Clay! Your New Worst Friend!

The art of pottery-making is a trade-off between skill and patience. As a beginner back in 2019, I had neither, and to be honest even now they are lacking a bit... Here are a few things I wish I'd have known before starting.

The Basics of Clay Handling

Welcome to clay, it all starts here. Whether you're working with stoneware, earthenware, or porcelain, each type has its own unique properties and requires a different approach. Spend time getting to know the feel of the clay, how it responds to your touch, and how it behaves when you apply pressure. Mastering the art of centering the clay on the pottery wheel or shaping it by hand is the foundation upon which your ceramic creations will be built.

The Drying Process: Takes bloody ages.

Once you've shaped your attempt at art, get ready to wait a while. Proper drying is crucial to the success of your ceramic piece. Rushing this step can lead to cracks, warping, or even complete collapse of your work. Carefully monitor the drying process, ensuring the clay maintains an even consistency throughout. With items like my Vases, where they are thin on the rim but thick on the base, different parts will dry at different speeds and usually crack or warp. Patience is a virtue in the world of ceramics, and this stage is where it truly shines. Once the item is dry, I then biscuit fire it. This process makes it absorbent to glazing.

The Glaze: Under or Over?

This bit is also a challenge. I used to put a glaze on top of my work and then hope for the best in the kilns, but let me introduce *Underglaze*!!! If you treat this like a paint, you can dab it on the biscuit fired pieces and then put a ceramic transparent glaze over the top. The colours of the underglaze shine through below, with much less risk of things bleeding or running off where they shouldn't.

The Firing Finale: Bringing Your Creation to Life

The final step in the ceramic process is the glost firing stage. This is where your creation is transformed from a fragile clay form into a durable, permanent piece. The temperature and duration of the firing process can greatly impact the final outcome, so it's essential to understand the specific requirements of your clay and glaze. Firing high is called Stoneware, and this takes items to about 1200'c. They become fully watertight.

As you embark on your ceramic adventure, remember that the path to mastery is paved with patience, experimentation, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected. Embrace the challenges, celebrate your successes, and revel in the joy of creating something truly unique and beautiful.

But don't create ducks, that's my thing!