Love how you didn't edit out all the "uhms" and not finding a word right away - this feels so authentic. Also, this looks like a pretty great use of space! :)
I can't believe how you transformed that small space under the stairs to such a great little studio, love this! I used to love doing pottery when I was a child and I thought to get back to it someday. It would be nice to see a video from you that advices complete beginners, how to start, what equipment to buy etc. Good luck with your channel! 💕🤗
You have such lovely energy! I love how you made a dark and unused space your oasis for creativity. I’m excited to see your new pottery space. I also appreciate the peaceful talk through without distracting music.
thanks for sharing! i’ve never seen someone share such a small set up which gives me hope for myself. appreciate the time you took to document this! 🙏🏻
Ok, WOW. I saw your newer video first (which is much more what my studio will be), but I was blown away by this video. I’ve watched a bunch of studio tours, but it’s mostly big spaces. Your videos gave me so many ideas of how I need to lay out my space.
Love this video. Other videos explaining so called ‘tiny’ spaces are often much bigger than the small space I am looking to use to set up a studio. They often set out overwhelming lists of equipment you need! So great to see what can be done with an organised and disciplined approach, minimal space and a simple set of materials. Very inspiring - thank you 😊
Thank you so much for this, I've wanted to get into pottery but haven't really been able to justify a membership with a studio since I haven't made anything since high school. Creating a small set up might just be the perfect thing to get me back into it!
You did suchba good job making it look aesthetically pleasing and organized in such a small space! It’s so inspiring that you decided to make the most of this space and pursue your passion despite it being a little nook under the stairs. It just goes to show you should never let your current situation and lack of resources or space hold you back!
You wouldn't know it could get chilly under the stairs, because the lighting and wood there make it feel so warm. I hope your new space suits your needs. Thank you for sharing. It's a very creative use for space without becoming an eye sore.
This was actually really helpful to see - thank you! some great inspiration for us beginners who are ready to set up a little studio at home before transitioning to a bigger space!
Thank you for taking the time to share this! Everything is so well organized and thought out, it inspires me to create my own space like this at home one day!
An idea for the space under the shelves, where the plaster was, would be to diy a curtain, over the lowest shelf. It would make it less busy but still accessible.
Your video popped up in my sidebar and I had to watch. I'm a ceramics conservator, also with limited space so I'm always looking for 'micro' tools, equipment and ways of working. I love your video, your use of space and your pottery - in fact you have just inspired me to get back to some 'making ceramics' as opposed to conserving them... Keep inspiring, would be lovely to see some of your finished pieces....
Nice video. What a creative use of space! And ambitious to be using more than one clay body 😅 nothing to add other than you should be proud of yourself for making such great use of a tiny space to do the impossible - red and white clay, wheel, recycling and plaster! Wow 😊
This is the most amazing use of space! I am incredibly impressed at how you fit all the things you needed in such a way that it is functional and doesn't look cluttered. I will have to subscribe and go see if you have a video of your new space! Your pottery is quite lovely too!
My studio has smaller floor space, but full height. I gave up on making it 'aesthetic,' I just focus on making sure my systems are easy to maintain and the space is easy to clean. Can't wait to see what your new space after moving will look like.
You made a neglected space useful and cute! I had a pottery class in school ages ago but was never any good, so I always admire those who are successful at it. Hope you will find a nice place to continue your passion. 😸
Been part of your insta fam for a while, so nice to see you here on my homepage (subbed just now). Your space is very sweet, I do ceramics too and I'm making the move from a big city (where I did pottery in my window, lol) to a rural area. I hope to set something up too. I especially love how you do bowls with wavy rims.
Love the space and the video! Since you asked, and I haven’t seen anyone else write it, I thought that an easy way to hide the things you don’t want to see on the bottom shelf would be to put in a little curtain. I’m pretty sure they have little expandable curtain rods that you can clip or screw in place. Hope this helps and can’t wait to see your next space :)
Such a good use of a small space!! Looking forward to seeing more of your videos :) (i'm now reading the comments and noticing everyone said the same thing lol but i'm excited to see what you do with the next space you find)
really amazing you can do so much in a tiny space. i used to do pottery - an evening class. then got my own wheel from ebay...but i never had a kiln. Also the paper light really made such a difference esp. when you switched it off the room looked cold
hello :-) I live in Germany and I've been making pottery for 4 1/2 years. I don't have much space either. about as much space as your staircase needs. I have the Shimpo and 3 ovens in it. each oven has almost 80 liters. I knead my clay there and use it again. I have 240kg of clay and only use glaze for casting. that's another 25 buckets full of glaze. my pieces are also dried in it. I just have a bit more space up to the ceiling. if you enjoy doing something and really want it, then everything will work out! have fun pottery!!
Love your efficient use of a tiny space! I’m new to pottery and have a tiny studio that serves many purposes depending on the craft of the day so I’m glad I found your channel. How do you work the piece without having water splatter everywhere? Your pan is dry and your clay and hands look sufficiently wet when cone ing? Where do you wash hands/pan? Thks
Thank you Brenda! The splash pan on the wheel catches most of the water for me. Sometimes a few specks fly on the wall or I might drop some clay on the floor. I spend some time every week cleaning the space around, usually a quick wet sponge works well to clean the wall and such. And I mop the floors after each session. I’ve been working on using less and less water too when I throw, so that helps. Cleaning the pan is usually my least favourite part, but I try to wash it at the end of every session. If it’s mostly wet, it’s faster to clean. I clean everything in one of the orange buckets you see in the video. Usually I clean hands and tools first in the dirtiest bucket with a sponge. Then grab a larger sponge to clean the pan. Not sure if this helps, but I reclaim clay a lot, and the clay ends up being less dry and hard than store bought clay. Which requires less work and water to cone and throw. Helps me minimize water usage. :)
This is so cool to see! I would love to start with pottery but sadly a kiln for me is to much of an investment right now. As for tips on the clay storage, it kind of depends what style you want it to be. I see a lot of light colours, but maybe some nice cool (as in cold grey) looking metal boxes with a rustic feel might look better. Very inspiring to see what you do with a small space, I know i'm also doing a lot of that at the moment (#studentlife). And I can also relate with the language thing. English is also my second laguage, but you sound so native English. Very well done! I hope to see more of your videos.
After i went to ceramic classes recently for fun and loved it a little too much i wondered what would it take to make ceramic at home. I still dont know, or to be honest, didnt look up where and how would i suppose to pure clay water to avoid clogging the water pipes in the house. Or how people set up their "super" ovens and what does it take in terms of space and electricity.... But i can see that it is quite possible to do homemade ceramics for selling. So thanks a lot for the tour💙i am going to actually watch this video now ahah
Haha thank you! Make sure to never put clay down the drain or it will clog your pipes!! I’m using a water bucket system here. Clay only goes into the buckets. You can look it up, it’s very easy. :)
This is SUPER interesting. I've been trying to get into pottery, but the studio that teaches it near me is always booked solid. My biggest issue with learning has been where could I set up a space to practice after the class. This is a very clever use of your space and the limit really is my imagination. Also, as a soon to be beginner I fear making a huge mess everywhere, do you use a cover for the stairs and walls? Thanks for sharing.
Yeah I hear you. There seems to generally be a lack of studio spaces that aren’t constantly booked. And yet a lot of studios have a hard time making ends meet. I benefited hugely from spending 2 months as a member of a studio space, where i got to learn and practice a lot from observing others and asking questions. But I also watched a lot of RU-vid on my own time, which really helped my technique and clay manipulation. I think if you wanted to try building a space at home you could still benefit a lot from it. Keeping the space clean isn’t too hard as long as your floors are easy to mop. Ideally tiles, otherwise you can buy a hard plastic floor cover. It takes practice and patience to keep a small space clean but you build a habit out of it over time. Just go slow. And look into a water bucket system. I always make a habit of cleaning up after my session, even if I’m tired. You learn eventually to get more efficient. Always keep in mind that wet clay takes 2 min to wipe clean, whereas dry clay takes much longer. With good habits I’m sure you can enjoy your home practice :)
Oh and I don’t cover the stairs or walls. I rarely splash a bit of clay on the walls, and I usually wipe it with a wet sponge at the end of my session. I’ve learned to use less water when I throw on the wheel to makes less of a mess too.
@@issey-roquet Thanks so much for the encouragement. My plan was to get a good but cheap wheel and use tutorials here on RU-vid and Craftsy to get familiar with the process and take the in person class when it's available. I learned a few things by watching @floriangadsby, but jumping in and messing up seems to be a good starting point. Thanks again and I hope to get to see your continual progress.
as a fellow ceramicist, i am so so impressed. big fan of your lighting. my one concern is in regards to ur cleaning routine! do you use an air purifier or have a mopping routine? ceramics gets suuuuuper dusty, and it can quickly impact your health (it did for me at least) and I can imagine in a space that tight it would need a wipe down often. also where do you discard clean clear reclaim water? is it heavy to take upstairs? what do you wedge on? love your storage solutions, you should look into getting a heavy duty wall mounted shelf to replace the ikea/legged plank! you could stack more maybe, and itd free up more room for your legs. sorry for the avalanche of thoughts, im super inspired by how you made this space work for you :)
Hiii! Love your enthusiasm and questions! 💕 I do have a mopping routine. I always mop at the end of every session. So say I do pottery in the morning and in the evening with a break in between, i will mop morning and evening. I have a dog so I’m always worried about clay on the floor, so I don’t take any chances. Plus I always think about how much harder it is to clean dry clay so I try as much as I can to clean when the clay is still wet. It limits dust accumulation. In addition to mopping I also clean my wheel and table/shelf surfaces with a wet sponge. And occasionally wipe the walls too if there are any drops. So basically my routine is: allow to no exceptions. It takes more time, but I always think it ends up taking less time and effort than cleaning dry clay. I discard clean clear reclaim water in the washroom right next to my studio space, so I don’t need to take it upstairs. I only discard it if the water is clear and am quite careful about not letting any clay go down the drain. Same with water in my mop bucket. The clay in my mop bucket I just put it in a garbage bag since it’s too dirty to reclaim. I wedge on the plaster reclaim boards. So I have to wedge on my knees. It isn’t too bad on my back if I focus on contracting my core and keep my back straight. Overall working hunched down in that space takes a toll on my back though 😅 I recommend a space where you can stand up haha. Thank you for the recommendations and ideas! I’ll def keep them in mind. 🫶🏼💕
What health problems did you get from clay if I may ask? Was it respiratory? I’m quite worried about impact on health too, so I’m always curious about other peoples experience. :)
@@issey-roquet i was getting reaaal frequent migraines and was getting super fatigued. i started mopping more and got an air purifier, started washing all of my plastic and i felt better! i was spending like 10hours in the stu at a time tho so maybe i was just overworked lolol
Oh interesting! One person at the ceramics studio I used to be a member of used to complain about headaches too and she suspected it had to do with mold in the clay, and some people might be more sensitive to it than others. I wonder if that might have something to do with your migraines. I’m glad to hear it’s been getting better though! And I agree that in general well ventilating the space is important!
Love the setup, would also love to see the new setup from your move! What about using an IVAR storage box on wheels to store your bags of clay in? Hope your doing well.
I like the way you pronounce your name! My name is Issy which is short for Isabella but is pronounced like Izz-ee 😅 My entire life no one has ever spelt it properly or said it properly. Your videos given me such inspo too for hopeful future endeavours, so thank you ❤
I mop and wipe at the end of every session and don’t let clay dry anywhere. By cleaning as I go it’s much less work and clay dust is contained. It’s just something I’ve formed the habit to do, otherwise clay dust will accumulate rapidly. :)
I like very much the idea under the stairs, my concern is the open stairs, every time we go up or down with shoes or without always the dust goes through the open side of the stairs landing the dirt in your studio in this case....
Yes totally agree. If I had another corner around the apartment that was better suited I would’ve used it instead. Surprisingly it didn’t drop as much dust as I would’ve thought it would. But was definitely an inconvenience 😕
Hey cool space :) have u thought about cutting the legs of the stool shorter? They don’t seem too thick a handsaw could do it and they are very affordable :)
Thank you! There’s a ceiling fan that you don’t see in the video. And I open windows for some breeze. But mostly as long as I don’t let clay dry and clean surfaces regularly, there isn’t too much dust accumulation.
@@issey-roquet I'm a gameplay animator with Sony :) There's another person on my team who I think actually has their own studio and teaches workshops too. The animation/ceramics venn diagram might have a pretty large crossover!
Hello from a fellow RU-vidr and a new subbie ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ I just discovered your channel and I’m so glad about it. You are really an inspiration character and one of my dreams is to have my own studio and become a ceramic artist one day 🥹
It’s to protect your back from having to bend over to the side or backwards to see the profile of your piece. The mirror reflects at an angle so you can just gaze over at the reflection of the piece on the wheel while sitting straight. Over time it saves your back from being in uncomfortable positions for too long 😊
Thank you!! I wedge my clay on the plaster boards that I also use to reclaim. Since I didn’t have space for a table in this space I would just wedge on my knees on the floor. Not ideal but it still worked without killing my back as long as I used core strength :)
Lovely space ✨ Perfect balance between cozy, aesthetic, minimalist yet functional ! Is your first language French ? Hadn't you told us, I'd not have guessed English isn't your native language. What's your secret for no accent ?
Thank you! 🫶🏼😊 French is my first language :) how did you know?! Can you hear it? Haha I watched a lot of English TV when I was younger I think that was the ‘secret’
Though your first name is Japanese (which I've learned for years), your last name gave it away. That's how I figured it out 😉. A fellow francophone always recognizes another lol
This is such an inviting and efficient way to use your space! I think the lightness of the wood also helps to keep the area feel more open. :) Something I struggle with when I work on ceramics at home is finding a place to properly wedge my clay, because i always feel like my tables are not stable enough; do you have any tips for that?
Thank you so much Serena! That’s a good point about the lightness of the wood. In this studio I was wedging my clay on the plaster reclaim boards, so I’d have to go down on my knees to wedge on the floor, since I couldn’t have a proper table. I find that having a bit of height helps lessen the effort. Meaning I’d be using the weight of my upper body instead of just arm strength to help since I’d be on top of the wedging surface. Sometimes table surfaces are too tall so a lot of our effort is coming more from the side than downwards. I would have to push the plaster board against a corner or wall though so it wouldn’t slide on the floor though. Not the best. It was just good enough for such a little space. Ideally a large heavy wooden table would be great. Some workshop style tables or kitchen island tables have storage space under the table. I wonder if putting heavy buckets filled with water, reclaimed clay or boxes of clay under the table would help keep it sturdy enough. Just to bring the center of gravity of the table lower. So it isn’t as too heavy. And maybe also have it pushed against a wall. I’m still figuring out the wedging situation in my new space so if I find any ideas I’ll let you know! :) Thank you for asking this btw! It’s helped me think about it more and get ideas haha
@@issey-roquet thank you so much for responding!! You're totally right about a sturdy wooden table with some sort of weight undeneath. I find myself often wedging on the garage floor since it's bare cement.... the table would just shake too much 😅 definitely good for lessening the effort as you mentioned, but not always the most practical. Anyway, I'm excited to see what you're new studio space is like, so please update us when you can! ☺️
