Welcome!

Are you a beginner taking clay classes, looking for some extra guidance? Are you a well-seasoned pottery buff with your own studio looking for new ideas? Want to hone your skills and develop your work? Well we have what you need to help YOU Make Your Best POTS!

You can access this library of over 100 detailed instructional videos and educational resources by subscribing for as little as $10/month.

Adam & Sarah want to share their wealth of clay knowledge with you! Here’s how to sign up:

1. Click https://www.patreon.com/join/spectorstudiosporcelain to become a Patron! (Patreon.com is a website that provides subscription membership tools for artists and is where the videos and resources Adam and Sarah make for you “live”).

2. Choose your membership level

3. Create an account

4. Add payment and confirm and immediately have access to lessons and content!

Join Now! Your new online pottery home is an inclusive, positive and affordable environment where you can learn, meet other potters from around the world and be a part of a clay community!

Your “Make Your Best Pots” Team:

Adam is your Host and Teacher! has been a full time potter for 15 years. In that time and prior (’02 BFA Alfred University), he has fostered his own passion for clay by learning, experimenting and incorporating a myriad of clay processes and techniques that include throwing all manner of forms large and small on the potter’s wheel, mold making and casting, tool making, sculpture and handbuilding, surface treatments like brushwork, wax-resist, underglaze painting, glaze trailing, slip inlay, wax resist…

Adam has extensive (18 years) teaching experience teaching all ages and skill levels and is great at providing calm clear instruction.

Sarah is your Patreon lesson videographer and clay consultant! She has a BFA in Ceramics from Alfred University and imparts her 15 years of professional clay experience behind the scenes.

Learn about every aspect of pottery making from professionals in a way that works for your life…anytime, anywhere.

Join Now

Current Content List:

FREE Video - Essential Skills: Centering 2 Pounds
FREE Video - Essential Skills: Centering 4+ Pounds
FREE Video - Essential Skills: Using the Needle Tool

Matching Application and Technique: Shaping
Matching Application and Technique: Pulling
Matching Application and Technique: Opening

Comprehensive Tool List
Slip Casting 1: Assembling and Pouring
Slip Casting 2: Demolding and Mold Seams
Slip Casting 3: Carving in the Mold for Raised Designs
Slip Casting 4: Casting the Raised Design Wall Vase
Slip Casting 5: Slip Inlay part 1
Slip Casting 6: Slip Inlay part 2
Slip Casting 7: Reclaim your Casting Slip
Reclaiming Casting Slip PDF
Slip Casting Tool List

Mold Making for Slip Casting 1: Pouring Plaster for the Model
Mold Making for Slip Casting 2: Carving, Sanding and Soaping the Plaster Model
Mold Making for Slip Casting 3: Pouring and Scraping the First Mold Section
Mold Making for Slip Casting 4: Soaping, Pouring and Scraping the Second Mold Section
Mold Making for Slip Casting 5: Making the Pour Gate
Mold Making for Slip Casting 6: Finishing and Assembling the Mold Six Part Slip Casting Mold Tour Mold Making for Slip Casting Tool List
Mold Making for Slip Casting: Wall Vase Template
Plaster: Step by Step Guide for Mold Making

Handbuilt Hanging Planter 1: Rolling A Slab By Hand
Handbuilt Hanging Planter 2: Templating
Handbuilt Hanging Planter 3: Cutting and Embellishing
Handbuilt Hanging Planter 4: Assembly
Tool List with Links
PDF Planter Template
PDF Visual Step by Step Instructional Guide

Pottery Basics: Knuckle Pulling Cylinders
Pottery Basics: Using The Undercutting Tool
Pottery Basics: Sponge Pulling For Inside Curves
Pottery Basics: Opening For Bowls And Volumes
Pottery Basics: Opening For Cylinders
Pottery Basics: Spiral Wedging
Pottery Basics: Wedging
Pottery Techniques: Closing In a Volume
Pottery Techniques: Thrown Foot

Candlesticks 1: Design and Templating
Candlesticks 2: Throwing the Hollow Candlestick
Candlesticks 3: Throwing the Solid Candlestick
Candlesticks 4: Trimming a Complex Profile
Candlestick Project Tool List
Candlestick Templates

Sprig Molds: Making the Clay Model
Sprig Molds: Pouring Plaster
Sprig Molds: Carving Plaster
Make Your Own Sprig Molds: Using Your New Sprig Mold!
Sprig Molds Project Tool List
Sprig Molds: A Step by Step Guide

Fascinating Faceting 1: Throwing the Form
Fascinating Faceting 2: Smooth Slicing
Fascinating Faceting 3: Let’s Go Big
Fascinating Faceting 4: The Big Cheese
Fascinating Faceting 5: A Good Trim
Fascinating Faceting Tool List 9/19
Fascinating Faceting Step by Step Guide

Vases 1: Intro- Proportion and Templating
Vases 2: Ace of the Vase Base - Throwing
Vases 3: Ace of the Vase Base Contd.
Vases 4: Throwing the Foot
Vases 5: Throwing and Attaching the Neck
PDF: Profile Template with Measurements
PDF: Adam's Personal "Throwing Stick" Template

Pitchers: Intro
Pitchers: Throwing the Body Pt. 1
Pitchers: Using Ribs to Clarify the Form
Pitchers: Pinched Spout
Pitchers: Pulled Handle
PDF Pitchers: Proportions/Diagram
PDF Pitchers: Tool List

Shellac Resist: Intro
Shellac Resist: Relief Surfaces Pt. 1
Shellac Resist: Relief Surfaces Pt. 2
Shellac Resist: Glaze Trailing over Relief
Shellac Resist: Shellac as a Glaze Resist
PDF Create your own Satin Matte Glaze
PDF Shellac Resist: Tool List

Jars 1: Intro to Design, Throwing and Trimming
Jars 2: Throwing the Body
Jars 3: Throwing the Lid
Jars 4: Trimming the Lid
Jars 5: Trimming the Foot
PDF Jars: Silhouette + Measurements
PDF Jars: Shape Composition
PDF Jars: Tool List

The World’s Best Slip!
PDF: The World’s Best Slip

Slab Bottom Platter 1: Design with Templating!
Slab Bottom Platter 2: Throwing a Ring
Slab Bottom Platter 3: Fluting the Wall and Throwing the Slab Bottom
Slab Bottom Platter 4: Attaching the Bottom
Slab Bottom Platter 5: The “Reveal”

Make Your Own Slump/Hump Molds 1: Designing Your Piece and Making the Model 9:44
Make Your Own Slump/Hump Molds2: Using the Drag Rib to Shape the Model 4:54
Make Your Own Slump/Hump Molds 3: Using Plaster to Make a Mold of the Model 14:42
Make Your Own Slump/Hump Molds 4: Demolding, Cleanup, Soap and Pouring the “Positive”
Make Your Own Slump/Hump Molds 5: Making a Slab Built Tray 10:53
PDF - “A Guide to Working With Plaster”
PDF - Make Your Own Slump/Hump Molds: Tools and Supplies List

Low Wide Bowl: Making a Special Rib 12:56
Low Wide Bowl: Throwing from 3 Pounds 12:35
Low Wide Bowl: Throwing from 8 Pounds 19:28
Low Wide Bowl: Trimming and Hanging Method 13:39
PDF: Low Wide Bowl Project Rib Templates

Coffee Pot: Preparing the Surface for Glaze 6:44
Coffee Pot: Waxing the Lid and Gallery 3:32
Coffee Pot: Glazing the Lid 4:31
Coffee Pot: Glazing and Lining 8:45
Coffee Pot: Throwing the Body 12:02
Coffee Pot: Throwing the Lid 5:44
Coffee Pot: Trimming the Lid 11:13
Coffee Pot: Trimming the Foot 13:08
Coffee Pot: Making a Templated Spout 14:21
Coffee Pot: Pulling a Handle from a Tapered Coil 17:33
PDF - Coffee Pot Spout Template
PDF - Coffee Pot Dimensions

Lidded Bowl: Throwing the Bowl 21:11
Lidded Bowl: Throwing the Lid 12:15
Lidded Bowl: Trimming the Bowl 18:14
Lidded Bowl: Trimming the Lid 14:36

Throwing in Sections: Part 1 19:51
Throwing in Sections: Part 2 19:44

Dinner Plate: Throwing 23:02
Dinner Plate: Trimming 14:09

Inspiration: 13 C. Korean Celadon Cup with commentary
Inspiration: Underglaze Decorated Porcelain Bowl (China, Ming Dynasty 15-16 C.)
Inspiration; Underglaze Decorated Stoneware Bowl (12-13 C. Iran)

Infographic: Three Best Types of Lids
Infographic: A Guide to Self Critique

Essential Skills 1: Wedging and Centering Two Pounds of Clay 10:02
Essential Skills 2: Centering Four Pounds 6:57
Essential Skills 3: Knuckle Pulling 17:05

Project: Proportion & Drawing

Project: Working in Series

Inspiration: Why Make Pots: An Excerpt from Philip Rawson’s book “Ceramics”

Flared Rim Bowl: Throwing 14:51
Flared Rim Bowl: Trimming 20:16

Specific Gravity for Consistent Glaze Results 8:45
PDF: Specific Gravity Worksheet

Glaze Trailing and Wax Resist 5:54
Glaze Trailing: Tips & Tricks 4:34
PDF: Glaze Trailing Supplies List

Preparing Glaze for Glaze Trailing 10:41
PDF: Glaze Thickener Recipe

Teapot Lesson 1: Throwing the Body and the Gallery 31:49
Teapot Lesson 2: Throwing the Lid 13:50
Teapot Lesson 3: Trimming the Lid 19:56
Teapot Lesson 4: Trimming the Body 27:16
Teapot Lesson 5: Slab Built Spout 32:57
PDF: Teapot Lesson: Spout and Handle Templates

Cup Lesson 1: Wedging and Centering 15:55
Cup Lesson 2: Throwing and Formal Considerations 32:34
Cup Lesson 3: Throwing a Chuck and Trimming 26:38
Cup Lesson 4: Templated Handle Demonstration 14:36
Cup Lesson 5: Layout, Design and Waxing for Inlay 22:19
Cup Lesson 6: Cutting Through Wax for Inlay 10:04
Cup Lesson 7: Slip Inlay 8:23
PDF: Cup Lesson: Throwing and Trimming Templates, Divider Disk, Tool List, Handle Template
PDF: Cup Lesson: Inlay Slip Recipes and Materials