clay

Start your own business

Everyone can take part in this fabulous, fun, simple and very rewarding activity.  From babies to kids, adults to OAPs, this is an unusual business that is able to cross into an endless number of different potential markets.  A pottery painting business can be successful either as a high-street styled 'Ceramic Cafe' or a 'Mobile' home-based business.  We offer helpful advice and all the possible supplies either business could wish for whether you plan this to your main or supplementary income. CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON OUR AVAILABLE STARTER KITS!
 
Making It Simple...
Paint, Dip, Fire, Enjoy!
1. Paint the blank shape using non-toxic, easy to use colours
2. Dip the whole piece into non-toxic clear glaze
3. Pop it in the kiln, and fire to 1000 degrees Celsius
4. Your masterpiece is now ready to be used, enjoyed and passed down through generations as a wonderful heirloom.
The 'Ceramic Cafe' model has been very successful running children's parties, hosting an event for children where they can be creative in a completely safe enviroment whilst creating a useful artwork that can be used and treasured for years to come.  The 'Mobile Ceramic' business has seen this as a great opportunity, and is often developed by the new business that has a desire to host such events but does not want the responsibility of renting or buying a premises.  The event can be hosted within the customers home or prearranged location, the parent can provide catering themselves, the kids generally have more space, you'll not need to worry overly about tidying up after the event, and your customer may love the convenience of having the party come to them.
 
We have extensive experience of helping studios of all shapes and sizes host Pottery Painting Parties, suggesting ways new businesses can tap into this sector of the marketplace.  Our intensive one and two day courses have been carefully designed and reguarly updated, to provide you with all the information, both technical, creative and marketing, to help make your presentation impeccable.
For you it should be easy, well-prepared, profitable and fun!
For the children it will big exciting, different and memorable.
For the parent you'll want it to be exciting, satisfying, good value for money and an event that will inspire them to tell their friends about you, and perhaps even have a go themselves 
 
Pottery Painting Parties are incredibly easy to host badly; we show you how to run yours exceptionally well, exceeding the customer's expectations and being able to present each participant with a professional looking piece of real ceramic that will be admired by many. What better advert could there be for your business?!
 
Not just for kids!
Adult parties range from the hen party for the bride to be, (who ends up with a dinner service, each plate painted by a friend), to corporate entertaining event in a hotel or office, where staff or guests enjoy the fun of creating and painting all sorts of items, either for themselves or for their work mates.
 
Not just for kids!
 
 
The Kiln...Our Secret Weapon!!!
To create pieces of real ceramics with a durability that will allow mugs and plates to be used (not just looked at!), with colours that will not rub off or fade, we need to fire them in a kiln which will take them up to over 1000 degrees Celsius. If you are running a business in ceramics you need a reliable kiln, indeed it is this piece of equipment that will draw your customers to come back and spend with you, this is not a hobby that they will be able to do at home 'on the cheap' without one.
All the kilns we supply are fully computerised and magnificently simple to operate. We will show you how and advise you which model is best suited for your requirements. Your kiln will have a state-of-the-art computer on board which will give you total control over what is happening inside. With this you can easily adapt your firing not just for earthenware, but also stoneware, porcelain and even glass  All this at the touch of a button, very efficiently and with a firing cost that most likely be less than you'd expect 
We will help you setup your new kiln, cutting through the jargon used in the manual, allowing you to quickly get on with your new venture. Should your kiln 'get sick', we are here to help diagnose the problem, supply spare parts, talk you through their installation and get the kiln back up and working for you as quickly as possible. We appreciate a broken kiln can be a major obstacle for a Ceramic Business

Click here for more advice on choosing a kiln

 

The colours you use are non-toxic (so no safety worries with children), water-based (no need for aprons or floor-coverings) and are from a large range. Although you only need to carry some of them initially, you can add to the colour range as you go along - for example, adults' parties will want more choice. Packed in a choice of sizes, we can advise which it is best to carry. The clear glaze that is widely used within the 'contemporary ceramics' market today is a dipping solution that is foolishly simple to use, and gives an unbeatably clean, crisp and enduring finish to your work. Learn more about turning fun, creative craft into a profitable business by giving us a call today on 01189 88 68 48

 
So what is the next step?
Try out baby hand and footprints
 
You may just wish to continue running a business away from your home in party situations - either for children (very profitable) or for adults, with just the finishing and firing done at home.  You may wish to develop into a full-blown and exceedingly profitable ceramic cafe or contemporary studio.  Situated in a high street or commercial unit, this is very much a full-time venture, with a high volume of customers.  A very profitable and highly successful business. 
You may see opportunities making finished goods and selling at craft fairs, etc. Or you might just end up enjoying a fascinating hobby, with a kiln that can allow you to work with stoneware, porcelain, glass or silver clay.

Hobby Ceramicraft is the leading source of specialist Hobby Ceramic and Contemporary Ceramic knowledge in the UK, supplying successful studios for almost 30 years.  We ship throughout Europe and beyond!  Our courses have received international recognition, although our main objective has always been and will continue to be, to ensure the continued growth and development of your individual businesses.  We don't want to just sell you goods - we want to help and enthuse you into creating an exciting future business which will benefit all of us.
 
The adventure starts here, and we can help you succeed, so get in touch! Want to take the next step? Click here for our information on the next course dates