Introductory | Handbuilding Course

Discover the joy of working with clay while learning core hand-building techniques- pinching, coiling, slab construction, and low-relief sculpting. This course is designed to help participants explore form, surface, and structure, guiding them from raw clay to glazed, finished pieces.

The course is built around a simple idea to explore the endless possibilities of clay as a medium and encourages a process-based approach where learning happens through making, experimenting, and engaging with the material.

It is suitable for complete beginners.

Dates: 1st Nov (Saturday) – 30th Nov (Sunday) + 2 more days of glazing in the following weeks (depending on when pieces dry)

Timings: Saturdays & Sundays | 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Location: A Ware Studio & Community Space, 1st floor, Gurudev Chambers 32, 7th cross, 3rd main Indiranagar 1st stage, Binnamangala, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560038

Batch Size: 5-6

Fee: 24,500 /- INR

Course Structure:

Session 1: Getting Started — Clay + Pinch & Coil Basics

• Introduction to clay: types, stages, and behaviour
• Quick Shape Challenge
• Demo: Pinching & Coiling
• Learn how to make adhesive for joining clay – slip
• Make a pinched pot (~150g clay) and begin coiling onto it
• Homework: Think about how your piece could evolve

Session 2: Building with Coils

• Coil Challenge
• Finish the pinched form from the previous session
• Build a new coiled form and learn how to scale up structures using the same technique (6–10 inches)
• Continue developing your pinched piece
• Understand how to prevent drying: slow drying and wrapping techniques
• Homework: Collect natural and artificial objects from your surroundings to explore texture

Session 3: Finalizing Coil Forms + Surface Texture

• Texture Test Challenge using collected objects
• Final structural refinements
• Demo: Surface treatments — additive and subtractive methods (carving, impressions, smoothing)

Session 4: Finishing the coil project

Session 5: Introduction to Slab Construction

• Introduction to wedging
• Rolling even slabs by hand and using a slab roller
• Understanding the stages of slab work
• Start a slab-based project: box, tray, or container

Session 6: Completing Slab Project + Surface Detail

• Cylinder Challenge
• Refine joints and surfaces
• Add surface decoration through painting or texture
• Begin a second slab-based form

Session 7: Finalizing Second Slab Build

• Complete and refine the second slab project
• Explore composition for a relief piece

Session 8: Introduction to Low-Relief (Tile-Making)

• What is relief? (short discussion with image references)
• Demo: Layering, carving, and creating depth in relief
• Begin an 8” x 8” tile based on a creative prompt

Session 9: Finishing Relief Work

• Explore depth and layering in relief
• Refine textures and details

Session 10: Final Touches + Surface Decoration

• Last structural refinements across all projects
• Apply slip and underglaze decoration
• Finalize glaze colour choices

Session 11 & 12: Introduction to Glazing

• Learn what glaze is and how to prepare store-bought glaze
• Demo: Two methods of glaze application — pour and dip
• Glaze your own pieces
• Understand healing and cleaning processes

What You’ll Learn

• Core ceramic hand-building techniques: pinching, coiling, slab building, and relief
• The complete process from raw clay to glazed finish
• Basics of surface decoration and glazing

Age limit: 15 years and above

Tools and Material Inclusions: 

• Unlimited clay usage at the studio
• Equipment usage: Hand building and sculpting tools which are property of the studio.
•  – Basic clay tools (knives, needles, sponges, carving tools)
•  – Slab roller (shared), banding wheels
• Boards, canvas/wooden tables, spray bottles
• Underglaze colours to paint forms
• Unlimited open studio hours to practice learnt skills

By the end of the course, each participant will:

• Create 5–8 finished pieces, including both functional and sculptural forms
• Gain a basic understanding of major hand-building techniques: pinching, coiling, slab building, and relief
• Develop an awareness of clay’s nature- its stages, behaviour, and how to work with it through various stages of the ceramic process

Terms & conditions:

1. 1. Missing the workshop: You can miss upto two classes during the course. Make up sessions for a maximum of 2 classes will be provided on the following days: Friday, 10th Nov &  ⁠24th Nov, 2:00pm – 5:00pm. After the last day of class, there will be no make up sessions provided. There is no make up class for glazing. There are no exceptions to this rule, including accidents, hospitalisation, travel, family emergencies. If you’re unable to makeup on the decided dates, there will be no compensatory class or refund provided after the last date of the course under any circumstances.
   2. Refund: Complete refund will be provided if you request to cancel your seat before 2 weeks of course commencement date. After this date, refund will be provided only if your blocked seat gets occupied by a student on the waitlist or from your end. We will reach out to our database from our end to the best of our ability and try to fill the seat in your stead. However, if a replacement is not found before 2 weeks, no refunds will be provided. There are no exceptions to this rule.
   3. Transferability: The seat can be transferred to a friend or family member.
   4. Postponement: The seat cannot be deferred to a later workshop under any circumstances. There are no exceptions to this rule.
   5. Breakage: Although we take utmost care of our student-made wares, pottery can break due to multiple reasons. This is more of a disclaimer to make students aware of the fragile nature of ceramics.

Studio Amenities: Open pantry with water, tea, coffee, etc., Attached washroom