Andy is the kind of guy we all thought was pretty weird in high school but found his passion and now we are watching him make pottery and saying, that is the coolest thing I've ever seen!
@@AncientPottery no way! Andy thank you, I watched you video on making wild clay and realized I live in southern Alberta Canada where all of my soil is clay. I have a batch of wet processing clay going right now. It was an adventure. Thank you.
@@AncientPottery some children understand the important things in life at a very young age while others require 20,30,40 years for the light bulb to go on. And to some it never happens and they are usually the ones with lots of regrets for having lived an unfulfilling life. Sorry to hear you struggled with insecurity as a result. I'm glad you didn't give up, I just found your channel and I am delighting in your content ❤️❤️
Im a serial hobbiest. So i try to find affordable ways to try to new crafts, like making my own needles for viking knitting. Pottery has been something i have regretted not taking in high school since graduating. But the idea of harvesting my own clay and using tools around the house?! Right up my alley. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I keep on stopping myself from get into pottery making because people always say it is a super expensive hobby, until I found your channel and I was so inspired
It can actually be done remarkably cheap. My friend and I have fired beads and pendants so far. Dug and processed our own clay, and fired it in his backyard fire pit. Only cost us time. We're hoping to make pots soon.
Not sure if you've started yet. I did recently and so far it cost me 2 buckets. Old, broken screen to strain stuff, some clay I found near my house, making my scrapers and other tools out of clay. So far the only thing I bought were the buckets.
You remind me of my grandfather. He loved to do everything by his own hands, he built his own house, he made his own instruments. He even made a windmill which produce electricity out of old engine. I was always joking that you can send my grandfather to Mars, and he will just build everything from dirt. He teaches me a lot of things when I was a kid. There are not as many such people like you and him, and this is very cool and important that you teach young people your craft!
While certainly not free I started very cheap and I'm still rather cheap when it comes to pottery. I do buy clay but I think clay is pretty much the cheapest thing about pottery. My washing machine broke at that time so I used the motor to build a potters wheel which I still use almost 10 years later. My first kiln served me many years. It was one roll of ceramic fiber, some steel mesh, a weed burner and a gas bottle. I once bought a set of wooden pottery tools but I don't use most of them. I made ribs from wood and credit cards. I made stamps for decorating pots. Much nicer than buying a pattern that thousands of other people use. Pottery tools are pretty easy to make yourself. I think firing pots is the biggest challange for anyone who starts out. The local arts supply store had an electric kiln. When that broke and they didn't want to repair it that was my motivation to build a very simple kiln for myself. I'm not going to spend thousands on a kiln or wheel. The results won't be any better. The great thing about tools you made yourself is that you are probably able to fix any problem with it.
Wow. Thank YOU!!! Making pottery has been one of my life's dreams. I even squirreled away thousands of dollars to afford to learn at a pottery school and purchase the equipment. But, the school had no room, because lifetime students never exit the limited spaces, and I walked away, crestfallen. So, THANK YOU, for what you do.
Honestly i have taken 2 semesters of pottery and the teacher has taught us nothing. Not joking. It’s frustrating but I’ve learned everything from youtube and instagram and for $12 a month the clayshare app. Some of the tutorials are free. If you want to do the wheel thats more difficult but if you want to handbuild you can absolutely do it all from home. I do most of my work in bed being disabled on my side table. Buy a block of clay and try it! All you need is a place to fire it. Or build your own kiln. I haven’t figured all that out myself. I can’t make cookies or iron without burning myself 😂
Hi Andy, the company I work for is currently restoring Mirek Smisek’s pottery shed, residence and kiln site in Kāpiti NZ. I know his lovely wife, she has always been very encouraging of my own artwork. Also, my neighbour is a long time potter with a huge modern kiln in his garage. I have purchased some of his and his wife’s pieces and have been collecting different pieces for many years. Have always wanted to get back into pottery from mum taking us to classes when we were children. Your channel is very inspiring and making me think, I can do this at home! I love the old ways of creating useful items.
there are many people publishing videos on youtube. They might have more polish, or snappier scripting, or whatever. But you are one of my favourites. You give us your craft that you've honed for decades for free. I've wanted to start pottery making for years, but could not because I have 0 expendable income. Thanks to you, I don't even need to pay for a class to start! Really, thank you for your channel, and your effort.
I have been watching your videos for months, and testing the process on my own. I get my clay from a Termite mound (vacated) from my backyard and process it myself. I also started firing my own pottery out of a home made kiln. By experimenting with various techniques such as raku and salt glaze firing and trial and error, I have found the best method for what I have. Best of all I have people now interested in buying my pottery! Thank you for starting me on the road. I will continue sharing your videos to friends and other interested parties.
Thanks so much for all you have shared.very encouraging.i just saw your kiln video a neighbour smashed a wall out so I got myself some free bricks to try make a kiln .your work I beautiful.thanks again really
Here from South Africa 🇿🇦. I'm so grateful I came across your channel. I've been prolonging to start making pottery mainly because I can't afford a kiln. Definitely starting now🥺🥺
20,000 years of mud and fire :) Finding, refining, ageing and testing clay has been alot of fun for this beginner. Time is the only real expense. UNTIL, You need energy to fire your pieces. Although I am also enjoying just my creations as dry un-fired clay. I need a solar concentrator kiln! :) Thankyou for all the great videos.
Enjoying your channel Andy. Inspiring for the enthusiast. Nice way of teaching. I had a funny experience when a archaeologist came into my gallery and asked if my pottery was Samian ware. I used to make pots based on archaeological Roman finds and use terra sigillata as a finish. Of course, the Romans borrowed this technique from the Greeks. I retired from pottery over ten years ago, but still have the bug.
Thank you so much for this video!! I have been really interested in getting into pottery, and knowing that I don't need all the bells and whistles to make beautiful pottery, is amazing!!!
Glad your so honest with telling how we can enjoy making pottery in an inexpensive way. I remember growing up and on my parents property red clay was everywhere. We loved to play and make stuff from mud puddles..I don’t think kids today would even know what that is..lol.
I almost broke down and bought bricks today... but the mud I made from the various soils I have been lugging home is working great. I want to do this like the Natives made their pottery. Thank you Andy
Just found your channel and I'm so excited! Love how simple and resourceful you have explained pottery making can be. I made pottery throughout my schooling years, and now at age 30, find myself really missing it. Thanks for your content!
Say Andy, I thought you might want to know. When I was a boy, I lived in Tucson. I lived on Curtis Rd. and attended Laguna Elementary school. Southern AZ. is a lovely part of our country.
I really enjoyed your studio walk through. I lost it, somehow, so I'm commenting here. You asked for suggestions. You have mentioned, several times, how hot it gets there. I've noticed that your ceiling seems to not be insulated. Put some insulation up there! It'll make a huge difference. Michael
I'm sure that would help, but it is just a porch, so when it's 110 degrees outside its going to be miserable with or without insulation on the roof. The real problem is Tucson.
Hiya! Wow, I was wanting to look into this so I can make my own pots at home for gardening and other stuff too so I am really glad I got to check this out! Thanks so much for your contribution and it really helps me right now cause I am certainly on a smaller budget, haha!
I've been watching your videos and learning a lot. I made some clay from local dirt. It took a long time and was a lot of work. This week, I found a vein of amazing quality clay i wanted some info on it. It is red. Yellow and orange but the color was away when I kneed it. It turns into great clay in just a minute of working it..
Thanks Andy, great info. I live in upstate NY, and we have some ancient local clay that I’ve been using. It’s a joy, thanks for the inspiration. I’ve fired at state campgrounds while camping before. They have the fire pit all ready to go. I’m thinking of trying lump charcoal to get the heat up. I haven’t quite got it hot enough yet while firing to cut down on the porosity and the strength isn’t quite there when used to hold water. Still experimenting. Thank you again for the gift of your time.
Thank you so much. I did a little pottery in college and actually took a workshop from Clint Swink. I have a couple pots from his class and his book. Now I am 64 years old and just yearning to do some more pottery. I am definitely going to try that method where I can build a slow charcoal fire as you mentioned in the video. I live in the city and it is not affordable for me too rent kiln time. Thank you!
❤❤❤. Thank you for sharing this. My whole life I have wanted to do do /make my own pottery And yes I couldn’t afford what I-thought I needed Thank you very much for your advice, support, knowledge, I am so happy I found your website as long as I can remember as a child, even ,my love of making pottery 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤😊😊
That video is just what I need! There are not many spots around here where you could build a fire - also because of forest fire risks, so I'm not complaining.
My son is a studio potter. He bought a kiln that is so big he had to replace the gas lines on his property with larger ones capable of providing enough natural gas to fire it up! Me, I’d go with your system. 🤣
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been feeling like crap that nceca is here in my town. I wanted to go buy tools and stuff. But I couldn’t even afford $70 a day to get in. A bunch of people went from my class and spent a ton on stuff and being disabled and a student i’m just too broke. I’ve gotten a lot of my stuff when baking stuff is 40% off at craft stores. I can’t use the wheel bc of my back issues so i have to stick with handbuilding.
Thanks for your videos. I love pottery but have had a think about how much money it will suck, versus what I will actually get out of it, versus whether I'm only adding to the junk in op-shops and landfills around the world. In short, I've had an identity crisis with pottery and have decided to stick to my other zillion hobbies. I'm glad you found your answers though.
Thank you for information because I really would love to try doing this at home myself I really thought of it but didn't really know if it would work thank you
I always wanted to get into pottery and thought it was expensive! But now i'm hopeful. I wish i can dug out the clay and do everything from scratch! Love the way you explain things in your videos! Also the "doobly-doo " made me laugh so hard 😂
Beautiful work...I live in Trinidad where most of the dirt is clay based we call our soil sappatae because when it's wet it gets really slippery. ..not very good for planting without lome or good manure but very good for making clay..😌
I've just found u on utube and u r soooo helpful. I gave little money but really want 2 get in2 pottery. U have given me confidence and knowledge 2 try! 😊
Amazing job thank you for making it so easy to understand. I live in river town in rural Australia. I always wanted to make pottery using local clay and natural pigments and now I can!
Thank you, I have many subscribers from Australia and even one in my Wednesday night Zoom class. I know there is a lot of good clay and other materials for primitive pottery in Australia. Thanks for watching.
I love your channel. I went out yesterday and located some clay deposits in the the Big Bug Creek behind my house. Today I went and got some buckets and some Paint filters from Home Depot, so I can process the clay, but it is fairly Pure as is. I am thinking of getting a gourd scraper from you. I have a background in art and some pottery, but mostly Graphic Design. Colors are my next concern. But my Main concern is the Salado style designs and the technique involved. Can you do a video more in depth on that subject? Thanks for inspiring me! On a side note they do have polished stones at Hobby Lobby.
Thanks! I also have a background in graphic design. What specifically are you requesting a video about? How to paint the designs? How to lay out designs? I have a video about Salado paint technology, in case you haven't seen that here is the link ua-cam.com/video/6UjO_W85So0/v-deo.html Also a video about the Salado phenomenon here ua-cam.com/video/4KkV8ZKgXXI/v-deo.html
I don't know about the US.... here in Germany, i find my closest professional studio and ask what they want to fire a kiln for me.... they usually have quite big kilns, so it's not very expensive per piece.... perhaps 0.50Euro -2 Euro for big pots.... but you do have to save up your work for a while to get the kiln full.... i pay 50 Euro (about 60$ for a kiln sized 75x60x80cm or about 30"x24"32)
Oh my goodness! Wow you are totally opening up my eyes! That's it! I am going to go hunting! The tools are in my house all ready to start! My rib is metal but I will use deer from ebay thankyou so much 🦌😩🤔😔😌 I am from the UK we do not get deers who have died here but I will try and order if its the best! 🥰✍️
I haven't made pottery since I was in high school, I loved doing it and my pieces came out great. It's good to know that I may be able to do it again without a kiln by learning your ways.
Wow... you just showed up on my utube channel. I have been potting for over 50 years. I make yellowware and sold it to museums and shops. When I was in my 50s, business slowed down and I was asked to demonstrate at my local fair. Here in New England, our local potters from the 1700s used kilns and wheels, so I demonstrate that on an old treadle wheel in costume. So now I spend 6-7 months of the year traveling across the USA getting paid to demonstrate 1700s pottery at fairs. People ask me all the same questions they ask you about making pottery. Everyone wants a wheel, thinks kilns are too expensive, wonder how to make clay. I go over the same as you about primitive clays, but I briefly have their attention. I can't believe how wonderfully you talk about the primitive way to work with clay that I talk about too... but you are so much better and you have photos of the simple pots we can make without a wheel or kiln that will inspire folks to not worry about glazes. My reason for this post is to let you know I will be sending all my visitors to your web videos. Thank you for posting these videos and helping all the folks out there who have clay in their yards and are overwhelmed by the cost and complications of kilns and glazes.
Thank you so much. Much respect for what you do in education people about pottery. Let me know if you ever do a demonstration in Arizona, I would love to see it.
@@AncientPottery Thanks! Been to Arizona, demonstrate at the Oklahoma State Fair, but no near plans for your area! Watching your videos this morning and enjoy all. Pottery as you know is so varied. There will never be enough time to explore it all! Thanks again
Do you have any books? I haven't heard you mention any, and wd encourage you to write one if not. I love all the videos, but curling up with a good book still rocks lol. Thank you very much 😊
I have one, Mud Puzzles. It is not a pottery 'how to' book but about my pottery journey and what I learned about the ancient people who used to live in my area by studying their pottery. It is only available as an e-book ancientpottery.how/product/book-mud-puzzles/
If I choose to hand build my pots and fire them in a kiln , I can do it for free at the community college. Tuition is free for folks over 50. They do a bisque firing first, then a glaze firing. I’m not sure if I need both. I would put the slip and other decorations on before either firing, right?
Hey im interested in going out and collecting clay in large amounts. *What are the differences between self dug clay and store bought/professionally processed clay? *How do you know how hot to burn it at? *And are there any concerns for sanitizing the clay we find out in the environment from things like waste, germs, living organisms germs etc?
Okay, answers below. 1. Every clay is different, every store bought clay and every hand-dug clay. The only real difference between store bought and wild is the natural properties of the clay and how you choose to process it. 2. You need to run some experiments. Fire it to a low temp and see how it does, fire it a bit hotter and see how it does. This way you will learn what temp it melts at and always keep it below that point. Make sure you put it in another bowl or on a tile or something so it doesn't make a mess in the bottom of your kiln. 3. I have never heard of a problem with this. All clay, even store bought clay contains microbes and mold spores and other things that live in earth. It's just part of working with the earth.
@@AncientPottery Thanks so much for the response. Ive been researching a lot and noticing that people have a hard time getting self dug clay to be thin or to rise high, is that a problem you face? And do you know of any industrial tools that can be bought to process clay at a small scale, to allow more variation in clays- like clay that wouldnt easily be broken down after its digger up with just hands and a shovel. Thanks again
Andy is the kind of guy we all thought was pretty weird in high school but found his passion and now we are watching him make pottery and saying, that is the coolest thing I've ever seen!
You got that right. And I used to care so much what people thought, but now I’m just being myself.
@@AncientPottery no way! Andy thank you, I watched you video on making wild clay and realized I live in southern Alberta Canada where all of my soil is clay. I have a batch of wet processing clay going right now. It was an adventure. Thank you.
@@AncientPottery some children understand the important things in life at a very young age while others require 20,30,40 years for the light bulb to go on.
And to some it never happens and they are usually the ones with lots of regrets for having lived an unfulfilling life.
Sorry to hear you struggled with insecurity as a result. I'm glad you didn't give up, I just found your channel and I am delighting in your content ❤️❤️
Sort of getting a bit of an Alton Brown vibe.
@@AncientPotteryàà
This guy is like the pottery Bob Ross but focusing on teaching.
LOL, I've been likened to different people but never Bob Ross. I'll take it though, he was an awesome guy.
Im a serial hobbiest. So i try to find affordable ways to try to new crafts, like making my own needles for viking knitting. Pottery has been something i have regretted not taking in high school since graduating. But the idea of harvesting my own clay and using tools around the house?! Right up my alley. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I keep on stopping myself from get into pottery making because people always say it is a super expensive hobby, until I found your channel and I was so inspired
That's great, I hope you can find a way to make pottery that won't cost a fortune.
It can actually be done remarkably cheap. My friend and I have fired beads and pendants so far. Dug and processed our own clay, and fired it in his backyard fire pit. Only cost us time. We're hoping to make pots soon.
Not sure if you've started yet. I did recently and so far it cost me 2 buckets. Old, broken screen to strain stuff, some clay I found near my house, making my scrapers and other tools out of clay. So far the only thing I bought were the buckets.
@@pwnyou2295 Fun!
The thing I love about the internet, is the skills I'm able to obtain that I should have learned in school....
You remind me of my grandfather. He loved to do everything by his own hands, he built his own house, he made his own instruments. He even made a windmill which produce electricity out of old engine. I was always joking that you can send my grandfather to Mars, and he will just build everything from dirt. He teaches me a lot of things when I was a kid.
There are not as many such people like you and him, and this is very cool and important that you teach young people your craft!
Thank you
While certainly not free I started very cheap and I'm still rather cheap when it comes to pottery. I do buy clay but I think clay is pretty much the cheapest thing about pottery. My washing machine broke at that time so I used the motor to build a potters wheel which I still use almost 10 years later. My first kiln served me many years. It was one roll of ceramic fiber, some steel mesh, a weed burner and a gas bottle. I once bought a set of wooden pottery tools but I don't use most of them. I made ribs from wood and credit cards. I made stamps for decorating pots. Much nicer than buying a pattern that thousands of other people use. Pottery tools are pretty easy to make yourself. I think firing pots is the biggest challange for anyone who starts out. The local arts supply store had an electric kiln. When that broke and they didn't want to repair it that was my motivation to build a very simple kiln for myself. I'm not going to spend thousands on a kiln or wheel. The results won't be any better. The great thing about tools you made yourself is that you are probably able to fix any problem with it.
I have also been thinking of using a washing machine motor to build a pottery wheel. How exactly did you make it, did u use any sort of gearbox ?.
Thank you so much! That's community, helping eachother out and empowering ppl that are on a small budget. I appreciate this very much!
Absolutely!!
Thank you Andy... recuperating from two heart attacks in one day...this will be great therapy with NO KILN., I'm jazzed..thanks from Idaho 😊
You're welcome, I hope you feel better soon
Wow. Thank YOU!!! Making pottery has been one of my life's dreams. I even squirreled away thousands of dollars to afford to learn at a pottery school and purchase the equipment. But, the school had no room, because lifetime students never exit the limited spaces, and I walked away, crestfallen. So, THANK YOU, for what you do.
You are so welcome! I am glad to help
Honestly i have taken 2 semesters of pottery and the teacher has taught us nothing. Not joking. It’s frustrating but I’ve learned everything from youtube and instagram and for $12 a month the clayshare app. Some of the tutorials are free. If you want to do the wheel thats more difficult but if you want to handbuild you can absolutely do it all from home. I do most of my work in bed being disabled on my side table. Buy a block of clay and try it! All you need is a place to fire it. Or build your own kiln. I haven’t figured all that out myself. I can’t make cookies or iron without burning myself 😂
"I'm spending the time because it's something I enjoy doing." Love it
Thanks
Hi Andy, the company I work for is currently restoring Mirek Smisek’s pottery shed, residence and kiln site in Kāpiti NZ. I know his lovely wife, she has always been very encouraging of my own artwork. Also, my neighbour is a long time potter with a huge modern kiln in his garage. I have purchased some of his and his wife’s pieces and have been collecting different pieces for many years. Have always wanted to get back into pottery from mum taking us to classes when we were children. Your channel is very inspiring and making me think, I can do this at home! I love the old ways of creating useful items.
That's great, what an experience. I hope my videos can provide some help and inspiration.
Good honest, realistic video
Thanks
Holy Cow! This is great! I've been dreaming about learning ancient pottery, but had no idea where to learn these techniques. Thank you SO MUCH!
You are welcome
there are many people publishing videos on youtube. They might have more polish, or snappier scripting, or whatever. But you are one of my favourites. You give us your craft that you've honed for decades for free. I've wanted to start pottery making for years, but could not because I have 0 expendable income. Thanks to you, I don't even need to pay for a class to start! Really, thank you for your channel, and your effort.
Thank you so much for the kind words.
I have been watching your videos for months, and testing the process on my own.
I get my clay from a Termite mound (vacated) from my backyard and process it myself.
I also started firing my own pottery out of a home made kiln.
By experimenting with various techniques such as raku and salt glaze firing and trial and error, I have found the best method for what I have.
Best of all I have people now interested in buying my pottery!
Thank you for starting me on the road. I will continue sharing your videos to friends and other interested parties.
Sounds like you are having success. Thanks for watching and recommending my videos.
Thanks so much for all you have shared.very encouraging.i just saw your kiln video a neighbour smashed a wall out so I got myself some free bricks to try make a kiln .your work I beautiful.thanks again really
That's great, have fun with those bricks
@@AncientPottery thanks hay, and thank you also for being such an encouragement.
I’m learning how to survive if I need to because of the direction our world is heading! Thank you for helping me!
No kidding
Realmente este hombre es un gran profesor.
Gracias
Here from South Africa 🇿🇦. I'm so grateful I came across your channel. I've been prolonging to start making pottery mainly because I can't afford a kiln. Definitely starting now🥺🥺
Great video Andy
Hey Bobby, you're the man! Thanks, let's get together when the weather warms up and collect some clay or something.
That's great, thanks for the info. I actually made and fired a little clay pot using my backyard soil... Your videos have been very helpful :)
That is awesome!
20,000 years of mud and fire :) Finding, refining, ageing and testing clay has been alot of fun for this beginner. Time is the only real expense. UNTIL, You need energy to fire your pieces. Although I am also enjoying just my creations as dry un-fired clay. I need a solar concentrator kiln! :) Thankyou for all the great videos.
Glad you are having fun with the clay. And yes, time is the real expense.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
My pleasure!
Enjoying your channel Andy. Inspiring for the enthusiast. Nice way of teaching. I had a funny experience when a archaeologist came into my gallery and asked if my pottery was Samian ware. I used to make pots based on archaeological Roman finds and use terra sigillata as a finish. Of course, the Romans borrowed this technique from the Greeks. I retired from pottery over ten years ago, but still have the bug.
I've told people that say potter is expensive that if our ancestors did it with very little money, than we can too
Thanks, man. Great stuff!
My pleasure!
Thank you so much! God bless you!
You are welcome.
I'm amazed that it's possible to fire the pottery without the high priced kiln, tools. Etc. The kilns use a LOT of elec. I'll have to try this
Thanks
Thank you so much for this video!! I have been really interested in getting into pottery, and knowing that I don't need all the bells and whistles to make beautiful pottery, is amazing!!!
You are so welcome!
Good to see Bubbles landed on his feet and continues to pursue his passions wholeheartedly.
Glad your so honest with telling how we can enjoy making pottery in an inexpensive way. I remember growing up and on my parents property red clay was everywhere. We loved to play and make stuff from mud puddles..I don’t think kids today would even know what that is..lol.
We all need to put our hands to the earth once in awhile for mental health sake.
Thanks for sharing
My pleasure
Thank you so much!
You're welcome!
You sir are mystic in the ways of pottery.
Thank you Andrew
So inspiring, goes to show how creative you can get if you want something badly enough!!
Creativity should not be costly.
Awesome
Love your videos. I love handbuilding and it's become a passion. Thanks for sharing your experience. Shall keep learning from you. 😊
Thank you so much, this is genius
Glad you liked it.
I almost broke down and bought bricks today... but the mud I made from the various soils I have been lugging home is working great. I want to do this like the Natives made their pottery. Thank you Andy
You are so very creative and I appreciate having found your videos. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
You are so welcome!
Just found your channel and I'm so excited! Love how simple and resourceful you have explained pottery making can be. I made pottery throughout my schooling years, and now at age 30, find myself really missing it. Thanks for your content!
Awesome, glad you found me, I hope you can use my info to get your hands back in the clay.
Say Andy, I thought you might want to know. When I was a boy, I lived in Tucson. I lived on Curtis Rd. and attended Laguna Elementary school. Southern AZ. is a lovely part of our country.
Cool, yes it is.
I really enjoyed your studio walk through. I lost it, somehow, so I'm commenting here. You asked for suggestions. You have mentioned, several times, how hot it gets there. I've noticed that your ceiling seems to not be insulated. Put some insulation up there! It'll make a huge difference. Michael
I'm sure that would help, but it is just a porch, so when it's 110 degrees outside its going to be miserable with or without insulation on the roof. The real problem is Tucson.
Hiya! Wow, I was wanting to look into this so I can make my own pots at home for gardening and other stuff too so I am really glad I got to check this out! Thanks so much for your contribution and it really helps me right now cause I am certainly on a smaller budget, haha!
Glad I could help, pottery does not need to be cost anything.
I love your attitude. And you are very generous in sharing your knowledge.
Thank you
Thank you so much
thank you so much for this guide it has been really helpful😍😍😍😍😍😍
sorry :(
You're so welcome!
I also have enjoyed your free and fee classes thanks.ROB
You are very welcome
Great video and good ideas. The video classes and the Ancient Pottery Club are totally worth it. I really like the t-shirt.
Awesome! Thank you!
I Love the passion you put into clay making. Thank You for sharing.
You are welcome, thanks for watching
I've been watching your videos and learning a lot. I made some clay from local dirt. It took a long time and was a lot of work.
This week, I found a vein of amazing quality clay i wanted some info on it. It is red. Yellow and orange but the color was away when I kneed it. It turns into great clay in just a minute of working it..
Andy ; THANKS lots of good information for old and new potters, you are the man keep up the great work..ROB
Thanks Rob, you are a great fan!
You are helping out humanity with these sharings.
Thanks
I’m really enjoying your videos. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge.
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching.
I bought a cheap China wheel off of Amazon for $85 and a used kiln off of Craigslist for $150 lots of good tips thanks!
That's great.
Thanks Andy, great info. I live in upstate NY, and we have some ancient local clay that I’ve been using. It’s a joy, thanks for the inspiration. I’ve fired at state campgrounds while camping before. They have the fire pit all ready to go. I’m thinking of trying lump charcoal to get the heat up. I haven’t quite got it hot enough yet while firing to cut down on the porosity and the strength isn’t quite there when used to hold water. Still experimenting. Thank you again for the gift of your time.
That's great. I am working on a future video about waterproofing earthenware so stay tuned for that.
@@AncientPottery - can't wait for that one, Andy!
Polishing with a stone is such a good idea!!! Thanks a lot for all the precious bits of informations!! 🙏
My pleasure 😊
Thank you so much. I did a little pottery in college and actually took a workshop from Clint Swink. I have a couple pots from his class and his book. Now I am 64 years old and just yearning to do some more pottery. I am definitely going to try that method where I can build a slow charcoal fire as you mentioned in the video. I live in the city and it is not affordable for me too rent kiln time. Thank you!
Almost everything you need to know is in Clint's book. I hope you find much enjoyment making primitive pottery in the city.
❤❤❤. Thank you for sharing this. My whole life I have wanted to do do /make my own pottery And yes I couldn’t afford what I-thought I needed Thank you very much for your advice, support, knowledge, I am so happy I found your website as long as I can remember as a child, even ,my love of making pottery 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤❤😊😊
Always a pleasure to watch and learn🙏🏻💐thank you kindly
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks Andy... Keep up the great teaching..
Thanks, will do!
Good video like always Andy!
Thanks, and thanks for the use of your "urban Anasazi" firing video.
That video is just what I need! There are not many spots around here where you could build a fire - also because of forest fire risks, so I'm not complaining.
My son is a studio potter. He bought a kiln that is so big he had to replace the gas lines on his property with larger ones capable of providing enough natural gas to fire it up! Me, I’d go with your system. 🤣
Wow! That is some serious energy usage, I wouldn't want to get his gas bill.
@@AncientPottery Neither would I!
hello again from New hampshire. my children and i have been watching your videos all morning. so excited to get started 💕
Have fun! This is great for kids, gets them outdoors, gets them working with their hands, allows them to express creativity...
I appreciate every second of your time
Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been feeling like crap that nceca is here in my town. I wanted to go buy tools and stuff. But I couldn’t even afford $70 a day to get in. A bunch of people went from my class and spent a ton on stuff and being disabled and a student i’m just too broke. I’ve gotten a lot of my stuff when baking stuff is 40% off at craft stores. I can’t use the wheel bc of my back issues so i have to stick with handbuilding.
Thanks for your videos. I love pottery but have had a think about how much money it will suck, versus what I will actually get out of it, versus whether I'm only adding to the junk in op-shops and landfills around the world. In short, I've had an identity crisis with pottery and have decided to stick to my other zillion hobbies. I'm glad you found your answers though.
Thank you for information because I really would love to try doing this at home myself I really thought of it but didn't really know if it would work thank you
I always wanted to get into pottery and thought it was expensive! But now i'm hopeful. I wish i can dug out the clay and do everything from scratch! Love the way you explain things in your videos! Also the "doobly-doo " made me laugh so hard 😂
Beautiful work...I live in Trinidad where most of the dirt is clay based we call our soil sappatae because when it's wet it gets really slippery. ..not very good for planting without lome or good manure but very good for making clay..😌
That's interesting, thanks for sharing
Love this! I wish I had seen this before buying stuff. BUT the wheel I picked up was second hand.
Just more weapons in your pottery arsenal. Go out there and MAKE!
I've just found u on utube and u r soooo helpful. I gave little money but really want 2 get in2 pottery. U have given me confidence and knowledge 2 try! 😊
That’s great, I am glad to have inspired you.
I have a large garden and it’s full of clay I also have a fire pit so I’m going to give it a go. Thanks for sharing g all your information ❤️🙏🏼
Man, I wouldn't want a garden full of clay! Have fun
@@AncientPottery your right! It’s a gardeners nightmare having all this clay…it’s reclaimed land 1066 country UK coast
Love it, gonna give it a go, that's what it's about.....
Definitely
Amazing job thank you for making it so easy to understand. I live in river town in rural Australia. I always wanted to make pottery using local clay and natural pigments and now I can!
Thank you, I have many subscribers from Australia and even one in my Wednesday night Zoom class. I know there is a lot of good clay and other materials for primitive pottery in Australia. Thanks for watching.
Thank so much for this video...
You are most welcome
I love your channel. I went out yesterday and located some clay deposits in the the Big Bug Creek behind my house. Today I went and got some buckets and some Paint filters from Home Depot, so I can process the clay, but it is fairly Pure as is. I am thinking of getting a gourd scraper from you. I have a background in art and some pottery, but mostly Graphic Design. Colors are my next concern. But my Main concern is the Salado style designs and the technique involved. Can you do a video more in depth on that subject? Thanks for inspiring me! On a side note they do have polished stones at Hobby Lobby.
Thanks! I also have a background in graphic design. What specifically are you requesting a video about? How to paint the designs? How to lay out designs? I have a video about Salado paint technology, in case you haven't seen that here is the link ua-cam.com/video/6UjO_W85So0/v-deo.html Also a video about the Salado phenomenon here ua-cam.com/video/4KkV8ZKgXXI/v-deo.html
@@AncientPottery Yeah how to lay out the designs, and technique.
This is awesome!!!!!
I don't know about the US.... here in Germany, i find my closest professional studio and ask what they want to fire a kiln for me.... they usually have quite big kilns, so it's not very expensive per piece.... perhaps 0.50Euro -2 Euro for big pots.... but you do have to save up your work for a while to get the kiln full....
i pay 50 Euro (about 60$ for a kiln sized 75x60x80cm or about 30"x24"32)
Thanks for sharing, good info on firing prices.
In Canada all this stuff cost a lot of money and we have all in the nature
I love ths table top. Superb❤
I have never been more excited to start a new hobby! :-D
That's excellent. I hope you enjoy it and let me know if you get stuck.
Really motivating, thank you
Haha excellent. And this is recyclage and bio. So better than plastic stuff.
Yes, very true, the other side of this is not just that it saves money but helps save the planet too.
Oh my goodness! Wow you are totally opening up my eyes! That's it! I am going to go hunting! The tools are in my house all ready to start! My rib is metal but I will use deer from ebay thankyou so much 🦌😩🤔😔😌 I am from the UK we do not get deers who have died here but I will try and order if its the best! 🥰✍️
Well I know they have deer in the UK and they surely do die. Glad you enjoyed this video. Thanks
Thanks for the tips! 🤙🏿
I haven't made pottery since I was in high school, I loved doing it and my pieces came out great. It's good to know that I may be able to do it again without a kiln by learning your ways.
Yes, the perfect project for an "earthy" artist.
As well good content 👍. I love the way you do it !
I appreciate that!
Doobly doo😂 I love it! Your videos are awesome!
Thank you!! 😁
Wow... you just showed up on my utube channel. I have been potting for over 50 years. I make yellowware and sold it to museums and shops. When I was in my 50s, business slowed down and I was asked to demonstrate at my local fair. Here in New England, our local potters from the 1700s used kilns and wheels, so I demonstrate that on an old treadle wheel in costume. So now I spend 6-7 months of the year traveling across the USA getting paid to demonstrate 1700s pottery at fairs.
People ask me all the same questions they ask you about making pottery. Everyone wants a wheel, thinks kilns are too expensive, wonder how to make clay. I go over the same as you about primitive clays, but I briefly have their attention. I can't believe how wonderfully you talk about the primitive way to work with clay that I talk about too... but you are so much better and you have photos of the simple pots we can make without a wheel or kiln that will inspire folks to not worry about glazes.
My reason for this post is to let you know I will be sending all my visitors to your web videos. Thank you for posting these videos and helping all the folks out there who have clay in their yards and are overwhelmed by the cost and complications of kilns and glazes.
Thank you so much. Much respect for what you do in education people about pottery. Let me know if you ever do a demonstration in Arizona, I would love to see it.
@@AncientPottery Thanks! Been to Arizona, demonstrate at the Oklahoma State Fair, but no near plans for your area! Watching your videos this morning and enjoy all. Pottery as you know is so varied. There will never be enough time to explore it all! Thanks again
@@reggiethepotter I love the Oklahoma State Fair. We lived in OK for a few years. Maybe I'll run into you some day.
Wow! I love this!
Subscribed! I’ve been looking for a way to make primitive pottery
Welcome, glad you found me.
Do you have any books? I haven't heard you mention any, and wd encourage you to write one if not. I love all the videos, but curling up with a good book still rocks lol. Thank you very much 😊
I have one, Mud Puzzles. It is not a pottery 'how to' book but about my pottery journey and what I learned about the ancient people who used to live in my area by studying their pottery. It is only available as an e-book ancientpottery.how/product/book-mud-puzzles/
If I choose to hand build my pots and fire them in a kiln
, I can do it for free at the community college. Tuition is free for folks over 50. They do a bisque firing first, then a glaze firing. I’m not sure if I need both. I would put the slip and other decorations on before either firing, right?
If you were trying to make unglazed pottery like I do then you only need the bisque firing. Yes the slip should be applied to the green pottery.
For the polished rock you can use a big decorative garden pebble.
It it is smooth enough
Hey im interested in going out and collecting clay in large amounts.
*What are the differences between self dug clay and store bought/professionally processed clay?
*How do you know how hot to burn it at?
*And are there any concerns for sanitizing the clay we find out in the environment from things like waste, germs, living organisms germs etc?
Okay, answers below.
1. Every clay is different, every store bought clay and every hand-dug clay. The only real difference between store bought and wild is the natural properties of the clay and how you choose to process it.
2. You need to run some experiments. Fire it to a low temp and see how it does, fire it a bit hotter and see how it does. This way you will learn what temp it melts at and always keep it below that point. Make sure you put it in another bowl or on a tile or something so it doesn't make a mess in the bottom of your kiln.
3. I have never heard of a problem with this. All clay, even store bought clay contains microbes and mold spores and other things that live in earth. It's just part of working with the earth.
@@AncientPottery Thanks so much for the response. Ive been researching a lot and noticing that people have a hard time getting self dug clay to be thin or to rise high, is that a problem you face? And do you know of any industrial tools that can be bought to process clay at a small scale, to allow more variation in clays- like clay that wouldnt easily be broken down after its digger up with just hands and a shovel. Thanks again
How is it that I am only now seeing videos 🤯 love the content please keep it coming
Thank you! Will do!
Another Tucsonan here. And I need new plates and bowls. Hmmmm, I know what. I think I will make them.
Good idea. Hello from Tucson!
YES! exactly, besides I'm retired, I do what I want to. :-D
Perfect!
By the way my husband passed away I am Linda the wife thank you so much for teaching us about doing potter for yourself I would love to do this i
Can you do a vid on ceramic jars?? I really would love to know how!!!! Thanks.
Jars? I have many videos about making jars