Is there a future for pottery manufacture in Europe?

This is a big subject and worthy of debate! Over the last 20 years the ceramic industry in Europe has undergone massive change.

The tableware sector (cups & plates etc) in Europe has seen severe downsizing with manufacture shifting to the lower cost economies in China and Asia. The change in consumer habits in western europe to less formal dining has meant a change in perception of pottery from a collectable item to a throwaway one. This is particularly noticeable with the younger generation who want fashionable ware for casual dining.The result has been a massive reduction in demand for the high value products and a growth in lower value products. This has been reinforced (in the UK) by the growth in supermarket sales by companies such as Tesco who constantly drive down prices forcing manufacturers to import or close down. That said there is still a place for the niche manufacturer who can move quickly with new and quality designs. Brand value is still important in this higher end sector.

The giftware sector (figures and decorative ware) has also been hit by the same trends as above. Collectable figures and plates are less popular among the younger generation whilst fashionable branded giftware has been more popular. Again there is a lot of competition in this sector from Asian imports so strong brands and new designs are critical to success.

To answer the question- is there a future -the answer is yes but only for the niche manufacturer who can be constantly innovative and build a brand of value. Speed of new products to market will be a critical factor!

What do you think? I would be happy to recieve your comments.

Start Pottery By Getting A Kit

By: Freddy Roy

Pottery is a great skill to learn and a good deal of fun. If you are the type of person that has a mild interest in pottery but aren't sure you want to make the level of commitment required to take a class on pottery you may find that various pottery kits on the market offer some degree of appeal to you and can help you determine if you are ready to go a step further and sign up for some classes or purchase additional materials and equipment in order to further your home education.

Pottery kits are also an excellent idea for kids who seem to have an interest in pottery but often flit from one interest to another fairly quickly without giving too much effort to any. If your child successfully completes a few kits and still exhibits an interest, then perhaps the more substantial investment of lessons may be in order. Kits definitely cost less than the average lessons but also offer fewer options for advanced learning and one on one instruction that can be invaluable when taking pottery lessons.

Pottery kits are much less expensive than taking traditional lessons. This allows you to gaze your true interest in pottery when faced with the reality of what pottery is and is not. You should keep in mind however that there are many other considerations that should not be overlooked when using these kits to judge your real interests in pottery as the kits are often very simple and designed to be fun for beginners though not very challenging. If you are looking for a challenge, it is unlikely you will find that in many of the pottery kits that are on the market today.

Another thing to remember about pottery kits is that the products you make in these kits are not likely to be watertight or able to handle food. This limits the usefulness of these items though it doesn't mean that they aren't good tools for learning the very basics of the craft and having a lot of fun in the process. One great thing about pottery kits is that this is something you can do with your children if you are so inclined and you can all have a fun day together while learning a new skill and making a really big mess. There aren't too many times you can say that with your children that there aren't too many calories involved to count.

Pottery kits can be found to fit many different budgets and a few different levels of pre-existing skills. You can always upgrade equipment later if you find that you really do enjoy the process of working with clay to create pottery pieces and if you decide to upgrade, then you will want to do a good deal of research to ensure you are getting the equipment that will best suit your specific needs, desires, and budget.

Learning to make pottery is a great deal of fun for the right person. Pottery kits offer a glimpse into working with clay and creating pottery for those who aren't quite certain whether or not they want to pursue pottery making on a larger scale. If this is you, pick up a pottery kit today, you can find them easily online and at most local craft supply stores. Remember have fun!

About the Author

To read about flowering pear tree, growing celery and other information, visit the Gardening Central site.

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Ten pottery making tips for the beginner

My top 10 pottery making tips for the beginner

1. Go to pottery making classes. Everyone has to learn somehow. Although it can be comforting to learn on your own it will be much more fun with others. In addition your skills will improve much quicker!

2. Don't be put off by the terminology! Pottery making uses some strange and quirky terms. But dont be put off! It wont be long before you know green ware from biscuit ware.

3. Be prepared to get dirty-you can tell a potter by his hands and shoes!Even with an apron it is impossible to stay clean when making pottery. Your hands and shoes will get dirty! Treat it as part of the fun so dress appropriately.

4. Enjoy the experience-dont be put off if it goes wrong!It goes wrong for everyone including the experts so don't be afraid to experiment. Remember that your designs are unique and you have the chance to express your own creativity.

5. Read some simple pottery making books. Lots of pottery books are available so choose books with simple descriptions and pictures to get you started. My recommendations can be found at www.pottersfriend.co.uk/books/list_books.php Books,however, are no substitute for classes but they should reinforce your learning.

6. Ask questions. Asking questions aids memory so you learn quicker. Don't be embarassed to ask even the most simple of questions. Remember you are probably only saying what many others are thinking!

7. Practise then practise some more!This probably should be my number 1 tip on the list. As with most things in life, the more you practise the more skilled you become and the more enjoyable will be the experience.

8. Develop your own style. Dont be afraid to experiment-its your chance to show your artistic flair.

9. Make some pots & give them away. It makes you feel good and you might even find a soul mate.

10. Share your experience with a loved one. Making pottery can become a real passion so dont forget to share your experiences with your loved one. They might even want to join you at the next pottery class.

For the more experienced potter why not visit my tips page at www.pottersfriend.co.uk/tips.php

Alternatively why not test your pottery knowledge with my quick pottery quiz www.squidoo.com/potteryquiz

Making pottery-simply art or sophisticated science?

As I was watching an experienced potter throw beautiful shapes recently it made me reflect 'how incredibly simple it seems in the hands of a true expert'! Starting from a lump of clay, shaping it into an interesting form, drying, finishing, glazing, and firing can take up to 2 weeks. A labour of love to create that special unique piece! But those who have tried to make pottery know that these are mere headings for skill, artistic flair,experience and a good deal of knowledge and science.

Incredibly, in the pottery industry where 'lean manufacturing' is all the rage they attempt to produce finished ware in a matter of hours! They breakdown every operation down to its most basic level (steps). Each step in the process is identified and the skill, tools, material, manpower and time required. By defining the process in this way it is possible to identify the number of steps and value of each step in an operation. Lean manufacturing philosophy requires the removal of waste in all its forms. Waste doesn't mean just waste material, but wasted human movement, wasted product movement, overprocessing, excess stock, not right first time, or wasted waiting time.

Often the target is to improve efficiency and the first step is to remove as many non value added steps as possible. An example of this might be to remove the clay ware from the sponge/fettling stage immediately to the biscuit kiln instead of to an intermediate storage area. Often by looking at operations in this way new or more robust ways of processing are identified and introduced.

"So what" I hear the true potter say-this means nothing to me. And he is right in some ways! It is often by trial and error that his artistic flair can flourish. A missed out glaze ingredient creates that wonderful new glaze colour or the kiln underfires showing unusual but unique glaze effects!

However he is also wrong in some ways. He has already adopted some of the lean principles without knowing it! Often the potters studio is laid out so all his tools, materials equipment are close at hand (thereby reducing waste movement). He recycles the clay and glaze (reduces waste materials) and tries to make a number of items at a time not just one (reduces waste time).

I believe that both the studio potter and industrial potter can learn from each other. The studio potter can learn to reduce waste allowing him the time to be more creative and the industrial potter can learn to be more creative in design allowing him to sell more product.

Surely making pottery is both a simple art and a sophisticated science! What do you think? I'd welcome your comments.

What is a glaze?

A mature pottery student recently asked me the question 'What is a ceramic glaze?' I hesitated whilst contemplating how to answer what initially seemed a very simple question. In the end I gave him 2 answers , a non technical one and a technical one. The precise amount of information he required depended much on how he wanted to use the information.

Sometimes too much information only leads to confusion!

For example an evening class student wanting only to paint pottery and later have it glazed and fired by an established potter needs only basic information.

In contrast a student studying pottery making and ultimately wishing to make and fire his own glazes needs a much more detailed chemical approach.

The Answers

These are the answers I gave him:-

1) A pottery glaze is a glassy coating applied to the surface of a ceramic to create a smooth, impervious, and decorative finish.

2) A pottery glaze is a mixture of ceramic materials which may often include minerals such as felspar and silica, a glass like component such as frit, clay as a suspending agent, and pigment as colouration. Many other minerals or oxides may also be used. These materials are finely ground in water to produce a glaze slip. Other organic and inorganic additives may at this stage be added to aid application. The slip is then applied to the ceramic body and fired to a sufficiently high temperature for the components to physically and chemically react to form a smooth glassy coating that bonds strongly to the body. Normally a temperature in excess of 1000C is required.

Do you have any simple questions you want answering? Please let me know.

More information on pottery making can be found at my website The PottersFriend

Pottery and ceramics find so many uses in our homes!

In these days of credit crunch blues, recent events have made it clear to me that the pottery making in the UK is still alive and well and doing fine. Unique designs and small scale production and customer service seem to be order of the day as the larger producers have been hit hardest by the downturn in the hotel and gift markets.

The term 'Pottery' is uniquely used by the general public to describe anything ceramic and we should not underestimate the impact these forms of ceramic have in our daily lives. Ceramics are evident in our homes in so many areas. Drink tea made with water purified with a ceramic filter in a bone china cup. Cook your evening meal on your ceramic cooker hob. Keep warm by sitting by your gasfire with its insulating ceramic bricks, and ceramic logs or pebbles. Take a shower in your bathroom lined with decorative ceramic wall and floor tiles, and your bespoke table top washbasin. Relax and read a book under the light from a sculpted ceramic lamp. You might even want to watch your TV with its many ceramic parts!

Even outside, ceramic pots of all shapes and sizes as well as other unique ceramic animals, toadstools, fairies, wind chimes, sun dials, coloured glass gravel and BBQ chimneys add individuality to our gardens.

Clearly many of these items are still made in the UK and provide employment and job satisfaction for many.

It is comforting to know that virtually all of these items are reusable in some way and should not find their way back to landfill sites. Keep selling the message 'ceramic is green' ! (Avid potters -sorry for the pun!)

I often wonder what the most unusual or surprising use for ceramic there is out there?

Please let me know if you find something interesting! For more ceramic information visit the Potters Friend's website www.pottersfriend.co.uk

Pottery Clinic

Glaze blister at high magnification

Post your questions about any pottery or ceramic matter.

All questions are welcome regardless of how simplistic they may appear !

My commitment is to respond in a timely fashion and to provide the best advice that I am able to based on my own perspective and the information provided.

I look forward to answering your questions