Ceramics course in Lisbon

What you'll learn on the Ceramics Course

In the ceramics course - Ceramics Workshop - you'll learn the four main hand-forming techniques - ball, roller and solid hollow - and explore different approaches to decoration and coating, both on raw clay and fired, from textures to color, using engobes and high-fire paints. In the last phase, with the pieces already fired, you will also learn the glazing process, applying a finish to your own pieces.

This is our most complete introduction to ceramics, designed for those who have no previous experience but want to learn in a structured way. Throughout the four sessions, you'll follow almost every stage of the process: you'll start with clay in its plastic state and end up glazing the pieces you've built. With continuous practice, you will gain confidence, autonomy and a more solid understanding of the material and techniques.

Manual Forming Techniques

Ballast technique

Construction from slabs of clay, worked and joined together to create structured shapes. In this technique, you will develop a mug from a mold and learn how to glue a base.

Ball technique

Modeling from a ball of clay, shaped by hand pressure. It's a freer approach that can result in bowls, cups or less utilitarian pieces.

Roller technique

Construction by overlapping rollers, developing vertical shapes. You will create a piece, where the diameter and length of the rollers define the final shape and allow for various possibilities.

Occupied Massif Technique

Modeling from a solid block, which is then hollowed out to create interior volume. This technique is ideal for boxes, small sculptures or figures such as busts and animals.

Decorating and Cladding Techniques

Textures

Explore patterns and reliefs in the still raw clay, using tools to create textured surfaces.

Painting on raw clay

Application of engobes on the piece in its leather state, allowing it to be colored before the first firing.

Chacota painting

Painting directly on the piece with high-fire paints or ceramic mines, before the second firing.

Glazing

Final glaze finish to protect and enhance the colors and textures of your pieces.

Objective of the ceramics course

This is the most complete manual forming training we offer, designed for those with no previous experience. Throughout the sessions, you'll go through practically every stage of the ceramic process - from the clay in its plastic state to the final glaze, where each participant finishes their own pieces.

As the four sessions continue, you will deepen your practice and your relationship with the material, gradually gaining confidence and autonomy in working with ceramics.

Final Results

The pieces you make, at least four, one per technique, will stay with you. After the ceramics course, they go through the firing process, which will be handled by us. When they're ready, we'll send you an e-mail with collection information, usually between one and three weeks after the end of the course.