YouTube, Pinterest, Etsy, Instagram: scrolling through others’ feeds can give you some ideas for the upcoming holiday season.
New themes for parties, new styles of decoration... even unique, unusual, handmade gifts and ornaments for your Christmas tree.
You could take up origami or wood carving but, if you’re looking for a more elaborate craft to challenge to your artistic skills... if you want to try your hand at a millennia-old trade, ceramics might just be what the doctor ordered.
Especially if you’re wild about art history, you’ll know that ceramic arts date back nearly 45,000 years!
Of course, we’re presuming a lot with those assertions.
It could be that you don’t have a lot of time on your hands to wait for a wood kiln to heat up or that you’re not interested at all in learning how to make ceramic art; it’s even quite likely that you don’t have a ceramic studio at your disposal.
Maybe you want to find a fun-yet-educational pastime for your children.
Guess what? Ceramics is the answer there, too! Kids of all ages love playing with ceramic materials...
Art is so powerful that it is expressed in every area of our life. Every day as you go about your daily activities in Canada, you will surely come across one artwork or the other. Everything about our lives speaks of art, from those beautiful paintings you see on billboards to the quality artwork placed at the entrance of your office space.
However, while many people are on the appreciation end, some are at the designing end. It is left to you to choose which side of the ceramic-making pendulum you want to fall on. For those who have art backgrounds or are skilled in one art area or the other, you will want to be on the designing end.
More interesting about this is the desire to consider ceramic making. The act of soiling your hands while crafting out an idea that has always been on your mind is such a blissful one. The history of ceramic dates back to centuries ago. As an art student in Canada, you must have learned about this history and the many great artists that make up this history.
From your numerous knowledge of ceramic art, you may be nurturing an interest in it. Perhaps, you're confused about how to go about it or even if you should return to your one-time love - ceramic making. Here's the surprising truth - the mere thought of it is proof that you desire it. All that is left is for you to start taking steps in the right direction towards actualization, either through ceramic workshops or classes.
This guide on taking pottery lessons Vancouver or workshops in Canada will address reasons why learning ceramics is important and the differences between ceramics workshops and pottery lessons. You'd also learn about what to expect from pottery lessons and how you can hire an expert to take you pottery lessons Toronto from Superprof.
In this article, your Superprof looks at reasons to choose specific types of pottery lessons, who might be looking for ceramic workshops and where you might find them.
Find good art classes Ottawa here on Superprof.
Why Do You Want to Learn about Ceramics?
There is something so calming, so relaxing about working with clay.
Making ceramic figurines and ornaments really doesn’t require a lot of talent or skill – at least at the outset; pretty much anyone can sit at a potter’s wheel and make vases or an earthenware pot.
Becoming a ceramic artist doesn’t require a lot of strength and endurance as many outdoor pastimes do. It does not leave you exposed to the elements or extremes in temperatures... unless you are standing close to the kilns.
However, working with ceramics does require a bit of discipline and restraint; one can’t go around flinging bits of clay or flicking dirty water at fellow clay artists. At least, one shouldn’t; doing so is quite contrary to the nature of working with clay.
Art-making with ceramic material can be quite a social affair; what else are you going to do besides talk with others while the stoneware you just created is fired?
Considering the social and physical aspects of ceramic art creation, working with ceramics is ideal for:
- children who are at least 5 years old – they should at least be able to understand safety instructions
- after-school programmes for primary and secondary school students
- GCSE and A-Level candidates preparing for their university entrance audition to the school of art and design of their choice
- Anyone looking for a new hobby or a way to relax
- retirees and senior citizens
In short, learning how to work with ceramics is suitable for just about anyone!
Even if you’re more interested in mechanical or electronic applications that require ceramics – piezoelectric transducers and heat resistant tiles, just to name two, you could still learn a lot about earthen materials and how to use them by making pottery yourself.
And who knows? You might enjoy the creative process so much that you will continue to work with ceramic and glass long after you’ve landed your job in materials science and engineering!
How deeply you want to go into the art of ceramics is all up to you, of course. However, depending on what you want to learn, you may have to cast about a bit before finding the class that is right for you.
Find various art classes Vancouver here on Superprof.
Benefits of Taking Pottery Lessons Ottawa
As against popular belief, you don't need any form of physicality to learn ceramic or take pottery lessons Toronto. Anyone who has the willingness and interest to learn this art can do so. You can get involved with a potter and sit by to watch them every day as they mold clay into something inspiring. As you continue to watch such a person over a defined period, you start picking up basic skills and techniques helpful to you.
Why then do you need to register for ceramics workshops and pottery lessons Canada when you can learn by yourself? Let's quickly examine three of the most important reasons.
It helps develop your discipline level
While strength and endurance may not be needed to learn the art of making ceramics, you need to be disciplined. Every skill needs time to develop, and perfection is only achieved through practice. To mold a fine clay that everyone wants to have in their home, you have to pay attention to the details of the process.
One of the many things you will learn from ceramics workshops or classes is discipline's role in becoming a successful artist. During practice, your discipline level will be tested, and it's only those who can stay true to the process that will produce excellent results.
It enhances social interaction
After molding clay, you have to put it through fire and wait for the outcome. The waiting process sometimes takes a lot of time, depending on what you're molding. What else will you be doing while waiting other than trying to interact with those around you? Art doesn't just express social interaction in the finished work alone, but also in the process of making.
The social interaction benefit of learning how to make ceramics is recommended for kids and students in schools. It is also seen as a recreational activity incorporated into the learning syllabus of many institutions.
It promotes creativity and innovation
A ceramic artist is a creative person because you will see an existing idea and start thinking of multiple ways to recreate it. When you register for ceramic classes in Toronto, Quebec, Ontario, Vancouver, or other Canadian cities, your creativity will be enhanced.
Your teachers will teach you how excellence in ceramic making is hidden in creativity and innovation. You will then discover that innovation and creativity learned from ceramic making apply to other areas of your life.
Find art classes Toronto here on Superprof.
Which Should You Go For - Ceramics Workshops Or Pottery Lessons Canada?
Ceramic workshops are not the same as ceramic classes. However, a student registered with a ceramic class in Canada can also attend workshops in their free time. However, if you're bent on choosing one, let's examine some of the differences between the two to help you determine which you should go for.
Ceramic Classes are designed in line with a curriculum that moves from the simpler topics to the more complex ones. Generally, it is believed that students who register for an art class in Canada are either beginners, intermediate, or experts at ceramic making. As such, courses are designed to meet every student at the point of their learning needs. A workshop takes a different pattern from this.
Ceramics workshops are usually more generic in their approach and designed for intermediate or expert artists. The workshops aim to open individuals up to a new area or dimension of ceramic making they were not aware of before.
Another thing worthy of mention when differentiating between ceramics workshops and classes is the duration for which both of them run. Ceramic classes usually run for a longer period than workshops. You will find classes in Canada that run for weeks, months, and some even for years.
Some spend up to three years for students who apply to a Canadian university to study ceramic making and bag a degree. A workshop only happens for a defined period depending on the nature and substance of the workshop.
From the above, it is clear that if you are a beginner who knows little or nothing about ceramic making but wants to learn about it, you should go for ceramic classes. However, if you want to understand an existing or new art concept better, you can attend ceramics workshops.
In just about every learning adventure, there are different methods of imparting knowledge. Some are targeted to a specific aspect of a discipline while others delve deep into the subject matter, explaining every facet from its history to new concepts.
And, just as there are many ways to learn about a topic you’re interested in, there are many reasons to pursue different avenues of learning.
Let’s take, for instance, somebody who has been working with clay for a year; someone who can make tableware or maybe raku ornaments. Such a person may be ready to try something new or to broaden their knowledge base.
If you are that ceramic artist, you might benefit from a workshop that addresses the particular skill you hope to cultivate; maybe applying glazes or trying different clays.
Conversely, if you are a student aiming for a fine arts degree so you can design accent pieces for home décor, you are probably contemplating an art education... but you might be a bit worried about your audition.
Should that be the case, you would probably seek out a more all-encompassing course, maybe something along the lines of contemporary art ceramics classes.
Finally, if you are looking for a new, engaging hobby, one that will stimulate and fulfil your creative drive, you may benefit from both classes and workshops.
What if you are already quite familiar with making pottery but would like to learn about painting and drawing on white ceramic? Maybe you’re ready for studio pottery? Again, that depends on how deeply you plan on delving into the world of clay.
For many people, what started out as a fun way to fill a weekend has turned into a passion.
Discovering the exact amount of pressure to exert on a lump of clay to turn it into a beautiful, functional work of art, to feel one’s vision take form beneath their hands...
There is something so therapeutic about the materials and processes involved in producing art pottery that is so captivating, many artist program participants start out looking for a hobby and end up quite serious about ceramics.
Is that you? If so, you’ll probably want to know what equipment you will need to outfit your studio space...
Find various art classes for kids here on Superprof.
Which Should You Go For - Ceramics Workshops Or Pottery Lessons in Canada?
Ceramic workshops are not the same as ceramic classes. However, a student registered with a ceramic class in Canada can also attend workshops in their free time. However, if you're bent on choosing one, let's examine some of the differences between the two to help you determine which you should go for.
Ceramic Classes are designed in line with a curriculum that moves from the simpler topics to the more complex ones. Generally, it is believed that students who register for an art class in Canada are either beginners, intermediate, or experts at ceramic making. As such, courses are designed to meet every student at the point of their learning needs. A workshop takes a different pattern from this.
Ceramics workshops are usually more generic in their approach and designed for intermediate or expert artists. The workshops aim to open individuals up to a new area or dimension of ceramic making they were not aware of before.
Another thing worthy of mention when differentiating between ceramics workshops and classes is the duration for which both of them run. Ceramic classes usually run for a longer period than workshops. You will find classes in Canada that run for weeks, months, and some even for years.
Some spend up to three years for students who apply to a Canadian university to study ceramic making and bag a degree. A workshop only happens for a defined period depending on the nature and substance of the workshop.
From the above, it is clear that if you are a beginner who knows little or nothing about ceramic making but wants to learn about it, you should go for ceramic classes. However, if you want to understand an existing or new art concept better, you can attend ceramics workshops.
Find art classes here on Superprof.
What Should You Expect From Workshops and Pottery Lessons Canada?
As a student who wants to register for pottery lessons Vancouver or pottery lessons Toronto, or study ceramics in any other part of Canada, you should have goals you want to achieve. These goals should be determined by the reasons why you are registering for the class. If you are learning for fun, you should be expected to master only the basics.
Find art classes Calgary here on Superprof.
For fun learners registering for pottery classes in Canada, you can take the beginner course. Here, you will be exposed to the basics of pottery, like the history of ceramics, notable potters, and the essential materials needed for pottery work.
However, if your goal is to be a full-time artist, you can register for the more detailed online courses or hire a private teacher for home tuition. For the intermediate and expert lessons, you should expect to learn the fundamentals of pottery. Also, you will be taught about different dimensions of pottery with an emphasis on what makes an excellent pottery work stand out.
Overall, you should expect to move from a beginner to an intermediate learner and intermediate learner to a professional potter when you take pottery lessons or hire a private tutor from Superprof.
Can You Take Ceramics Lessons On Superprof?
For students who want to take ceramics classes in Canada, one of the best options is registering for Superprof lessons. As a platform with many professional ceramics tutors, you can find a tutor near you anywhere in Canada. With a private ceramic tutor, you can enjoy one-on-one learning sessions at your home or any other comfortable location for you.
Alternatively, if your work or school schedule doesn't permit you to hire a private tutor, you can register for ceramic lessons online from Superprof. The lessons that are provided to students have been tailored to their different learning levels. Ceramic terms have also been simplified, making it easy for beginners to grasp the basics of ceramic making.
The decision to choose a Superprof ceramic tutor or take ceramic lessons in Canada comes with several benefits. First, you get to learn from the best teachers in Canada who have taught several students at various learning levels. Then, it is an avenue to save costs because you only get to pay for the hours you spend learning online or with a tutor. There is a one-hour free session for you to relate with the ceramic tutor and decide if they are the best for you in your first lesson.
In conclusion, learning ceramic making in Canada comes with a lot of opportunities. While it can be a recreational activity for some, others can build a successful career as a potter. Whatever your reasons are for learning about ceramics, what matters is that you're learning from a reputable platform as Superprof.
How to Find the Ceramics Art and Design Programme You’re Looking for
In a glitzy, multi-level shopping centre, tucked down a side aisle away from mainstream traffic is a small, glass-fronted space.
Just behind the glass, bathed in glaring light from the LED fixtures above, four small pottery wheels wait, their orange basins a startling splash of colour in the blinding white environment.
Keen parents and bemused children follow the instructor’s directions, first throwing a lump of clay onto the wheel, then wetting their hands and working it until it vaguely resembles a bowl.
This three-hour course meant for small children is a fine introduction to clay art but by no means would it be satisfactory to anyone who hoped to learn mold making, slip casting, wedging or coiling – one of the oldest pottery-making techniques.
If what you’re looking for is just something new to do on a rainy weekend, you might check to see if your local shopping mall occasionally sponsors such events.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a wheel throwing class, adult classes to learn how to work with mixed media or glazed ceramics and raku, you will certainly need a ceramics class that delves deeper into the subject.
True, you could watch videos on YouTube – there are tutorials on everything from how to throw a pot to how to build a wood-fired kiln, a gas kiln or an electric kiln (no, you cannot use your cooking oven; it doesn’t get hot enough!).
If you’re going to spend hours watching instructional videos, you want that time to be effectively spent, don’t you?
That means that you would have to already have all of the clay tools, equipment and materials needed to start working right away... but you might not want to invest in all of that before knowing whether you even like working with clay.
That is why it would be best to sign up for lessons or a weekend class at your local ceramics studio: they have all of the equipment you need and most such classes include the cost of materials in their lesson fees.
If you’re really lucky, they’ll include a coffee and a spot of lunch, too!
Finding such classes or workshops is really not hard. In fact, you might already know of a ceramics studio in your neighbourhood, having driven or ridden past it on your way to work or school. Why not ask them if they host such classes?
Is your town having a fall festival this year? Maybe there is a crafts fair going on this very minute at your community centre... wouldn’t it be great if ceramic artists were promoting their studio... by offering lessons in contemporary ceramics?
You may also check with you local potter’s association. For instance, the Scottish Potters often hold classes in the art of pottery; the UK is full of such organisations and associations.
What if you really want to get serious about ceramics? Maybe enrol in your local school of art for your Bachelor of Fine Arts – or even, as a returning student after a few years in the workforce, you need to refresh your memory before working toward your Master's degree?
Whether you want to make your living as a ceramics artist or make unique Christmas ornaments for your friends and family this year, you can rest assured that there are many opportunities for you to learn how to work with clay.
You could even find a Superprof tutor to teach you tricks of the trade!
Now it’s time for a pop quiz: how much do you know about ceramics?
Find various online art courses here on Superprof.
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