The Ultimate Pottery Supplies Checklist

 

There’s something magical about shaping raw clay into a piece that reflects your creativity, patience, and skill. But behind every beautifully crafted bowl, mug, or sculpture lies a simple truth: your results are only as good as the tools you use. Therefore, having the right pottery supplies doesn’t just make the process smoother—it elevates the entire experience.

List of Supplies

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned ceramic artist, turn your work into a piece of art with high-quality ceramic supplies. Here is a breakdown of a well-rounded pottery setup, including essential tools that will guide you from the first touch of clay to the final glaze.

Clay: The Foundation of Every Project

Clay is the heart of every pottery project—the material that determines not only how your piece behaves during shaping, but also how it looks and feels once fired. Choosing the right clay sets the tone for your entire creative process.

Stoneware, earthenware, and porcelain each offer unique characteristics: stoneware is durable and versatile, earthenware is soft and beginner-friendly, and porcelain provides a smooth, elegant finish ideal for fine detail.

The plasticity of the clay, on the other hand, affects how easily it can be shaped, while factors like grog content influence its strength and texture. Moisture levels also play a key role, helping you achieve the balance between firmness and flexibility.

Tools for Cutting, Shaping, and Trimming

Pottery is a hands-on craft that relies heavily on the tools you use to shape, cut, and refine each piece. These tools act as extensions of your hands, allowing you to achieve clean lines, smooth surfaces, and precise forms that wouldn’t be possible with fingers alone.

Cutting tools such as wire cutters and fettling knives help you divide clay blocks, remove excess material, and shape slabs with accuracy. Ribs—available in wood, metal, and flexible rubber—are essential for smoothing surfaces, compressing walls, and refining curves both on and off the wheel.

When shopping for shaping ceramic supplies Australia-wide, wooden and metal modelling tools offer control in creating textures, edges, and decorative details. Loop and ribbon tools are invaluable for hollowing, carving, and fine sculpting work.

Trimming tools are equally important, especially for thrown pieces. Sharp trimming tools allow potters to refine bases, create foot rings, and lighten the overall form once the clay reaches the leather-hard stage. Sponges, both natural and synthetic, help with smoothing, moisture control, and finishing touches.

Hand-Building Essentials

Hand-building is one of the most expressive and accessible pottery techniques, and having the right essentials makes the process both enjoyable and efficient. Unlike wheel-throwing, hand-building relies heavily on tools that support shaping, joining, and refining forms made entirely by hand.

A sturdy work surface and a reliable rolling pin or slab roller are key to creating even slabs. Pinch and coil work benefit from wooden modelling tools, which help smooth edges, blend coils, and add definition. Scoring tools and slip containers are vital for making strong joins that won’t crack during drying or firing.

 Flexible ribs help compress clay and refine shapes, while paddles allow you to firm up walls and create clean, structured forms. Texturing tools—such as stamps, rollers, and carving tools—add personality and detail, elevating simple shapes into artistic pieces.

Wheel-Throwing Supplies

Wheel-throwing requires a focused set of ceramic supplies that help you centre, shape, and refine clay with precision. A dependable pottery wheel is the heart of the setup, offering smooth speed control and stability.

Besides it, you'll need basic tools like a wire cutter for removing finished pieces, a needle tool for checking thickness, and ribs—both wooden and rubber—for smoothing and shaping walls. Sponges help manage moisture, while a trimming tool set is essential for refining bases once the clay reaches the leather-hard stage.

Glazing and Decorating

Glazing and decorating are where your pottery truly comes to life, transforming simple clay forms into expressive, finished pieces. This stage requires a thoughtful selection of materials to achieve the colours, textures, and effects you envision.

Glazes—whether matte, glossy, opaque, or translucent—form the foundation of your surface design, and having a variety allows for endless creative combinations. Brushes of different sizes help you apply glazes, slips, and under glazes with precision, while sponges and spray bottles offer alternative application methods for softer or more blended finishes.

Decorative tools such as carving blades, sgraffito tools, and slip trailers add intricate patterns and raised details. Stamps, rollers, and texture mats allow you to build visual depth before glazing even begins. Wax resist is another essential, helping you control where glaze flows and keeping the bottoms of pieces clean.

Kiln and Firing

A reliable kiln is essential for transforming soft clay into durable ceramic ware. It provides the controlled heat needed to bisque-fire pieces, making them strong enough for glazing, and then glaze-fire them to achieve their final finish.

Electric kilns are popular for their consistency and ease of use, while gas kilns offer more atmospheric effects. Alongside the kiln itself, firing shelves, posts, stilts, and kiln wash are crucial for protecting both your work and the kiln’s interior.