Starting out in Pottery? Read this first!

Making pottery is just like baking  a cake but more complex!

I can tell you one thing about pottery that is in-disputable. It is diverse and more complex than you could ever imagine. Think of it as being like baking a cake. There are literally thousands of different recipes and baking instructions, including the one your grannie used to make! Many of the cake recipes make great cakes but they are all slightly different.

 Clay bodies and glazes are just the same but even more complicated! This is what many potters find fascinating. They can develop their own clay body, glaze and process in a way that makes them special and their pottery products unique. Please remember that!

 However for the novice all this complexity creates confusion. Listening to more experienced potters providing a snippet of knowledge is not always good for you. Beginners try to relate it to their needs and often it results in failure.

 So here is what the beginner really needs to know and not forget.

Start with a pottery class

Start with a pottery class. Here you can learn the basics with the support of a tutor. You can meet new friends and even take comfort in that you are not alone in your struggles to learn a new skill! A good tutor will not only guide you but provide material recommendations to allow you to reach the next stage of working alone.

Choose a Quality Clay and Glaze supplier

Clay Body

If you must go it alone there are many suppliers out there who can help you make the right choice of initial materials. They have the experience and knowledge of a wide range of clay bodies and glazes.
Tell them what you want to make and how. For example. "I want to make pottery by using a potters wheel. I want to glaze it with a white glaze by dipping and I have a pottery kiln that has a maximum temperature of 1250C. "

They can then provide a clay and glaze that are compatible which when processed correctly will give you the best possibility of success.

Process the clay and glaze as recommended by the supplier 

Orton Cones

The making and firing process used to make the pottery is as important as the clay and glaze materials. Therefore process the clay and apply the glaze as recommended by the supplier. Fire the clay and glaze in the kiln as recommended by the supplier.  Firing is often controlled by a firing cycle input into an electronic controller and/or Orton cone values. For more information on firing read my detailed article how to properly fire your pottery.

Once you are happy with the finished result repeat it several times. This proves the process you have  used will work consistently as well as giving you confidence in your skills.

Make a note of the clay body, the glaze, the firing schedules and take a photo of the fired appearance. In this way you will always have a record of how to reproduce your great work of art!

Only once skilled add your own artistic flair

Making pottery is a combination of art and science. The art to design something unique and the science to make it into a product. Only when you have the basic pottery skills and can repeatedly create the same basic product should you become focused on artistic flair.

Developing  your own style and delight in making something unique

Lori Duncan Raku

Potters are often most satisfied when they have developed their unique style or products. Using baking as analogy, top bakers often specialise in making bread, cakes or pastries and have their one stand out dish. Likewise potters specialise in stoneware, raku or wood firing or other depending on their influences.

However they develop this over many years of making and studying pottery. 

So do not rush to specialise too early. What all master potters have in common is a strong basic knowledge of clay, glaze and firing.

Keep on learning and enjoy

Pottery making is meant to be enjoyable so make sure this happens. One way to do this is to continue to learn new things. In pottery making this is relatively easy as the subject is so diverse and changing that you never become a master of all.

Once adept at basic skills look at all elements of what you do not just the making technique. Using materials such as colour creatively can open a whole new spectrum of ware. For example if you only made plain glossy white, look at making some coloured glazed pieces.

One way to do this successfully is to enrol on a pottery course specialising on one type of technique. For example studio potters often run courses to help others develop their knowledge of raku or wood firing or sculpting etc. For more information see my list of pottery courses/classes available in the UK

Above all enjoy!

Good Luck
Happy Potting
The Potters Friend

Self cleaning plates and lego style brick houses? Are these ceramics of the future?

Legoland By Copyright © 2003 Kaihsu Tai
via Wikimedia Commons

Self cleaning Glass

I recently read an article about the possible future of textiles. Designers were predicting the living shoe and the strawberry plant that grows lace. Whilst fanciful such ideas have a slim chance of becoming reality.

That made me think about ceramics. What will be the future of our beloved ceramics in 50 years from now? Perhaps it will be self cleaning plates and lego style brick houses? Again these may seem far fetched to most but they are already possible in a small way.

The next 50 years in ceramics - my vision

My vision  is based mostly on what is possible now but not necessarily in ceramics

100% Recycling

Without doubt ceramics will be recycled in a more comprehensive and systematic way. Recycling points will be readily available in every part of the country. Ceramics will be reprocessed by barcode or other tracer systems which will allow them to be separated  for more economic recycling or re-use.

Greater personalisation in Design

The changes in pottery fashion are more rapid now than at any other time. This trend is likely to continue. Changes to our dining habits, less formal dining and more casual dining, is reflected in the ceramics we buy. Ceramics are now mostly considered a disposable item and need to fit more closely with our lifestyles. This has led to a wider choice of colour and shape. For example a whole range of ware may be used for dining instead of a single dinner plate.

The future however is likely to bring us even more personalisation in design. Designs will be agreed at the point of sale or online and products will leave the factory 24 hours later. Scope for designing your own tableware is not far away now and will be common place in the future. Personalisation is already available in a small way but this will grow exponentially as technology progresses.

Lightweight strong ceramics

Abalone Armor Paper-thin armor courtesy of nature Andreas Walther

Ceramics will become lighter and stronger! Lightweight ceramics have already been developed for military purposes but ultimately these ceramics will become part of the pottery scene. The advantages of light weight and strength are significant not only to the carbon footprint but also to manufacturing and transport costs.

Egg shell porcelain courtesy
of Victoria and Albert museum

 A good example of ultra thin ceramics is Eggshell porcelain , a delicate porcelain often decorated with a watermark-like image dating back to the Ming dynasty (1402-1424). Nevertheless because of lack of strength it has not found widespread use for dinnerware. Future ultra thin ceramics will have sufficient strength to make them suitable for a wide range of ceramics.

Imagine drinking from a paper thin highly decorated mug that is  heat retaining but virtually unbreakable?

Warm self cleaning sanitaryware

Composite materials are mixtures of materials eg ceramic and plastic which when combined give superior properties when compared to the individual materials alone. Such type of materials are common place in the military and aerospace industry. However they are less well used in domestic applications. Nevertheless car windshields are often a composite of glass and plastic. Here a layer of plastic is embedded in between two layers of glass to give extra strength and toughness.

In time other composite materials will emerge in household products. I can imagine a bathroom where the ceramic composites used are warm to the touch, with antibacteral surfaces that are virtually self cleaning. Water is recycled at point of use via ceramic composite filtering systems.

3D Digital printing- or how to doodle your own cup and plate!

2d digital printing of colour

3d digital printing of a sugar bowl

Digital 2d colour printing is already well established for printing of coloured images on to paper. It is already making significant inroads for the decoration of tiles and tableware. In the case of ceramics the 4 colours used in ink jet photocopier type machines are replaced by up to 10 ceramic coloured inks. These are then used to decorate ceramics directly or via an intermediate stage such as paper transfers. The result is a high quality image in rapid time using an amazingly flexible system. But digital printing does not stop there! 3D printing of ceramics is in its infancy. Greater design possibilities as well as the personalisation already discussed above will become the norm.

 But what does this all mean? In essence a 3d computer design will create a 3 dimensional object via a robotic system by building a series of 2d layers. A good analogy would be building a wall brick by brick but at particle or even molecualar level.

 Already there is a 3d printing pen that transfers what you draw into a 3d object in plastic. If you had a pen that would allow you to doodle a 3d object of the future what would  you draw?

Eco Style Ceramic bricks and panels

Eco house from

Although the detail of design, decoration and processes used in brick making has changed greatly in recent years, the basic idea of shaping raw clay into rectangular blocks remains much the same. Ceramic bricks have changed little in hundreds of years. In many ways this is cost driven so will need radical changes in house construction for this concept to change. 

However this is happening albeit slowly as more eco houses are being constructed (in part) off site and delivered to site for final assembly. This trend will continue. The idea of coventional bricks will change as this type of housing grows. It is not too stretching an idea to believe that strong lightweight ceramics in the form of legotype bricks or panels could be used in all future house construction. 

Who knows the eco house of the future could be manufactured entirely off site and only services and fixings completed on site! 

What do you think?

So whilst far fetched I believe many of the above have a reasonable chance of becoming reality. What do you think of my ideas? Do you have some (better) ideas of your own? I look forward to hearing all about them.

More information and other technical articles on pottery and ceramics can be found at my website The Potters Friend.

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How to Choose a Pottery Wheel

Buying a pottery wheel can be quite an expensive issue. Whilst second hand wheels exist it is difficult to judge their state of repair and future reliability. Therefore make sure you make an informed choice. So what factors should you consider when buying your pottery wheel? Weight of clay When choosing a pottery wheel the weight of clay you intend to throw decides the power of the motor you will need for a power driven wheel. Typical weights are as follows: ¼ HP for small pottery items 20lbs (10kgs approx) max for beginners ½ HP for medium sized items up to 100lbs (25 kgs approx) max suitable for most commercial potters 1 HP for large items 200lbs (50kgs approx) for experienced potters making very large items. Quality and ease of operation Quality of wheel can be an issue as it comes at a price. However you should also consider at least: Noise-older type wheels can be quite noisy whilst some recent models are whisper quiet Smoothness of pedal operation Smoothness of wheel particularly at low speeds- a jerky transition of speed can cause difficulties -important for delicate shaping Reversability-can it be used by left and right handed people? Electric or kick-wheel operation? Foot pedal or hand lever operation? Whilst kick wheel models may be cheaper they can take some getting use to if you are already used to an electric powered Wheel head size and predrilled holes- The wheel head size dictates the max diameter of clay piece which can be thrown. Holes in the wheelhead allow a bat (special disc) to be used. Pins allow release of the bat, holding the thrown piece, from the wheelhead. The thrown piece can then be removed easily for drying while a new piece is thrown. Mobility Some wheels are very light in weight and designed to be portable whilst others are meant to be static. Consider if you want to move the wheel between different locations. Heavy powerful wheels can be more durable and long lasting. Examples of different wheel types are: A Tabletop Wheel The Shimpo Aspire can handle your most creative challenges. Its lightweight, compact design makes it easy to transport, and a 20 lb centering capacity makes it a practical addition to any studio or classroom. The Aspire features a 1/3 HP, 100W DC motor, a 7" alloy wheel head, and a removable one-piece splash pan. The wheels speed ranges from 0–230 rpm, controlled by a hand lever. Also included are two 9¾" bats. It measures 9" H × 14½" W × 20" L and weighs 25 lb . Amazing, affordable, accommodating … Aspire! Shimpo’s Aspire Pottery Wheel includes a two-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.   A Powerful model suitable for seated use Brent wheel Model B is designed to fill the needs of schools and studio potters. Competitively priced, this wheel is quiet and solid under 150 lb (68 kg) loads of clay. A 1/2 HP motor provides the power and weight necessary for school use. A splash pan and 12" Plasti-Bat are included. Shipping weight is 112 lb (51 kg). Truck shipment is required. 10-year limited warranty. CE-certified. Super quiet model for seated use-The Shimpo's Whisper Potter's Wheel is extremely responsive, with high torque at all speeds. It's powerful, and by far the quietest pottery wheel on the market. The ½ HP, brushless DC motor has a direct drive (no belt) system and a broad speed range for optimum control. A fixed foot pedal with hand lever operates the electronically controlled motor. The motor is reversible for lefthanded and righthanded users. The 12" wheelhead and two-piece splash pan are standard. Centers up to 100 lbs. The wheelhead also turns freely, so it can be used as a banding wheel at 0 rpm.

Warranty and Cost Warranty and cost often go hand in hand. A warranty can be anything between 1 and 10 years and cost will be upward of $350 dollars for a new wheel. It is worth asking if it can be repaired locally within the warranty if anything goes wrong..

Digital printing of ceramics

Digital printing of ceramics and decals

Digital printing of decals and ceramic tiles is already well established. Computer generated images can be printed directly onto ceramic tiles via special inkjet systems. Alternatively a photocopier type system can be used to print onto decal paper. Of course both these systems require special machines and ceramic inks or toners to produce optimum results. Nevertheless these systems are causing a revolution in the ceramic tile industry.

The detail of decal printing

Ricoh desktop ceramic printer

In the case of digital decal, you can either create a drawing or photograph and then convert it to a digital image suitable for printing on to decal paper. The image is produced as a decal by a photocopier type machine. After printing the image is sealed to the paper with a covercoat and allowed to dry. The decal can then be applied in the same way as conventional decals by a water slide method. Decorators have the choice of either outsourcing decals (small quantities) or for large quantities buying a machine and toners and printing themselves..

The detail of ink jet printing of tiles

Pigment	System	Temperature	Colour
Yellow	Zr-Si- Pr	1250 °C
Red Magenta	Zr-Cd-Si-Se	1250 °C
Cyan	Zr-V-Si	1250 °C
Black	Fe-Cr-Co-Ni	1250 °C
Primary 4 colours used in ink jet printing

In the case of ink jet printing, the digital image is converted to a ceramic image using a specially adapted ink jet printer and special inks. The ceramic tile passes beneath the printer head and the ink jet colour nozzles deposit the image on the tile.

Gamma Ink Jet Tile Printer

Typically up to 10 ceramic colours are used to produce high quality digital images, 4 similar to the primary colours shown above plus additional spot colours. Browns, coral reds and white are commonly used to fill gaps in the colour space. Special printer heads are used to cope with the highly abrasive ceramic inks. For maximum definition and colour intensity special glazes are sometimes used as the base for printing the coloured image. The printed item can be fired almost immediately after drying.

3d Printing of Ceramics

I am constantly amazed at the ceramic challenges I see each year. Whilst making pottery and ceramics is an ancient tradition, new industrial processes and products (or the re-introduction of many older techniques) continue to stretch the imagination.

3d printed sugar bowl

Both in the UK and USA, 3 dimensional digital printing is one such technique. Developed initially for rapid prototyping of plastic objects it is now being used for small special ceramic parts. The potential to build up a ceramic mug  layer by layer  from a computer image is certainly feasible.
 I have seen the initial prototypes which have been glazed and fired. Many technical challenges remain for this process to be viable commercially but I have no doubt that in the long term this will happen.
For more information about this technique see the link project below:-
 University of Bristol project

3d printing using liquid clay syringe

3d extruder printing

This type of printing is also in the early stages of development for ceramics. Many questions remain particularly control of rheology and removing air pockets and machine development.. However the picture on the right shows how the process works. An air powered syringe forces liquid clay out of the nozzle to build up the object in layers. The head could be computer controlled to map out a digital design.
Potentially the ceramic designer can be creative in designing complex forms as well as simple shapes.
Picture and link to more information kindly provided by Ceramic 3D Extruder (FabLabZuidLimburg) / CC BY-NC 3.0

So what does this mean to the hobby or studio potter?

The opportunity to make low cost efficient designs which can be personalised to meet your customer needs. Digital ceramic decals are already established and widely available. But keep following the progress of 3d printing as the potential is endless. Perhaps now is the time to look at ways these techniques can expand your opportunities?

More information and other technical articles on pottery and ceramics can be found at my website The Potters Friend. Go now to sign up for my free newsletter.