The Paint Pottle, home

Pottery painting, Tuesday to Saturday

Visiting the studio

Pottery painting can be enjoyed by the whole family, from toddlers to grandparents.

Tuesday to Saturday10am–12pm and 2pm–4pm

Shelves of plain white bisque teapots, bowls, mugs and plates waiting to be painted
Fig. 1 Plain bisque, waiting to be chosen.
  • Sessions10am–12pm
    2pm–4pm
  • DaysTuesday to Saturday
  • Each session2 hours
  • Ready to collectIn a week or two

Your visit

Five steps to your finished Pottle

From booking to collecting, here’s how a visit works. Each session is 2 hours, and your finished Pottle is ready in a week or two.
  1. Step 1 of 5 · Before you come

    Book your spot

    We are open Tues - Sat and have two sessions to choose from: 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. Please text, call or email to book your table.

    “We will always try to accommodate you however yes we do advise booking especially on Saturdays and during holiday periods.”

  2. Step 2 of 5 · On the day

    Pick your pottery

    You will choose your pottery on the day of your visit, but please be aware our stock changes. We offer pieces to suit all ages, abilities and pockets, from animal figurines and money boxes to vases, cereal bowls, mugs and much, much more and in addition to our core range we offer seasonal pieces so there’s always something new to paint no matter how often you visit.

    Ideas before you come

    Have a little look on our Instagram or Facebook pages or browse Pinterest for ideas and inspiration before you come to the studio.

  3. Step 3 of 5 · Two hours

    We’re here to help

    Once you’re settled in a member of the Pottle team will briefly talk you through the process of painting your piece. Whether you’re a total beginner or a bit of a pottery expert we’re on hand throughout your visit to help you realise your design, talk technique and troubleshoot too. In addition to our basic range of coloured glazes, brushes and sponges, we offer a selection of specialist glazes and tools to help you create unique, beautiful designs.

    Tips before you paint

    1. Roughly draft your design onto the pottery with felt tips - they are water based so burn away in the kiln and don’t interfere with the paints or glaze.

    2. We recommend you paint 3 layers of each colour for a nice even and opaque finish especially large areas or if you are layering colours.

    3. Use our fun colour guides to check the final colour of your pottery - the paints dry much paler than they are going to look when fired.

    4. If you go wrong, with the kinds of paints we use, you can wipe off mistakes.

  4. Step 4 of 5 · While you paint

    Relax and create!

    Creativity shouldn’t be stressful so we’ve done everything we can to make your visit to us as relaxing as possible. We usually have a range of teas and cafetière coffees available to order and enjoy as you paint, and books and jigsaws to keep speedy little painters entertained while parents finish up.

    Fig. 2 A cup of tea and a half-painted pot.
  5. Step 5 of 5 · A week or two later

    All done?

    When you’ve completed your masterpiece we’ll take it backstage to dip glaze and fire in our on-site kiln. The whole process takes a week or two (at very busy times it may be just a little longer but we’ll always let you know if there’s likely to be a delay). Along with payment for your pieces we’ll take a phone number so we can text or call you when your finished Pottle is ready for collection.

    Fig. 3 Glazed, fired, and a text to say it’s ready.

Sessions & booking

Two sessions, five days a week

Tuesday to Saturday10am–12pm and 2pm–4pm

Morning

10am–12pm2 hours

Afternoon

2pm–4pm2 hours
  • We can also arrange evening sessions if you have a group of 8 or more interested painters. Ask about an evening
Eight brightly glazed plates, each painted with a black-and-white patterned elephant
Fig. 4 Eight glazes, one patterned elephant.
Blue bubble-glazed plates, each painted with an orange-haired mermaid
Fig. 5 A table of matching mermaids.

Book your table

Planning ahead? We’ll write the email for you
Which session? (optional)

Morning 10am–12pm or afternoon 2pm–4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

How many painters?
2 painters

Hi Claire, I’d like to book a table for 2 painters. Thank you!

Email this request

Choosing a session doesn’t book it: we’ll confirm by phone, text or email.

Good to know

Questions, answered

Still got a question? Call or text 07543 112554.

Do I need to book?

“We will always try to accommodate you however yes we do advise booking especially on Saturdays and during holiday periods.” Please text, call or email to book your table.

When are you open?

Tuesday to Saturday, with two sessions: 10am–12pm and 2pm–4pm. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Do I have to be good at art?

“You don’t have to be an artist to create a Pottle masterpiece, Claire and her friendly team are ready with top tips and cheeky cheats to help you to create something to be treasured for years to come.”

When can I collect my pottery?

“The whole process takes a week or two (at very busy times it may be just a little longer but we’ll always let you know if there’s likely to be a delay).” We’ll text or call you when it’s ready.

Do you open in the evening?

“We try to open once a month 7-9pm - follow our social media for these dates. We can also arrange evening sessions if you have a group of 8 or more interested painters.” See What’s on for Pizza & Pottery, or ask about an evening session.

Where are you and where do I park?

Inside The Village, 65 St Mary’s Road, LE16 7DS, next to Symington’s Recreation Ground. Council car parks are 1 to 6 minutes’ walk away. A session is 2 hours, so choose a long-stay car park (Symington’s Recreation Ground or St Mary’s Road East) or a 3-hour ticket. How to find us.

Do you do gift vouchers?

Yes: eGift cards from £10 to £100, valid for 6 months from purchase, and “we can arrange for an experience gift voucher” for workshops. “Vouchers are designed for one use only and cannot be sold on.” Buy a gift card or ask about an experience voucher.

All frequently asked questions

Book a table

Tuesday to SaturdayTwo sessions: 10am–12pm and 2pm–4pm.

Planning ahead? We’ll write the email for you
Which session? (optional)

Morning 10am–12pm or afternoon 2pm–4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

How many painters?
2 painters

Hi Claire, I’d like to book a table for 2 painters. Thank you!

Email this request

Choosing a session doesn’t book it: we’ll confirm by phone, text or email.

We do advise booking, especially on Saturdays and during holiday periods.