Creating porcelain sculptures is a rewarding yet delicate art form, but beginners often stumble over avoidable errors. One major mistake is rushing the drying process—uneven drying leads to cracks or warping. Always let clay dry slowly and evenly. Another pitfall is skipping wedging, which traps air bubbles and causes explosions during firing. Beginners also frequently underestimate the importance of uniform thickness; variations above ¼ inch risk thermal shock in the kiln.

Glazing errors plague newcomers too—applying glaze to the sculpture’s base causes it to fuse to kiln shelves. Use wax resist or stilts. Lastly, impatience with test firings leads to ruined pieces. Always test new clay bodies and glazes at your kiln’s specific temperature. Mastering these fundamentals separates fragile failures from enduring artworks.