Sylvie

Here are some pictures to give you some ideas on your own pottery.


Jennifer Sonnenberg, Thesis



Erin Wicks



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/2808899079_b48851d776.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/2960192530_6ceca61da5.jpg?v=0

http://turkeymerck.com/images/pottery%20pics%201871.jpg

Where does clay come from?
Clay comes from the ground. It is literally mud. However, the clay we use comes from a store that imports it from various parts of North America. It goes through a slight purification process in order to make it easier for handling & firing. -Also there are no earthworms or bugs in it! But it is possible to fire clay from your own backyard! It just is not as smooth to work with and very brittle when fired.

Why do we "wedge" clay before we use it?
We wedge and give our clay a good smash before creating our masterpieces in order to work out possible air bubbles that may be in it. If there is an air bubble in our final product, it will explode when fired.

What does it mean to fire clay? Why do we do this?
Clay has to be "fired" or cooked in a special oven called a kiln. It is capable of reaching 1800 degrees or more. Usually it is fired for at least 10 to 12 hours for the first stage called "bisque" firing. This stage will make the clay more permanent, give it that ceramic feel and sound, and prepare it for glazing.

What is glazing?
Glazing refers to the act of applying "glaze" to clay. Glaze is a liquid composed of special pigments and other chemicals that when fired, will undergo an incredible change. Bisqued pieces can be dipped in glaze that is made in bulk or hand painted with a brush for fine detail. The piece is then fired again in the kiln where the glaze undergoes its beautiful metamorphosis. There is a chemical reaction to the glass in the glaze and the final result is a glass film coating over the piece.

http://www.artawakening.com/perry/raku.html

Below are examples of how to begin a hand made "pinch pot". See attached link for further details.
Also see final product above and further links.

http://www.geocities.com/mudman456/techniques/pinchpot/pinchpot.html

Before people had access to a potter's wheel, bowls and pots would be made by hand. The principle is virtually the same. A hunk of clay is rotated - as it would be with the wheel, only in a hand made "pinch pot" one hand acts as the potters wheel by rotating the clay as the other hand creates a whole in the center and gently pinches the walls of the potential vessel. The process is a slow motion creation but the end result has a very "earthy" feel. Hand made bowls can be a variety of shapes and designs and are not as symmetrical as thrown bowls. This can have a unique and appealing look

Sylvie

Ever wonder what it's like throwing clay? Watch this video of me throwing a bowl as I explain step by step what to do!

While throwing a bowl there are many tools that can be used. A good sponge is always a necessity of coure to keep the clay wet. There are ribs, which are wooden or metal. The wooden one is used to its stability and the metal ones are used for their flexibility. There are also rubber ribs, which are used as a finishing tool. They are usually used for the interior of bowls to create a soft, smooth surface.

When you are done with a piece, let it dry with a piece of plastic over it. Do NOT let it completly dry of else you will not be able to trim your piece. This is known as bone dry. The piece needs to be cool to the touch and no longer wet. There are many loop tools of different shapes and sizes. Depending on the size of your piece, different loop tools will have to be used.

Gabrielle

Here are a few examples of some tiles I created. They are created with a low fire clay and low fire glazes. I fire them at home in my studio. We have a large electric kiln which fires everything evenly. We used to use a gas kiln, but it was very difficult firing - especially on windy days. There would be a lot of inconsistencies in the glazing colors and also difficulties in maintaining proper temperatures.