sandpaper attached to a table top

A piece of sandpaper attached to a table top is an effective aid in leveling the bottoms of greenware pieces.

Ceramic Business

If you are starting your ceramic business you need to take location, marketing, design and storage into consideration. You may have found a wonderful creative outlet but business is business so craft an intelligent plan and execute. Make sure if you are not a business person that you have good advisors on issues of money, management and publicity. Reap the benefits of your own business and your own product by starting a ceramic business.

Glaze positioning

Leave at least 1/2" between all pieces when loading your kiln. Remember that the piece will expand during the firing cycle before it contracts and shrinks.

Bisque firing

Bisque firing
For a bisque fire in particular, you need to drive off the water that is left in the pot. If you fire too fast, the steam will cause the piece to explode. (This is true even if the piece is very dry, because there is still moisture inside the clay molecules.) So it is important to fire bisque slowly.
If your pieces are not completely dry, you may want to candle them first. Candling is done on a manual kiln by turning the bottom switch on low and holding it there for several hours (6-10). With an electronic kiln, you would program the kiln to remain at around 150 degrees F for this time.

Promoting yourself

If you want your work to get the recognition it deserves, promotion and publicity need to become as important to you as making the work itself. Promoting yourself and producing publicity needs to be done on a regular basis, rather than being left until the last minute. It is also useful to take advice from other practitioners or arts organisations. You may be able to share their mailing lists and contacts and collaborate on joint publicity.

Applying kiln wash

Make sure you have a good layer of kiln wash on the shelf. This is to facilitate the removal of glaze drips. Do not apply kiln wash to the sides of the kiln, or underside of the kiln shelves. The wash is likely to flake off and land on your glazed pieces.

Web promotion

General promotion
Making sure your work is included on indexes, registers and multimedia databases is a valuable form of promotion. These are accessed by a wide range of people including commissioners, agents, curators, collectors and others with work opportunities on offer.
Increasingly, visual artists are looking to the Internet and to World Wide Web pages to promote their work. Although there are still issues to resolve as regards reproduction and copyright rights, the ability to make connections across the globe to new and very large audiences has proved for some artists a risk worth taking.

Pottery Plaster

Buy plaster. When casting molds, Pottery Plaster #1 is best because the particle sizes are small and will capture detail the best. But if you can´t get this, normal Plaster of Paris will work.
Put on a dust mask when handling dry mixtures of this type.

Filling a crack

If you are filling a crack in greenware with slip, be sure to work the slip into the cracks as deeply as possible to form a solid bond. You may find using a stiff brush will help, using a back and forth movement of the bristles.

Mold lines

If you have a mold line that is difficult to remove from a piece of greenware, dampen the piece slightly. It will come off easier and lessen the chance of breakage

Glazes

Ceramic glazes are a fascinating combination of chemistry and art and can be dangerous if not handled with care and experience. There are so may iterations of ceramic glazes that you can truly achieve any color, patina or effect that you want but take care - using metals, chemicals and other components can be dangerous - especially in your home and without proper containment or protective gear. Still, have fun finding your signature glaze and making your ceramic piece stand out from the rest.

Thin pieces

When glazing a thin piece, glaze the inside, making sure you don´t over apply, as the thin walls will absorb a lot of glaze, then wait for it to dry thoroughly before glazing the outside. Otherwise the clay may be saturated and glaze won´t absorb and stick to the outside. Some people wait overnight.

Clay Storage

Clay Storage
Ageing of clays improves its plasticity and you will need an area to store at least one month's supply of clay so that you can allow your clay stocks to age effectively. This area is ideally placed between the clay preparation area and the production area. The clay store is best if it is dark and damp as this encourages the development of the necessary souring bacteria. The clay must be kept from drying out.

Ceramics Decoration

Once you have the piece you want and have completed the necessary processing, you are ready for ceramics decoration. There are so many styles to choose from that you may want to start simple and develop your own unique style after some experience. Glazes run the gamut from the simple to the sublime using chemicals, metals and other compounds to achieve incredible results. The most important part of ceramics decoration - have fun!

The Kiln Area

The Kiln Area
Locate the kiln as close as possible to the workshop. Have plenty of space to store kiln furniture and door bricks, and room to put pots when packing and unloading the kiln. Ventilation is of major importance in the kiln area, and an outside kiln is a good idea. The area should be free of rubbish. Fuel tanks, burners, flues and dampers should be readily accessible.

To avoid pitting and pinholes

To avoid pitting and pinholes in your glaze, be sure that your greenware is free of dust before applying glaze. A damp sponge will help to do the job.

For Bisque

Make sure your pieces are dry before loading them into the kiln. Pieces that are still wet will feel cool when placed on your cheek. Wet ware can blow up in the kiln, as the water inside the clay expands.

Practice

Practice makes perfect when learning brush strokes. Experiment a bit of applying different pressure to your brush tip to learn the effects different pressures have.
When using your brush the more pressure you exert, the fatter the lines will be and the more colour you will lay down.
When loading your brush you should remember that you do not load a dry brush. When using water base colours, always dampen the bristles first before loading with colour.

The wonders of Glycerin

A few drops of glycerin (from the Chemist/drugstore) added to engobes, stains, oxides and slips slows drying time and increases workability.

Working on greenware

Be sure your hands are clean while working on greenware. Any kind of hand cream may cause stains or hard spots on fired ware.

Ceramic Brushes

Having quality ceramic brushes can make the difference between getting the result you want and frustrating creative failure. The paintings on your ceramics are what makes them stand out and gives them life. You should find out about the different kind of brushes available and how to care and preserve your brushes - especially those that you enjoy using the most. Learn about ceramic brushes and techniques here at ceramics.lifetips.com.

Alternative brushes

You can find animal tails in fishing and hunting stores, sold as inexpensive lures. Use these to make handmade brushes. Chicken and bird feathers can make interesting brushes as well.

Not reaching temperature

If you are having trouble getting your kiln to reach temperature, or the firing is taking extra long, the first thing to check is the power. If your kiln is too far from the breaker box, you may be getting voltage drops. Or if it is a hot, summer day when everyone is running their air conditioning, the voltage on your line is probably low. Speak to your electricty supplier about the best times to fire for optimum efficiency.

Loading glaze to stop bleeding

If you have a vent, you don´t have to worry about colors bleeding from one piece onto another. If you don´t fire with a vent this can be a problem, so you might want to segregate colors while loading

Peep holes: uses

Peep holes in your kiln are used for observing the firing process so that you can see when the cone bends and when it is time to turn the kiln off if you do not have an automatic shut off.
Peep holes have a secondary function in that they draw oxygen into the kiln, preventing reduction, and carry off smoke and water vapour.

Coat coverage

Usually one coat coverage of a piece with opaque stains is all that is necessary. You might find, however, that lighter colours require two. If you are trying to cover a darker colour with a lighter shade, you may need several coats.

Gas kiln ignition

Never ignite a gas kiln without opening the door a
short way first. Accumulated gas can ignite and
explode. Opening the door allows igniting gas to
escape.

Mending

To effectively use greenware mender, it is best to dampen both sides of a break with water and then apply a liberal amount of the mender to both sides of the break. It will form a bond in a few seconds.

Levelling your kiln

Your floor may not be level but a kiln must be for proper firing. If necessary you can add shims under the legs of the stand to make it balance properly.

Bisque and gloss

There are two main stages in firing a clay object. The first stage, known as biscuit firing, converts clay into a permanent, porous material with the handling properties necessary for glaze application. The second stage, known as gloss firing, melts the glaze onto the pot.

Clay choice

Clay bodies are usually suited to certain types of work. A smooth clay which works very well on the potter´s wheel may have cracking problems when we try to handbuild with it. Large sculptures are usually built with very stiff coarse clay which would be unuseable for most other purposes. The temperature to which we´ll be firing our work and the fired color and texture we desire will also dictate what kind of clay body we choose to work with.

Computer images

• Images on computer disk – some visual artists are putting their work on computer disk both as an art distribution method and to use for publicity purposes. Subject to compatibility, images can then be used immediately in visual arts magazines.

Kiln care/floor

If the floor of your kiln has some rough spots caused from chipping off glaze drippings you can patch it with a special cement. You may also want to place an extra shelf in the bottom for protection.

A good teapot

To see whether a teapot is good or not, one of the many indicators is flipping the teapot over and see whether the mouth of the sprout, the opening on the body and the handle are at the same height, thus the teapot should be able to stand firmly on the table upside down. However, this rule does not apply on some teapot shapes that are unusual. It applies to most conventional shapes though.

Labelling Glazes

Label glaze containers with the contents, firing temperature, and any risks the materials might present to the user, always use lidded containers and store glazes away from children.

Mid firing cycle trouble shooting

If you hear something fall in your kiln while firing or if you think it is working abnormally, turn it off immediately. Wait until the kiln has cooled to the touch and open and inspect.

Kiln wash: not to´s

Never apply kiln wash to the sidewalls, lid or bottom of shelves, as it will fall off during firing and ruin your glazed ware.

Use

Cones are slender pyramids composed of ceramic materials used to determine the combined effect of temperature and time, which is sometimes called ‘heat-work'.
Clays and glazes are fired to different points referred to by their cone equivalent or number.

Handbuilt Ceramics

You don´t have to throw pots to be a successful ceramic artist. Handbuilding your figuring, pot or plate can yield beautiful and unusual results. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced potter, handbuilding offers a wonderful creative opportunity and you can discover tips and techniques for your handbuilt ceramics project at ceramics.lifetips.com.

Black spots in glaze

If after firing, you discover some black specks in your glaze, it may be caused by the use of a dirty brush, greenware, bisque or other tools you have used. Your kiln, if dirty can cause this as well.

Primary clays

Primary Clays Primary clays are clays that are found in the same spot as the parent rock (various types of granite), from which the clay originated. This means that the clay hasn´t been moved by water, glaciers or other forces of nature. Most primary clays can be classified as kaolins. Kaolin is fairly non-plastic (difficult to shape) so it is never used on its own. It is also highly refractory, which means that it doesn´t melt or fuse until a high temperature range, notably around 3,200o F (1760o C). Because kaolin is white, is usually used in white clays, such as porcelain.

Repair sealer runs

You can fix Sealer runs. Use the same thinner as you use for cleanup and gently wipe back the run. Be sure to use a cloth that will not leave fiber, as this will stick to the piece.

What is a Waster?

Waster: Pots which are rejected because of some fault which has become apparent after firing.
In Cast ceramics a waster is the extra of the mold that is cut off.

Composition of the eye

No matter how well the decoration appears on a finished figurine, poorly painted features will ruin the effect.
It is important to understand the composition of the eye when painting features.

Ceramic Glossary

If you are just starting out with ceramics you may find the technical jargon intimidating. Look through our Ceramic Glossary and Ceramic Terms to learn about the craft, tools and techniques of ceramics. Learn from our ceramics guru about the business, art and production of high quality ceramics.

New kiln

The first few firings of a new kiln should not be glazed pieces. It may take a couple of firings to get all the moisture and vapors out of the kiln from the manufacturing process.

Hobby Ceramics

Although labor intensive and hardware intense, ceramics can still make a wonderful hobby. Check with your local college, junior college or adult education center and take a course in throwing pots or in hobby ceramics and get a feel for whether this hobby is right for you. If it is, look for a gently used pottery wheel and a local kiln you can use and get started! There is nothing like finding a hobby to give you the creative outlet you need.

Firing Ceramics

If your piece is going to last, be glazed or be of any use, it must be fired. Using kilns, firing, getting access to a kiln can be a complicated issue. Learn about firing your piece, getting your piece fired and ensuring that you are firing your piece or pieces properly at ceramics.lifetips.com.

Testing for toxicity

Testing for toxicity:
Toxic or hazardous materials can also be ingested by the contamination of food by toxic metals released from fired ware. Pottery for domestic use should be tested for metal release and conform to British Standard: 4800 parts 1&2 (Part 2 is for cooking only). Most pottery suppliers will arrange for this test to be carried out.

What is overglaze/lustre?

Overglaze refers to the group of colours which are applied to a previously glazed and fired surface.

Electronic controller tips

Some people wonder if it is ok to fire a kiln during very cold weather. It is, but Skutt in particular recommends warming the Electronic Controller (if you have one) to at least 40 degrees F with a space heater or hair dryer. Your kiln will have to work a little longer to get to temperature.

Ceramic History

Ceramics have a long and interesting history because it is a medium that combines art and utility. From the richest to the poorest, everyone had ceramics and many created ceramics whether to carry water or as a piece of art to be admired. Ceramic history also offers important information about the development of humans and about the earth and clay that comes from it. By studying the history of ceramics, you can see much of the history of man.

Glaze flow

Some glazes do flow more than others during firing, but it is impossible as a beginner to know which ones do and don't. You will have to rely on the knowledge of your teacher. Though a common rule of thumb is: the thicker and more varied the application the greater the tendency to run.

Clay Bodies

When you begin working with ceramics it becomes quickly evident that clay is at the center of everything. Not only the quality of your clay bodies but how you store your clay, how you prepare your clay for throwing and the different kinds of clay available for different ceramics projects. Learn what to avoid with our clay body tips at ceramics.lifetips.com.

Ceramics Molds

A method of creating ceramics other than throwing a pot on a potters wheel or handbuilding is using ceramics molds. This is an especially good method if you are planning to create a set of pieces that should match one another. Using molds can be tricky so you should do research and get some good tips on using ceramics molds.

Ensure the right clay, glaze, fire

The worst thing you can do is fire low fire clay or glazes at high fire. The clay and/or glaze will melt all over your kiln and can cause major damage! If you have both low fire and high fire materials in your studio, you might want to mark your pieces differently on the bottom so you don´t forget and get them mixed up!

To remove a stuck lid

If the lid of a teapot is stuck after firing, you can try this method: Fill the pot about 1/4 with water then put in the freezer. When the water has frozen, let it thaw slightly and then thump against the lid. If the lid is not fused, it may come off.

Positive Quotes

Need a pick me up? Check out the positive quotes offered by our ceramics guru here at ceramics.lifetips.com.

Ceramics Links

There are many online ceramic suppliers, ceramic businesses and ceramic artists available to the professional or hobby ceramic artist. Check out some terrific ceramic links on ceramic.lifetips.com.