mug questions....?

i'm really trying to get going here and start making some mugs of my own. i was curious if anyone has some suggestions on the first step of sculpting. i've done a fair amount before, and i've gotten some good tips on carving from a completely different source.
if i make a sweet sculpt, is there any way i can ship it off to someone else to have them make a mold and everything for it? i don't know how much i trust myself with all the steps that follow the sculpting process. hahhaha!

I know nothing about making mugs but suggest you make very small numbered and signed runs, 50 each, and charge a ridiculous amount for them. $500.00 each.

O.k. I was just kidding.

Nevermind Bohemiann, he's just jealous because he has to BUY all of his mugs :)

Kiyosai, I'm no artist but I have made a few mugs with the help of some great people on this board. Here are a couple of great threads to get you started:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=28065&forum=18
By Babalu & Bowana. Lots of great info on mold making and some info about making a clay master.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=18329&forum=18&start=30
Here's an older thread by HMC. He went as far as to create a silcone master from his clay sculpt. Unless you plan on making hundred of mugs from the same design, that's probably not needed.

Network with local ceramics artists, even if they are not tikiphiles. I spoke with an instructor at my local Jr College (do you have those in Canada?), if you have a local ceramics supply store talk to them. Read a book or two. I called artists I knew who did not do ceramics and asked them if they knew any ceramics artists. I found a person who would fire my mugs for $40 a kiln-load, I found an awesome Tiki Central mentor (Babalu) in my area who fired several mugs for me for free, then I bought a small used kiln for $150.

Slipcasting is well within the reach of anyone with a little creativity and a little mechanical ability, I say go for it!

i actually went into a few ceramics places here in town, and beyond being just a complete joke, they wouldn't even talk to me. which is why i was looking into something outside of the city. not a bad idea with the community colleges, though.
and 500 a pop, eh? if that's u.s dollars, that's like 8,000,000 canadian, right?

Canada's a big place... where exactly are you?