Ceramics

Welcome to Ceramics at RIC, where you'll immerse yourself in the fascinating world of clay and creativity. You'll gain a solid understanding of ceramic materials, mastering the properties of clay, glazes, and other essentials. Our GCSE and A level couses cover a wide range of techniques, from hand building methods like coiling, slab building, and pinching, to the intricate art of wheel throwing. You'll also explore sculpting ceramics, learning to model, carve, and shape clay into detailed figures or dynamic objects.

Dive into various decoration techniques, including glazing, slip trailing, sgraffito, and inlay. You'll get to grips with the rich history and cultural context of ceramics, studying styles and techniques from ancient to modern times, and learning about influential artists like Bernard Leach. The course will involve visits to the V&A, Contemporary Ceramics in London and the Leach Pottery in St Ives. 

Practical development is key, so you'll experiment with forms and techniques, ensuring a hands-on approach to learning. Safety in the studio and understanding the kiln firing process are also crucial parts of the course. 

Ceramics A level and GCSE will be running at RIC from September 2025 but in the meantime you can explore this medium as part of our GCSE and A level programmes.