Tool Tuesday: A Beginner’s Guide to the Clay Tools You’ll Find at ARTime BARRO
If you’ve ever stepped into the studio and felt equal parts excitement and curiosity looking at the tool wall, this series is for you!
Welcome to Tool Tuesday, a new ongoing feature where we break down the pottery and ceramics tools you’ll see, touch, and use here at ARTime BARRO. Whether you’re taking your first class, attending a workshop, or spending quiet hours during open studio, these tools are part of what helps transform clay into something personal, functional, and expressive.
For this first post, we’re starting with an overview and will be introducing the tools you’ll find throughout the studio and what they’re generally used for. In future Tool Tuesdays, we’ll zoom in and explore one tool at a time in more detail.
The Tools You’ll See in Our Studio
Our tool wall is designed to be accessible and shared — everything here is meant to support learning, experimentation, and creative flow.
Cutting & Measuring Tools:
Calipers – Essential for measuring and matching forms, especially when making lids, sets, or repeating shapes.
Rulers – Helpful for measuring slab thickness, height, and proportions when building or trimming.
Shaping & Trimming Tools:
Loop Tools (Wire & Ribbon Tools) – Used for carving, trimming excess clay, hollowing forms, and refining shapes once clay firms up.
Wooden Trimming Tools – Great for smoothing, shaping, and detailing leather-hard clay.
Fettling / Clay Knives – Sharp tools for slicing slabs, trimming edges, and cutting clay cleanly.
Surface & Finishing Tools:
Ribs (Metal & Rubber) – Used to smooth surfaces, compress clay, refine curves, and shape walls on the wheel or during hand building.
Sponges – A studio staple for smoothing surfaces, controlling moisture, and cleaning up edges.
Needle Tools – Used for scoring, marking, piercing air holes, and fine detail work.
Stamping & Texture Tools:
Clay Stamps – Add subtle texture, patterns, or maker’s marks to your work.
Found Texture Tools – Simple objects that create unique impressions and surface interest.
Assembly & Support Tools:
Wire Clay Cutters – Used to slice clay blocks and remove finished pieces from the wheel or table.
Bat Pins & Studio Hardware – Support tools that make throwing and working efficiently easier.
Glaze & Repair Materials:
Glaze & Bisque Repair Products – Used by students and instructors to support glazing and minor repairs during finishing stages.
All of these tools are available to support class students, workshop guests, ongoing members, and open studio artists, because learning pottery is as much about exploration as it is about technique.
What’s Next in Tool Tuesday
In upcoming posts, we’ll pick one tool at a time and dive deeper:
How it’s used
When in the clay process it works best
Tips for beginners
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Our goal is to help you feel more confident walking into the studio, choosing a tool, and trusting your hands.
Stay tuned — and don’t be afraid to ask an instructor if you want to try something new. That’s what the tools are here for.