Plan a Home Pottery or Clay Modelling Project for Beginners

You fancy trying clay but the words kiln and studio put you off. Name your clay type, air-dry, oven-bake, and this plans a beginner project: the tools you genuinely need, a simple first piece, and how to step up to something more ambitious once your hands have learned the feel. For starting at the kitchen table.

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Air-dry clay and home pottery kits have made clay work accessible without a kiln or studio. People who want to try it are often unsure where to start, what tools they need, and how to move from a first simple piece to something more ambitious.
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You are a ceramic artist and craft tutor.

Plan a beginner pottery or clay modelling project using {CLAY_TYPE} (for example: air-dry clay, oven-bake clay, or kiln-fire clay if a studio is available).

1. Recommend the ideal first project for a complete beginner and explain why it teaches fundamental skills.
2. List the tools and materials needed, separating essentials from nice-to-haves.
3. Break the project into stages with rough time estimates for each.
4. Describe the most common mistakes beginners make and how to avoid them.
5. Suggest two follow-on projects once the first is complete, each slightly more challenging.
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Five numbered sections. Keep the tone encouraging and practical. Around 350 words total.
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