Pottery for Beginners: What to Expect in Your First Class

So you've booked your first pottery class. Brilliant! You're also probably a bit nervous, wondering what you've let yourself in for. Will you be the only beginner? Will everyone else be secretly brilliant? Will your pots look rubbish?

Deep breath. I've been there, and I'm here to walk you through exactly what happens in a typical beginner pottery class, so you know what to expect and can just enjoy the experience.

You'll arrive at the studio and be greeted by your instructor. They're used to nervous beginners – this is literally their job. You'll probably be offered tea or coffee (pottery folk love a brew), and shown where to put your stuff.

You'll be given an apron (yes, you will get muddy) and shown to your workspace – either a wheel or a table, depending on what type of class you've booked. Take a moment to look around. Everyone else is focused on their own clay, not judging you.

Your instructor will demonstrate the technique you'll be learning – let's say it's wheel throwing for a beginner class. They'll show you:

• How to wedge (knead) the clay to remove air bubbles
• How to center the clay on the wheel – this looks deceptively simple when they do it
• How to open up the center and pull the walls to create a bowl or cylinder
• Basic shaping and finishing techniques

Don't worry about remembering everything – they'll help you hands-on once you start. Just watch and try to get the general idea.

You'll go through several attempts. Some will collapse. Some will look wonky. One or two might start to resemble actual pottery. This is all part of the process.

The instructor will circulate, offering tips, fixing your hand position, showing you techniques again. Other students might offer encouragement or share their own struggles. There's usually a lot of laughter in beginner pottery classes – everyone's in the same boat.

You'll probably create 2-4 pieces that are worth keeping and firing. They won't be perfect, but they'll be yours, and you'll love them for it.

For wheel throwing: Most beginners start with a simple bowl or small cylinder. Don't expect to make a perfect vase or delicate teacup – those require more advanced skills.

For hand-building: You might make a pinch pot, coil pot, or simple slab vessel. These techniques are more forgiving than wheel work, so your first pieces often look more "successful".

Either way, expect your pieces to be:

• Slightly wonky (adds character!)
• Thicker-walled than shop-bought pottery
• Smaller than you envisioned
• Absolutely precious to you anyway

At the end of class, you'll clean your workspace, wash your hands (clay gets everywhere), and decide which pieces to have fired. The studio will label your work with your name and store it to dry.

The instructor will explain the next steps: your pieces need to dry for about a week, then go through bisque firing, glazing, and glaze firing. This takes 3-5 weeks total. They'll contact you when your work is ready to collect.

"What if I'm the only complete beginner?"

Beginner classes are specifically for people who've never tried pottery before. Everyone's in the same boat. Mixed-level classes are usually labeled as such.

"What if everything I make looks terrible?"

It probably will look a bit wonky. That's completely fine and expected. Instructors aren't judging you – they're impressed you're trying. Plus, wonky handmade pottery has way more character than perfect shop-bought stuff.

"What if I can't do it?"

Pottery is a skill that improves with practice. No one walks in and immediately throws perfect bowls. The learning curve is part of the fun. If you struggle in your first class, that's normal – book another session and you'll notice improvement.