Ceramic Art

How To Make A Clay Wedge A clay wedge is made by folding the clay into layers (kneading clay) and working it back onto itself. First off, there are several ways to wedge clay. I will teach you the easiest way, often called the Rams Head wedging technique. It will take practice and repetition (like … Read more

Hey, did you know, one of the most crucial aspects of throwing ceramics on the wheel is getting your clay properly centered? You want the walls of your pottery to have the same thickness, and you don’t want to work too hard to achieve this, right? So let’s jump in and talk about centering clay … Read more

A variety of pottery clays can create certain types of clay bodies or a specific artifact. Earthenware clay, Stoneware clay, and Porcelain clay are the three types of clays. Each has different workability, firing, or cone temperatures, as well as porosity. These are just a few of the properties to consider when choosing clay for … Read more

Is pottery art because it dates back to ancient times and has been elaborately decorated? Take, for example, the Chinese Jun stoneware bowl (see image below). The bowl is magnificent and dates from the Jin dynasty, which ruled from 1127 to 1234. Is this, in fact, art? Isn’t this pottery? After all, it is a … Read more

There are many ways to form and shape clay bodies, turning them into a nice utilitarian piece or beautiful artwork. Most ceramic artists have their preferences whether to hand form or shape clay using wheel throwing. There is a big difference between the two methods. In this article, I’ll discuss the differences between hand building … Read more

Many years ago, I created a set of dinner plates and planter saucers to be used underneath potted plants. They came out beautifully. However, after they dried, several of them developed cracks. So naturally, I asked what caused the cracked clay and what I might do to prevent them in the future? So, as a … Read more

After Firing, What Is Clay Called? China Clay or clay is called ceramic, bisqueware, earthenware, stoneware and glazeware after firing. All terms used to describe fired clay particles. Clay is fired twice. Bisque firing is the initial firing. Ball clay is transformed from bone dry clay to bisqueware. After bisque firing, clay objects are changed … Read more

What Exactly Is A Cone Pyrometric Pack? Cone packs contain three to four clay cones. Each cone is numbered according to the Orton temperature rating. Pyrometric cones (or witness cones) should be placed in the kiln so they will not touch anything and are visible through the peephole. The cone pack can have an area … Read more

What Are Pyrometric Cones? For more than a century, pyrometric cones or pyrometric devices have been used to monitor ceramic firings. They can tell you when the firing is finished and if the kiln delivered adequate heat. Pyrometric cones can even tell you if there was a temperature differential in the kiln, or if an … Read more

Methods of Clay Firing Using An Electric Kiln The three most common methods of firing clay in an electric kiln are 1. Manually thru a peephole or spy hole, 2. Use of a kiln sitter, and 3. Use of an electronic controller. Electric kilns not only provide excellent results but also provide control and dependability. … Read more