlisle Bronco, but costs a bit more.

Like the other buckets here, it is 17 inches tall and around 16 inches wide. This is a great option for a glaze bucket, but I’d save a few bucks and go with the Carlisle.

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10 Gallon Bucket Accessories

The Rubbermaid Sliding Lid and Scoop is available for 10, 20, and 32 gallon buckets.

Sliding Lid: A standard lid is fine but the Rubbermaid sliding lid (pictured at right) is an interesting option for storing dry materials. Designed for food-service storage, it would also be great for glaze materials and dry clay storage.

Glaze paddles: The smooth, even interior of the Bronco will work great with powered drill mixers as well as paddles, such as the MKM Glaze Paddle.

Drills: A cordless drill is usually just powerful enough to mix a 10 gallon bucket of liquid, but a corded drill will definitely get the job done. For our complete review of cordless drills, click here. For corded drills, click here.

Glaze mixing accessories: For a guide to glaze-mixing tools and accessories, click here.

Finally, here’s a how-to about mixing glazes from scratch.

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Summary

I’m always on the hunt for the best buckets and tools, so if anything changes, I will update this post. But for now, the Carlisle Bronco is the 10 gallon bucket I will be using in my studio.

Do you have other favorite options for 10 gallon buckets? Please share in the comments.

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Ceramic Podcasts from Hyperallergic

In summer 2019, the art blog Hyperallergic produced a 4-part podcast series on ceramics in conjunction with the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, Canada. All are worth listening to, as well as Hyperallergic’s other excellent podcasts in their Art Movements Podcast series.

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From Hyperallergic:

This four-part series is produced by Hyperallergic in conjunction with Canada’s national ceramics museum, the Gardiner Museum and its Community Art Space, a platform for experimentation and socially-engaged art.

The series will explore how ceramics plays a role in contemporary art, and how artists and curators are grappling with the complexity of the age-old medium that continues to excite artists and audiences today.

The podcasts:

Shary Boyle’s Exploration of the Fantastic and Political Lives of Clay, released July 23, 2019

The Largely Unknown History of Blackface in Canada, released August 7, 2019

Kent Monkman’s Mission to Decenter the Colonial Museum, released August 9, 2019

The History, Context, and Legacy of an Ancient Maya Plate, released September 3, 2019

Click here to see more posts in the inspiration category.

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The Best Hand Cream for Art and Ceramic Studios

For this post, 10 hand creams were tested to determine the best product for potters, sculptors, artists, or anyone who works in a workshop or studio. Based on my experience in ceramic studios, I wanted to find the hand cream that would stick around, keep hands healthy, and not interfere with work. A few creams are clearly superior.

Top picks:

• O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream (shop at Amazon) is the top pick. It is non-greasy, soaks in quickly, and sticks around. It’s got a bit of wax in it but doesn’t seem sticky or thick. It’s also affordable and does exactly what it says: protect working hands. That’s why it’s the top pick for a studio cream.

• Aquaphor Healing Ointment (shop at Amazon) is the next pick. It can be a bit greasy for some uses, but it sticks around through intense wet work and a little bit goes a long way.

• The third pick is Weleda Skin Food (shop at Amazon). It’s a rich, luxurious cream that is a pleasure to use, smells great, and has become the hand cream I use at home to start and end the day.

Full reviews are below but first, some history: For more than 10 years, my go-to studio hand cream was Kerodex 71. It’s a non-greasy, water-repellent cream that contains kaolin clay, mineral oil, and paraffin wax. This makes it a long-lasting, effective barrier cream for workshops and studios. Alas, it seems that it is no longer in production. (Please MedTech Products Inc. of Tarrytown, NY, bring it back!)

To find a replacement, I tried a bunch of creams designed as barrier, hand creams, and “invisible gloves,” along with a few other favorites, and did a head-to-head test. Results and favorites are below. Please note, almost any of these creams will be better than using nothing. Skin, hands, and studio tasks vary so my hope is that these reviews guide you to the perfect hand cream for your situation.

EDIT: After making the initial picks, I posted this in a few pottery forums and got a LOT of feedback. Many agreed with the top picks, but potters have a lot of thoughts on this topic. I’ve included some of the most recommended products at the end of this post, and plan to test more for a future review. In general, my favorite studio hand cream is something that contain a bit of wax or paraffin, such as O’Keeffe’s Working Hands or Kerodex.

Compare prices on the top 3 picks:

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Table of Contents

• Top Pick: O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream

• Second: Aquaphor Healing Ointment

• Third: Weleda Skin Food

• Honorable Mention: Aveeno Daily Moisturizing, Corn Husker’s Lotion, Workman’s Friend,

• Not quite right: Gloves in a Bottle, Invisible Glove, and Ghost Glove

• The (discontinued) Old Favorite: Kerodex 71

• Some tips, recipes, and ideas on healing cracked, dried out hands

• Other suggestions for hand creams

• Wrap-Up: The Best Hand Cream for Artists

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Top Pick: O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream

After testing, the top pick is O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream. It is a moisturizing cream that also contains a bit of paraffin, making it an ideal replacement for my previous favorite, Kerodex 71. This cream is quick to dry, non-greasy and had no smell. In testing, it stuck around through multiple washes. During heavier uses, like throwing pots, the cream was gone almost immediately from palms and fingertips, but it did stick around on knuckles and the backs of hands. There is no cream that survives heavy use such as direct contact with clay, but it was quick and easy to re-apply O’Keeffe’s throughout the day and it kept skin healthy. Throughout the testing period, this became the lotion returned to most frequently.

Drawbacks: There were no problems or concerns with this cream. It’s economical, does what you need it to do, and works as advertised. This is why it is the top pick.

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Ceteareth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aluminum Starch, Octenylsuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/CID-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Paraffin, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Diazolidynyl, Urea

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Second Pick: Aquaphor Healing Ointment

The second pick is Aquaphor Healing Ointment. If you’ve never tried it, it is similar to Vaseline or petroleum jelly, but contains a few other ingredients such as Lanolin Alcohol and Glycerin. It will help protect your hands and can be used on the rest of your body too. It’s also used to temporarily protect minor cuts, scrapes, or burns, and seems to be a popular recommendation from pediatricians. It works on babies and kids, and it works in the studio too.

Aquaphor goes on easily but does stay a bit greasy. During testing, it stayed on through normal use, providing a long-lasting protection that could be felt throughout the course of a few hours. Although it costs more than petroleum jelly, it’s still an economical option because you just need a small dab at a time. And the extra ingredients make it a superior ointment to generic petroleum jelly. It’s a solid option and for some of our friends, it’s their favorite studio hand cream and protectant.

Drawbacks: This is one to avoid if you are concerned about getting grease on your projects, such as working with ceramic bisqueware or drawing / painting. It does stay a bit “wet” or oily longer than most creams, but will eventually absorb into the skin.

Aquaphor Ingredients: Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Bisabolol

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Third Pick: Weleda Skin Food

The third pick is Weleda Skin Food. Described as an “ultra-rich cream,” this is definitely the creamiest, most luxurious product reviewed. It smells great too—kind of a floral / essential oil smell that is very pleasant. The beeswax makes it similar to a barrier cream, but it’s not advertised that way. It’s just a really nice, thick cream that works great in the studio or at home. If it wasn’t on the more expensive side, I would rank this first or second. Through this testing it became a new favorite cream for day-to-day use at home, especially for hands and dry patches like elbows.

Drawbacks: Like Aquaphor, this cream stays “wet” or oily on your skin for a bit. Definitely something to avoid if you wanted to immediately begin working with paper, canvas, or bisqueware, as some oil could transfer to those surfaces. It’s also the most expensive cream reviewed. For those reasons, it ranked this third in this review.

Weleda Skin Food Ingredients: Water, sunflower seed oil, lanolin, sweet almond oil, alcohol, beeswax, glyceryl linoleate, hydrolyzed beeswax, fragrance from natural essential oils, pansy extract, rosemary leaf extract, chamomile flower extract, calendula flower extract, cholesterol, limonene, linalool, geraniol, citral, coumarin.

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Honorable Mention: Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion is the top pick in the Honorable Mention category. If you are looking for just one lotion for studio and home, this would be it. It applies easily and absorbs quickly, doesn’t feel greasy, is economical, and the fragrance-free option is a plus. All in all, a great daily lotion for hands and skin. One bonus: It’s not advertised except for a small mention on the bottle, but it contains dimethicone, a silicone-polymer skin protectant that is used in more expensive barrier creams.

Drawbacks: This is a standard daily lotion and is thinner than a skin cream. It doesn’t contain any wax or thicker ingredients and is not formulated for a high-intensity use such as O’Keeffe’s Working Hands. But it’s a fine lotion and does the job.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion Ingredients: Active Ingredient: Dimethicone 1.2% Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride.

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Corn Husker’s Lotion

The next honorable mention is Corn Huskers Lotion, which I have seen listed as a potter’s favorite on a few online forums. Think of it as gel-like, almost-liquid version of petroleum jelly. Unlike petroleum jelly or Aquaphor, it absorbs quickly into the skin. After applying, your skin feels smoother and not exactly slippery, but that definitely seems like an effect of the second ingredient, glycerin.

This is also a product that you might add to your throwing water when working on the pottery wheel (some people use baby oil). I don’t do the baby-oil-in-throwing water, but some swear that this addition of oil to the water keeps their hands from getting beat up.

Drawbacks: This product has a baby powder smell that sticks around for a bit. Not my favorite odor. For that reason, it was dropped it into the honorable mention category.

Corn Huskers Lotion Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, SD alcohol 40-B, algin, oleoyl sarcosine, methylparaben, triethanolamine, cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar) gum, fragrance, calcium sulfate, calcium chloride

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Workman’s Friend Barrier Hand Cream

Workman’s Friend Barrier Cream certainly seemed like it could be a great replacement for Kerodex 71, but after testing, I’m not sure this product lives up to that billing. It’s definitely a cream and has a thicker feel and application than a lotion such as Aveeno, but for the extra cost and all the extra words on the package, it just didn’t live up to the hype. It has 1% dimethicone, a silicone-polymer skin protectant and lubricant, but so does Aveeno Daily Moisturing. It’s also about double the price of the top pick. That said, it is a nice cream that I did enjoy using.

Drawbacks: More expensive for what seems to be a slightly thicker cream version of Aveeno lotion, it also doesn’t have the advertised barrier capabilities that the top three picks definitely have. This is a cream I’ll use but wouldn’t buy again as there are cheaper, better options.

Workman’s Friend Barrier Cream Ingredients: Deionized Water, Steric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Palminate, Ricinus Communic (Castor) Seed Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Mineral Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Xantham Gum, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract.

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Not Quite Right:

Gloves in a Bottle

Like the Workman’s Friend Hand Cream, I had high hopes for Gloves in a Bottle as I have seen it for sale at many ceramic supply shops. But it did not deliver. It’s a lotion, not a cream, and it applies easily. It takes three to four minutes to dry completely on your skin and for a few of those, it has a slightly tacky or sticky quality. Taking this long to dry definitely involves some planning. After it dries, it’s seems a lot like a regular lotion and didn’t have any special sort of effect. I don’t feel it’s worth paying extra for a product like this.

Drawbacks: Maybe it was just my skin, but upon repeated washing, Gloves in a Bottle had an astringent effect and seemed to promote drying in my fingertips. I double checked this effect over multiple days, and it dried out my fingertips each time. I just did not have good luck with this product.

Gloves in a Bottle Ingredients: Purified Water, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Xantham Gum, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, VP/ Eicosene Copolymer, Steareth-21, Phenoxyethanol (preservative)

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Not Quite Right Part 2: Ghost Glove and Invisible Glove

Ghost Glove and Invisible Glove seem like great (albeit almost identical) products. But they weren’t what I was looking for. They are basically thick, spreadable soap that will protect your hands when you’re working with a greasy substance. When you’re ready to clean up, boom, everything washes right off. For a wet use, like ceramics or plaster, they would wash off right away. And if you were working with dry media, these products could easily rub off onto paper or canvas.

Drawbacks: Great products for working with greasy, oil substances. Neither contains any sort of moisturizer. Seemed like fine products, but not right for us or for a ceramics or sculpture studio. Seems more for a machine or automotive shop, and could be a good choice for artists working with oil paint.

Ghost Glove Ingredients: Glycerin, Water, Sodium Silicate, Soap, Emulsifier, Fragrance, Preservative

Invisible Glove Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Sodium Silicate, Soap, Fragrance

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The (Discontinued) Old Favorite: Kerodex 71

I’ll close out this post with some pictures and info on Kerodex 71. I haven’t seen this for sale in a few years. Looking at the ingredients, it really stands out that kaolin (aka china clay) is the second ingredient. Combine that with mineral, petrolatum, and paraffin, and you’ve got a great barrier cream that also moisturizes. If any hand cream manufacturers out there are reading this, bring it back!

Kerodex Ingredients: Water, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Paraffin, Ceteryl Alcohol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Zinc Oxide, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Cetrimonium Brodime, Calcium Carbonate, Iron Oxides

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Some tips, recipes, and ideas on healing cracked, dried out hands

If you have cracked or very dried out hands, here are some tips to get them healed. You may need to take a break from working with clay, especially intensive activities such as throwing, mixing glazes, or reclaiming clay.

Aquaphor or Vaseline under band aids, surgical gloves, or night-time gloves
If you have cracked fingertips or knuckles, apply petroleum jelly such as Aquaphor or Vaseline, and then cover it with a band-aid or night-time gloves. Alternately, put surgical gloves over the cream or lotion for about an hour.

Add Baby Lotion to Throwing Water
I haven’t tried but have heard good things! You could also try this with Corn Huskers Lotion. One thought is this might make your reclaim clay a bit stinky.

Mix Your Own Skin Lotion
This simple recipe was suggested was:

Mix in a blender:
16oz Vitamin E cream
16 oz Vaseline
27oz jar of Baby Lotion

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Other suggestions for hand creams

As mentioned at the top, I posted the first version of this review in a few pottery forums and got a LOT of suggestions. Potters have strong opinions about what works for them. I plan to test as many of these products as I can, and add them to this review in the future. Until then, here’s the feedback:

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands: Many commenters agreed with the top pick of O’Keeffe’s Working Hands cream. Some preferred the version in a tub, which they find to be a bit thicker. But overall, more commenters preferred O’Keeffe’s than any other product, echoing my endorsement. Many others wrote in to say that they also really like Weleda’s hand creams, such as Skin Food.

Bag Balm Ointment was the next most recommended hand cream. Some said it was a bit greasy, but that it works great. It has a simple, 4 part recipe and has been around for more than 100 years.

Potters Skin Butter from Cara Mae Skincare was the next most-recommended hand cream after Working Hands and Bag Balm. Originally developed in 2004 by a potter for other potters, it looks great for any kind of hard working hands! In addition to the website, you can find it on Etsy.

Burt’s Bees Hand Salve was also highly recommended. If you go with Burt’s Bees, some preferred the Hand Repair Cream.

A number of people replied to say that their favorite hand cream is just 100% Shea Butter. Easy and natural! Others preferred just straight coconut oil for their working hands.

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector also had a number of fans. This one is not cheap but it has ecstatic reviews on Amazon and other sites.

Cerave was also a popular mention. The Therapeutic Hand Cream seems ideal, but the company makes a variety of products.

Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Hand Cream had a number of fans.

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream also had some vocal fans.

The following products had just one or two people recommend them, but we are including the list here in the hopes it may help you identify the best hand cream for your situation.

A&D Ointment (yes, the diaper cream but works for wet hands too!)

Amlactin Body Cream

Cetaphil Cream

Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Cream

Curel Ultra Healing Intensive Lotion

Du’It Tough Hands

Eucerin Original Healing Cream and Advanced Repair Hand Cream

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Hempworx Hand and Body Lotion

Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strenght Hand Salve

L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream

Lotil Original Cream

Lubriderm Daily Body and Hand Moisture

Lush Helping Hands

Malaleuca Renew Intensive Skin Therapy Lotion (commenter said this is also good for treating new tattoos)

Nivea Créme

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Hand Cream

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Wrap-Up: The Best Hand Creams for Art and Ceramic Studios

In this post, I’ve shared results from testing 10 different hand creams. My favorite was O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream, followed by Aquaphor, and then Skin Food. Each of these moisturizes and protects your hands, and will stick around through some moderately heavy use such as throwing on the pottery wheel.

What hand creams or lotions do you use? Please share in the comments.

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How To Use and Clean Up Wax Resist in a Ceramics Studio

Brushes covered in wax. In this post, we’ll show you how to clean them with boiling water.

Wax resist is a great thing to use with ceramics and pottery. It gives you a lot of decorative glazing options, and is useful when glazing rims, lids, feet—anywhere you need to keep free of glaze. But inevitably, you will have to clean it up.

The best way to clean wax resist is with boiling water. Below is a step-by-step tutorial of how to clean your wax brushes and container. There’s also a review a favorite electric water kettle, and some tips of how to best use wax resist. The post will start with a review of wax resists.

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Table of Contents

• Our Favorite Wax Resist: Amaco Green Wax

• How to Use Wax: Tips and Tricks

• What You Can Do With Wax

• How to Clean Wax Brushes tutorial

• Our Favorite Electric Water Kettle

• Wrap-Up: Wax Resist Use and Clean Up

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The Best Wax Resist

The best wax resist is the green Amaco Wax Resist available in pints and gallon jugs. It’s a premium wax resist that doesn’t peel or fall off when using on top of other glazes for decorative effects. You can buy it by the gallon, which is more economical. One gallon lasts 12 to 15 months in a busy community studio, so a pint is probably an appropriate amount for an individual studio. This resist does everything you need a wax to do and the green dye makes it easy to see on bisqueware or if it drips on a counter top. Out of the bottle, it’s a bit thick so it’s recommended to water it down by about 1/3 to 1/2 with hot tap water.

To store the watered-down wax, use an old container that can also hold your designated wax brush. To make cleanup easier, put a plastic plate or take-out-lid underneath, and and make a notched lid to go around the brushes to prevent the wax from drying. As needed, top up the jar with more wax and water. Inevitably, the brushes and sides of the jar will get wax build up. Below is a tutorial on how to clean this with boiling water.

Buying by the gallon and using a jar is a trade-off. It’s economical to buy in bulk, but the wax jar does take some maintenance. For a busy academic or community studio, this is an easier system to use and maintain than a pint jar with a threaded, screw-on lid. In most shared studios, those threads never stay clean which means the cap is never screwed on tight which can mean…ugh…semi-frequent spills of a pint of wax resist. You definitely don’t want a pint of wax resist all over your floor.

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How to Use Wax: Tips and Tricks

This post is mainly about cleaning up wax resist, but here’s a quick overview of how to use wax resist:

Some recommend painting wax resist on the bottom of every pot, but I do not. Instead, think about your piece: will it be easier to clean up your glaze with or without wax? If it’s a large, flat form like a plate, you probably should use wax to cover the bottom. If it’s a small foot ring, it will be easier and faster to clean with a sponge. The key with wax is that you don’t want to unnecessarily waste time, material, or energy because of drips or simply using wax where you don’t need it.

• As mentioned above, watered-down wax resist is preferred because it dries faster and leads to less build-up on your ware. A thin coat is all you need. Mix 1/3 hot tap water to 2/3 wax resist and stir. You might be able to go thinner! Test what works for you.

• When applying, be careful to not create drips or puddles where you don’t want wax to go. To remove wax, you may have to re-bisque fire a piece. Alternately, you can remove by sanding or scraping, or by pouring boiling water on the bisqueware. The problem is that wax gets into the pores of your bisqueware, so it can be hard to remove.

• Allow wax to dry completely before glazing. This can take 15-30 minutes.

• Wax can be great as a decorative tool, especially on top of one glaze to create a resist effect in combination with a second coat. Cheaper wax resist options often peel up or don’t work on top of a chalky, dried glaze. That’s one reason to use the green Amaco wax. It works on top of every glaze I’ve tested and stays in place with no peeling.

• Keep in mind that wax burns off anywhere from about 200–500 degrees. It doesn’t do anything to protect your kiln shelves. As this burning can create some smell and a small amount of smoke, it’s best to minimize wax use if your kilns are indoors. Definitely vent your kilns!

Other ideas for wax in the studio

• Paint over thin areas of greenware to slow the drying of the clay.

• Lid Wax: add 1/2 cup Alumina Hydrate to 1 pint wax to create a special wax for firing lids on pots. When the wax burns off, the powdered, refractory alumina hydrate will stay behind, leaving a chalky resist. This will hopefully prevent glaze runs, etc, that could cause the lid to stick to the rim of the pot.

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How to Clean Wax Brushes and Jars: A Tutorial

To prevent contamination and keep things efficient and functional, designate 3 or 4 brushes of different sizes as wax brushes. These brushes sit in the wax resist pot, and over time, wax builds up on the sides of the brushes and the rim of the wax jar. Here is how to clean them.

Step 1

Brushes and jar with built-up wax resist.

Here is a picture of a wax jar with dirty brushes. The wax jar is a wide-mouth, recycled underglaze jar. For brushes, try using economical 1/2” chip brushes, and a few smaller brushes.

Step 2

Move brushes to a small container. Pour boiling water over the brushes.

If you have heavy wax build up on your brushes, you may want to cut off and dispose of this build up with a fettling knife.

Then, move brushes to a small container, such as a recycled yogurt cup. Boil water and pour over the brushes. Swirl the brushes in the water and use the brushes to clean the sides of the other brushes.

Step 3

One brush cleaned, four more left.

Here’s a picture of the cleaning in progress and then the cleaned brushes.

After you’ve cleaned all your brushes, set them aside. The water and cup you’ve used for cleaning can be thrown away. (Don’t pour wax down your drain!) Or, let the water cool, remove and dispose of the cooled wax, and then clean the container. If possible, you could save this one container to reuse over and over as your wax-brush cleaning container.

The brushes after cleaning.

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Step 4

Removing built-up wax resist

Next, it’s time to clean the cup. Using a fettling knife, cut off built-up wax from the rim and inside of the cup. If needed, pour out any wax into a reserve container, and use boiling water to clean the entire cup or jar.

Another option, if you have heavy build up, is to switch to a new container. The wide-mouth underglaze jars from Spectrum underglazes are great for a wax container.

Step 5

After cleaning the brushes and jar, refill the cup and you’re ready to go. Pictured here are a fresh glaze cup and lid. Depending on how often you clean, you might need a new wax cup about once a year or you could completely clean it and keep it going longer than that.

To conclude: Cleaning wax resist with boiling water is quick, easy, and effective.

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Our Favorite Electric Water Kettle

The electric kettle and base

The kettle with the blue "on" light

Inside the kettle

To clean wax resist, you’ll need boiling water and an excellent kettle is the Chef’s Choice Cordless Electric Kettle. This is not a comprehensive review of kettles, but this kettle is great. In community studio I manage, it’s been in heavy use for almost 18 months and has had no problems.

Here’s what I love about it:

• Sturdy construction and design. Simple on / off switch with light

• Kettle is cordless

• Base has storage area for excess cord.

• Easy to clean

• Inside is all metal

• Boils water quickly

This is a great kettle that does exactly what you need it to do. If you don’t have a water kettle in your studio, it’s a simple addition that is great for making tea or instant soups. Adding the option of hot tea can really augment and improve the culture of your studio.

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Wrap-Up: Wax Resist Use and Clean Up in a Ceramic Studio

Wax resist is a great tool for a ceramics studio. It takes some clean up, should be used only as needed, and my recommendation is to use a premium wax resist such as the Amaco green wax resist. To apply, try using chip brushes or other simple, cheap brushes.

It’s easiest to clean up with boiling water and this tutorial provides some tips, tricks, and ideas of how to do that.

What do you use wax resist for? Do you have a favorite brand? Please share in the comments.

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The Best Oils and Lubricants for Art Studios

A good lubricating oil is a must-have in any studio. One might be enough, but stocking two or three different oils allows you to take advantage of the unique properties and features of each lubricant. This post covers some favorite oils and how to use them.

My go-to studio lubricant is the Boeshield T-9 Waterproof Lubricant. It’s a superior lubricant with a mix of solvent and paraffin wax originally developed by Boeing for aircraft components. It sprays on and dries to a stable, long-term, non-greasy film. Bicyclists love this product but it’s got a wide variety of uses. I use it on everything and it’s just a cleaner, longer-lasting, and superior lubricant. For this reason it’s my number one recommendation.

A full review of studio oils and lubricants is below.

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Table of Contents

• Top Pick: Boeshield T-9

• Advantages of the Boeshield T-9

• Wahl Hair Clipper Blade Oil

• WD-40

• 3-in-1 Oil

• Other Oils and Lubricants

• Wrap-Up: The Best Oil and Lubricant for an Art Studio

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Top Pick: Boeshield T-9

Developed by Boeing for the aviation industry, Boeshield T-9 Waterproof Lubricant is an all-purpose aerosol spray lubricant that is a combination of solvent with paraffin wax. It does not contain Teflon, silicone, fluorocarbons or acetone. As a penetrating lubricant / solvent, it can be used to clean dirt, flush out water, and prevent rust. It quickly dries to a waxy film that stays in place for much longer than a similar product, such as WD-40. In the studio, I use this on tools, pottery wheels, hinges, for loosening rusted parts, and just about anywhere a lubricant is needed. T-9 is similar to WD-40, but improved with the addition of paraffin wax.

A bike shop originally recommended this product to me and seeing how great it works as a dry chain lubricant that doesn’t attract dirt and grim, I quickly began to use it in the studio. You’ll love this stuff too. Just be careful: this is the kind of product that someone will “borrow” if you leave it sitting around. It’s that good.

Advantages of Boeshield T-9

• Cleaner and longer lasting than other solvent-type lubricants

• Non-sticky, doesn’t attract dust

• Will not harm paint, plastic, rubber or fiberglass

• Works on just about everything

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Second Pick: Wahl Hair Clipper Blade Oil

This one might surprise you, but I love Wahl Hair Clipper Blade Oil as an all-purpose studio oil. It’s thin, light, doesn’t build up and sure, it works on hair clipper blades but I put it to use wherever you might use something like 3-in-1 Oil. What I really like is the long spout to get to hard-to-reach places, and the screw-on cap. I use this in situations where a solvent isn’t really needed as this is just pure oil. The bottle also indicates use a honing oil, but I haven’t tried that.

Wahl Hair Clipper Blade Oil is a basic, affordable, light oil in a convenient and functional bottle.

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Third Pick: WD-40

WD-40 is the O.G., the original, and for many, the best penetrating solvent / lubricant. You’ve probably got some in your shop or studio right now. I surely do. I do prefer the clean, non-sticky and waxy finish of the Boeshield T-9 but WD-40 definitely has a place in any studio. Its best use is as a cleaner / degreaser. It doesn’t really stick around too long though, so plan to use in conjunction with some oil with more body. But if you have something like a bunch of rusty bat pins or need to remove a lot of rust, there’s nothing better than a WD-40 soaking.

The other place WD-40 excels is in can design. The permanently attached straw with a two-way spray mechanism is a legitimate innovation. No more hunting for the little red straw. And you can also find WD-40 for sale everywhere.

Final thought on WD-40: no longer my favorite but I still keep it around and use it often.

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Fourth Pick: 3-in-1 Multi-Purpose Oil

Another classic that is simple, effective, and very affordable, 3-In-One Oil is available in 3 oz and 8 oz bottles, there’s also a 4 oz bottle with a long, telescoping spout, which is a great idea. This is a squeeze or dropper type oil that’s great for wheels, casters, door hinges, or lubricating anything squeaky. To my eye (and nose!), it’s not as clean and light as the Wahl Hair Clipper Oil, which is why I prefer that product. But 3-in-One is easy to find almost anywhere. In addition to lubrication it will penetrate rust, clean and protect tools, and just do the job.

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Other Oils and Lubricants for the Shop and Studio

There are a few other oils and lubricants that we recommend for speciality applications in the studio.

Liquid Wrench

Liquid Wrench is another penetrating oil available in a dropper or aerosol bottle. It’s great for freeing stuck nuts and bolts or gummed-up machinery. I’ve used it on super-corroded bolts with success and would recommend it for that.

As with most of these oils, they’ve really expanded their product line so there’s quite a few specialized options. And in bottle innovations, they’ve taken it one step further with a spray can with an LED flashlight. Impressive! Probably great for machinists and engine repair but I haven’t tried that bottle yet.

Tri-Flow Oil Superior Lubricant

Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant is available in dripper or aerosol spray bottle and is a penetrating lubricant with Teflon. Think of it as juiced-up 3-In-1 Oil but it will stay drier and doesn’t attract dirt like 3-In-1. I used this for bicycles before discovering T-9. It’s a good lubricant but is no longer in the mix for us. But if you need a special application with Teflon, this is what you want.

Plastic Oil Dispenser Bottle

These bottles are great if you’ve got an oil you like or want to find one of the above oils in bulk. Make your own dripper with a long spout! Very handy to have around.

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Wrap-Up: The Best Oils and Lubricants for Art Studios

My favorite all-around oil is the Boeshield T-9 penetrating oil because of it’s ease of use and dry, long-lasting waxy finish. I also like that it is a solvent and paraffin wax mix without Teflon, silicone or acetone. It’s the best lubricant I’ve ever used and I put it to use it all around the studio and at home on bicycles.

But I keep a few other oils around too, including Wahl Hair Clipper Oil and WD-40. I like WD-40 for rust and corrosion removal but after it evaporates, there’s not much body or oil left behind. The Wahl Hair Clipper Oil is a simple light oil that is great on tools, wheels, casters, hinges and other uses.

What oils do you like? Please share in the comments?

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