Ceramics with Floral Imprints: Make Functional Tableware
A course by Hessa Al AjmaniVisual Artist and Ceramicist
A course by Hessa Al Ajmani, Visual Artist and Ceramicist
Learn how to create handmade ceramic pieces and embellish them by adding natural botanical imprints
Coffee or tea tastes so much better when it’s in a mug that you made yourself, and even more so when it’s beautifully embellished with real flowers. Visual artist and ceramist Hessa Al Ajmani finds her inspiration through observation and nature, and creates pieces with handpicked flowers from the deserts and mountains of her home country, United Arab Emirates.
She’s collaborated with the brands like of Audemars Piguet, Valentino, Vogue Arabia, and Marie Claire, and she’s here to teach you how to create bespoke tableware from scratch and incorporate real botanical elements. Delve into a ceramic world and create something beautiful with your own two hands.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 15 downloads
Tools and Materials
11 minutes, 3 seconds
Technique Foundations and Making a Product Food Safe
18 minutes, 17 seconds
Plaster Mold-Making
7 minutes, 26 seconds
Finding Your Flowers and Plants
4 minutes, 24 seconds
Cutting the Slab
8 minutes, 41 seconds
Imprinting Flowers
5 minutes, 35 seconds
What's included in this course?
Meet Hessa, visual artist, ceramicist, and your teacher for this course. She talks you through her creative journey that led her to found Clay Corner Studio in Ajman and how her work has evolved over the years. Then hear about her influences and her sources of inspiration.
Get an overview of the materials needed and see how to prepare your workspace. Hessa then introduces you to fundamental pottery-making techniques before learning about important safety considerations when making food-safe products. Learn how to make your own plaster forms and molds with just two ingredients. Then, explore different types of leaves and wildflowers that work best with clay.
Time to start building! First, see how to roll out and cut the clay according to the shape of the desired tableware. Next, learn how to carefully imprint your botanical elements. Then, Hessa demonstrates how to form your piece by wrapping the clay on the plaster mold. Finally, assemble all the components using the score-and-slip technique. Hessa also explains the bisque firing process and how you can work with a local pottery studio to finish your creation.
Once your piece is bisque fired and ready for coloring, Hessa demonstrates how to glaze your tableware and bring it to life. She takes you step by step through the process of underglazing, clearing it to reveal the floral imprints, and sealing it to make it food-safe. Wrap up the course by seeing the final steps like glaze firing and preserving your piece.
What is this course's project?
Learn how to create a functional tableware piece with floral imprints using clay and freshly handpicked wildflowers.
Hessa makes a ceramic mug, but you are welcomed to create the item of your choice.
Who is this online course for?
This course is ideal for both experienced ceramicists and beginners alike, as Hessa covers both the basics of working with clay, and also introduces a new technique that involves using natural flowers and leaves to create imprints and designs.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, it is recommended to work in a space that is equipped with ceramic tools and facilities, such as a pottery studio.
However, Hessa explains how you can set up your own space and what materials you can start with like white clay, pottery tools, wooden boards, plaster, wildflowers, glaze, and other household items.
You will still require access to a pottery studio to fire your piece if you do not have your own kiln.
Reviews
- 3 months ago
Excellent, thorough course. The instructor covered every detail.
- 6 months ago
Hessa was amazing! She is an excellent teacher and takes time to explain why she recommends each technique. I love her philosophy and her gentle approach. I learded so much and cant wait to take the course again with clay in hand. I dont know how she managed to wear white and stay clean! I really wish he had a class for plates and bowls.
- 11 months ago
Curso maravilhoso! Inspirador! Obrigada.
- 1 year ago
Cours génial, la professeur explique très bien en mettant l'accent sur les difficultés potentielles et elle le fait avec calme et sérénité ce qui rend le cours encore plus efficace. merci
- 1 year ago
Es un curso muy interesante sobre cómo elaborar piezas con grabado de la naturaleza, su explicación paso a paso es ilustrativa y clara por la exponente.
In 2019, Hessa founded Clay Corner Studio, the first public arts studio in Ajman dedicated to ceramics and painting, where she currently teaches regular ceramics classes. Her work has been exhibited in a number of exhibitions, including Emirates Fine Arts Society’s Annual Exhibition. Hessa was twice a runner-up for ADMAF’s Creativity Award (2015-2016), and the first place winner of CDA’s Human Rights Short Film Competition (2014).
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Preparation
- Tools and Materials
- Technique Foundations and Making a Product Food Safe
- Plaster Mold-Making
- Finding Your Flowers and Plants
- U3
Creating Your Mug with Clay
- Cutting the Slab
- Imprinting Flowers
- Creating the Form
- Attaching the Components, Finishing Touches, and Firing
- U4
Glazing
- Preparing the Bisqueware
- Underglazing
- Cleaning the Excess
- Clear Glazing and Glaze Firing
- U5
Last Touches and Tips
- Accessorizing and Applications
- Care Tips and Packaging
- FP
Final project
- Ceramics with Floral Imprints: Make Functional Tableware
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this ceramics course is designed for beginners and covers foundational techniques step by step, making it accessible even if you have no prior experience with clay or ceramics.
You’ll need clay, basic pottery tools (rolling pin, cutters, rib tool), fresh leaves or flowers, plaster for molds, underglaze, glaze, and access to a kiln for firing your pieces.
You’ll learn hand-building techniques, plaster mold making, botanical imprinting, surface finishing, underglazing, safe glaze application, and how to create personalized, functional ceramicware.
You’ll learn how to select, clean, and press botanical elements into clay slabs to create detailed, textured imprints for your ceramic pieces.
Yes, a kiln is required to properly fire your ceramic pieces after shaping, imprinting, and glazing, ensuring durability and food safety.
The course teaches you to mix plaster with the correct water ratio, use templates, and construct mother molds to create consistent ceramic forms.
Yes, the focus is on creating functional ceramics, such as mugs and tableware, with unique botanical imprints and customized designs.