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3-Month Advanced Certification Course
Take your pottery to an advanced level in three immersive months at Soil to Soul Ceramics in Kochi, Kerala. This certification course is a comprehensive, hands-on programme covering handbuilding, wheel throwing, surface decoration, glazing and alternative firing techniques ( Raku). You work in a small group of no more than 6 students, live at the studio in a private room, and finish with a portfolio of your own ceramic work.
Upcoming dates: Jun 7 – Aug 29, 2027
Residential price: ₹3,00,000 (about USD 3,166) + 5% GST, private micro studio room included
Non-residential: email info@soiltosoulceramics.com for pricing
Duration: 3 months ( 12 Weeks)
Level: [Advanced: confirm the prerequisite, for example prior experience in wheel throwing and handbuilding]
Group size: Maximum 6 students
Certificate: Certificate of completion from Soil to Soul Ceramics: confirm wording
Residential price: ₹[add] (about USD [add]) + 5% GST, private micro studio room included
Non-residential: email hello@soiltosoulceramics.com for pricing
Firing and glazing included: [add number of pieces] pieces
Studio days: Monday to Friday, 10:30 AM to 6 PM (includes a 1.5-hour lunch and tea break) [confirm same as the 8-week course]
With teacher: 10:30 AM to [2 PM]
Independent practice: 3 PM to 6 PM, with a brief check by your teacher
Open practice: the studio is open all 7 days, 10:30 AM to 6 PM
This course is for potters who have already learnt the basics and want to go deeper: committed hobbyists, art and design students, teachers, studio potters and career changers. You will build confidence with larger forms, learn to mix and apply your own glazes, and try the exciting surface effects of raku and obvara firing.
Handbuild larger vessels and sculptural pots
Throw confidently on the wheel with up to 800 g and then up to 1 kg of clay
Make vases, bowls, plates, lidded jars and pourers, with well-judged rims, bases and details
Decorate with sgraffito, carving, texture and more complex surface finishes
Understand basic glaze theory, and mix and apply glazes
Take part in raku firing, including white crackle and metallic or lustre glazes
Create surfaces with obvara firing, horsehair decoration and burnishing
Build a portfolio of your own ceramic work
Lay the groundwork for everything that follows.
Clay and hands: prepare your clay and learn basic handbuilding techniques
At the wheel: centre, open and pull walls
Make it useful: create simple functional forms with both handbuilding and the wheel
Surface play: sgraffito, carving and texturing
Know your clay: understand clay stages, drying and preparation for firing
You leave Month 1 with: a solid base of technique and your first decorated pieces
Refine your forms until they feel balanced and confident.
Build bigger: advanced handbuilding techniques and larger vessel construction
At the wheel: throw with up to 800 g of clay
Make a collection: vases, bowls, plates, lidded jars and pourers
Refine every detail: proportions, rims, bases and functional details
Richer surfaces: develop more complex surfaces and decorative finishes
You leave Month 2 with: a body of well-made, well-finished forms
Go bigger, add colour and fire like never before.
Throw taller: wheel throwing with up to 1.2 kg of clay
Think large: Design a large-scale handbuilding and sculptural pot construction
Glaze know-how: basic glaze theory, glaze mixing & preperation of 1 base glaze and application techniques
Alternative firing: an introduction to alternative firing methods and their surface effects
Raku firing: prepare, apply and fire white crackle and metallic or lustre glazes
Obvara, horsehair and burnishing: create dramatic surfaces with obvara firing, horsehair decoration and burnished finishes
Evaluate your work: apply alternative finishes to your pieces and review the results with your teacher
You leave Month 3 with: advanced skills, finished pieces with striking surfaces and a portfolio to be proud of
You will have practical skills in handbuilding, wheel throwing, surface decoration, glaze preparation and application, kiln processes and alternative firing techniques, and a portfolio of your own ceramic work.
Private micro studio room with a kitchenette (mini fridge, induction plate, basic utensils), drying racks, air conditioning, water geyser, single bed, study table, wardrobe and bathroom. Self-service laundry is on site. Rooms are cleaned on request and sheets are changed every Wednesday and Saturday.
Included: stay, mentorship, workshops, studio practice, materials, firing and glazing of 12 pieces, certificate of completion and guidance on building your portfolio
Not included: travel to and from Kochi, meals, shipping and personal expenses
Extra: firing of additional pieces at ₹[80] per 100g, and shipping (varies by address)
You’d like to become a serious, selling ceramic artist
You want to open your own pottery studio
You’d like to become a pottery teacher or instructor
You’ve worked in a creative field before — design, art, craft, or otherwise
The 8-week course covers every ceramics fundamental and moves into advanced practice, including throwing up to 1kg and basic electric kiln firing. The advanced certification course goes further into larger and more refined forms, glaze mixing & preperation and alternative firing methods including raku and obvara, and ends with a portfolio and certificate.
Raku is a fast firing method that produces unique surfaces such as white crackle and metallic or lustre glazes. You prepare, apply and fire these glazes during Month 3 with your teacher.
These are alternative surface techniques that create striking, one-of-a-kind finishes. You learn each of them in Month 3.
You will receive a certificate of completion from Soil to Soul Ceramics
No more than 6 students
Yes. Email hello@soiltosoulceramics.com for non-residential pricing.
Check the official Indian e-visa website for rules that apply to your country and the length of stay before you book. We can provide a course letter on request.
At Soil to Soul Ceramics, we offer hands-on pottery experiences where you can learn, create, and enjoy working with clay.
Girinagar 8th cross road Kadavanthra, Ernakulam, Kochi
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