How to Hand Build Porcelain Dinnerware

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.

Hand building a porcelain decanter from slabs. Hand building porcelain dinnerware with Antoinette online.