Working With Porcelain: Why It Isn’t Difficult—Just Different
Porcelain is often regarded as a challenging clay body to work with.  Potters who attempted it often like the medium, however some give up not understanding how to handle the medium. They perceive it as fragile, finicky, and tedious. However, my challenging personality and years of experience have led me to a different perspective. Today, I advocate for working with porcelain clay. While it is demanding,  the rewards and benefits make it all worthwhile. ​
​
My Early Journey With Porcelain Clay
My first experiences working with porcelain, was unsuccessful. To make it worse, more experienced potters and instructors  intimidated me. In my early days of pottery I created simple forms, fired to cone 8.  
Much of my early porcelain work ended up in pit firings. I created incredibly thin porcelain pieces that were fired in pits. These works eventually helped me secure permanent residency for my family and me in the United States.  
Those early works evolved into sculptural pit-fired pieces that carried my emotions during a time that I was still griefing the loss of leaving my home country,  South Africa.
​Eventually, the heaviness lifted. I began seeing light, movement, and ballerinas in sheer dresses in my mind’s eye. Southern Ice porcelain became my medium of joy. Translucency, color, and light became symbols of the future.

​Porcelain isn’t difficult. It’s different.
Unlike stoneware or earthenware, porcelain is worked as clay but becomes something closer to glass when fired.
Understanding that single truth changes everything about how you handle, design, and fire it.

Why Porcelain Cracks: Understanding the Real Causes 
Cracking in porcelain isn’t random—it’s usually caused by handling, design, firing, or glazing mistakes, to name a few.  Over the years, I’ve seen every kind of crack imaginable, both in my own studio and in work sent to me by students from around the world through TeachinArt.com.
Let’s break them down.

​Why Porcelain Handles Crack (And How to Fix It)
Many potters struggle with porcelain handles. The real culprit in most cases is particle orientation.
Clay shrinks in unison only when its particles are aligned and compacted evenly. A handle, unconditionally of the way it is formed,  has its own direction of particles, and when you attach it to a mug, it’s like two traffic flows meeting head-on.
You need an off-ramp.
How to Attach Porcelain Handles Successfully

• Score and wet thoroughly. (remember slip particles are diluted and in disarray!)
• Attach when both parts are equally moist
• Compress and blend the joint well
• Think about handles as foreign objects that must become unified with the form

If cracks still appear, look at possible mistakes in your design and firing schedule, not just the joint.

Preventing Design Cracks in Porcelain Work 
Porcelain must be formed evenly. Uneven thickness leads to slumping, tearing, and cracking.
At high temperatures, porcelain becomes  pyro plastic — it softens like glass. 

Design Tips for Porcelain

• Keep walls consistent in thickness
• Avoid heavy areas attached to thin ones. 
• Heavy clay will be drawn towards the kiln shelf and will drag thinner clay along with it. 

Firing Cracks and Dunting in Porcelain
Dunting happens when the kiln heats or cools too fast. It can occur in bisque or glaze firing.
If a piece comes out of the kiln split cleanly in two, or cracks days later with sharp, glassy edges—the cooling cycle is usually to blame.  
Dunts in bisque ware is not   common in porcelain clay, but glaze cracking happens often.  
How to Prevent Firing Cracks

• Slow down your firing and especially the cooling schedule
• Pay special attention to cooling around quartz inversion
• Don’t rush porcelain through temperature changes

Antoinette Badenhorst, a renowned potter, presents online classes and hands-on workshops worldwide. In 2014, she and her husband, Koos, founded TeachingArt Online School of Art. Together with other experienced and renown teachers, they provide comprehensive online courses for potters and artists globally. These comprehensive learning experiences are meticulously designed to enhance skills, boost confidence, and foster a deeper understanding of pottery, rather than offering mere demonstrations. 

If you enjoyed and gained something from this blog post, please share it with your friends. Unfortunately, I won’t be traveling abroad this year because I need to catch up on my studio work and am also writing a book. 
Details of my next ​porcelain workshop is available  on the Workshop page

Antoinette Badenhorst demonstrates just how effortless and enjoyable a quick meal can be. She shows viewers how to whip up a delicious breakfast bowl in the microwave using one of her small porcelain casserole dishes — pieces she has affectionately renamed Brunch-lets.

These single-serve Brunch-lets casseroles are specifically designed for busy people who want a hot, home-cooked meal without the fuss.

Why the Handles Stay Cool While Your Food Gets Hot
One of the most impressive features highlighted in the video is how the porcelain handles remain cool to the touch even after several minutes in the microwave. This happens because Antoinette uses high-fired porcelain with almost no absorption. During the firing process with the making of the casseroles, the clay reaches temperatures high enough to fully vitrify, creating an extremely dense, non-porous material. As a result, the dish doesn’t trap water or moisture, allowing the food to heat evenly and quickly while the handles stay comfortable to hold. The video also thoughtfully highlights the risks of using regular ceramic or porcelain dinnerware in the microwave. Many pieces have porous clay bodies that can absorb and trap water, causing the dish to overheat dangerously while the handles may remain cool. This uneven heating can lead to cracked dishes or even burns.

Porcelain: The Best Choice for Microwave-Safe Dinnerware
Antoinette strongly recommends porcelain — particularly bone china or fine white clay — as the superior medium for durable, high-quality dinnerware. Thanks to its vitrification, true porcelain offers excellent microwave performance, strength, and elegance that lasts for years.Looking ahead, Antoinette plans to dive deeper into clay and glaze chemistry to further improve safety and performance. She acknowledges that technical challenges remain in creating the ideal dinnerware: pieces that are truly chip-resistant, consistently microwave-safe, and of the highest quality.

Beautiful, Practical, and Made for Real Life
The Brunch-let's solve a common problem beautifully. They allow you to prepare everything from savory breakfast bowls and mini casseroles to quick lunches or light dinners in minutes — all in one elegant dish. Because they’re made from premium vitrified porcelain, you can confidently heat your meal and carry it straight to the table without burning your fingers.Whether you’re making eggs, oatmeal, pasta bakes, or reheating leftovers, Brunch-lets deliver food exactly as ordered: perfectly hot, while the dish remains easy and safe to handle. Elegant enough for weekend brunch with friends, practical enough for hectic weekdays.
Ready to upgrade your microwave meals?
Bring Antoinette’s beautiful, high-performance porcelain into your kitchen. These handmade casseroles are the perfect blend of elegance and everyday practicality.
Contact Antoinette for if you are interested in getting this for your kitchen.

Defining Brunchlets:
​Antoinette came up with the fun name “brunch-lets” for these little casserole dishes—they’re so much more than just egg cookers! These bowls are perfect for making a full breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack for one person. ​

Kinds of porcelain 
Historically, there are three types of porcelain: hard-paste porcelain, soft-paste porcelain, and bone china.
Hard-paste porcelain is made from clay that becomes glass-like when vitrified. It primarily consists of kaolin, silica, and Feldspar. The firing temperature of the clay depends on the temperature range of the Feldspar, and it is typically fired between 1200-1400 °C.

Antoinette, a renowned potter, teaches many potters worldwide in either online or hands-on classes to work with porcelain clay.

Soft-paste porcelain was developed in Europe during the time alchemists were searching for porcelain, which was originally imported from China. It was made from fine clay, sand, and glass. Unlike earthenware, soft-paste porcelain does not withstand high temperatures and will begin to collapse before reaching vitrification. It was often used for making ornaments.
​
Bone china was developed in England when cattle bones were used to enhance the properties of soft-paste porcelain. The result was a very dense, strong, and glass-like, white, and translucent material. Historically, bone china contained 25% clay (kaolin), 50% bone ash, and 25% Cornish stone. In modern times, bones are replaced with a synthetic calcium phosphate, specifically dicalcium phosphate or tricalcium phosphate, which serve as powerful fluxes. Some artists, such as John Shirley, create artistic bone china bowls. Most people recognize bone china as the dishes displayed on their grandmother’s special shelf, commonly referred to as “chinaware.”  
There are other porcelain types that came along later, like Belleek porcelain, which is still crafted in Belleek, Ireland. America really helped shape this porcelain, and I’m writing about it in my book that’s still in progress. Also, there’s parianware, which is a different kind of porcelain made to be used without glaze, which I addressed in one of my Ceramic Monthly articles. Curtis Benzle creates his own version, so he can leave his sculpted bowls unglazed. 

Vitrification
Porcelain turns into vitrified glass when it’s fired for a long time at a high temperature, which fuses the clay particles into a dense, non-porous material. When the clay has a .01% imperviousness, it becomes food safe. This glassy bond keeps liquids from seeping into the handles, so there’s no steam buildup that can burn your hands when you use it in the microwave.
Besides making it microwave-friendly, this also makes it more durable because steam inside the walls of pottery can shorten its lifespan. 
Just a heads-up, porcelain can get pretty hot, as the heat from your food will transfer to the bowl or cup. That’s why handles are so important—they let you grab it safely from the microwave.

Water absorption in clay
If your pottery isn’t watertight, it might mean it needed a higher firing temperature to make sure the clay particles fusetogether. Or, if it was fired at a lower temperature, the melting agents (fluxes) should have melted at a lower temperature too. If the glaze doesn’t fit perfectly, liquids can also sneak into the clay. You might see tiny cracks on the ceramic container. When liquid seeps into the clay walls, it can take ages to dry out. So, if you use it in the microwave, steam might escape and burn your hands. Also, if you wash it in a dishwasher, harsh chemicals could damage it. The real danger comes when bad bacteria from dirty dishwater gets into the clay walls.

Bone China Versus Porcelain 
Bone China, because it is not plastic enough, needs to be slip cast, while all pottery techniques can be used to create porcelain. 

Recipe for Creme Brûlée in a brunchlet: ​
Enough for 4 servings: 
3 large eggs
3 table spoons of sugar
3/4 cup of cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla essens
A pinch of salt
Instructions: 
​Mix all ingredients together and divide in 4 brunchlets
Place in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and put back for another 30-45 seconds ( different microwaves will cook differently)
Sprinkle sugar or spread a jelly of your choice on top. Place under broiler until golden brown. 

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#porcelain #ceramic #pottery #clay #pottersofinstagram #vitrified #kiln #clayart #potterylife #ceramicstudio #hardpasteporcelain #bonechina #parianware #glazechemistry #handmadeceramics #brunch-let #vitrificationinclay #Waterabsorption #
#microwavecooking #microwaveSafe #kitchenhacks #brunchlets #breakfastbowl #oatmealbowl #microwavemeals #easybreakfast #safeDinnerware #kitchenSafety 
#potteryclasses #antoinette #ceramicmonthly #tablescape #homedecor #functionalart #interiordesign ​

Antoinette shares some of her porcelain secrets in this behind-the-scenes look at one of her first porcelain workshops in Canada. She shows how you can take a leather-hard porcelain bowl and safely bring it back to a soft, workable state—then reshape or sculpt it into a beautiful new form.
You’ll see how she creates a press mold and turns it into a bowl, while explaining why it’s important for potters to truly understand porcelain as a material and build a relationship with it.
Antoinette likes to call porcelain a “diva” 😄 because it has its own personality and needs to be handled with care. She even touches on the history of porcelain to help explain its unique characteristics.
The video features highlights from her hands-on workshop, where she teaches both handbuilding and wheel-throwing techniques. Since that first workshop, Antoinette has gone on to teach porcelain classes around the world

Antoinette's porcelain classes whether it is online or hands-on is loaded with explanations and tips and is suitable for beginner to advanced potters.  She provides a variety of porcelain tips and compare them with regular pottery techniques. Her workshops are normally a mix between wheel throwing and hand building techniques. See Antoinettes Ceramic Workshops

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​#PorcelainSecrets, #WorkingWithPorcelain, #PorcelainClay, #CeramicTechniques, #PotteryTips, #HandbuildingCeramics, #WheelThrowing, #PorcelainWorkshop, #CeramicArtist, #PorcelainByAntoinette, #AntoinetteBadenhorst, #StudioPottery, #ClayLife, #CeramicsEducation

​Porcelain, often referred to as the diva of clay due to its captivating beauty, translucency, and sensual allure, is the focus of this online course. Designed to empower potters, this course aims to facilitate a seamless transition from the crafting of stoneware or earthenware to the creation of refined porcelain forms. Through this comprehensive program, students will not only acquire the necessary techniques but also delve into the underlying reasons behind each step, enabling them to fully comprehend and master this exquisite material.

Porcelain has long carried a reputation—beautiful, refined, and notoriously difficult. For many potters, it’s the “diva of clay.” But what if the challenge isn’t something to fear, but rather an invitation to understand? In this preview of Antoinette Badenhorst’s Understanding Porcelain online course with TeachinArt, viewers are given a glimpse into a process rooted in knowledge, sensitivity, and relationship-building with the material.The lesson begins with a simple yet powerful visual: a schematic sketch illustrating how clay particles move during the bull’s head wedging method.

​This foundational concept reveals something essential—porcelain is not just a material you shape, but one you must align and work with on a structural level.From there, Antoinette moves to the wheel, demonstrating how to refine and thin a thrown bowl using pottery ribs. Her preferred tools—silicone ribs from Mudtools in North Carolina—allow for both control and finesse, helping guide the clay into elegant, even forms. Once the bowl becomes leatherhard, she flips it to begin trimming. Using a loop tool followed by a metal kidney, she carefully removes excess clay, achieving a delicate translucency that defines fine porcelain work. This stage requires not only technical skill but also an intuitive understanding of the clay’s limits.Throughout the video, examples of her sculpted and altered porcelain bowls appear—each one pushing the boundaries of thinness and light. In some pieces, she carves into already refined walls, enhancing their luminosity and allowing light to pass through in subtle, breathtaking ways.

But beyond technique, what truly sets this course apart is Antoinette’s philosophy. She compares the first experience with porcelain to a handshake. It’s an introduction—an initial meeting where you begin to sense character, resistance, and possibility. Just as with people, understanding develops over time. The more you learn about porcelain’s behavior—its strengths, tediousness, and responses—the more successful and confident you become in working with it. This course is not just about making objects. It’s about shifting your mindset. Instead of fighting porcelain, you begin to collaborate with it. Through detailed instruction, thoughtful demonstrations, and years of experience, Antoinette offers more than techniques—she offers clarity. Whether you are new to porcelain or looking to refine your skills, Understanding Porcelain opens the door to a deeper, more rewarding relationship with this extraordinary clay body. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by porcelain, this is your opportunity to move past fear and into understanding—one thoughtful step, and one refined gesture, at a time.

​I will give you tools to expand your options to use your glazes strictly for function, but I will also help you to create techniques with glazes that you may use for decoration on your work. Some decoration techniques will also be usable for kitchenware. We will address troubled glazes; how to identify and fix them and we will touch on altering glazes for the different base glazing techniques, like dipping, pouring, spraying and brushing on glazes.

There are different ways to resist glazes from the pottery surface. It is also possible to block out a certain area and layer a next color on top of the previous one.

Like clay, glaze materials come from the earth and are known as raw glaze materials. A basic ceramic glaze is made up of clay, silica, and melting agents. In this video, Antoinette explains these materials in simple terms, using analogies from her kitchen.

Video summary: ​
Pottery glazing can be done using many different techniques. One of the oldest is majolica, a decorative method that originated in the 15th century on the Spanish island of Majorca.  
​Like clay, glaze materials come from the earth and are known as raw glaze materials. A basic glaze is made up of clay, silica, and melting agents. In this video, Antoinette explains these materials in simple terms, using analogies from her kitchen.

Course Summary: Glazing in Ceramic
This online course is tailored for beginners who are struggling with and are unsuccessful with glazing their pottery.  

​Week 1 – The basics of Pottery glazes. 
Discover what a glaze is and how to understand the glazing process. Explore the history and evolution of pottery glazes, the purpose of glazing, and what you need in your studio to get started. Learn how to plan your glaze process, prepare bisque ware, use cold and hot wax resists, and properly clean foot rings and lid areas.

Week 2 – Working with Commercial Glazes
This week features guest functional potter Lynn Barnwell, assisted by Antoinette. Learn what to consider when purchasing commercial glazes, how to mix and use them, explore glaze effects, and practice dipping and testing techniques.

Week 3 – Application Techniques & Additives
Explore a variety of glaze application methods including dipping, pouring, and spray glazing. Learn about glaze additives such as suspending agents, flocculants, deflocculants, and brush-on mediums. You’ll also cover proper glaze mixing and preparation.

Week 4 – Mixing Glazes from Scratch
Gain an understanding of raw glaze materials, learn how to make test tiles, mix glazes from recipes, measure glaze density, and follow best practices for glazing and testing.

Week 5 – Creative Glaze Projects
Put your skills into action with hands-on glaze projects including Cuerda Seca, Majolica, glaze layering, resist techniques, glaze printing, and glaze trailing.
​
Week 6 – Firing & Troubleshooting
Learn about heat work, firing glazes, and different firing techniques. Identify common glaze faults and remedies, and analyze your glaze test results to refine your process.

Link to online workshops at TeachinArt.com:
Glazing made easy 
Hand building pottery for beginners  

​Tags:
#PotteryGlaze #CeramicGlaze #GlazeBasics #PotteryForBeginners #CeramicsEducation #LearnPottery #CeramicArt #StudioPottery #GlazeMaterials #PorcelainByAntoinette #AntoinetteBadenhorst #Majolica #PotteryTechniques #ClayAndGlaze #ArtEducation #teachinart 

Potters learn in this online workshop all about coiling, slabs, mold making and use the character and history of porcelain to push their own limits. The art students learn which tools are best for trimming clay, learn about design and extruding and learn how to control the drying stages of porcelain to get to translucency. ​

Image: ​This translucent porcelain envelope was formed from two press molded shells, altered and carved and then placed on a wheel thrown pedestal. ​

Presented by Antoinette Badenhorst
Discover the expressive possibilities of porcelain in this in‑depth online handbuilding workshop led by internationally recognized ceramic artist Antoinette Badenhorst. Designed for both emerging and experienced clay artists, this course demystifies the unique behavior of porcelain and teaches you how to shape it with confidence.
Through clear demonstrations, detailed explanations, and Antoinette’s signature teaching style, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand the working properties of porcelain and how they differ from other clays
  
• Build strong, elegant forms using handbuilding techniques
  
• Control drying, trimming, and finishing to avoid common porcelain challenges
  
• Create refined functional and sculptural pieces with precision and artistry
  
• Apply surface treatments that enhance porcelain’s natural translucency and beauty
  

Students gain access to step‑by‑step video lessons, close‑up demonstrations, and practical tips drawn from Antoinette’s decades of studio experience and global teaching career. Whether you’re new to porcelain or looking to elevate your craftsmanship, this workshop offers a comprehensive foundation for mastering this extraordinary material.
Join Antoinette at TeachinArt and experience porcelain in a whole new way—flexible, accessible, and guided by one of the leading voices in contemporary ceramics.

The Wheel-Thrown Teapots Online Workshop by Antoinette Badenhorst at TeachinArt is an in-depth, technically focused course designed to guide potters through one of the most challenging and expressive forms in ceramics—the functional teapot.
This immersive online workshop takes students step-by-step through the complete process of designing, throwing, assembling, and finishing a well-balanced, fully functional teapot. Often referred to as the “final boss” of pottery, the teapot demands both technical precision and artistic sensitivity, and this course is structured to help potters master both. 
Over three weeks of formal instruction (with additional time for review and practice), students explore the essential components that define a successful teapot: a body that pours efficiently, a spout that does not drip or spatter, a lid that fits securely during pouring, and a handle that complements both function and design. 
The workshop begins with the fundamentals—understanding teapot history, proportions, and design—before moving into throwing techniques such as forming cylinder-based and bellied teapots, working off the hump, and crafting precision-fitted lids. As the course progresses, students refine each element, learning how to trim, assemble, and integrate spouts, lids, and handles into a cohesive form. 
A strong emphasis is placed on functionality: pouring should be smooth and controlled, the lid should remain secure without requiring two hands, and every component must work together seamlessly. Beyond construction, the course also addresses decoration, glazing, and firing, ensuring that the final piece is both aesthetically compelling and fully usable. 
Designed for intermediate to advanced potters, this online class offers detailed, close-up demonstrations and direct access to instructor feedback, allowing students to develop confidence and precision in their work. More than just a technical course, it invites artists into the rich and “mysterious world of teapot collections,” where craftsmanship, expression, and function converge. 
In essence: this workshop transforms the complexity of the teapot into a structured, achievable process—equipping ceramic artists with the skills to create pieces that pour beautifully, function flawlessly, and communicate a refined artistic voice.

In this hand building dinnerware workshop Antoinette teaches students about microwave safety, how to design for dish washer safety, how to make mugs, goblets, what to consider when making handles and knobs, decanters without using a potter's wheel. Learn how to alter porcelain bowls, plates and pitchers and shows how to make the spout without spilling. Students learn how to hand make trays with salt and pepper shakers.

This workshop guides ceramic artists through the complete journey of designing and handbuilding cohesive dinnerware sets—plates, bowls, and serving pieces—while working with the demanding yet rewarding nature of porcelain. Emphasis is placed on control, precision, and understanding the material’s unique qualities, including its translucency, strength, and sensitivity at every stage.
Students explore slab-building techniques, forming methods, drying control, and finishing processes that prevent warping and cracking. Special attention is given to creating refined rims, balanced forms, and consistent sets that elevate everyday use into a sophisticated visual and tactile experience.
From forming to final firing, the course highlights how craftsmanship and thoughtful design come together, allowing artists to produce luminous, durable dinnerware that reflects both technical excellence and a distinctive artistic voice.

There are a few things to consider when forming a spout. Whether it is of a jug that is hand built with porcelain or thrown on the potters wheel, these simple considerations will help to pour liquid easily without spilling.

Potters will get the opportunity to pinch a teapot. They will make 2 cups and a tray and finish it off professionally.
The Pinching Teapots for Beginners Online Workshop by Antoinette Badenhorst at TeachinArt introduces the art of teapot making through one of the most direct and accessible handbuilding techniques—pinching. Designed for beginners, this workshop guides students step-by-step in forming teapots by hand, without the need for a pottery wheel. Starting with simple pinch pots, participants learn how to shape and refine the teapot body, then add and integrate essential elements such as the spout, lid, and handle. 
​The course emphasizes understanding clay behavior, wall thickness, and proper joining techniques to ensure both strength and functionality. Students also explore proportion, balance, and basic design principles, ensuring their teapots not only function well but also have a pleasing aesthetic. With clear demonstrations and practical guidance, this workshop builds confidence in handbuilding while introducing the fundamentals of creating a complete, functional teapot—making it an ideal entry point into the world of ceramics.