art bar in london
Three steps, no booking
Hand building is pottery without the wheel: just you, a ball of clay and your hands. Art Play's hand-building pottery class in London is a relaxed 1.5-hour session where an experienced instructor guides you step by step and you make your own ceramic piece to take home. £32, beginners welcome.
What happens in a hand-building class
1. Warm up: playful exercises and tactile clay work to get you used to the material.
2. Learn the techniques: intuitive hand-building methods, shown step by step by your instructor.
3. Make your piece: relaxed creative time to shape something of your own.
4. Everything included: clay, tools, materials and full guidance from our resident artists.
5. Good to know: open to adults and children aged 9+, with younger participants attending alongside an adult.
The focus is on enjoying the process rather than achieving perfection, which is why it suits complete beginners as well as people with some experience. The studio has a café and bar serving coffee, wine, beer and soft drinks. Please arrive on time: guests more than 10 minutes late may not be admitted.
SIMILAR SERVICES
Hand building vs wheel throwing
Hand building means shaping clay with your hands and simple tools. It's slower and calmer than the wheel, and you have more freedom over the shape you make. Wheel throwing is about centring spinning clay and shaping a bowl or cup. If you'd like to try that instead, our 1.5-hour wheel throwing taster runs at Art Play Shoreditch for £55.
A mindful pottery class to switch off
People book hand building to slow down. Working clay with your fingers is absorbing, the pace is gentle and nobody is judging the result. It works for a creative date, a relaxed night out with friends or a quiet hour on your own. Pizza, prosecco and wine can be added when you book (pizza at Shoreditch only).
Private hand-building for groups
Hand building is an easy group activity because everyone can do it. Private classes run for 8 to 60 guests, at £29 per person for 8 to 19 and £28 per person for 20 or more, with clay, tools and an instructor included. They suit birthdays, hen parties and team building.