The other day I received a letter, it seemed to me very interesting, as an invaluable experience for beginners in pottery. And, with the consent of the author, I publish it.
If you have any questions, suggestions - write, your practical experience very useful for beginners!
I faced this problem as soon as I sat down at the potter's wheel and almost lost interest in the pottery craft. I had everything to blame: from the clay (of the wrong color, size and consistency) to the potter's wheel (the faceplate does not spin like that). In the end, it turned out that the reason for everything was my crooked handles and my ignorance of the basics of the correct centering of the clay. After long and diligent practical exercises, I came up with the following main points that must be taken into account and not neglected in any way when centering the clay:
1. The clay should not be hard and not very soft... If it is hard, it will be difficult to attach the clay to the faceplate (it does not adhere well to it in a dry form) and center it, and if it is very soft (sticks to the hands with islands), then the clay will fall off the faceplate and not keep its shape. Clay is as soft as possible (but not sticky to hands) - the basis for successful work on a potter's wheel!
2. Clay must be very, very carefully beaten off and washed before centering, especially if it is not vacuumized. I did it very simply: I took a lump of clay the size of my palm and hit it hard on the floor (after putting a piece of slightly damp cloth on the floor). You can beat off the clay on a regular board, it will be more convenient and convenient for you. Then I cut a lump of clay in half with a string with handles and looked for holes there, i.e. air bubbles. If they were not there and the clay was homogeneous, then the clay was washed well. Otherwise, the process must be repeated.
3. Only after carefully beating the clay can it be stuck to the faceplate and start centering itself.... And here the most interesting thing begins, something that is difficult to describe in words, and it is better to see it live. But I can say unequivocally what you need to pay attention to, namely:
4. Planting behind a potter's wheel (floor, circle PROFI-MAX). It is very important to choose the right fit.
- The height of the chair or stool on which you will sit should be approximately at the same height as the plane of the faceplate or slightly above it.
- Your elbows should be close to your torso and rest on your hips (knees)! If your elbows are unsupported, your hands will move with the clay and you will never center even a tiny lump of clay! Remember, this is very important. This is the main disease of beginners. They try to hold the clump of clay on the faceplate with their hands using muscle strength, and this is the wrong approach. That's right - this is to choose a good position and a fulcrum, and then very little effort will be required.
5. Do not forget to wet your hands with water, otherwise a piece of clay will stick to them and may fall off the faceplate.... Hands should slide over the clay. But it is also not worth it and very much to wet your hands and clay with water - then the clay will quickly soften, and it will be impossible to mold a product out of it, it will not retain its shape.
6. It is very important to bring every action to automatism.... You cannot tackle complex things until you have mastered the simple ones. For example, it would be unreasonable to start pulling out the walls of the vessel if you still have not learned how to quickly and efficiently center the clay, to shape the bottom. And this, at first glance, simple operation sometimes takes a couple of months. Yes, yes, it was on mastering the alignment that I spent two months, practicing almost every day for 2-3 hours.
I neglected this rule for a long time, I really wanted to get the result faster. And in the end, every time I had to return to the basics, i.e. center the clay and start over. Now I understand that everything must be done in stages, not in a hurry, and only then will it be excellent result! Which I wish to all of you.
7. If you have the money to be trained by a master, I highly recommend it. I took a few lessons myself and am very happy about that. BUT it is important to remember one thing: the master should not turn the product with YOUR hands, but you yourself do it with YOUR hands under his guidance and his close attention. Otherwise, it turns out that it was not you who made the product yourself, but the master, but with your hands, using them as a stack! Do not forget about this and do not be surprised why you succeeded with a master, but not without him.
I advise you to do the following (as I did): the master shows you the exercise, you repeat this exercise several times under his supervision, taking into account all the comments. Then you go home and practice this operation to automatism already on your circle (if there is one, of course). Then again you meet with the master, show him your successes and move on to the next exercises and so on until you have mastered all the basics of pottery. This is an ideal training option, because you will save your money without spending hours with the master, and will develop your own skill. But for this, you definitely need to have your own potter's wheel, if, of course, you want to achieve high results and plan to acquire mastery in this difficult but tempting craft.
Now I start to pull the walls, I am learning to form narrow necks of blood vessels. What will come of this - I will write to you additionally!
how to beat off clay
how to center clay
how to make a cylinder
All the best,
Olga."
People's Master of Belarus Dmitry Viktorovich POLESHCHUK has traveled to many cities and towns with his "festival" pottery machine - very mobile thanks to the dismountable main parts made of wood. The potter's clay products delighted many people with their beauty and functionality.
We have long ago become an axiom of the proverb that it is not the gods who burn the pots, which means that the pottery machine itself is quite realistic to make with your own hands.
Potter's wheel
It consists of a bed with a table (which also serves as a bench), an axis, a flywheel, a working disk. The sizes of the components are arbitrary, but they certainly need to be adjusted to fit your height. The main thing is that the working disk should be at the lumbar level (when you are in a sitting position) and at the same time not very high so that your hands do not get tired.
We knock down the flywheel from thick boards, which we then fold in two layers(photo 1)... The axis of the square section is narrowed up(photo 2), at the level of the desktop we make a round section. Top and bottom - metal pins(photo 3).
In the table, we cut out the part that, during work, is held on the pins.(photo 4)and serves to hold the axis. Important: do not forget to make semicircular holes for the axis in the table and the cut off part. We put the axle with the flywheel on the bushing in the bed(photo 5)and clamp it at the top so that it can rotate. For reliability, we fasten the cut-off part to the table with a rope. Next, put on the working disk on the metal pin(photo 6).
You can sit on a bench and start "sculpting" by turning the "pedals", that is, a flywheel, which it is desirable to weight with cobblestones!
Pottery
For work, it is better to take cleared of impurities (evacuated) clay.
To bun (photo 7)did not run away from you at the initial stage, with some force we throw it into the center of the disk - this is the installation and centering of the lump. We squeeze with our hands(photo 8).
For better sliding, we spray clay water and turn the bun into a smoothed dome(photo 9)... Press with your thumbs on the clay from above, and with your palms - from the sides. At the same time, the mass is additionally perforated and completely unnecessary air bubbles leave.
As the disk rotates, we push our thumb into the designated center of the dome, marking the bottom.
Then we raise the cylinder to the height of the future product(photo 10, 11)... Remember that it is necessary to lubricate with water from the inside, but without deoxidizing the clay. With the fingers of the left hand we push through the internal cavity, with the right - we hold the shape while rotating.
We came to the desired height, and then the pot is molded in several stages. From the inside, slightly squeeze out the rounded sides, holding them outside. With a quadrangular wooden knife called a shinal(photo 12), We "grow" the neck of the vessel(photo 13).
Separate the finished product from the disk with a thin rope or wire(photo 14).
We dry it for 2-3 days, and then bake it in a pottery kiln (today this service is provided by some art workshops, educational establishments etc. - approx. ed.).
If the “formation” of the vessel has taken place, it means that you can also become a specialist in pottery, says Dmitry Poleshchuk. It remains to learn how to make caps for vessels and master more complex forms of skillClay must be plastic, capable of taking any shape and retaining it after burning. I use two types of clay: mainland and quarry. When mixed in a ratio of 1: 2, they form the desired homogeneous mass, which has the properties of a strong coryza and vogetrivkist.
Continental clay is mined in wells with a diameter of 1 -1.5 meters. Cover the adit with a vine to avoid sprinkling the soil. You have to dig deep. The clay of the original deposit usually occurs at a depth of 10-15 meters.
Continental clay forms where rocks have been washed out by water. Therefore, it is pure, without impurities, white or almost white, fireproof. It is such a layer of clay (1 meter or more thick) at a depth of 12 meters that lies in my grandfather's mines. Dovgorichna development of it led to the fact that from the well for many tens of meters horizontally stretched vriznobich sleeves of self-made mines.
The best clay for pottery production (Donetsk region).
Quarry clay can be found in the Yaruga, along the slopes of the river banks. This is the so-called sedimentary clay. It is not so clean, with various additives that give it different colors, less refractory. The main thing is to pay attention to the plasticity of the clay, i.e. its ability to change shape without breaks and cracks. It can be oily (or plastic) and song (or low plastic). Oily - poorly wet, dries slowly, forms a sticky mass of the keychain. Lean clay, on the contrary, is easily wetted, dries quickly, and forms a mass that is not very key for the squeaker.
Based on my own experience, I will say: once the excavated clay is of little use for work. It is also not plastic enough, often has various impurities (small stones), which lead to the destruction of products, since they expand during firing, while the clay itself contracts. I will tell you how to choose trash from clay below. Feldspar, quartz, lime (they will be used for making irrigation) also cannot be used immediately: they must be cleaned of impurities, podribnitsy, sifted and washed. This is a time-consuming, monotonous job, but it is necessary so that later there will be less marriage. The clay mass itself must also be homogeneous, otherwise, during the burning of a part of it, it will react unequally to temperature. And from this, curvatures, cracks and ruptures are often formed. That is why the original raw material needs to be finished. The clay must be soaked overnight in a special pit or bath. These are clay mixtures to the bottom, shaken with a stick so that the holes formed are filled with water. And in the morning we begin to prepare the clay for work.
We choose from the bath soaked clay on the planks of the platform. If there is no platform, then it can be replaced with a dole-up cover with a row. We take as much clay as is needed for work. We put it in a large cone-shaped pile. Then the wooden Dovbnya gradually breaks the cone. When the clay has grown and its size is about 5-10 centimeters, the operation should be repeated, i.e. make up again the same mass as before. Divides it into a layer, which should already be a little thicker than the previous one (i.e. 10-15 centimeters). This beating of the clay lasts until all the clay is beaten and the very small cone appears in front of you again.
To prevent the clay from sticking to Dovbnya, it needs to be zishkribaty of the cycle. But it is most effective to moisten Dovbnya more often. And so that the clay does NOT stick to the platform, my grandfather rubbed it with ashes, which was enough in the forge. (Photo is a manual way to select excess)
The clay, which we just knocked down, it is possible that chips, leaves, roots, worms, limestone stones are plodding. In order for the mass to be suitable for work, it is necessary to separate this trash from it as carefully as possible.
For this, a plowman serves. They need to scold the whole pile of clay into small chips, while choosing impurities. Then I shake it off and the selected clay is squeezed into a large bullet and moisturizes it. We select the amount necessary for work in order to start expelling air bubbles from the clay mass, and cover the rest of the clay with wet row or rags, take it to a cool corner of the workshop or put it in a bath. (Photo-wiggling air bubbles by swinging method)
Viganetsya air, which will then interfere with working on the potter's wheel, in two ways - swinging and knocking out. Small pieces of clay (the same as those of the hostess who prepares the dough for dumplings), wicked on a circle. At the same time, air comes out of the clay mass and it becomes solid.
I will explain how to knock out. If you need a little more clay than for the manufacture of one small product, then it is convenient to interrupt it on the table. To do this, take a piece of clay dough and forcefully throw it onto the workbenches from the height of an outstretched hand above your head. Then it is formed into a loaf and cut into two parts with string or brass wire.
After that, the top piece is placed on the table, cut off side up, and the bottom piece, not overturned, is thrown forcefully onto the previous top one. Again, a cut is made at a right angle to the table, one of the pieces is also thrown with a cut up, and the other is also cut side up on it. So the operation is repeated about twenty times.
I would like to end this section with a story about how the highest grade clay is prepared, exactly the kind of clay that goes into high-quality pottery.
My grandfather put the brought clay on the ground in beds and left it in this form for a year or several years (the longer, the better). This natural method of processing in potters is called lituvannyam. For products of the highest quality, the spilled clay is also subjected to flour, pus and crumbling.
To vidboroshnuvaty clay, rozbovyut in a large kadubi with water, allow to settle so that coarse, heavy impurities settle. Put the cream and clay into another tub and let it settle again. Then in the third and fourth. In the last tank, the clay particles are the lightest, finest and cleanest, they are allowed to settle, the water is released, and the finest, purest clay of the highest grade remains on the bottom, it is placed in the cellar, where it festers for several weeks: it becomes covered with dark spots, publishes bad smell... After putrefaction, the clay becomes plastic and homogeneous, suitable for the most delicate work. Since the upper layers dry faster, knead the clay on a special bench before use. There is a fairly diverse technology for preparing clay. While we are studying, clay can be laid on the lituvannya. And for the first works, a homogeneous mass is quite suitable, which can be obtained by soaking and mixing continents and quarry clays, roasted several times with hand-made clay dough.
There is a long-standing method of knocking out air bubbles from clay balls. Clay, knead on hand-made clay, scoop in a ball and string into the breasts needed for work. A separate lump is taken in left hand... Palm right hand slap her, knocking out the air. And with the left, continuously twist the ball, holding it in a hanging position. This work is tedious, and therefore the lump must be cut off so that it is easy to lift it. But its size also depends on the pottery for which it is intended. For training and until your hands are stronger, I advise you to cook balls (breasts) weighing about 500-600 grams. (From the book by V. Ristsov "At the Potter's Wheel")
At the end of last year, an exhibition of the English ceramist J. Powell was held in Moscow. Vases, jugs, sconces, floor lamps, chandeliers, family coats of arms amazed connoisseurs with sophistication, beauty, high artistic taste and subtle knowledge of the material. The unusual technique was especially noted. As we found out, Powell does not work on a special machine, but uses embossed materials, for example, gauze, fine rope mesh, or even coarse burlap. Therefore, we invite you to get to know her.
Let's start with the clay. You can find it directly on summer cottage or in your next career.
Take a piece of clay with a volume of 0.5 liters. Add a little water to it and stir until it absorbs all the moisture and starts to stick to your hands. After making a tough dough, roll it into a 50 mm ball and a 100 mm flat cake. Then dry in the shade for two to three days. If cracks appear on the ball or cake during this time, it means that the clay is too oily and requires the addition of fine river sand. But there are no cracks, and a ball thrown from a height of 1 m onto a hard surface does not crumble - the clay is normal. Skinny clay does not crack when it dries, the product from it will not acquire the proper strength; it is necessary to mix more fatty clay into such clay. Sand or clay is added in several steps, each time checking the quality of the resulting mass.
Further, work with clay raw materials is carried out in the same way as Powell himself does. Take a sheet of thick plywood or plastic measuring 500 x 375 mm. Cover it with a 950 x 620 mm piece of cloth.
Put two on it wooden slats with a length of 350 mm and a section of 10x10 mm, as shown in Figure 1. Place a piece of clay between them and roll it out into a 10 mm thick pancake with a wooden rolling pin (Figure 2). Note right away that as a result of this operation, the lower surface of the clay pancake will acquire the texture of the fabric. Further sharp knife carefully cut out the workpiece, as shown in Figure 3. Roll the cuttings into a lump and remove in enamel pot or plastic bag to dry out less. Take the fabric with the workpiece by the corners (Fig. 4), tie them in knots and hang them on the frame (Fig. 5). In this position, the clay blank will take on a concave shape. Let it sit for two to three days to allow the clay to dry out a bit and harden. Having taken out the workpiece, cut the edges with a sharp knife, as shown in Figure 6. It remains to set it on the legs. Prepare three conical supports from clay dough in advance. Apply deep marks on the mating surfaces with the edge of a knife, moisten them with water and press the parts tightly against each other (Fig. 7 and 8).
Products over complex shape easy to do on a four-walled wooden box without a lid (Fig. 9) and the same box, but with a lid (Fig. 11), in which different types of slots are provided (Fig. 12). The further steps required to obtain the blanks are easy to understand by looking at the rest of the figures.
Not everything will probably work out on the first try. But here you have several products that suit you with their design, beauty of execution. What's next?
Firing is a complex process that will give the product the necessary strength. It is carried out in three stages: heating, firing itself and gradual, controlled cooling. At the first stage, the process can be carried out in an ordinary kitchen stove at 250 ° C. In this case, the clay crystals are destroyed and the whole mass goes into amorphous state... At a higher temperature (the process is carried out in a muffle furnace at 850 ° C), the mass is sintered to form a durable shard.
After firing, the products are cooled. This process is very lengthy and responsible. Freshly fired product does not tolerate sudden temperature changes and cold air access. Let's say this, and cracks are instantly formed. The temperature should be lowered slowly, depending on the wall thickness of the product and the quality of the feedstock. Therefore, the cooling mode is determined empirically. But usually ceramists reduce the temperature at the rate of 50 ° per hour. After firing, the product acquires a bright red color. This color can be considered final. But it is better, according to Powell, to paint the product from the outside or inside in a different color, for example, black, blue or white. Easier coloring produce bright nitro enamels.
Printing inks are made in ink-milling rollers. Initially, by passing through the rollers, the paint is first stirred by hand with a solvent using a spatula, and to obtain a homogeneous mixture, it is passed twice through the rollers.
The paint used for painting by printing, with the required viscosity, must be perfectly removed from iron board or shaft and it is great to switch from paper to the products to be painted, without blurring on them. At the same time, it does not have to dry very quickly and give a clear and high-quality contour.
For underglaze printing, inks of approximately the following composition (in%) are used:
Glycerin 19
Molasses 23
Dry paint 58
For overglaze printing:
Drying oil 42.35
Dry paint 57.65
When painting ceramics using the printing method, a master engraver, according to a given pattern, cuts an exact copy of the pattern on a metal drum or board. The depth of cut of the lines of the drawing on the drum or board depends on the intensity of the paint in the corresponding places on the original. The pattern on the metal is cut out using a special cutter (gravure pin).
Paint is applied to the board using wooden spatulas, on drums using special devices... Excess paint is removed.
On the board with the paint applied to it, a special thin, slightly damp paper is applied, on which a layer of newsprint-type paper with a thickness of 5-6 mm is superimposed on top, and a tarpaulin lining on top, after which the board is passed between rollers or placed under a press.
The paper with the imprint of the drawing lowered on it is immersed in water in which it is located until softened.
After saturation of the paper with water, the drawing together with the paper is applied to a dry product and wiped with a felt roller, the paint adheres well to the surface of the product, and the paper is easily separated from the drawing. To enrich the pattern applied by printing, additional coloring is performed with paints or gold.
Unlike screen printing, pad printing began to develop intensively only with the advent of the possibility of making a printing plate from high-quality silicone rubber. Tampon printing is a method of transferring an image from a printing plate (cliche) to a hard surface to be printed using an elastic-elastic tampon.
Pad printing technology is based on the transfer of ink using a cliché through an elastic silicone pad that follows the curvature of the surface. Due to the low wettability characteristic of silicone, the tampon "repels" many liquids, including paint, and when the tampon touches other objects, it easily releases the paint onto these objects.
Tampon printing allows you to apply an image on almost any kind of hard surface (smooth, corrugated materials that do not absorb paint) - plastic, glass, wood, metal. Usually, using the pad printing method, logos or images are applied to small souvenir products: pens, lighters, key rings, watches, calculators, mugs, ashtrays, key holders, bottle openers, plastic coasters or similar products made of plastic, leather and polyethylene, as well as on bottle caps , can lids, disposable dishes, perfume packaging, various stationery (mechanical pencils, rulers, knives, business card holders and much more), audio and video cassettes, CDs, instrument cases, perfume packaging.
Tampon printing allows you to print in several colors, including CMYK, however, as in silk-screen printing, color registration is very problematic. The size of the image is limited by the size of the tampon and the cliché. When applying an image to products made of metal, glass and ceramics, two- and three-component paints are used to give additional stability, as well as additional heat treatment
Pros: the identity of all products in circulation, the ability to use Pantone, low cost per print for large runs, printing on curved surfaces
Cons: pre-printing process - cliché, make-up; usually small size printable area; high cost for small runs
Surfaces for application: glass, plastic, ceramics, wood, metal.
Pages: 64
Series or Issue: Pottery Lessons
The stunningly illustrated book is a step-by-step course in the school of hand sculpting.
Madly good photos as well as detailed comments to them make it possible to determine the suitability of clay for modeling, teach how to effectively prepare and process it, give the ability to go step by step through all the stages of preparing clay dough in order to start molding all kinds of products: vases, sculptures and abstract forms ...
The book is intended both for specialists and for a wide circle of ceramics lovers.
When working on a potter's wheel, it is recommended that novice potters use soft clay. Later, when you master the basic techniques, the implementation of most of which can be brought to automatism, you can move on to harder grades of ceramic masses.
It is best to start mastering the potter's wheel with the manufacture of small things. These include, for example, small plates.
Cut a small amount of clay from a piece of clay with a wire, knead it and mold a flat disc of a small height, the size corresponding to the bottom of the future product.
Place a damp (but not wet!) Cloth lining in the center of the potter's wheel so that after finishing work the plate can be easily lifted without deforming.
Place the blank on the fabric, use a sponge to lightly moisten the clay with water and gently place your palms on the clay. After that, lightly press it down to the surface. Then rotate the circle a few times and check that the clay does not move or bend around the outer edges of the disc. Changes can be tracked not only visually, but also with the help of fingers.
This point - the exact placement of the first piece of clay in the center of the circle - is very important. At the slightest deviation of the clay from the center, carefully correct it. Only after that you can proceed to the next stages of product forming.
Having completed the "centering" of the clay workpiece, squeeze it firmly, pressing it firmly against the surface of the lining. This procedure is necessary to reliably strengthen the bottom of the future plate.
Rotating the circle gradually, gently lift the clay with your fingers from the outer edge so that you have a thick rim. Next, begin to smooth it, slightly pulling it to the sides.
The main thing when working on a potter's wheel is to acquire the skills of smooth, measured and rhythmic work with clay. Sharp movements are inappropriate here, as they can lead to deformation of the parts of the product.
The next step is finishing the plate. Take an oval rib and work it over the bottom. The walls can be smoothed out with your fingers. In the future, if desired, the bottom of the plate can be decorated with an ornament. When the product is dry, its surface can be rubbed to a shine with chalk or charcoal.
When the plate is slightly dry and hardened, it must be cut off with a wire.
When removing a product from the surface of a potter's wheel, certain rules should be followed.
Prepare a clean place to dry before removing the item from the potter's wheel.
It is only necessary to cut the finished product using a long wire or string. At the same time, movements should be fast, but not abrupt.
Small items can be removed immediately after molding. It is better to leave large items to dry on the lining of a potter's wheel for 1-2 days and only then cut them off.
After cutting the vessel from the potter's wheel, wash your hands from the clay and dry them thoroughly with a towel.
To avoid deformation of things that have just been removed from the circle, you need to transfer things carefully and quickly, clasping them with both hands. When transporting large vessels to the drying site, it is best to support them under the bottom.
Figure 41. Making a plate on a potter's wheel
Having mastered the production of simple and small items on the potter's wheel, one can proceed to the manufacture of larger items, for example, cylindrical vases.
To start work, follow the method described above. Place the required amount of clay in the center of the potter's wheel, not forgetting about the lining. Make sure the clay is centered.
Then press down its middle so that the bottom of the future product rises about 0.8-1.0 cm above the lining. As a result, you should get a cup-shaped depression.
Place the palm of your left hand on the edge and, holding the wall with your thumb, slowly direct the clay towards it with your other fingers (except for the little finger).
Move your fingers rhythmically back and forth along the bottom of the clay mold, trying to compact the clay at the bottom of the product as much as possible. In the future, this will prevent the bottom from peeling off the walls during drying and firing.
Try not to move the product from the center of the circle while moving.
When a right angle forms between the outer side of the wall and the bottom, grasp the workpiece with both palms and press down on its walls with light, smooth movements.
All actions in this case, including, but not limited to, the rotation of the potter's wheel, should be slow. Expanding or constricting the walls too quickly can result in irreparable damage to the product.
In order to raise the walls of the future vase-cylinder, put middle finger right hand on
its outer side and, slightly pressing down, make a groove. As a result, the clay from the outside will move to the inside of the mold. To make the walls even, on the inside of the wall, where the bulge from the groove appears, support the clay with the index finger of your left hand. Then gradually stretch and thin the walls of the future product. In the process, do not forget to periodically moisten the surface of the product with water.
Approaching the top edge of the piece, reduce the rotation speed of the potter's wheel to a minimum.
Remember that you cannot add new pieces of clay to the workpiece, as this can subsequently lead to irreparable deformations during drying and firing of the product.
When the object is finished molding, carefully remove your hands, being careful not to damage the edges.
Then work the surface with a pottery rib and a piece of fur. Before cutting the cylindrical vase from the stand, cut at an angle (the angle is determined by your desire) the outer edge of the base of the form. This can be done using any metal tool with a pointed end. Such an operation is necessary both from an aesthetic and technological point of view.
Clay is an amazing natural material, warm, delicate and malleable, which can turn into anything, from a seemingly primitive child's toy to an amazing vase or an elegant candlestick. Working with clay has a beneficial effect on nervous system, relaxes, relieves nervous tension. So clay modeling is not only an interesting creative activity that can turn into favorite hobby... It is also a way to dump the accumulated negative energy, relieve tension, relax, and get a lot of positive emotions.
Of course, at home, it is difficult to compete with modern ceramic production, with its latest technologies, sophisticated equipment, new materials for decoration. But it is possible to create products that are simple in technology. Any of them will keep the warmth of your hands, a part of your soul, and will be in its own way a real work of art. After all, another exactly the same plate or vase is no longer anywhere in the world ...
Workshop in the country
Working with clay is pretty messy. In the sense that everything and everyone will have to be washed later. And if you can sculpt figurines at home, in a city apartment, then creating your first masterpieces on a potter's wheel in an apartment is not very convenient. You have a strong desire to get in touch with the amazing natural material and try to master (albeit clumsily, albeit only as entertainment) one of the oldest crafts - pottery? Better location than a dacha, you can't find it for that. It is here that it is much easier to organize the workspace, place everything you need. It is at the dacha or in the village that working with a potter's wheel will be more organic, blending into the surrounding landscape, like a touch to the origins, to folk history and culture.
Currently, there are entire specialized shops at the service of beginners and "advanced" ceramists, where you can buy everything you need, ranging from pottery wheels and different types clay and ending with a kiln for firing finished products. Do not be alarmed, we will not need the oven yet. This thing is expensive and at first not necessary at all. For a start, it makes sense to learn how to make the simplest forms on a potter's wheel and dry them correctly. And you can burn your creations, for example, in children's art schools or ceramic workshops, where there is the appropriate equipment. Or, at first, leave it without firing at all. If the pottery craft "hooks" you seriously, if you feel that it is yours, then you can already think about the stove. By the way, in the village you can make a wood-burning stove for burning yourself, asking for help from a master or using special literature.
Required tools
It is clear that the potter's wheel is the main device that we cannot do without. About 7 thousand years have passed since some obscure genius invented and created the first potter's wheel. Since then, the principle of operation of this device has not changed at all. A potter's wheel is a small disc made of a smooth material (wood, plastic, stone, metal, etc.) with an axis rigidly attached to the bottom. A gear is attached to the opposite end of the axle, thanks to which the disc can rotate. The first pottery wheels were hand-made. Then the legs appeared. They are more convenient because they allow both hands of the master to be freed up for work. Most modern pottery wheels are electric. They are quite comfortable and facilitate the physical work of the potter. Although some masters claim that a real potter's wheel is still a foot wheel. Only on it you can smoothly and flexibly adjust the rotation speed, which is very important for sculpting.
Now there is an opportunity to purchase an industrial pottery wheel. As a rule, such circles are quite convenient to work with. But there are DIY amateurs who make such circles on their own.
For the slightest degree of serious creativity, the battery-powered children's pottery wheels that have appeared on sale are not suitable for you. They belong to the category of toys, with some experience you can make only very tiny items (for example, doll saucers) with them. The power of the batteries will not be enough for more.
Stacks are also useful for our work - special wooden or plastic tools for removing excess material and a more thorough study of details. In addition, you will need a wire with handles at the ends for cutting a product from a potter's wheel, for cutting clay and other work. The thinnest guitar string will do instead of wire. Its length should be approximately equal to the width of the shoulders.
A song about clay
Clays are very different in origin, and in mineral composition, and in the content of all kinds of impurities. Industrial classification divides them into kaolins, clays, crackers (refractory clays) and shale clays (poorly soaked in water). There is such a thing as "greasy" (plastic) and "skinny" (dry) clay. For pottery work, the clay must be sufficiently "greasy". Otherwise, it will not mold well and crack during firing. Moreover, the thinner, more elegant the product, the more oily clay is used for it. The color of the clay is also different. It can be red, brown, green, blue, white, gray, and even chocolate or dirty black. The color of the clay is given by oxides of various metals: aluminum, iron, titanium. If their total number does not exceed 1%, the product will be white both before and after firing. If the content of oxides is more than 1%, the finished product turns red, even if the wet clay was green or blue.
Perhaps for novice potters, the best way out is to buy ready-made clay in specialized stores or at ceramics factories. Most often, pottery clay is sold in powder form. It has already been cleared of impurities and has all the necessary additives. It only needs to be properly prepared. It is better to learn more about how to do this from the consultants in the store.
Before starting work, even with clay completely ready for use, it is necessary to do one more very important operation - "interrupt". Roll a clay roller on a wooden board and tear it in two in a motion similar to twisting a piece of linen. Then forcefully throw the pieces onto the table, fold them up, roll them up and tear them apart again. The procedure must be repeated 20-25 times. This is done in order to remove air bubbles from the clay and achieve a uniform consistency. Remaining air will be very annoying when working on the potter's wheel and can break the finished product when fired. A lump of clay can be cut with a wire instead of tearing it apart with your hands. By the way, many masters consider this method to be more correct. After that, we proceed to the so-called spiral kneading. This is how it is done. The prepared piece of clay is placed on the table, with both palms on top. The main load should be on the lower parts of the palms. Press your palms on the clay, as if pushing it away from you, at the same time slightly turn your palms counterclockwise. If done correctly, you will hear light popping of air bubbles bursting. Then release the clay and turn the entire lump slightly clockwise, returning to its original place. The operation is repeated 30-40 times. Try to avoid folds, they can hide unnecessary air.
Finally, our clay is ready. Let's start sculpting. Be prepared for the fact that at first you will not succeed. This is fine. If possible, watch a master working on a potter's wheel, or better yet, take some pottery lessons. Now there are more and more such creative courses and master classes. If this is not possible, you will have to master the skill by trial and error. A self-explanatory self-study book with a step-by-step description of the work and pictures-diagrams is very useful in this. It should be noted that main way mastering pottery is repetition. Try to get your hands to do mechanical work almost automatically. See your work as a student exercise. And don't despair. As you know, it is not the gods who burn pots. In pottery, there are no strict rules on how to make dishes, and craftsmanship comes with experience.
So let's try. Cut a piece of clay with a wire, give it a round shape and place it in the center of the machine, lightly pressing it against the surface. If the clay has deviated from the center, correct it with your hands, and then start the potter's wheel. The clay must be centered, otherwise it will rotate unevenly and eventually slide off the circle. Perhaps this is the most difficult thing for beginners to learn how to spread the clay strictly in the center. The centered piece appears to be almost stationary, the clay should not bend or shift. The correct position of the hands of the potter is very important. The elbows should be pressed against the body, and the bent hands with the wrists slightly drawn together should be kept on a rotating piece of clay. You need to try to relax your hands as much as possible, the movements should be soft and smooth, without sudden jerks.
The movements that you will do with your hands depend on what shape you want to get. Let's say we decided to mold a jug. Pressing down the clay, make a bun or a small dome out of it, smoothed from the sides. Now squeeze the clay with both hands and, lifting them, transform the dome into a cone, and then back into a dome. Thumb mark the center at the top of the dome with your right hand and gradually press your finger vertically into it. The rest of the fingers are outside the dome. Squeeze some water from the sponge into the hole. To push the clay apart, lower the fingers of your left hand inward to the bottom of the groove, and place the fingers of your right hand on the outer wall. Press down on the surface of the product with your left hand. Hands should be constantly moistened with water. Extend the cylinder to the desired end height. Touch the bottom of the garment with the tip of the middle finger of your left hand, and press the bent index and thumb of your right hand to the outside. To stretch the walls, move your hands from the bottom to the top. Try to keep the walls of the same thickness. The main task at this stage is to get an even, hollow cylinder with a bottom inside. Then we begin to transform it into a vase, jug or other conceived product. There are certain rules for this:
- if you press on the inner side of the cylinder, then its walls will stretch out with the expansion of the shape. Hands should be both inside and outside the cylinder, one against the other, together determining the wall thickness and the amount of pressure;
- in order to pull out the neck of the jug, it is necessary to grab its top from the outside with both hands and squeeze it to the desired size;
- if the jug is supposed to have a narrow neck, be careful not to accidentally expand it too much;
- it is convenient to remove water that collects at the bottom of the product with a sponge put on the wire;
- try to carve a thin edge of the product, round it to the outside with your fingers and wrap it up. This will give you a decorative detail that is typical for pottery;
- if you need to make a spout, grasp the edge of the jug with two fingers of your left hand and press between them with your right index finger.
The larger the pottery you want, the more difficult it is to make. Therefore, it is better to start with small saucers and plates. To do this, place a small clay disc in the center of the potter's wheel, corresponding to the size of the future plate. The bottom should be done most carefully, because in flat products it is the most vulnerable point. Clay here needs to be pressed harder. Then, using your thumb and forefinger, lift the clay from the outside edge to form a rounded rim. After that, we begin to smooth the side of the plate, slightly squeezing the clay and at the same time stretching it to the sides. Do not thin the walls of the product too much, otherwise they will crack and "swell" during firing.
Drying and decorating
When the product is ready and you are satisfied with it, cut it off the circle with a special wire with two handles. Pull the wire twice under the bottom of the product, then slide it off the circle and transfer it to a support moistened with water. Now comes the next important stage - drying. The main task is to ensure that the clay dries evenly, otherwise it will crack. Therefore, avoid drafts and direct sunlight. Wipe the product with a damp sponge or wet hands, removing all sorts of irregularities, then cover with a damp cloth and put to dry in a closed box (preferably galvanized).
After about a day, when the product dries up a little, it is taken out of the box, carefully cleaned with fine sandpaper and proceeded to finishing works... For example, the surface of a jug or vase can be "ironed". To do this, rub it with some smooth object. Wherein upper layer the clay becomes denser and begins to shine. After firing, such dishes shine even more. Textured finishes can also be done on soft clay. Stamps are cut out of wood or rubber. By pressing them into raw clay in a specific sequence, you can get a unique pattern or ornament. Interesting prints are obtained by pressing coarse burlap against the clay. You can also apply a pattern or drawing by scratching. It is performed with an awl, knife or other sharp object.
In addition, engobe painting is a very popular type of pottery decoration. Engobes are specially prepared liquid clays. Such painting is carried out on a wet, dry and even burnt product. The decorating composition is applied with a brush, spray bottle or the product is immersed in a container with a solution. After such painting, the products are fired at a temperature of 700-800 ° C.
A higher degree of finish is glazed. Glaze is a thin glassy coating that forms when silicate compounds are fused onto the surface of a clay product, and can also be purchased from specialized stores or ceramic factories. They protect ceramics from contamination and make them more durable. Glazes are very different: transparent, colored, colorless. Enamel is a type of glaze. It is opaque and is used as a base for ceramic paint... The enamel is applied by pouring, dried, and then the ceramics are painted special paints... When the paints are completely dry, the product is fired.
For firing, special electric ovens are usually used. If you have access to such equipment, the firing is done as follows. After drying and decorating, the product is placed in the oven for 1.5-3 hours for additional drying at a temperature of 150 ° C. First, the oven temperature is raised slowly until all moisture has evaporated. Then, every 30-40 minutes, the temperature is raised by 50 ° C and brought to 400 ° C. When the product starts to turn red, the temperature is raised more sharply - by 100 ° C every hour and brought to 800-900 ° C. This heat is maintained for an hour and the oven is turned off. In the first hours, cooling should go slowly until the temperature drops to 450-400 ° C. When the temperature drops to 200 ° C, the oven can be opened. The product is removed only when it has cooled down to room temperature... The whole cooling process usually takes 10-12 hours. Now, if necessary, the product is painted with glazes, and then the whole firing process is repeated again to melt the glaze.
Clay consumption
It is very useful to know how much clay you need to take in order to make a particular product of a certain size. As a rule, beginners take too much clay, and this is one of the reasons for possible failure. To make a tea saucer with a bottom diameter of 13 cm, we need about 800 g of clay; for a dinner plate with a bottom diameter of 23 cm, the weight of the clay will increase to 1400 g. For a mug with a height of 9 cm or a jug with a volume of 0.2 liters, only 350 g of clay will be required. A half-liter jug will be made from 500 g of clay, and a teapot from 1000 g. Add a spout (250 g) and a lid (250 g) to the teapot. It is recommended to keep a kind of diary where you will write down information on each of your products: how much clay was required for the product and parts (lids, spouts, pens), some technology features, etc. Here you can also sketch interesting products seen in museums or at exhibitions, make sketches of your own vases and jugs, which so far exist only in your imagination. Such recordings will help improve your skills, not do blunders, to preserve for many years a lot of useful information that would otherwise be sure to be forgotten.
The art of pottery originally developed as a craft that served to make containers for meals or vessels in which bulk and liquid materials... Today, it is processing by molding on a specially designed potter's wheel, after which glaze is applied to the dried product, followed by the obligatory one.Thus, objects that are used in any field are made: household goods, construction, decorations, decorations, souvenirs. These products are called pottery and can be found in every corner of our planet.
There are three main classes of production in pottery technology:
- production of building bricks;
- making pottery or stone dishes;
- the production of more refined earthenware or porcelain items.
Based on the production technology, all classes of pottery are similar to each other, however, there are a number of nuances that affect the final result. The main difference is the types of clay that form the basis of the product.
History
As stated earlier, pottery originated from a craft that served solely to make vessels for storing materials and food. Over time, it developed, enriched and appeared today in front of us not in the same form as our distant ancestors saw it. Thanks to technological discoveries, new items of manufacture began to appear, they entailed the appearance of items such as refractory bricks, stone dishes, roof tiles, tiles, drainage pipes, architectural decorations and numerous other products.
Due to the fact that society began to trim and decorate the usual clay products, pottery moved from the category of craft to the category of art. The manufacture of clay pots has been popular in antiquity since the time when mankind became acquainted with the material common on the planet - clay and its properties.
The Old Testament contains several references to the profession of a potter and his products. The oldest clay vessels, even in the prehistoric era, got off with a human hand and, accordingly, were irregular shape... A little later, there are round and oval items, apparently made using a potter's wheel. History has not preserved information about the exact appearance of this circle, however, references to it go back to antiquity.
It is known that the first porcelain products appeared in Asia two thousand years ago. This indicates that the pottery industry in China developed much more rapidly than in the whole world.
Each nation had its own traditions associated with this craft, which has turned into an art. So in African countries at the beginning of the twentieth century, pots were made by hand, clay was dried in the sun, and the product was fired using a bundle of straw and fire.
As for Europe, here until the eighth century, pottery was in complete decline. Only the Spanish Moors gave it an impetus, around the same time there were products that were covered with glaze.
Pottery flourished around the thirteenth century. The brightest splash occurred in Italy, where majolica was invented - a type of ceramics made from fired clay. Florence gave the world such a master of pottery as Luca della Robbia, his sculptures and other works are considered the pride of the nation in our time.
Using the technologies of the sculptor Robbia, Tuscan factories have taken another step forward - earthenware products. They were first burned with fire, then they were covered with white glaze, on which drawings were made, after which the product was subjected to a second firing, stronger than the first. Majolica was used to make not only architectural decorations, but also flowerpots and figurines.
After the decline of pottery in Italy, France took over the baton. It was here that the clay kiln was invented.
In the Middle Ages, pottery was created and used only by the poor, the upper classes used pewter, silver, and gold. Pottery is also widely used in church decoration. Here he was used to create jugs. Churches of Novgorod, as well as temples from the time of the Romanovs, are decorated with similar items.
At the end of the eighteenth century, whole factories began to appear all over the world that were engaged in pottery.
Ceramic products
The main difference between the types of ceramics is the composition of the mass, as well as the type of glaze from which they are made. Pottery is of two types: dense and porous.
Dense - these are those products that, during firing, due to high temperature, merge into a homogeneous solid mass. At the break, such a product resembles glass. It is translucent and does not absorb liquid, but strikes the steel and gives off sparks. An example of dense pottery is porcelain.
Porous ones, on the other hand, break easily and allow liquid to pass through. Among such products is faience.
There may be products that do not belong to either type, but are something transitional between these two types.
Dense
- Hard porcelain. The mass is fused, translucent, fine-grained, elastic, homogeneous, hard, it will not succumb to the action of a knife. Such porcelain contains kaolin, chalk, quartz and feldspar. It undergoes a double firing: first weak for glazing, then strong after coating.
- Soft porcelain. It is also called French. Its content is an almost transparent lead glaze. Here, a double firing is also necessary, only at first very strong, and at the end weaker.
- Unglazed china, or biscuit. Has the usual porcelain mass.
- Pariyan. By weight, it is close to soft porcelain, has a yellowish tint, refractory.
- Carrara. White, translucent. Its mass is a cross between stone products and a pariah.
- Stone products. They are characterized by a dense, fine-grained mass. There are ordinary and delicate products, mostly white.
Porous
- Delicate faience. It is a mixture of refractory clay and silica. It is covered with a transparent glaze. Mass is opaque, bell.
- Ordinary faience, or majolica. It is a red-yellow mass, which, after firing, is covered with an opaque tin glaze.
- Articles made of ordinary and fire-resistant clay. This includes bricks, roof tiles, drainage pipes, and more.
- Burnt stone mass, or, as it is also called, terracotta. Its composition is refined clay and rubbed fragments of finished products. It is used to decorate vases and other products.
- Ordinary pottery. The mass is produced from clay, clay marl, as well as from an opaque lead glaze.
Pottery materials
To make bricks, porcelain, earthenware, you need to do the following work: make up a clay mass, shape it, dry it, burn it and cover it with glaze. The main material for making products is clay. Potters prefer to use potting clay, which has the necessary viscosity and its temperature resistance is ideal for creating products. Despite the fact that the clay itself has high level plasticity, the addition of auxiliary materials is mandatory due to the fact that during firing it is rapidly and unevenly compressed, which turns the product into an awkward thing. To make the simplest product, you also need sand, ash, sawdust; for better quality products, you need chamotte - a powder that is obtained from crushed products.
For the production of ordinary pottery, previously mined clay must be left for one to two years in airspace or in water. After that, she is crushed into wooden boxes, in factories and plants it is done by special machines. This action is necessary in order to clear the clay from stones or debris. After the clay has been taken out of the boxes, it is piled into heaps, which are cut into thin plates with a knife. They are again placed in the boxes and shuffled again, clearing the impurities that might remain on it. Higher grades of products, especially colorless ones, require components that must be perfectly cleaned. The basic rule of a good-quality clay mass is its uniformity. For the purpose of high-quality cleaning, the clay is divided into small pieces, which are poured over with water and, after a day of "soaking", are thrown into kneading machines. The teeth of this machine, during fast rotation, cut the clay, and the stream of water passing through this chamber carries very small pieces into a special pool, while the large ones remain at the bottom. The pool is designed for the next level of cleaning, here coarse particles are deposited, after which another jet carries them into the second pool. In it, the clay is completely screened out. This technology uses only warm water, because it separates clay pieces better, and the cleaning process is noticeably accelerated due to the optimal temperature.
Proportions component parts are determined for each type of product separately. Mixing of funds also occurs in different ways: dry, with knives or with water jets. When this homogeneous mass is obtained, a large number of unwanted bubbles still remain in it. This problem is eliminated either with special equipment or with the help of feet, with which the clay is simply trampled until the required consistency is obtained.
Burning
In a narrow sense, ceramics is the same clay, but fired. Accordingly, when they say "ceramics", they mean products made from inorganic materials (often clay), as well as their mixtures with various additives, which are produced under the influence of high temperatures and subsequent cooling.
The firing process triggers irreversible changes, after which the material turns into ceramic. Under the influence of high temperature, fusion of small particles occurs in those places where they come into contact.
In the production of porcelain, technology undergoes significant changes. This is due to the difference in materials, the required temperature and different properties components. Each source material has its own proportions, as well as a certain temperature regime:
The firing technology of products is carried out by various methods. Nevertheless, the process of firing in a kiln is a centuries-old, unchanging tradition. Depending on the temperature and duration of the process, products of different quality are obtained. Therefore, the maximum temperature in the furnaces in production does not change until the production of a whole batch of products is completed.
Moreover, appearance finished product also depends on the composition of the atmosphere in the kiln. One or another degree of air oxidation can be caused. With the help of specially set parameters, you can even get the pottery clay to change color from brown to green.
Glaze application
Some pottery works are not glazed at all. These include bricks, tiles, terracotta, pots. The so-called glazing is carried out in order to protect the clay products from excess moisture. The same result was achieved in ancient times with milk roasting - a method of making products beautiful and waterproof.
Not the most expensive clay products are glazed raw at the same time as firing. This is called anting. The essence of this action is that during firing, salt is thrown into the furnace, which turns into vapor and settles on the product. Where it lands, a fusible compound called an ant is formed.
Another method of coating is to sprinkle the product with a fine powder of glaze. Often these are crude products: pots, unburned pipes, etc. Before applying the coating, the product is smeared with flour paste and fired.
The essence of the third method is that the product is covered with glaze, which has the consistency of cream. A similar method is used to cover solid products that practically do not absorb liquid. For example, some types of porcelain and faience.
And the last method is that porcelain and earthenware products are placed in a container with glaze. This method intended for those products that undergo a slight firing and initially absorb liquid. The glaze is ground into a fine powder, mixed with water. In this liquid, which resembles milk in consistency, a product is placed, which absorbs this mixture. It is possible to make a drawing on such glaze.
Art therapy
In the modern rhythm, everyone finds their own way to relax. One of the most beautiful and unusual methods- do pottery. There are two ways to try this art. The first is to buy a potter's wheel and the necessary materials to practice on your own. Pottery workshop in own home- it is not only stylish and fashionable, but also incredibly exciting for you, your family and friends. In this case, you can feel like a free artist, try various forms based on video tutorials.
The second way is the school of pottery. In the class of beginners like yourself, you will have the opportunity to try on the role of a creator of beauty, an artist and a sculpture.
Psychologists say pottery is a great way to deal with stress and become more balanced and alert. Art therapy, according to experts, is one of the best methods of dealing with depression and other nervous disorders. Spending time at the potter's wheel helps to streamline thoughts, distract from small everyday troubles and find a way out of a difficult life situation. "Full dedication to the cause will not solve your problems, but it will definitely help you find ways to solve them," the doctors say with one voice.
DIY products
Every home contains earthenware, ceramic or porcelain items. In conditions of mass production, it is difficult to surprise someone with factory-made utensils or a flower vase.
Pottery is incredibly fun and exciting for the whole family. You can have fun, learn a new business, develop skills and dexterity.
Having attended the first pottery workshop, you can already make a pot yourself. Attentive teachers tend to be patient with newcomers, guiding and helping in everything. Pottery helps to cope with minor stresses, distracts from the daily hustle and bustle. And the products that you make yourself will become a reason to be proud of another victory over yourself. In addition, after you work around the circle and mold your pot, you will have the opportunity to paint it with your own hands. Here you can show all your imagination. Such a product will be a wonderful gift for a loved one.
Parties, birthdays and corporate events held for such an unusual activity are popular. This is a good opportunity to chat, get to know each other better and see the creativity of your friends. In addition, such a holiday will surely be remembered for its uniqueness, originality, and products made on their own behind a potter's wheel will become great gift in memory of a wonderful day. And someone, perhaps, will discover a talent in himself and will seriously engage in this business in order to open his own museum of pottery in the future. Children will especially like this activity. If they are good at sculpting from plasticine, then you need to try to send them to a pottery school. This will help develop hand motor skills, will have a beneficial effect on the baby's mood, and will also open up the child's creativity. An interesting and exciting hobby develops attention, imagination and thinking.
Hobby or business?
In the modern world, pottery is very popular. They belong to the category of products that are always in demand and relevant. Each house has dishes, vases, pots, various figurines and souvenirs. For many centuries growing into art, it is popular and in demand. That is why the passion for pottery is increasingly developing into a real business. Own pottery workshop is a very profitable business, because the main raw material is clay - free material, which in literally lies just under our feet. Beautiful, original, designer products can bring a good income to the manufacturer. The master of pottery is a profession for the soul. You can diversify the world around you, get a unique hobby that will bring you profit, and also unleash your creativity.
The art of pottery is popular all over the world. Despite the fact that it is already several tens of centuries, it will never go out of fashion.