Imaginary Friends Ceramics Workshop in Porto

Imaginary friends ceramics workshop in Porto at Terra Boa Atelier for anyone who has ever wanted to give physical form to something that only existed in their head. Led by Joana Nogueira under her ceramic identity Não Sou Rita, this three-hour session invites you to sculpt and paint your own imaginary creature or friend from scratch, moving from clay preparation through modelling and sculpting all the way to engobe painting and character finishing. Illustrated books are available throughout for inspiration. Open to ages 12 and over, maximum fifteen participants, no prior experience needed. Just good humour and a willingness to bring your imaginary world to life.

The session follows the full ceramic process from the beginning. You start by preparing the ceramic clay, learning how it behaves and how to work with it confidently before moving into the modelling and sculpting phase, where your imaginary friend begins to take shape. Whether your creature is wildly fantastical or quietly understated is entirely up to you. The finishing stage uses engobes to add colour, personality and life to your creation. Pieces are stored at the atelier for drying, firing and glazing and ready for collection from one month after the workshop. Participants are notified when their pieces are ready and have up to three months to collect.

What you’ll learn

🐾 How to prepare ceramic clay and understand how the material behaves

🐾 Hand modelling and sculpting techniques for building original three-dimensional characters

🐾 How to develop and give form to an imaginary creature from your own imagination

🐾 Engobe painting techniques to add colour and personality to your creation

🐾 The full ceramic process from raw clay to fired and glazed finished piece

What’s included

🎨 All clay, tools and materials for the full three-hour session

🎨 Full guidance from Joana Nogueira throughout

🎨 Illustrated books for inspiration and character development

🎨 Drying, firing and glazing of your finished piece after the workshop

🎨 Notification when your piece is ready for collection

What you leave with

A fired and glazed ceramic imaginary friend or creature, sculpted and painted entirely from your own imagination, ready to collect from one month after the session.

I am Joana Nogueira, a multidisciplinary visual artist and educator based in Porto since 2012. I work between ceramics and animation cinema, building worlds populated by hybrid characters that cross imagination, humour and personal memory. My ceramic project operates under the identity Não Sou Rita, where play, irony and creative freedom are central. I founded Terra Boa Atelier in Porto in 2020, where I develop my own work and teach ceramics. My work is present in shops and exhibition spaces across Portugal, Europe and the USA.

Duration three hours. Open to ages 12 and over. Maximum 15 participants. Pieces ready for collection from one month after the workshop, with up to three months to collect.