Ceramicist

A Ceramicist is an artist or craftsperson who creates objects out of clay and other ceramic materials through techniques such as hand-building, wheel-throwing, molding, and casting. They produce a wide range of functional and decorative items, including pottery, sculptures, tiles, and installation pieces. Through their mastery of form, texture, glaze, and firing techniques, ceramicists transform raw materials into durable and expressive works of art. Their creations are often featured in galleries, museums, homes, and commercial spaces, blending artistry with utility.

Here are some typical tasks of ceramicists:

• Design and create ceramic objects, such as vases, bowls, sculptures, or tiles, using various clay-working techniques.
• Shape clay using hand-building methods, pottery wheels, slip casting, or molds.
• Apply surface treatments such as carving, painting, glazing, or texturing to enhance aesthetic appeal.
• Mix glazes and experiment with colors, finishes, and firing temperatures to achieve desired effects.
• Operate and maintain kilns and other equipment for drying and firing ceramics at precise temperatures.
• Repair or modify pieces as needed, especially after kiln firing or glazing.
• Document and photograph completed works for promotion, sales, or exhibitions.
• Sell or exhibit pieces through galleries, online platforms, art fairs, or commissioned projects.
• Keep up-to-date with new ceramic techniques, tools, materials, and trends in contemporary ceramics.

The following job titles also refer to ceramicist:

artistic ceramicist
ceramics designer and maker
ceramics maker and designer
ceramics artist
ceramist
ceramics designer & maker
ceramics maker & designer

Ceramicists typically work in studios, either independently or within shared workshop spaces. Their work environment involves physical activity such as kneading clay, operating wheels, and lifting heavy materials or kilns. The studio may contain dust, chemicals, and hot equipment, requiring safety precautions. While work hours are flexible, meeting production deadlines, preparing for exhibitions, or fulfilling custom orders may require extended hours. Some ceramicists teach workshops or classes, or collaborate with designers, architects, or galleries on special projects.

Many Ceramicists hold a degree in ceramics, fine arts, or a related field, where they study design, materials, sculpture, and kiln operation. However, many also learn through apprenticeships, workshops, or self-teaching. Hands-on experience is crucial to mastering ceramic techniques, firing methods, and glaze chemistry. A strong portfolio showcasing a variety of works and techniques is essential for professional recognition. Continuous experimentation, innovation, and awareness of both traditional and contemporary ceramic practices are vital for long-term success in this evolving art form.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Ceramicist is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to ceramicist.

drawing artist
digital artist
street artist
glass artist
conceptual artist

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of ceramicist.

• Labour legislation: Legislation, on a national or international level, that governs labour conditions in various fields between labour parties such as the government, employees, employers, and trade unions.
• Intellectual property law: The regulations that govern the set of rights protecting products of the intellect from unlawful infringement.
• Art history: The history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.
• Types of pottery material: Types of clays and mud and their appearance, properties, reaction to fire, etc.

These skills are necessary for the role of ceramicist.

• Manage different pottery materials: Manage different recipes of clay and mud according to the genre (such as china) or the expected strength, look, colour, tradition or innovation in the creative process.
• Create ceramic work by hand: Hand-build a ceramic piece of work without use of the pottery wheel, using only hand tools.
• Create specific enamels: Using samples, create recipes for specific enamels.
• Create artwork: Cut, shape, fit, join, mould, or otherwise manipulate materials in an attempt to create a selected artwork – be the technical processes not mastered by the artist or used as a specialist.
• Select artistic materials to create artworks: Select artistic materials based on strength, colour, texture, balance, weight, size, and other characteristics that should guarantee the feasibility of the artistic creation regarding the expected shape, color, etc. – even thought the result might vary from it. Artistic materials such as paint, ink, water colours, charcoal, oil, or computer software can be used as much as garbage, living products (fruits, etc) and any kind of material depending on the creative project.
• Study craft trends: Research and study trends in crafting, in order to keep up with current designs and marketing strategies.
• Create craft prototypes: Fabricate and prepare prototypes or models of objects to be crafted.
• Transfer designs on workpiece: Operate stylus and cutting tools, duplicate design or letters on a workpiece.
• Sketch designs on workpieces: Sketch or scribe layouts and designs on workpieces, plates, dies or rollers. Use compasses, scribers, gravers, pencils, etc.
• Add slabs to ceramic work: Adjust the ceramic work and follow a sophisticated process of creation by adding slabs to the work. Slabs are rolled plates of ceramic. They are made by rolling out the clay using a rolling pin or other tools.
• Create ceramic objects: Create functional, decorative or artistic ceramic objects by hand or by using sophisticated industrial tools for part of the creative process, applying a variety of techniques and materials.
• Confer on artwork: Introduce and discuss the nature and content of art work, achieved or to be produced with an audience, art directors, catalogue editors, journalists, and other parties of interest.
• Contextualise artistic work: Identify influences and situate your work within a specific trend which may be of an artistic, aesthetic, or philosophical natures. Analyse the evolution of artistic trends, consult experts in the field, attend events, etc.
• Add coils to ceramic work: Adjust the ceramic work and follow a sophisticated process of creation by adding coils to the work. Coils are long rolls of clay, which can be placed on top of each other in order to create various shapes.
• Operate a ceramics kiln: Manage the temperature of a kiln to achieve the expected results according to the type of clay such as biscuit stoneware or porcelain. Manage sintering and enamels colours.
• Supervise craft production: Fabricate/prepare patterns or templates to guide the crafting production process.
• Design objects to be crafted: Sketch, draw or design sketches and drawings from memory, live models, manufactured products or reference materials in the process of crafting and sculpting.
• Gather reference materials for artwork: Gather samples of the materials you expect to use in the creation process, especially if the desired piece of art necessitates the intervention of qualified workers or specific production processes.
• Manage different ceramic firing techniques: Manage different ceramic firing or baking techniques according to selected clay, the expect strength of the object, and enamel colours.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ceramicist. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Design package: Develop and design the form and structure of a product’s package.
• Assess conservation needs: Assess and list the needs for conservation/restoration, in relation to current use and planned future use.
• Plan art educational activities: Plan and implement artistic facilities, performance, venues and museum-related educational activities and events.
• Develop educational resources: Create and develop educational resources for visitors, school groups, families and special interest groups.
• Use specialised design software: Developing new designs mastering specialised software.
• Develop artistic project budgets: Developing artistic project budgets for approval, estimating deadlines and material costs.
• Develop educational activities: Develop speeches, activities and workshops in order to foster access and comprehension to the artistic creation processes. It can address a particular cultural and artistic event such as a show or an exhibition, or it can be related to a specific discipline (theatre, dance, drawing, music, photography etc.). Liaise with storytelles, craftspeople and artists.
• Collaborate with a technical staff in artistic productions: Coordinate the artistic activities with others who are specialised in the technical side of the project. Inform the technical staff of the plans and methods suggested and obtain feedback on feasibility, cost, procedures and other relevant information. Be able to understand the vocabulary and practises concerning technical issues.
• Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
• Present exhibition: Present an exhibition and give educational lectures in a comprehensible way that is attractive to the public.
• Develop jewellery designs: Develop new jewellery designs and products, and modify existing designs.
• Collaborate with designers: Communicate and collaborate with fellow designers in order to coordinate new products and designs.
• Participate in artistic mediation activities: Participate in cultural and artistic mediation activities: announce the activity, give a presentation or talk related to a piece of art or an exhibition, teach a class or a group, lead artistic mediation activities, lead or participate in a public discussion.

2651 – Visual artists

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References

1. Ceramicist – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by Yan Krukau