How to make ceramic dishes? Ceramics. Technology for making ceramics at home Do-it-yourself earthenware

Recently, there has been a tendency everywhere to return to ancient traditions, materials, customs, styles, recipes. Apparently, a person gets tired of regular innovations, which, on the one hand, make his life easier, on the other hand, make it more artificial and further and further away from the origins of our ancestors.

As one of the oldest materials, it has been used by man from time immemorial for the manufacture of a wide variety of things and objects. Ranging from utilitarian and ending with decorative, created for beauty. Ceramic products are dishes, souvenirs, jewelry, interior items, sculpture, tiles... This list can be continued for a long time.

When we see ceramic products, we are enveloped in warmth and comfort. And indeed, clay, or faience, or porcelain, from which they are made, carry certain positive charges that have a favorable effect on us. These are tactile sensations (it is always a pleasure to take a piece of ceramic dishes in your hands), and the smell of burnt clay, and aesthetic appearance. Ceramic dishes filled with food whets the appetite, ceramic souvenirs, figurines, sculptures will fit into almost any interior, and ceramic roof tiles are the most durable and beautiful!

When you see something beautiful, sometimes you want to try it yourself. In this case, with ceramics, this is real and possible for everyone.

The simplest and most accessible material in ceramics is, of course, clay. It is sold for creativity in small briquettes. To create something bigger, you can look for a studio or school where masters work in this field and teach you anything in this area.

The amount and consistency of clay depends on what you want to create. There are several types of clay "production":

	1. modeling. With the help of your hands and auxiliary materials (wooden or plastic stacks), you create some kind of object. It can be either a small whistle or a large sculpture.
	2. . This is the process of creating vessels, plates, vases and any other objects by rotating on a potter's loom. Starting from something the size of a thimble and Not ending with a tall floor vase. This is a slightly more complex form of pottery than just sculpting, so it's easier to take a pottery course first to learn the basics of this beautiful clay art.
	3. warm-up. You have a plaster mold (which is also made by hand), for example, a flower, into which you "press" the prepared clay, and as it dries, you simply easily pull it out, and the object of the shape you need is ready.
	4. Casting. This method is more used in the production of faience and porcelain products, however, it is also suitable for clay. Again, the prepared, purified liquid clay (slip) is poured into the gypsum mold (of a slightly different plan), after a while the remains of the clay not drawn into the gypsum merge, and after a few hours, the finished product is removed, which remains only to dry.

Each of these methods has a lot of specific nuances that you need to know in order to achieve minimally positive results. However, here we present the simplest and most accessible option for the manufacture of a real ceramic product.

What you need to create a ceramic product:

1. Clay . Soft, plastic, not sticky to hands and not very dry. Clay softens with water. If the lump is too dry and difficult to plasticize, you just need to add some water and knead well again. Raw clay should be put on a dry surface (preferably gypsum) and let it dry a little.

2. Fantasy . It can be some kind of small sculpture (turtle, little man, abstraction), a cup or a vase. We give the desired shape and, if necessary, texture, you can use any auxiliary items (spoons, toothbrushes, sticks, pencils).

3. Time . It is enough to simply leave a small product for several hours (sometimes all night) in a warm place, but avoid drafts and too hot batteries. It is better to cover large items with a dry cotton cloth first, and then, after a day, open them completely. This will allow the product to dry more evenly, which means it will avoid cracks. Cracks can form when drying very quickly.

4. Burning . We carefully take the absolutely dry product and carry it to the place of firing. There are special kilns for firing in ceramic workshops. It will not be possible to burn the product on your own at home in the oven up to 300 C. Since the temperature of the first firing is from 900 to 1300 C.

5. decoration . The easiest way is to cover the resulting fired product with acrylic paints. They are bright and do not wash off with water. There are also special vitreous glazes for ceramics, which are applied after the first firing and require another firing. They are much more aesthetic, make the product more durable and will never be erased.

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands do not know boredom!

Content

For making plates, bowls, salad bowls, cups, mugs, etc. Today, different materials are used, which differ from each other in cost and quality characteristics. A popular option is ceramic dishes of foreign and Russian production, the main one for which is clay raw materials. Ceramic dishes have served people for over a thousand years. Despite a range of modern materials, ceramics are still popular, and dishes cooked in earthenware are distinguished by an exquisite and unique taste.

What is ceramic tableware

Under such dishes are meant products made of ceramics, which consists of a mixture of clay with mineral additives. At the same time, it is not correct to divide utensils into clay and ceramic utensils on the basis that the first is not covered with glaze, and the second is covered. All kitchen utensils, for the production of which clay was used, are commonly called ceramic, i.e. this includes faience and porcelain dishes.

What are they made of

Dishes made of Russian-made or foreign ceramics are made by sintering clay or clay mixtures. Despite the large assortment of products, a mixture of clay with kaolin and with the addition of feldspar and quartz is used for the production of ceramics. Plaster molds are used to give the desired look to the resulting mixture. Further, air is removed from the blanks, because. this is necessary to improve the plastic properties and overall quality of ceramic products.

The main stage of production involves sintering at a significant temperature regime with subsequent processing, i.e. firing, surface decoration. Depending on the type of final product, heat treatment is carried out at a high temperature - in the range of 900 to 1250°C. As a result, the pliable clay mixture becomes hard, retaining the given shape, refractory and acquires chemical resistance. To avoid cracks that appear due to humidity and a sharp temperature drop, the surface is glazed on the outside.

Advantages and disadvantages

Having learned about what ceramic dishes are made of, and having familiarized yourself with the manufacturing technology of such products, pay attention to the pros and cons that have. Such heat-resistant kitchen utensils have the following advantages:

• the ability to adjust the humidity, temperature of the prepared dish, because the porous structure of ceramics contributes to the absorption of moisture with its subsequent return;
• over time, scale does not form in products;
• suitable for storing food for a long time;
• impeccable taste of dishes, because food cooked in ceramic utensils has a special aroma, rich taste - as if it was languishing in an oven.
• it is environmentally safe - this is due to the absence of heavy metals in the composition and the release of toxic substances under the influence of high temperatures.

You can order suitable ceramic products in specialized online stores with delivery by mail. Before you buy ceramic dishes in Moscow, St. Petersburg or another city, familiarize yourself with its shortcomings. Like utensils made of any other material, it is not without them. If you take into account the cons, then it is possible to extend the operational life of the purchase made. Negative qualities include:

• the destructive effect of moisture, which is a consequence of the porosity of the material;
• increased fragility;
• absorption of fat and its difficult laundering;
• absorption, long-term preservation of the smell of cooked food - it is better to have separate ceramic utensils for each dish.

Types of ceramic dishes

Jugs and clay pots for baking, pans, mugs, tea cups and other ceramic products are divided into two main groups: for cooking and for serving. Ceramic utensils are widely used not only at home, but also in many catering establishments, for example, when it is required to add some ethnic zest to the interior. In addition, such products are divided into glazed and unglazed. New technologies make it possible to produce ceramics of various types, depending on which the dishes can be divided into the following types:

• Terracotta crockery. For its manufacture, red clay is used, it is rarely covered with a layer of glaze, after firing it acquires a very different texture: coarse-grained or fine, with continuous or partial polishing. Color varies from black, brown and red to light beige. Once terracotta is characterized by too low moisture resistance, but new technologies have corrected this shortcoming.
• Faience products. Tea sets, coffee sets and other products in this category are made of white clay, but with less thermal resistance and strength, more porosity and wall thickness. All this leads to a more noticeable absorption of odors and moisture compared to the porcelain counterpart. A light blow on a faience surface causes a low, dull and quickly disappearing sound - this is due to the relatively low firing temperature in the range of 900-1050 ° C.
• Porcelain. Porcelain products are made on the basis of white clay. It has lightness, exquisite aesthetics, high strength and good heat and acid resistance. Lightly striking the porcelain ceramic coating results in a sustained, clear, high-pitched sound. Porcelain containers keep warm and cool, acting as a kind of thermos. Compared to faience counterparts, they have greater mechanical stability.

Russian-made ceramic dishes

If you visit a pottery store, you can find a lot of domestic products: ceramic frying pans, teapots, cups, etc. As for manufacturing, it is not pottery workshops that are engaged in this to a greater extent, but entire factories with great productive capacity. A good purchase would be a glass "Verona" made of handmade ceramics. The product will keep cooled drinks cold and tea hot for a long time:

• model name: Verona 1764924;
• price: 25 rubles / piece;
• characteristics: dimensions - 8x8.5x8.5 cm, weight - 240 g, multi-colored, volume - 250 ml, in a box - 12 pieces;
• pluses: it is cheap, interesting pattern;
• cons: no.

Check out another Russian-made product. This is a tea saucer made of Dulevo porcelain:

• model name: Tulip 1489796;
• price: 26 rubles / piece;
• characteristics: dimensions - 15x15x2 cm, weight - 90 g, package - 40 pieces, material - porcelain;
• pluses: acceptable cost;
• cons: lack of drawings.

The Dream set, consisting of two items, fully meets Russian quality standards. Products have an interesting blue-blue hue:

• model name: Dream 894465;
• price: 104 rubles;
• characteristics: consists of a mug of 0.2 l and a salad bowl of 0.6 l, total weight - 510 g, colors - blue, light blue;
• pluses: spectacular shade;
• cons: no.

Polish ceramics

Ceramic dishes are highly valued, because they are heat-intensive, easy to care for, and their heating is carried out evenly. It can even be used in the oven, just heat it up gradually to avoid possible problems. Ceramic products of Polish manufacturers have gained some popularity in the country, which can sometimes be bought at a good discount during sales and promotions. Alternatively, you can order a fruit dish from Boleslawiec (Poland):

• model name: dish Boleslawiec B43;
• price: 4400 rubles;
• characteristics: height - 7 cm, length - 34.5 cm, width - 22.5 cm, ornament - peacock feather;
• pluses: quality, aesthetic appearance;
• cons: it's expensive.

Boleslawiec is a manufacturer of unique design and quality Polish tableware, which is very popular not only in Poland, but also in Russia. Another great creation that can even be used as a present:

• model name: flat dish Boleslawiec T-136;
• price: 1900 rubles;
• characteristics: height - 4 cm, diameter - 29 cm, ornament - boat;
• pluses: beauty, practicality, good size;
• cons: a little pricey.

If you are interested in a beautiful teapot made in Poland, then take a look at the following products. The teapot has a convenient lockable lid. The heat in it due to ceramics lasts for a long time, so the tea turns out tasty and fragrant:

• model name: kettle Boleslawiec 264;
• price: 2300 rubles;
• characteristics: volume - 0.9 l, height - 14 cm, ornament - trees;
• pluses: optimal volume, aesthetics, originality;
• cons: high cost.

For kitchen

A good purchase would be a set of cookware with a non-stick ceramic coating (internal) ECO-CERA. The set consists of 3 items, the lid of the pan is made of heat-resistant glass. Handles are fastened with rivets:

• model name: VS-2216 Vitesse;
• price: 3623 rubles;
• characteristics: pan - 2.8 l, 20 cm, pan diameter - 24 and 20 cm, aluminum body, wall thickness - 2.5 mm, weight - 2.117 kg, colors - red, blue;
• pluses: good quality, aesthetic appearance;
• cons: a little expensive.

Barton Steel's 6813BS is another ceramic-coated utensil set that's great for the kitchen. Suitable for all types of hob, including induction. The lids are made of glass, have a steam vent and metal handles:

• model name: 6813BS Barton Steel;
• price: 5290 rubles;
• characteristics: 3 pots - 2.5 / 4.5 / 7 l, 20/24/28 cm, frying pan - 3 l, 28 cm, there is a silicone spatula, 2 potholders, 2 hot pads;
• pluses: a rich set at an affordable cost, excellent quality;
• cons: no.

A set of dishes for the kitchen "Dalmatians" includes 3 items. It is inexpensive, production - Dobrush Porcelain Factory (Belarus):

• model name: Dalmatians 1035476;
• price: 158 rubles;
• characteristics: mug - 200 ml, salad bowl - 360 ml, plate diameter - 17 cm, material - porcelain, total weight - 700 g;
• pluses: the presence of a picture, low cost;
• cons: no.

color

Ceramic kitchen utensils painted in different colors will delight every guest in your home. With its help, the kitchen can be given some originality and showiness. The main thing is to make sure that the product is really of high quality, durable and made of environmentally friendly material. An interesting purchase would be a yellow-blue teapot from Cesiro:

• model name: Cesiro 2477_06_120_428;
• price: 560 rubles;
• characteristics: colors - yellow, blue, capacity - 600 ml, height - 130 mm, country of origin - Romania;
• pluses: original look, good workmanship;
• cons: the coloring may seem unusual.

Check out this bright orange pot from Bekker. Meat cooked in ceramic vessels acquires a special softness, and vegetables remain juicy. Outside, the product is ribbed, suitable for dishwasher, oven and microwave:

• model name: Bekker BK-7097;
• price: 1090 rubles;
• characteristics: color - orange, volume - 2.1 l, dimensions - 30.5x20.5x115 cm, shape - oval, material - heat-resistant ceramics;
• pluses: optimal volume, thick walls;
• cons: not very comfortable shape.

If you are looking for a plate, then take a look at the substitution variant, painted in blue-blue. There is no picture for this:

• model name: Cesiro 1469361;
• price: 163 rubles;
• characteristics: colors - blue, light blue, volume - 230 ml, diameter - 23 cm, shape - round, weight - 470 g, country of origin - Romania;
• pluses: affordable cost, an interesting combination of colors;
• cons: no.

Dining room

Pay attention to the BK-7033 dinner service from Bekker, all items of which are made of high-quality porcelain. The ware conforms to all available world standards in the field of ecology and safety. The set includes a large salad bowl, gravy boat, classic-shaped plates and some other items. The kit is relatively inexpensive, but of high quality - ideal for daily use:

• model name: Bekker BK-7024;
• price: 2550 rubles;
• characteristics: main color - white, 6 dinner, 6 soup and 6 dessert plates, gravy boat, oval dish, salad bowl, gravy saucer, material - porcelain;
• pluses: a rich set, acceptable cost,
• cons: no.

High quality porcelain dinner service BK-7038 from BK-7038 is a product decorated with a beautiful floral ornament. The surface of each item is covered with sparkling lead-free glaze. Such a service will especially appeal to lovers of the classics and those who prefer sophistication and sophistication:

• model name: Bekker BK-7038;
• price: 3750 rubles;
• characteristics: diameter of soup plates (6 pcs.) - 19 cm, size of dinner plates (6 pcs.) - 25.5x21 cm, dessert (6 pcs.) - 20.5x16.5 cm, saucers (6 pcs.) - 15 ,5x12 cm, volume of cups (6 pcs.) - 250 ml, material - porcelain;
• pluses: practicality, a large number of items;
• cons: it is more expensive than analogues.

Another good set of ceramic tableware is the Tulips service. All items are glazed and decorated with a beautiful floral pattern:

• model name: Dolyana Tulips;
• price: 3232 rubles;
• characteristics: the size of soup plates (4 pcs.) - 22x22x4 cm, the size of lunch (4 pcs.) - 23x23x2.5 cm, dessert (4 pcs.) - 19x19x1.5 cm, saucers (4 pcs.) - 15x15x1.5 cm , volume of mugs (4 pcs.) - 180 ml, diameter - 7.8 cm, height - 7 cm, material - ceramics;
• pluses: aesthetics, rich set;
• cons: no.

How to choose ceramic dishes

Having decided to purchase a set of ceramic dishes, take his choice with all seriousness. In this case, it is better to make a choice in favor of the whole set, because. all the utensils included in it are designed in the same style. Buying dishes separately, as a result, in the kitchen you will form a kind of mess in aesthetic terms. Pay attention to the design, the presence of a pattern, color. Be sure to check the surface of each product so that there are no chips or other defects on it.

Decide on the type of ceramics. The most durable option is faience ceramic utensils, because. this material has great mechanical resistance, acid and heat resistance. Faience is less durable, but cheaper - in general, dishes from it are not afraid of temperature changes. There is also terracotta, which cannot be put on an open fire, and after washing it should be wiped thoroughly.

Suppose there is such a situation that you are left alone with nature, civilization is either somewhere far away, or does not exist at all anymore (the plot is not so important, the need is important). And now you decide to make the simplest dishes from clay! How to do it in terms of survival?!

If you are not an experienced potter, and you don’t have a potter’s wheel at hand (perhaps yet), try making a simple vessel. In ancient times, our ancestors simply scraped out a whole piece of clay or sculpted them by hand. And even in our time in Central Asia, in some villages, the manual method of sculpting vessels is still preserved.

Before sculpting earthenware, you should find the material for its manufacture! Look for clay along the banks of ravines and rivers, next to streams and springs. There are many deposits of clay in wetlands, where there is a low level of groundwater. In this case, clay is usually located under other rocks. Therefore, before you get the clay, you need to remove their layer.

Also keep in mind that the extracted clay may contain impurities (small pebbles, sand), it would be nice to get rid of them, if possible, fill the clay with water and let it settle. Impurities should settle to the bottom, and clean clay should be taken out and dried in the sun, after which you can start sculpting. Clay and water are all we need.

To mold the vessel by hand, first fashion the bottom in the form of a round plate. Then small pieces of clay should be rolled into flagella of approximately the same thickness. Now we make the walls of our vessel: the flagella should be stacked one on top of the other, in rings, starting from the bottom, giving the shape we need (see picture). When laying the flagella, simultaneously rub the gaps between them and smooth out the bumps.

After the resulting vessel should be burned, since apparently we do not have a furnace (perhaps so far) we will use a fire.

Remember turning clay into ceramics going on at a temperature 500-900 °С. The lower the temperature, the longer the firing should take. Experiments have shown that temperatures up to 750 °C can be reached in a fire. It should be noted that Burning in fires has not outlived its usefulness in our time. It has been preserved in Central Asia, Africa and America. The shortest bonfire time from 8 to 12 hours but sometimes it lasts several days. As you remember, Robinson burned his dishes overnight.

You can also benefit from centuries of experience. Do this: pieces of bricks are laid on a flat area (in theory, flat stones will also work). Place the vessel on the stones. If there are a lot of products, first of all, large things are placed on them, then medium-sized products and capsules (a refractory box for firing, for example, a tin can) with small things (Fig. 2). The resulting pyramid of clay products is carefully covered with firewood and a fire is set on fire. It must burn for at least 8 hours. Although, as already mentioned, the longer the firing lasts, the stronger our ceramics.

Small items, if there is a need for such, can be fired in capsules in another way (Fig. 1). Dig a shallow hole in the bottom of which you will lay firewood with a grate and place capsules from cans. Fill the hole with charcoal left over from the old fire. When the coal completely covers the jars, it is sprinkled with a thin layer of earth and a fire is made on top, on which you can cook food or use it for any other needs: the firing will go on automatically. If the fire is stopped burning late in the evening, it is extinguished, sprinkled with earth and left until the morning. In the morning, capsules are dug out of the ashes and burnt items are taken out of them.

© SURVIVE.RU

Post Views: 5,034

You could not help but notice the new fashion trend of our days - “handmade”. Do you think that the popularity of this kind of occupation is unreasonable, and people do it for fun? Of course not. There are many reasons for such an interesting and useful activity. You can consider this on the example of making dishes with your own hands. In this article, we will look at options for how to make ceramic dishes.

We make dishes with our own hands

How are dishes made at home? First you need to decide on the material from which we will make something. The most common raw material for making dishes with your own hands is clay. Let's hit all the subtleties of this case and analyze a few examples.

Becoming a master is easier than you think

Clay dishes are a combination of beauty and practicality. Such inventory is the most ancient and had no alternatives for a long time. In ancient times, people did not use firing to create dishes, but then they learned how to cook ceramics.

Earthenware copes with the preparation of various dishes and is an essential assistant to the hostess. She:

• durable;
• heat resistant;
• environmentally friendly;
• beautiful.

Important! Some believe that the material used to make the items draws out bad energy through a combination of water, earth, air, and sun.

And doing something with your own hands is the most pleasant thing, because you put your soul into such things, and questions like: “did the manufacturer do his job well?” will, of course, not occur. Is it so difficult to make dishes from clay? No, soon you will see for yourself.

We make a clay plate with our own hands

Now we will consider in order all the nuances of making clay dishes.

Material preparation

The first step is to prepare the material with which we are going to work. Simply follow these tips:

1. You need to find clay, and in order to determine whether it is suitable for making dishes: you need to take a small lump of slightly damp clay, roll it into a tourniquet between your palms and bend it in half. If cracks do not appear at the bend, then you can safely deal with such material.
2. Put the right amount of clay in some deep container and fill it with water to the top.
3. Do not be afraid to overdo it with the amount of prepared material. Nobody forbids you to use the surplus in the next modeling and make something else out of clay.

Elutriation of clay

Elutriation will allow the clay to become more plastic, fatter and cleaner.

Important! Most often, elutriation is carried out with such clay, which contains sand in large quantities, due to which it becomes less plastic.

What specifically needs to be done:

1. We take a deep bowl, put clay in it and fill it with water in a ratio of 1 to 3, leave the material to moisten all night.

Important! The water should completely cover the clay in the container.

1. In the morning, bring the mixture to a state of uniform consistency. Let the solution stand for several days. Further work can be started only when the water becomes lighter.
2. Drain the water through the rubber hose.
3. Scoop out clay to the lowest layer. The layer itself does not need to be touched, because only stones and sand will remain there. Pour the composition into a wooden box and leave in the sun to evaporate unwanted moisture.
4. When most of the water has evaporated, you can start mixing the clay. The material should dry until it takes on the consistency of dough and begins to stick to the hands. Now the finished clay, which should be covered with polyethylene, remains to be sculpted.

Important! Be sure to remove air before sculpting. To do this, knead the dough with your hands. A little water should be added if the material is very hard.

Let's move on to the next step, in which you will make ceramic dishes.

Making pottery

Items can be made from clay bundles or flat pieces. We recommend making dishes in the first way. We take a rolling pin and a piece of clay, roll it out and give it any desired shape. In this way, you can easily mold bowls or shallow plates.

In order to make a pot or vase out of material, you should follow a different technology:

1. We make the bottom for our dishes as described above.

Important! The bottom should not be too thin. The most optimal thickness should be approximately 2 cm.

1. We cut the clay into pieces, using a rolling pin we make bundles of them.
2. We put the end of the tourniquet on the bottom and press hard so that it is fastened to the bottom.
3. We impose rolled bundles on top of each other, pressing new layers.
4. Moisten the ropes with a small amount of water if the material hardens.

Important! You can create bizarre vessels of various shapes using these modeling methods.

Drying

Don't rush. Rushing can lead to the formation of cracks and wrinkles on the surface of the dishes, which can lead to rejects during firing. Making dishes out of clay is not difficult, but you can’t do without patience in this matter. Just follow all the deadlines, and the result will please you.

For at least two days, the dishes should be dried upside down in a draft-free room, then transfer the product to a warm oven and dry until the moisture has completely evaporated.

Important! Ware can burst during firing if you do not completely get rid of moisture.

Product firing

There are special ovens for various purposes that you can purchase and install at home. But we were talking about an easy and affordable way, so we will fire on a regular fire:

1. We cover the dishes with firewood and set fire to them.
2. We are waiting for at least eight hours.

Important! The longer you keep the product in the fire, the stronger it will turn out.

If you did everything right, then at the end you will have a beautiful ceramic product, which is highly durable. It is worth noting that the manufacturing method does not require special costs. Making pottery out of clay is not difficult, and constant practice will make you a master potter.

Five reasons to take up sculpting

Still don't see any reason to take up needlework? You will change your mind soon!

Reason #1: Uniqueness

It's up to you to decide exactly how your clay plate will look. Imagine the surprise of the guests when, instead of a purchased service from the “Dishes Center”, you get a set that you made yourself. Such things will immediately attract attention.

Reason number 2: environmental friendliness

Did you know that harmful materials are still used in the production of dishes? Glaze from the same lead gives the product an alluring beautiful shine. There is not much lead, but using such dishes is more expensive for yourself.

Moreover, such products are even banned in some countries. Better think 100 times before buying a cheap and bright cup or bowl.

Important! Do not forget that there are natural colored clays: blue, green, black.

Reason #3: Renewability

Your service will not suffer from a broken mug or plate, because you can always restore the loss. With the advent of a new friend or family member, nothing prevents you from replenishing your collection with a new product. If necessary, you can absolutely always do something new and useful. Yes, and when viewing photos from a vacation, you can see a beautiful vase in a souvenir shop and easily recreate it at home. It's great, right?

Reason #4: Quality

It is not uncommon for online purchases that disappoint you immediately after opening the package. A beautiful drawing began to peel off the mug after washing, and the plate is scratched by cutlery.

With the hand-made production of dishes, especially when processed in a ceramic workshop under the watchful eye of a specialist, such disappointments are completely excluded. You will be taught how to properly handle clay, explain step by step all the nuances of manufacturing technology that will help make your dishes of the highest quality and practical.

Important! Such products will not be afraid of a dishwasher or microwave. Over the years of use, you will not see any cracks or peeling paint.

Reason number 5: saving the family budget

Even if you have made just a couple of mugs, then this knowledge will be enough for you to competently understand dishes, materials and glazes. If any seller begins to assure you of the huge cost of a blue clay coffee pair, then you can safely fight back and do not let yourself be deceived.

footage

Well. Now all doubts about needlework have disappeared? Still would. Making clay dishes is not only profitable, but exciting! No one will stop you from making money on it or just to please yourself, friends and loved ones. The best thing is that this activity does not require any special investments, with the exception of one thing - the soul! Putting your soul into the process, you will experience indescribable delight when you drink tea from a saucer that you made yourself. Creative success to you!

Ceramic vases, pots, tea sets, candlesticks, plates, whistles and even musical instruments - all this can be created independently.

To learn how to make ceramics with your own hands, the main thing is desire. Before becoming a ceramist, try molding the simplest knickknack out of clay, and you will understand whether it is worth spending money on buying equipment for work. If something didn’t work out, it doesn’t matter, soak the marriage and make a new figure out of it, before baking, the product can be modified endlessly.

What is ceramics made of and where to get materials for work

Ceramics is fired clay, which is the main material in the work of a ceramist. Unlike, natural is of natural origin, it is mined from the bowels of the earth without subjecting it to chemical and other types of processing.

Experienced craftsmen, in order to save money, extract and prepare raw materials on their own. This process includes several stages and hardly deserves attention if you are just starting out and living in the city.

Clay for the manufacture of ceramics must be oily and free of pebbles and other debris, otherwise the craft will crack during the baking process. The finished mass is stored under certain humidity conditions.

Natural clay is different types:

• White - the most common, initially has a grayish tint, and after heat treatment it acquires a pleasant shade of ivory.
• Red - contains iron oxide, which gives the raw material a greenish tone. The main color of the raw material is brown, after firing the products become red. It lends itself well to modeling, does not crumble, ideal for sculptures and large items.
• Porcelain is gray when raw and white when baked.
• Blue - more often used in cosmetology and traditional medicine.
• Black or dark brown ceramic body - the hardest clay, acquiring an ivory hue after kilning.

Also clays for ceramics classified by temperature processing into low-melting, medium-melting, refractory.

It is most convenient to buy ready-made pottery clay, focusing on the fraction size, color after firing at different temperatures, and other characteristics and quality indicators. The cost depends on the manufacturer, packaging, texture. There are ready-made masses with additives for investing in various tasks - modeling, molding, potter's wheel.

In addition to clay, glazes and enamels are needed to cover products, pigments to give hand-made ceramics the desired shade, special additives to improve properties and heat treatment.

Used to glue parts slip mass- a kind of glue made from diluted clay. If you simply connect the elements, they can fall off when heated. All this is sold in specialized stores for ceramists.

Methods for the manufacture of ceramic products

There are several ways to turn the clay mass into a beautiful ceramic product.

modeling- the most affordable way to make ceramic products with your own hands at home. Souvenirs, sculptures, dishes, toys or other crafts are molded by hand, as if from plasticine, helping themselves with special stacks or improvised devices.

Pottery requires a rotating circle. With the help of this ancient craft, even today they create vases, jugs, pots, plates, cups.

warm-up- the easiest option for making ceramics for beginners. In the work, a plaster mold is used, in which soft clay is laid out, and after hardening, the figured product is removed. Gypsum molds are attractive because they absorb excess moisture, helping the clay product to harden and dry.

Casting- here they also use forms, but of a different plan. Diluted clay is poured into molds, blanks are dried, removed and painted.

Clay crafts gain strength only after firing - processing in pottery kilns at a temperature of 900 to 1300 degrees. Finished souvenirs are covered with acrylic paints or special vitreous glaze for ceramics. In the case of glazes, another firing is required after staining.

If you want to get a natural shade, milking is used - an unpainted baked ceramic figurine is covered with milk in several layers and baked again at lower temperatures.

Pottery kiln - types and preferences

Previously, kilns for firing ceramics were forges dug in the ground and heated exclusively with firewood. Modern pottery kilns are gas, electric and wood-burning. The latter, as a rule, are made by hand, they are suitable for use in private households. In the conditions of an apartment, it is most convenient to work with electric furnaces; for large volumes, you can choose a gas furnace.

In the metal case of such furnaces, a refractory brick or other material is hidden that retains heat and is not afraid of heating. Ventilation holes are provided to remove moisture, the process of firing ceramics is controlled by a software controller. Electric pottery kilns are not cheap. The price depends on the manufacturer, volume, power.

On sale there are models with vertical and horizontal loading and hood. According to the type of location of the heating element, pottery kilns are divided into muffle and chamber. IN muffle it is located around a container made of refractory material (muffle). In chamber heaters, the heater is located inside, which reduces heat loss and makes the equipment more economical.

If you try a little, you can make a ceramic kiln at home with your own hands, taking refractory bricks as a basis and something for the body, for example, an old washing machine.

Baking is the most important process that does not forgive mistakes. Sometimes even experienced craftsmen see a worthless marriage instead of the expected masterpiece. Products are never taken out immediately, they must cool in the oven.

How to choose a potter's wheel

Pottery wheels are needed for sculpting round objects, so this tool is not necessary to buy right away. If you are just learning ceramics, start with sculpting or punching. Circles come with manual, foot and electric control.