Where to start pottery production. Pottery for Beginners

Clay souvenirs are always in great demand. In addition, recently products that imitate antique kitchen utensils made of clay have come into fashion. To engage in the production of such products, it is necessary to perfectly master this ancient craft. How to turn pottery making for beginners into a profitable one promising business you will learn from this article.

Education

Beginners often wonder where to learn pottery to gain the necessary skills and knowledge. Useful information can be gleaned from books and other specialized literature. In addition, many Internet sites offer free video pottery lessons for beginners.

The simplest and at the same time effective method, which will help you quickly master this craft - learning from a master. Such lessons will cost you about 1 thousand rubles for 1 hour of lessons. But this is the most The best way training that will allow you to learn the production process from the inside. For 2 months of special courses you will pay 10–15 thousand rubles. After completing such courses, it is unlikely that you can become a master. But, nevertheless, you will be well versed in pottery.

In principle, even those people who have never encountered pottery can open such a business. It is enough to understand the technology of production of ceramic products, draw up a business plan for a pottery workshop and hire several experienced craftsmen. If you can organize this business competently, it will develop successfully and bring you excellent profits.

Many beginners doubt? If you want to receive financial independence, try, experiment and you will definitely succeed. A crisis is the best time to start a new business, so cast aside all doubts and get to work.

Business registration

Before starting pottery, you need to register an individual entrepreneur. Such activities fall under OKVED 26.21. This category allows you to produce various ceramic products, ranging from souvenirs to household products. If you also plan to make toys from clay, you need to add OKVED code 36.50. To reduce taxes and insurance payments, it is better to choose a simplified taxation system.

Workshop space and equipment

After you have completed everything Required documents, you can proceed directly to organizing a pottery workshop. First of all you need to rent suitable premises. It is desirable that it consist of two rooms. One of them will be equipped as a workshop, and you will use the second as a warehouse for finished products. The area of the room should be at least 40–50 square meters. meters.

At first, it’s enough to buy:

Potter's wheel;
Device for kneading clay;
Scales;
Forms;
Furnace for firing finished products;
In addition, you will need racks with shelves to store finished products.

Kilns are available on the market in a wide range. They can be electric, gas or solid fuel. You can make such equipment with your own hands, but in homemade ovens it is almost impossible to achieve uniformity and High Quality firing

Business Features

It is most profitable to open a pottery workshop in resort towns, which are often visited by tourists from different countries. In this case, your products will be in demand on the market. Of course, before starting work, you need to carefully analyze the market and study the level of competition. Many domestic producers They cannot compete with cheap Chinese products. But this is a mass product that is not as interesting to consumers as individual developments. If you produce exclusive high-quality products, the demand for them will only grow.

When developing an assortment, you need to take into account that each region of the country has its own traditions and customs. You must learn to reflect them in ceramic products and their painting. In this case, Chinese manufacturers will not be able to repeat your masterpieces. At first, you shouldn’t greatly expand the range. Limit yourself to the production of decorative and household dishes, souvenir magnets, vases and various pots. We should also not forget about such a profitable activity as conducting master classes. Pottery making is a profitable and quite promising business.

Raw materials

Finding clay for pottery is not difficult. Using different processing methods, even raw materials can be brought back to normal condition Bad quality. Typically, clay lies under a small layer of soil, so you can mine it even on your own plot. But it is best to use clean, homogeneous material for sculpting.

To determine the suitability of the raw material, you need to roll a small rope, the thickness of a finger, from moistened clay. After this, bend the harness in half and check the bend for cracks. If there are few of them, you can safely use the material for modeling.

For a business to flourish, you need to find trusted suppliers of raw materials. Sometimes even reliable partners let you down and supply low-quality material. Therefore, pay special attention to this important point. Another option where you can buy clay for pottery production is the Internet. Here you can find raw materials of any quality at affordable prices. In addition, as mentioned above, you can obtain clay for modeling on your own. In this case, you will open, because you can significantly reduce the cost of production.

Technological process

The production of pottery is one of the most...

Such products can be manufactured in different ways:

Free sculpting. Various figurines, whistles and pots are sculpted from prepared clay;
Free shaping is done using a potter's wheel;
For plastic molding by hand, plaster molds are used.

To produce complex ceramic products, several molding methods are usually combined. To give the product an elegant look, it is treated with solutions of gold or silver, picturesque decoration with heat-resistant paints or the thinnest transparent film that shimmers in different colors is used. A very beautiful decoration is made from small pieces of colored glass. They are applied to the surface in in the right places and the product is fired. Under the influence of high temperatures, glass melts and spreads over the surface of the product, creating intricate patterns. You can create amazing original products from clay. A pottery workshop is enough, since the demand for ceramic products does not fall even during a crisis.

Sales of finished products

In order for pottery as a business to bring good profits, you need to find reliable sales channels. Advertising will help you with this, as well as participation in art exhibitions and fairs. Entrepreneurs who work in major cities, can sell finished products to souvenir shops located at airports and train stations, shopping centers, flower shops and other commercial enterprises.

If you do pottery at home, you can use another effective method that allows you to sell products in large volumes - the Internet. To organize online trading, it is enough to create own online store. You can also find potential clients using auction sites.

Experienced businessmen advise beginners to take part in exhibitions and fairs as often as possible. Of course, transportation costs, entry fees and rental of exhibition equipment will significantly reduce your profits. But such social events will help you attract potential customers to your products.

Please ensure that the stand with your products is installed in a well-lit, accessible place. Create a pleasant, friendly environment, offer customers products in different price ranges - all this attracts people and increases sales. Don't forget to order Business Cards, which you will distribute to clients. Many exhibition visitors do not make a purchase right away. They select the appropriate options, then contact the seller and place a large order.

Video: Making a simple pot mold

Business development

In addition to selling finished products, you can organize pottery training for beginners. Training courses or master classes, with the right approach, can become a fairly profitable line of business. Many people are interested in this type of art, so they dream of learning pottery. The wonderful transformation of an ordinary piece of clay into an original jug or vase is a real pleasure. Therefore, there will be many who want to master this skill.

Recently, psychologists often recommend pottery therapy to their patients as one of the effective ways in the treatment of severe depression. Additionally, pottery is a great option for people who can't find . By the way, many companies offer master classes at customers’ homes. This service is often ordered by schools and kindergartens.

Pottery is always at the peak of popularity. The technology for their manufacture has not changed for several thousand years. Even materials such as glass, metal or plastic could not influence the popularity of these products. Since demand constantly exceeds supply, pottery production can become a promising area for creating a less common and quite profitable business.

Where to start a business?

At first glance, it may seem that it is enough to simply open a pottery workshop, purchase raw materials and equipment, and you can start making money. In fact, you need to prepare thoroughly before starting such a business. To achieve success, you need to become a master potter. The manager who runs the business must carefully study the production process and also become familiar with the basics of pottery art.

Legal registration

This type of activity should be registered using the code “Production of decorative and household ceramic products.” If you issue individual entrepreneur, the number of hired workers should not exceed 5 people. In this case, you can choose a simplified taxation system. Thanks to this, you do not have to do accounting and fill out tax returns.

Room

To organize pottery production at home, you will need a small room of 50 square meters. meters. In addition, you need to allocate a separate area for a warehouse, with an area of 15 square meters. meters. This is where you will store your finished products.

It is advisable that the pottery workshop be located on the ground floor of the building. As for communications, the premises must have electricity, sewerage and running water. Also do not forget about air conditioning and ventilation.

Equipment

To make ceramic products, you need to purchase a potter's wheel.

In addition to this you will need:

Scales;
Machine for kneading clay;
Kiln;
Molds for frames and various figures;
Paints and brushes.

You will have to invest approximately 300 thousand rubles in the production of pottery. This is a small start-up capital that any aspiring entrepreneur can raise.

Before purchasing equipment, you need to study special literature to become familiar with some important nuances.

There is no need to buy new equipment right away. Sometimes, through advertisements in newspapers and on the Internet, you can find used equipment for a pottery workshop that is in excellent condition.

Staff

If you have an irresistible desire, as well as a certain amount of perseverance, you can do everything. production processes on your own. But it is much more efficient to use hired labor.

You can hire people to work in a pottery workshop:

For mixing clay;
Product molding;
Firing;
Decoration and painting of finished products.

Technology for making clay products

Homemade pottery production is as follows:

A solution of a certain consistency is mixed from clay and water. Different types of clay are used as raw materials;
The mixture is sent to the potter's wheel, where the master makes dishes from it. Various figures are made using special molds on a pottery table;
Firing in a kiln. This is the longest process. The longer the product is fired, the more durable and stronger it is;
Coloring of finished products.

If you are interested in pottery production, you can watch the video on the Internet on specialized resources. Also, see other ideas for making money in the field of manufacturing materials and products, for example.

Income

Pottery almost always finds its buyers. To organize the sale of finished products, you can hand them over to supermarkets or souvenir shops for sale. This is not the most profitable way, so you should try hard to become a regular supplier to a large souvenir chain. In this case, the volume of one batch of products will be at least 1000 pieces.

It is worth noting that pottery production as a business brings good profits. To increase income, you can open training courses at the workshop. Many modern people who are tired of the everyday hustle and bustle and are happy to engage in creativity. Refresher courses can also be organized. In this case, you will have to purchase optional equipment for pottery production and consumables.

In addition, you can make custom pottery. Large companies often order large quantities of souvenirs with their logo or symbols. The pottery business will be successful if you choose the right pricing policy. For permanent wholesale buyers it is necessary to provide a special system of discounts.

Purchase of raw materials

It is important to know that clay for pottery production can be of different varieties - white, red, and also with lime or sand impurities.

Before you start purchasing equipment, decide what kind of clay you will work with. The choice of equipment and its cost largely depend on this.

Experienced potters mostly use red clay. The most important thing is that it contains a little lime. Experts advise finding one specific place where you can constantly take raw materials. It is desirable that the clay be oily and contain no more than 1% metal oxide. You can find out about deposits of such material from local geologists or local historians.

Features of pottery art

Before you start sculpting, you need to prepare the mixture. Traditional technology pottery production involves squeezing air bubbles out of clay. That is, the mixture must be thoroughly mixed. To do this, the workpiece must be rolled several times on a wooden board. Using a wire, it is cut into pieces and thrown with force on the table. After this, the workpiece must be twisted in a spiral several times. This is a very important process, on which the number of defects largely depends.

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are interested in how to learn pottery? The most important thing is to be patient, as this art requires a lot of polishing. If something doesn't work out for you, don't be upset. Think about those potters who worked several thousand years ago. They did not have special equipment or literature from which to draw the necessary knowledge, but despite this, they created real masterpieces.

Let's sum it up

Nowadays, finding courses in pottery art is not difficult. Therefore, if you have the desire, you can master this profession without any problems.

Experts recommend not turning your apartment into a workshop. Use your cottage, garage, or rent a room for this. Otherwise, you will pollute all the rooms, burn the wiring, clog the sewer and, as a result, quarrel with all your neighbors.

The pottery workshop will bring good profit if you have enough a large number of clients. Once you have sorted out the organizational and production issues, immediately look for reliable distribution channels.

Use advertising for this, and also take part in various art exhibitions. Offer souvenirs to small shops in the city center, at train stations and airports. If you take into account all these recommendations, your pottery workshop will become a profitable and promising business.

Any creative person sooner or later he thinks about changing his boring office job to one that will delight his soul. Various ideas come to mind, from drawing to organizing holidays. For many, it is important that their business is ethical and brings real benefits to society. One of these is learning an ancient craft - pottery art.

Clay is a pure natural material, which, on the one hand, allows you to relax and escape from routine. On the other hand, clay has been an excellent material for construction and various industries since ancient times. Clay is still used to make bricks, dishes and decorative pottery. Expensive porcelain and earthenware are also made from clay in a process not unlike making bricks. The difference in production lies only in the type of clay and some specific final processes. Despite the antiquity of pottery, it is still relevant. And with the increased availability of tools, it has become popular among ordinary people who want to make ceramics for themselves and friends, as a hobby. Therefore, the business of training and providing the opportunity to engage in this wonderful activity will always find its consumer.

Why pottery school?

Agree, everyone loved to sculpt from plasticine in childhood, and some were lucky to work with the purest natural material– clay. By itself, clay is a viscous substance that is easily susceptible to plastic changes. Clay is used to make dishes, decorative interior items, jewelry and much more. But learning to sculpt something worthwhile from clay yourself is quite difficult. This is why people willingly sign up for master classes on modeling clay with their hands and on a pottery wheel.

Both children and older adult couples come to classes. Clay modeling calms, clears the mind and gives a positive outlook for the whole day. In addition, the products received after classes can be fully used in everyday life. Some compare the process of clay sculpting to meditation. Group classes are also in great demand, such as great shape for a birthday or corporate event.

Where to begin?

Many people think that in order to open a pottery school, you need to be very good at sculpting with clay. Partially this is true. You must have at least two specialists on your staff who understand pottery, preferably one of them is a ceramic designer, trained in a special educational institution. It is important to understand that after your students make clay products, you will need to dry them yourself and fire them at the right temperature. Also don't forget about technological processes: glazing of products (glazing), painting with engobes, waste and secondary firing.

Of course, if you do not want to teach courses yourself, then you should entrust control of these important components of the business to your employees. But in reality, these processes are not that complicated, but, of course, it is better to hire an experienced specialist in this field for the first time in order to adopt his experience and create your own technological manual. As for the modeling itself, there is nothing complicated here. You can create a training program in literally a week. Study the literature on pottery art on your own and for the first time this will be enough for children and beginning ceramists.

Some subtleties and tips on equipment and opening your own pottery school

To get started you will need:

clay kiln
Potter's wheel
set of tools (brushes and special devices)
furniture and shelving
clay and paints

The business of opening a pottery school has a low barrier to entry. First, you will need to purchase a kiln; its price starts from 90,000 rubles. For the first time, the simplest stove will be enough. Please note that it is important that the kiln can fire clay at temperatures above 1000 degrees. You will also need the clay itself, tools and special paints for it (engobes and glazes). Don't forget about the potter's wheel, it will be indispensable if you want to start learning how to make tableware, although at first, classes can only be conducted on hand modeling. All this can be purchased in specialized online stores.

An important expense will be the purchase of furniture to organize a workspace in a pottery school. It all depends on the area of the room. The minimum purchase for organizing a pottery school with an average capacity of about 100 people per month is 150,000 rubles, excluding premises rental.

The area of the room must be at least 30 square meters, but keep in mind that the larger the room, the more comfortable it is for the students. Try to locate yourself closer to schools and kindergartens, preferably in the city center, so that it is convenient to get to the workshop.

Highlight special place for the furnace (this will be an electric muffle furnace), take into account the requirements fire safety, consult with specialists who produce clay kilns.

Training formats can be:

— single master classes on hand modeling or on a pottery wheel (for everyone)
— basic course, consisting of 8-12 lessons (for those who want to learn modeling)
— narrowly focused classes for professionals in their field (advanced courses, advanced training)
— rental of workspace for advanced potters and individual classes (pottery coworking)

What can you expect in the end?

The payback for such a business is approximately 6-8 months, it all depends on advertising and proper positioning in your city. At the start, it is very important to attract students with friendly service and a flexible pricing system. The average bill for a master class can reach 2,000 rubles per listener.

Design is important for the image of a pottery school, so pay special attention to both the name and external design. The pottery school attracts both children and parents with its creative process. As a rule, no one remains indifferent, because clay modeling is great way self-expression, which will always be in demand in the services market.

Pottery art initially developed as a craft that served for the manufacture of containers for meals or vessels in which bulk and liquid materials were stored. Today, it involves processing by molding on a specially designed pottery wheel, after which glaze is applied to the dried product, followed by the obligatory process. In this way, objects are made that are used in any field: household items, construction, decorations, jewelry, souvenirs. These products are called pottery ceramics, they can be found in every corner of our planet.

There are three main classes of production in pottery technology:

production of building bricks;
making clay or stone utensils;
production of more refined earthenware or porcelain objects.

Based on production technology, all classes of pottery art are similar to each other, however, there are a number of nuances that affect the final result. The main difference is the types of clay that form the basis of the product.

Story

As stated earlier, the art of pottery originated from a craft that served solely to make vessels for storing materials and food. Over time, it developed, became enriched, and today appears before us no longer in the same form as our distant ancestors saw it. Thanks to technological discoveries, new crafts began to appear, they led to the appearance of such items as fire bricks, stoneware, tiles, tiles, drainage pipes, architectural decorations and other numerous products.

Due to the fact that society began to decorate and decorate familiar clay products, pottery moved from the category of craft to the category of art. Making clay pots was popular in ancient times, ever since humanity became acquainted with the material common on the planet - clay and its properties.

The Old Testament contains several references to the profession of a potter and his products. The oldest clay vessels, even in prehistoric times, were finished by human hands and, accordingly, were irregular in shape. A little later, round and oval products are found, apparently made using a potter's wheel. History has not preserved information about the exact appearance of this circle, but mentions of it have been going on since antiquity.

It is known that the first porcelain products appeared in Asia two thousand years ago. This indicates that the pottery industry in China developed much more rapidly than throughout the world.

Each nation had its own traditions associated with this craft, which turned into art. So in African countries at the beginning of the twentieth century, pots were made by hand, the clay was dried in the sun, and the product was fired using a bunch of straw and fire.

As for Europe, here until the eighth century pottery was in complete decline. Only the Spanish Moors gave it an impetus; around the same time, products that were covered with glaze appeared.

Pottery made its heyday around the thirteenth century. The most striking splash occurred in Italy, where majolica was invented - a type of ceramics made from baked clay. Florence gave the world such a master of pottery as Luca della Robbia; his sculptures and other works are considered the pride of the nation in our time.

Using the technologies of the sculptor Robbia, Tuscan factories took another step forward - earthenware products. They were first fired with fire, then they were covered with white glaze, on which drawings were made, after which the product was subjected to a second firing, stronger than the first. Not only architectural decorations, but also flowerpots and figurines began to be made from majolica.

After the decline of pottery in Italy, France took over the baton. It was here that the clay kiln was invented.

In the Middle Ages clay dishes was created and used only by the poor; the upper classes used tin, silver, and gold. Pottery art was also widely used in church decoration. Here it was used to create jugs. Churches of Novgorod, as well as temples of the Romanov times, are decorated with similar products.

At the end of the eighteenth century, entire factories began to appear around the world that were engaged in pottery making.

Ceramic products

The main difference between the types of ceramics is the composition of the mass, as well as the type of glaze from which they are made. There are two types of pottery: dense and porous.

Dense are those products that, when fired due to high temperature, merge into a homogeneous solid mass. When broken, this product resembles glass. It is translucent and does not absorb liquid, and when it hits the steel it produces sparks. An example of dense pottery is porcelain.

Porous ones, on the contrary, break easily and allow liquid to pass through. Among such products is faience.

There may be products that do not belong to either type, but are something transitional between these two types.

Dense

Hard porcelain. The mass is fused, translucent, fine-grained, elastic, homogeneous, hard, it will not yield to the action of a knife. This porcelain contains kaolin, chalk, quartz and feldspar. It is fired twice: first weakly for glazing, then strong after glazing.
Soft porcelain. It is also called French. Its content is an almost transparent lead glaze. Here, double firing is also necessary, only very strong at first, and weaker at the end.
Unglazed porcelain, or bisque. It has the usual porcelain mass.
Pariyan. Weight is close to soft porcelain, has a yellowish tint, difficult to melt.
Carrara. White, translucent. Its mass is a cross between stone products and pariyan.
Stone products. They are characterized by a dense, fine-grained mass. There are ordinary and delicate products, mostly white.

Porous

Delicate faience. It is a mixture of refractory clay and silica. It is covered with a transparent glaze. The mass is opaque, ringing.
Ordinary faience, or majolica. This is a red-yellow mass, which, after firing, is covered with an opaque tin glaze.
Products made from ordinary and fire-resistant clay. This includes bricks, tiles, drainage pipes, etc.
Burnt stone mass, or, as it is also called, terracotta. Its composition is purified clay and ground fragments of finished products. It is used to decorate vases and other items.
Ordinary pottery. The mass is made from clay, clay marl, and also from opaque lead glaze.

Materials for pottery

To make brick, porcelain, earthenware, you need to do the following work: make a clay mass, shape it, dry it, fire it and cover it with glaze. The main material for making products is clay. Potters prefer to use pottery clay, which has the necessary viscosity and its temperature resistance is ideal for creating products. Despite the fact that the clay itself has a high level of plasticity, it is necessary to add auxiliary materials due to the fact that during firing it undergoes rapid and uneven compression, which turns the product into awkward thing. To make the simplest product, you also need sand, ash, sawdust, for production best quality you need fireclay - a powder that is obtained from crushed products.

To produce conventional pottery, previously mined clay must be left in air or water for one to two years. After that, it is kneaded in wooden boxes; this is done in factories and factories by special machines. This action is necessary in order to clear the clay of stones or debris. After the clay is taken out of the boxes, it is placed in piles, which are cut into thin slices with a knife. They are again placed in the boxes and kneaded again, clearing them of impurities that could remain on it. Higher grades of products, especially colorless ones, require components that must be perfectly cleaned. The basic rule of a good-quality clay mass is its uniformity. For the purpose of high-quality cleaning, the clay is divided into small pieces, which are watered and, after a day of “soaking,” thrown into kneading machines. The teeth of this machine, when rotating rapidly, cut the clay, and a stream of water passing through this chamber carries very small pieces into a special pool, while large ones remain at the bottom. The pool is designed for the next level of cleaning, where coarse particles are deposited, after which another jet carries them into the second pool. In it, the clay is completely eliminated. This technology uses only warm water because it better separates clay pieces, and the cleaning process is noticeably accelerated due to the optimal temperature.

Proportions components are determined for each type of product separately. Mixing of products also occurs in different ways: dry, with knives or with jets of water. When this homogeneous mass is obtained, a large number of unwanted bubbles still remain in it. This problem can be eliminated either with special equipment or with the help of feet, with which the clay is simply trampled until the required consistency is obtained.

Burning

In a narrow sense, ceramics is the same clay, but fired. Accordingly, when they say “ceramics,” they mean products made from inorganic materials (often clay), as well as their mixtures with various additives, which are produced under the influence of high temperatures and subsequent cooling.

The firing process initiates irreversible changes, after which the material turns into ceramics. Under the influence of high temperature, small particles fuse in those places where they come into contact.

When producing porcelain, technologies undergo significant changes. This is due to differences in materials, required temperatures and different properties of the components. Each source material has its own proportions, as well as a certain temperature regime:

The technology of roasting products is carried out various methods. Nevertheless, the kiln firing process is a centuries-old, unchanging tradition. Depending on the temperature and duration of the process, products of varying quality are obtained. Therefore, the maximum temperature in furnaces in production does not change until the production of an entire batch of products is completed.

Moreover, appearance The finished product also depends on the composition of the atmosphere in the firing furnace. One or another degree of air oxidation can be caused. Using specially set parameters, you can even make pottery clay change color from brown to green.

Applying glaze

Some pottery works are not glazed at all. These include bricks, tiles, terracotta, pots. The so-called glazing is carried out in order to protect clay products from excess moisture. The same result was achieved in ancient times by milk firing - a method of giving products a beautiful appearance and water resistance.

Not the most expensive clay products are glazed in their raw form simultaneously with firing. This is called antsing. The essence of this action is that during firing, salt is thrown into the oven, which turns into vapor and settles on the product. In the place where it lands, a fusible compound called murava is formed.

Another coating method is to sprinkle the product with glaze, crushed into a fine powder. Often these are crude products: pots, unfired pipes, etc. Before applying the coating, the product is coated with flour paste and fired.

The essence of the third method is that the product is doused with glaze, which has the consistency of cream. This method is used to coat solid products that practically do not absorb liquid. For example, some types of porcelain and earthenware.

And the last method is that porcelain and earthenware are placed in a container with glaze. This method Designed for products that are lightly fired and initially absorb liquid. The glaze is ground into a fine powder and mixed with water. A product is placed in this liquid, which resembles milk in consistency, to absorb this mixture. It is possible to make a drawing on this glaze.

Art therapy

In the modern rhythm, everyone finds their own way to relax. One of the most beautiful and unusual methods is to take up pottery. There are two ways to try yourself in this art. The first is to buy a pottery wheel and necessary materials to practice on your own. A pottery workshop in your own home is not only stylish and fashionable, but also incredibly exciting for you, your family and friends. In this case, you can feel like a free artist, try various shapes, based on video tutorials.

The second way is a pottery school. In a class of beginners like yourself, you will have the opportunity to try on the role of a creator of beauty, an artist and a sculpture.

Psychologists say that pottery is great way cope with stress, become more balanced and attentive. Art therapy, according to experts, is one of the best methods of combating depression and other nervous disorders. Spending time at the pottery wheel helps to organize thoughts, distract from minor everyday troubles and find a way out of a difficult life situation. “Complete dedication to your work will not solve your problems, but it will definitely help you find ways to solve them,” doctors say unanimously.

DIY products

Every home contains clay, ceramic or porcelain products. In conditions of mass production, it is difficult to surprise someone with factory-made dishes or a flower vase.

Pottery making is an incredibly fun and exciting activity for the whole family. You can have fun, learn a new job, develop skills and dexterity.

After attending your first pottery master class, you will be able to make your own pot. Attentive teachers usually treat beginners with patience, guiding them and helping them in everything. Pottery art helps to cope with minor stress and distracts from the everyday hustle and bustle. And the products that you make yourself will be a reason to be proud of your next victory over yourself. In addition, after you work in a circle and make your own pot, you will have the opportunity to paint it with your own hands. Here you can show all your imagination. This product will be a wonderful gift for a loved one.

Parties, birthdays and corporate events spent in such an unusual activity are popular. This is a good opportunity to communicate, get to know each other better and see the creative potential of your friends. In addition, such a holiday will certainly be remembered for its unusualness and originality, and products made independently at the pottery wheel will be an excellent gift in memory of a wonderful day. And someone, perhaps, will discover their talent and take this business seriously in order to open their own museum of pottery art in the future. Children will especially enjoy this activity. If they are good at sculpting from plasticine, then you should try sending them to a pottery school. This will help develop hand motor skills, have a beneficial effect on the baby’s mood, and will also open up the child’s creative potential. An interesting and exciting hobby develops attention, imagination and thinking.

Hobby or business?

IN modern world pottery products are very popular. They belong to the category of products that are always in demand and relevant. Each house has dishes, vases, pots, various figurines and souvenirs. It has been developing into art for many centuries and is popular and in demand. Therefore, the passion for pottery is increasingly developing into a real business. Having your own pottery workshop is a very profitable business, because the main raw material is clay - a free material that literally lies just under our feet. Beautiful, original, designer products can bring good income to the manufacturer. A pottery master is a profession for the soul. You can diversify the world, get a unique hobby that will bring you profit and also reveal your creative potential.

Pottery art is popular all over the world. Despite the fact that it is several decades old, it will never go out of fashion.

Clay products are always relevant. Some people cannot imagine their kitchen without ceramic tableware– they cook in it, decorate their interior with various decorative pots made from this plastic material. And souvenirs - magnets, photo frames, cups, vases, which we always buy when we relax at a resort, most often made of clay. All this suggests that pottery business– one of the most profitable areas of entrepreneurial activity. In this article we will talk about pottery for beginners, so that anyone who is seriously thinking about leaving their main job for hire for the sake of development own business, was able to realize himself in this direction.

Features of the pottery business

The first potters were the ancient Greeks. It was they who began to make unique products from clay - vases and amphorae, which conquered the whole world of that time. We treat them casually, without attaching any special value. But you just have to think about how many things necessary for organizing home life are made of clay - plates, cups, cauldrons, bowls and much more. This means that pottery as a business will never lose its relevance and will bring a stable and high income to those who decide to open a pottery business at home. If you are one of the people who want to start making pottery with your own hands at home, then you need to know the main features of this business activity:

Ceramic products are best sold in large resort towns, where there are always a lot of tourists coming from distant countries. These people are target audience, since they will probably buy various souvenirs for their relatives and buy something beautiful for themselves as a souvenir of their vacation;
Those who have been engaged in pottery making at home for many years have well understood the peculiarity of this business, which we mentioned in the paragraph above. Therefore, this area of business activity has high level competition. A beginner will have to devote a lot of time to studying the market in the area where he decided to open a pottery business;
Remember that your pottery products must be exclusive in order for people to buy them. You will need to develop your own method for making and decorating ceramic products so that they highlight your personal, unique design style. People really like to buy designer items - after all, it is fashionable and meets the requirements of the time;
Keep in mind that pottery products that reflect the flavor of the local culture will be in particular demand in the resort town. People are more willing to purchase something that emphasizes the traditions and customs of the place they have visited;
The beginning of pottery should be marked by the production of a limited range of products. It should be one thing - either dishes, or souvenirs, or pots, or vases. Over time, when your customer base expands, you can think about simultaneously producing several types of ceramic products;
Before you start pottery making, you must register a private enterprise. If you only engage in manufacturing household goods(dishes, for example), then you need to register your activity under OKVED code 26.21. If your area of interest also includes children’s toys, then you need to choose OKVED 36.50 and a simplified taxation system in order insurance premiums and other expenses were not very large;
Having mastered the above features of the ceramic business, you can become a wealthy person practically from scratch. Of course, start-up capital will be needed in any case, but it will not be so large and will quickly pay off. We will talk about this in more detail in the corresponding section of our article.

Selection and arrangement of premises for a workshop

Where to start pottery making after registering a business? It is important to pay due attention to the room where your workshop will constantly function. After all, the selected space must meet some mandatory requirements:

It should be two rooms. You will equip one of the rooms as a workshop (this room should be larger in area than the second), and the other as a warehouse for finished ceramic products (a room area of 15 m² will be sufficient);
In terms of area, the room should not be less than 50 m²;
It is advisable to choose an apartment for a workshop on the ground floor;
It is very important that the room has all the necessary communications (we are talking about sewerage, air conditioning, ventilation, electricity and water supply);
It is imperative to carefully consider the choice of equipment for a pottery workshop. This must be done under the guidance of an experienced craftsman who is well versed not only in pottery technology, but also understands the equipment necessary for the work. By the way, many potters can make pottery equipment themselves.

Production technology

Scheme of production of ceramic products

For several decades in a row, the production of ceramic products has been carried out using the same technology, but different ways. If you make souvenir products (do free-form sculpting), then you only need to select the right raw materials, mix them and sculpt them. It is important to use a pottery wheel, a modeling board or special impressions - this way the shapes of your products will be processed more accurately.

Essentially, the process of making pottery includes several main stages:

Purchasing raw materials - you can either buy them or extract them yourself. If you are just thinking about how to start pottery, you can try the second option. To do this, you need to find clay deposits in your garden plot and test it for suitability. hand sculpted. It is necessary to roll a small rope out of clay and roll it into a bagel. If practically no cracks have formed, then this is an excellent raw material for work;
Form the required product from clay using the tools you have;
Dry your ceramic creation and then fire it;
When the product hardens well, it needs to be given an elegant look. To do this, the clay is treated with special solutions, and then painted, decorated and varnished.

If you neglect at least one of the above points, then your work may be done in vain, because incorrectly mixed and then processed raw materials will simply begin to crumble and break, which means that you will not be able to sell it.

Necessary equipment for work

Let's return to what equipment you need to purchase if you decide that the pottery business is exactly what you want to implement:

Potter's wheel;
Scales;
A machine on which modeling clay is mixed;
The oven in which you will fire the finished products;
Molds for sculpting various clay figures;
Decorative materials for decorating your products (paints, glass, brushes, etc.).

Please note that at first you do not need to purchase new professional equipment. At first, you will be able to use used devices. You can actually find them on different sites. free ads, in the Internet. Don’t worry that the technique that other pottery masters have used is no longer suitable or will quickly break down. As a rule, equipment is always sold in excellent condition. If you are not sure that you can handle it on your own, invite an experienced master who will give you useful advice when purchasing and with his expert opinion, he will determine whether you are offered high-quality equipment for the workshop or not.

Pottery wheel diagram

How can you make money?

Ceramic products have a fairly large market. Therefore, if you doubt whether pottery making is profitable in modern society, then you can discard everything negative thoughts. Ceramic products are an excellent way, with minimal starting capital. The main thing for you is to decide. It is imperative to take into account the needs of a wide range of people in the area in which you decide to do this business.

If you decide that there is nothing better for you than to open your own pottery and souvenir business, then you can find wholesalers who will purchase goods from you. But organizing this entire process is quite difficult. After all, large supermarkets purchase a batch of souvenirs containing at least 1000 items. Many problems and questions immediately arise that initial stage development of your business will only hinder your ability to focus and learn manufacturing techniques. Of course, if you hire experienced craftsmen in your workshop, you will be able to quickly cope with orders;
Once you gain experience, you will be able to organize paid pottery master classes for children and adults. Today this is a very fashionable direction of artistic activity. Who isn’t interested in making something with their own hands and then hanging the product they made themselves in their room? Over time, when you earn high income from pottery, you will have the opportunity to organize large-scale exhibitions and even competitions among your students;
Some companies and firms prefer to use various ceramic souvenirs as advertising. They can be made to order.

In fact, the market for selling ceramic products is very wide. You just need to constantly develop, look for new consumers, offer your services to a wide audience, and then profitable offers will always appear.

Financial investments

Having decided, you need to draw up a business plan for pottery making in order to convince yourself of the correctness of the chosen decision and dispel all doubts about whether it is profitable to engage in pottery making in our time.

The minimum amount of money you need to have before you start making pottery yourself should be 500,000 rubles. This amount will go towards the following costs:

To register an individual entrepreneur you will need about 10,000 rubles;
Rent of premises for setting up a workshop – 40,000 rubles (the same amount will have to be spent monthly);
Purchase necessary equipment– 300,000 rubles;
Firing oven – 100 thousand rubles;
Some pottery wheels– 50,000 rubles;
Libra – 6 thousand rubles;
Modeling molds – 50,000 rubles;
Clay of different grades – 20,000 rubles;
Defects and damage of products (from 15,000);
Employee salaries. You will need at least two craftsmen at first, an advertising manager and a person who will keep financial records (you can assign this responsibility to yourself). All this requires at least 70,000 rubles;
To pay taxes and fees you will need about 70 thousand rubles per year, but this figure may vary significantly, depending on what form of production you choose;
You will have to spend at least 10,000 rubles monthly on advertising your business.

Where can you sell finished goods and at what price?

Now let’s take a closer look at how much money you can earn for selling finished clay products.

If you find regular wholesale buyers who will purchase goods from you in batches of 1000 units, then you can get from 10,000 to 100,000 rubles. Revenue will depend on what products you will sell:

If these are refrigerator magnets, then for a batch you can get 6,000 - 12,000 rubles (if they are made to a designer’s order, then the price doubles);
If these are photo frames, then for the shipment you will receive from 12,000 to 24,000 rubles (the situation here is the same as with magnets);
If these are ceramic pots, then for a batch you can get from 75,000 to 200,000 rubles;
If you rent out pottery equipment to other workshops, you can earn from 2,000 rubles per day;
If you teach pottery to children and adults, you can earn from 500 to 1000 rubles in one hour of classes.

Video: How we built a pottery school from scratch

Before you start practicing entrepreneurial activity related to ceramic products, you should definitely study as much information as possible about this type of business. There are many sources of it on the Internet. May be difficult to read useful article, but also watch a free video of pottery for beginners.

We still recommend that, in addition to self-education in matters relating to starting a business with ceramic products, you take pottery training from qualified specialist. He will explain to you not only the theory of working with clay, but will also demonstrate everything in practice. Of course, you will have to spend money on the courses - approximately 15,000 rubles, provided that you attend pottery master classes for two months. Keep in mind that even if you take the beginner pottery lessons well from the master you went to study with, you will still be far from a professional level. In the process of work, with experience, you will achieve desired result and you will become a fairly wealthy person who will do what he loves.
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