Question:
What are ceramics
Pottery
Pottery, clay that is chemically altered and permanently hardened by firing in a kiln. The nature and type of pottery, or ceramics (Greek keramos,”potter's clay”), is determined by the composition of the clay and the way it is prepared; the temperature at which it is fired; and the glazes used.
Burnishing
Burnishing for a Blackfire
The technique of burnishing pottery can be traced back to ancient times.
Burnishing involves no more than rubbing the clay surface with a smooth tool to produce a mirror-smooth surface. In reality it has a compressing effect on the clay particles. It can be done when the clay surface is leather hard and up untilit is almost completely dry. Most clays are suitable for burnishing although the finer the clay the smoother the burnished surface.
Suitable tools for burnishing include: Smooth rounded beach pebbles, The convex side of metal spoons and smooth knife handles. After the pot is smooth, draw your design with lead pencil then scratch around design with a knife. Designs can either be geometric or organic. Once the pot has been blackfired it can be left without further treatment or polished with oils to enhance the shine.
Description
Making your own pieces
Oven-bake, air-dry, or polymer clay. These also do not require use of a kiln. They either air-dry or are baked in a standard oven. Due to expense, they are best used for small items such as jewellery, ornaments, etc. The oven and air dry clays are similar in look and feel to normal clay. Polymer clay comes in many bright colours (kind of like play doh!), and can be made into beautiful designs which become plastic-like when fired.
Decorating with paint
1. Decorating already made pieces.
Bisque painting with paints. You can buy bisque pieces, and paint them with acrylic paints and sealer. This will not hold up to functional use as dinnerware, but is fine for decorative pieces. This would make the most sense for someone who can paint intricate designs, or wants to practice such. It takes very little investment, just the bisque pieces, some paints, and a brush. There are books with designs that you can copy if you need inspiration. And every issue Popular Ceramics magazine has projects for painting.
Ceramics Description
ceramics
Objects made from clay, hardened into a permanent form by baking (firing) at very high temperatures in a kiln. Ceramics are used for building construction and decoration (bricks, tiles), for specialist industrial uses (linings for furnaces used to manufacture steel, fuel elements in nuclear reactors, and so on), and for plates and vessels used in the home.
Read my entire article on "Ceramics Description and history" in the Articles section on this site
Or go to:
http://www.ceramics-tips.com/RscArticleV.asp?id=374
Ceramics Frequently Asked Questions
What precautions should I take in the studio?
How do I fire an electric kiln?
What are some stoneware glazes?
What Precautions when using dry ingredients?
How do I apply opaque stains ?
What should I keep in mind when designing my studio?
What tools do I need to start potting?
How do I best promote myself and my work?
What safety aspect should I keep in mind when working with glazes?
What should I remember when firing the kiln?
How do I best publicise my business?
How do I make a simple plaster mold?
How do I fire overglazes/lustres?
How do I create fine feature lines?
How and when sholuld I apply underglazes?
Are they Water or oil base stains?
Are any two kilns are exactly alike?
Can I use sand to stop glaze running onto shelves
Does greenware need to be dry before loading?
What is the history of the Potter´s Wheel?
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What is Celadon (Cheong-Ja) - the Stuff of Kings?
What is an overglaze marbleizer?
Is there a trick toThrowing Porcelain?
What are some stoneware glazes?
What are some good tools for decoration?
How do I apply texture to my piece?
Do I need kiln wash for bisque?
How do I refire a glazed piece ?
What must I remember when Raku firing?
How do I add decoration to my ceramics?
How do I care for my elements?
Does over firing produce poor colour in coloured glaze?s
What are some Black Firing Tips and Tricks?
What is the safest way to pack my ceramics?
How do I do a reduction firing?
automatic kiln sitter, should I trust it?
What are some tips for draining a mold?
What safety measures should I take with Raku Firing?
How do I attach a bat to the wheelhead?
What tools do I need for ceramics
What are suggested plate clay weights?
What do I need to get started?
What tools do I need to make a coil pot
How do I fire ceramic bisque ?
How do I recycle batches of clay quickly
What is the correct firing time?
How to I prepare and make slabs?
What materials are toxic in Ceramics?
Can Crackle glazes be used for food?
How do I avoid S cracks in wheel thrown ware
How do I get the press onside?
What are the Approx. firing times?
Ho do I avoid pitting and pinholes?
How do I decorate my ceramics?
How do I Bisque fire in an electric kiln?
How do I decorate my ceramics?
How do I apply crackle glazes ?
What effects can I achieve with a brush?
How do I Drain small pour holes?
How do I care for my new Kiln?
can I draw directly onto a piece?
How do I fire different bodies?
What is the humming in my new kiln?
What should I remember when firing a new kiln?
how do I get the best results in glazing?
How do I prevent dirt on my greenware?
How do I accomodate Clay Storage in my studio?
How do I prevent sagging during firing?
How do I load my brush for applying underglaze?
Why should I use pottery plaster?
How do I prevent glazes from settling ?
How do I create a woodtone effect?
What are some Doing well Quotes?
How do I care for my elements?
How do I store my throwing tools?
What is the history of Ceramics?
Why do I get black spots in my glaze?
How do I load my kiln for a glaze firing?
| Guru Spotlight |
| Jolyn Wells-Moran |
