Welcome to your first step into the wonderful world of clay, guided by resident potter Max Adams.

Perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to try their hand at hand-building pottery in London, this session introduces you to the foundations of handmade ceramics with Max’s guidance. You will explore traditional hand-building techniques, learn how clay responds to touch, pressure and time, and begin creating your own functional ceramic pieces in the relaxed atmosphere of our South London studio.
 
What to Expect:

A friendly introduction from Max Adams to key pottery techniques, tools and materials
Time to make 2–3 handmade ceramic pieces using hand-building methods
Guidance from Max and our team of professional ceramicists throughout the session
An introduction to trimming, carving, joining, shaping and surface textures
A relaxed studio environment with plenty of encouragement, baked snacks and bottomless tea & coffee

 
After the Class:

Choose your favourite pieces for glazing and firing
Max and the studio team will prepare your work for the next stage of the process
We’ll contact you in 4–6 weeks when your pieces are ready to collect or ship

 
Need-to-Know:

Maximum 10 people = calm, cosy vibes and plenty of attention from Max
No experience needed — just curiosity and a willingness to get your hands muddy
All materials, firings and aprons provided, or you are welcome to bring your own
Ideal for creative dates, solo studio time, pottery gift experiences and small group activities

 
Looking for a fun London pottery experience or a creative gift? This is your moment.
 
📍 Visit Us
Sofia Ceramics Studio

Stockwell, South London

Easy access from Clapham, Brixton & Vauxhall

Looking for "pottery classes near me"? You're already close.
 
🎁 Gifting a Class?
All our workshops are available as ceramic class gift cards — the perfect present for birthdays, anniversaries, new homeowners, or that friend who’s watched every episode of The Great Pottery Throw Down. Choose from digital or physical gift options. You can also pair a class with a Sofia Ceramics gift card for a thoughtful, memorable experience.
Gift idea: Handmade mug + workshop voucher = warmest gift ever.
 
📸 Don’t forget to tag us
Love seeing your work in the wild? So do we.

Share your creations and behind-the-scenes shots with @sofiaceramics — we might just feature your piece next.
 
📩 Email us at info@sofiaceramics.co.uk to plan your next pottery party, corporate workshop, private class, or bespoke session with Max and the Sofia Ceramics team.

Taster Intro to hand-building with Max Adams | Sat 19 Sept 2026 | 11:00–13:00

£65.00

Quantity

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OUR STUDIO

Our dinnerware is handmade in our studio in London, UK by a small team of potters. This is where we design, form, glaze, pack and ship our dinnerware to you or a restaurant near you.

OUR PRODUCTION PROCESS

We use many techniques to produce our dinnerware depending on the form. Jiggering, throwing and hand-building are the main ones. There are many steps involved in this process and we handle one piece many times till we fire it, pack it and ship it.

Each potter in our team is trained to produce beautiful dinnerware and each piece of dinnerware carries the marks of our fingerprints and is unique!

Our studio is equipped with 3 potter's wheels and 4 kilns that we fire daily .

OUR GLAZING PROCESS

We spray glaze our plates and bowls and dip or use a glaze pump for our cups and smaller pieces. Glazing is one the steps that takes a lot of practice to achieve a consistent result. After an item is glazed we sponge the rim to create a crisp cut between the clay and the glaze.

Every time we open our kiln we learn something new about our glazes and the process and every piece is unique on how it has interacted with the glaze during the firing.

THE FIRING PROCESS

Our dinnerware is fired at 1230 degrees Celsius. Made out of stoneware clay and fired at this temperature is what makes them durable and can last in commercial kitchens.

When we look through the peep hole of our kiln towards the end of the firing circle everything is red and bright as well as extremely hot. These high temperatures are required for the glaze to melt and for the plates to become durable!

During these high firing circles the clay shrinks between 4%-7% depending on the firing schedule as well as the position inside the kiln. These differences is what make the item handmade and unique and why we love them.

SIZING THINGS

If you're not local or have recently discovered us, this page will be a valuable resource for understanding our products. We know that seeing and comparing items is an essential part of the shopping experience. Our chart includes comparative images of all our bowls and plates, along with their intended uses, to assist you in making the right choice. Happy shopping!

Please note: Due to the handmade nature of the products there might be small differences in sizing of up to 4% from one item to another. All dimensions are approximate.

There are many steps in the process of producing a dinnerware and although we try to be consistent in sizing our dinnerware have differences of up to 4%. These differences are happening during the trimming process or even the firing process where the clay shrinks between 4%-7% depending on the firing schedule as well as the position inside the kiln. These differences is what make the item handmade and why we love them.

SIZING CHART PAGE