Conventional ceramics are made from natural materials such as clay and silica rock. Typical examples include china, firebricks, cements, and glass. Ceramics are made by mixing, shaping, and firing natural minerals, including pottery stones, feldspar, and clay. 

Pottery is clay that is modeled, dried, and fired, usually with a glaze or finish, into a vessel or decorative object. A natural product dug from the earth, clay is decomposed from rock, but a clay body is not the same as clay. Clay bodies are clay mixed with additives that give the clay different properties when fired. Therefore, pottery is made from a mixture of clay and other materials.

Earthenware is a type of pottery that has been kneaded, shaped, and fired at low temperatures at approximately 800°C. Usually glazed, earthenware is porous and has impurities, but they’re small and invisible to the naked eye. Unglazed areas are easy to scratch—they give off a powder when scoured. Earthenware has a natural colour like grey, red, brown, yellow, cream, or off-white and is sometimes dyed before it’s shaped. Modern uses include terracotta flower pots, red bricks, and stoves.

Composed of purer clay, stoneware is hardened by fire and lacks water absorption properties. Stoneware often isn’t glazed and does not require a glaze like earthenware for it to be usable. Stoneware is however, often glazed for decorative purposes, such as kitchenware and tableware. Sometimes the clay is dyed before it’s shaped. Bowl-shaped stoneware articles give a clear sound when they are tapped. Difficult to scratch, stoneware is commonly used for artisan pots, tea sets, pavement bricks, and common colours include off-white, grey/blue-grey, and beige. 

Stoneware is primarily made from stoneware clay or non-refractory fire clay. Often accompanied by impurities such as iron or carbon, stoneware often has a ‘dirty’ or distressed look. 

Porcelain is a white and translucent ceramic. Also known as china, it is delicate, non-porous, and usually difficult to scratch. Available in both glazed and unglazed varieties with bisque, porcelain is a hard, fine-grained ceramic ware that consists essentially of kaolin, quartz, and a feldspathic rock. 

Porcelain is baked at high temperatures to achieve vitreous or glassy qualities such as translucence and low porosity. Porcelain is made from mixtures of high-purity clays or pottery stones, silicas, and feldspars.

There are two basic techniques for creating pottery: hand-built and wheel-thrown. Within these two techniques are also different ways of forming the clay. 

1. Hand-built—This is the earliest forming method, and you only need to have clay and a workspace to make hand-built pottery. There are three hand-built techniques: pinch pot, coil pot, and slab pot. 

• Pinch Pot – Made by kneading and pressing the clay into the shape of a bowl, cup, dish, or pot. 
• Coil Pot – When the clay is made into long, round clips, they can be stacked to form other shapes. Coils can be smoothed when finished or left as is to give the pottery a wicker look. 
• Slab Pot – Used to form clay boxes or geometric shapes. Slabs of clay can be combined with other hand-built techniques to make advanced shapes.

2. Wheel-Thrown – This is a more difficult technique than the hand-built technique and requires the use of a potter’s wheel. The potter needs to be knowledgeable in using the wheel and make sure to centre the clay before working it. The correct amount of water must also be used, as well as making sure the wheel turns at a steady rate.

A kiln is basically a REALLY hot oven used to finish (or fully set) ceramic clay pieces. Ceramic clay vessels are typically fired twice in a kiln—first without glaze after your pottery has air-dried completely (called the “bisque firing”) and again after glazing and/or underglazing (called the “glaze firing”). Note that underglaze may be added before EITHER firing, while glaze may only be added after the bisque firing.

Firing your ceramic clay creation helps make it more durable, waterproof, and (when glazed) food-safe. The process also brings out the color and shine of any applied glaze or underglazes. 

In the kiln, your piece reaches a temperature over 2000°F (way hotter than your home oven!), so you’ll need to visit a professional pottery studio for assistance. 

A glaze allows potters to seal their pottery and is applied after the pot has gone through the firing process in the kiln for the first time. The first firing hardens the clay, and only after the glaze is applied does the pottery get placed in the kiln again. The glaze then melts and sticks to the pottery, providing protection and waterproof properties to the outside of the vessel.

Newly formed clay is called leatherware. When the leatherware dries, it is called greenware. When the greenware is fired in a kiln (oven), it is called bisque. The bisque is painted and glazed and fired in a kiln for the second time and becomes a decorative ceramic piece.

When the paints are fired in a kiln, a chemical reaction occurs, which changes them and makes them look shiny. It is important that you use the color samples to choose your colors and don't choose colors from their appearance right out of the bottle.

Yes, but we recommend hand washing and not placing it in the microwave to extend the life of your piece. We have stoneware available, which you can bake in in the oven and can be put in the microwave or dishwasher without worry.

Our underglaze paints need to be glazed and fired to bring out the vibrancy of the colours and to make the pottery food safe. This means that items like plates, mugs, and bowls are safe to use again and again. This process takes quite a few days, allowing drying times and the 24-hour firing cycle of the kiln.

Moldy clay is still usable. Mold growth on clay is quite common, especially in warm climates like the UAE. It usually develops due to a combination of moisture and organic materials in the clay. You can knead it well to evenly distribute the moisture and mold or soak it in water with a small amount of bleach.

Tip: Bleach can remove mold within 15–30 minutes, but for good results, allow the clay to soak longer to fully rehydrate. Rest assured, we make sure that all the clay we have available is without mold.

Gum solution is helpful for hard glazes. It enhances the glaze application by improving brushability and extending drying time. To restore hard glazes, first thin with water, then mix in AMACO® Gum Solution—adjust as needed—to achieve optimal flow.

Unused clay can last indefinitely if stored properly. Natural clay, like ceramic clay, does not expire and can be reused by adding water if it dries out.

Tip: Wrapping the clay tightly in plastic wrap and storing it in an airtight container or bag will help extend its life and prevent moisture loss and contamination. 

While many glazes are AP Non-Toxic and comply with ASTM D-4236 standards, some are labeled not food safe—please contact our team at info@artcentral.ae or +971 56 201 7970 for proper use.

No. We have an open studio at all times. If you are bringing in a large group, we appreciate a heads-up so we can try to set aside a large table. 

Absolutely not! We are all about art being easy. We have many tips and tricks to help you create a wonderful project.

Both are welcome. You can even have food delivered. However, we do not recommend eating while painting. Greasy fingers will prevent the glaze from sticking to your ceramic projects.

The paints are non-toxic, lead-free, and completely safe. We do have aprons. We are recommending aprons when painting stoneware, as some of the glazes can stain.

The paints are lead-free and are completely safe to eat off of. Nothing is better than eating off of a plate that you have painted. Always brings a smile to my face!

We welcome all ages, really.

It usually takes 2 hours to complete an average project. Classes usually take 3 hours.

No, but we will text you when your pottery is ready! So please provide a cellular number. If you give us a landline, please call us to see if your project is ready after 7 days.

After you paint your piece of bisque, the paint must dry thoroughly. We will then dip your piece in glaze and let it dry thoroughly before placing it in the kiln. For the kiln to fire properly and cool down, it takes about 24 more hours. 

Yes, we are happy to accommodate a birthday or team-building gathering. Please visit us and call for more.

You’re welcome to bring your own brushes, stencils, stickers, stamps, and books, but you cannot bring your own paint or bisque. This is because our paints are specific underglaze paints that have been tried and tested with our glaze and kiln settings. Using your own will mean we cannot predict how it’ll react with our products and processes.

If something goes wrong in the kiln, and yes, it does happen on the odd occasion, we will give you a voucher for the same value of your broken item, and you will be able to come back another time and repaint your item. Our pottery is handmade, and some items may be flawed in their first firing process, and so when fired for the second time with us, sometimes pottery items crack or break when in the kiln at such high temperatures. We take every precaution to ensure this doesn’t happen, but sometimes it does. It helps enormously if you do not eat whilst painting and wash grubby hands before touching the bisque.

Our studio can usually be accessed by a wheelchair without any problem. We welcome wheelchairs!

As mentioned in the class, it takes approximately 6-8 days to fire, sand, wax, and glaze your pieces, and then they will be ready for you. This is all done by hand and to a high quality. Pottery is a slow craft but well worth the wait!

No—just bring yourself and the confirmation email you received after booking! Everything else will be provided for you during class.

Payments are non-refundable but are transferable to another event date until two months prior to the event.

Yes! Just make sure that they bring along the confirmation email you received after booking the class; you’ll need to email us at sales@artcentral.ae with their email address.

During our classes we aim to teach you the best ways to construct your pottery piece so that it stays intact during firing. If there are any particularly thin sections or improper joins on your pottery, it is likely that it won’t survive the stress of the kiln. We will always contact you if there has been a problem with your piece(s) and offer you a free time at our studio so that you can have another attempt to make something amazing!

The ceramic clay takes between 10 and 14 days to completely dry, depending on size and thickness. Once hardened, it is ready for professional kiln firing.

Yes, for durability and food safety. Air-dried pieces remain fragile and water-sensitive.

Underglaze can be applied before either the bisque or glaze firing. It appears matte but intensifies under clear glaze.

Wear old clothes, trim nails, tie long hair, remove jewelry. All materials are provided.

Yes, we encourage you to explore both methods.

Yes. Visit our store daily from 10 AM to 10 PM at Boutik Mall, Al Reem Island.

Yes. We offer Tabby and Tamara for installment payments and bulk order discounts. Email info@artcentral.ae for details.

Yes, through DHL and FedEx. Shipping charges are confirmed via email before dispatch. Customs duties and taxes are paid by the recipient.