Burnishing clay is a technique that gives pottery a smooth soft sheen without using a ceramic glaze. It involves rubbing the clay with a hard object, like a smooth pebble or the back of a spoon. The rubbing action compresses down the surface particles of clay, aligning the clay platelets. This creates a reflective surface.…
Glazing greenware used to be the norm. However, more often, these days, pottery is fired twice. It is bisque fired first to make it ceramic. Then it is glaze fired for decorative reasons and to make it usable as dinnerware or as a water-containing vessel. However, not everyone bisque fires their pottery. Some potters do…
The world of clay is full of terms that might sound a bit odd when you first encounter them. If you are new to ceramics, you might have found yourself wondering ‘what is fired clay called?’ Here is an overview of three main terms that are used to refer to clay that has been fired. …
If you are reading this article, you probably want to know how to smooth the surface of your pottery. So, you may be surprised to hear that sanding pottery is actually a source of disagreement amongst some potters. The reason for this is that when you sand pottery, you inevitably create clay dust, which contains…
This article is a step-by-step guide on how to make easy coil pots. The basic coil pottery technique is versatile. Once you have got the hang of coiling you use these skills to make all sorts of hand-built pottery. However simple coil pots can in themselves look great, especially if they are well made. So,…
Some kilns need to be wired directly into an electrical supply. Other kilns can be plugged in using a standard domestic plug. If you are using the latter, you may be wondering if you can use an extension cord with a kiln. This article is about the do’s and don’ts of using an extension cord…
Before it is fired, clay goes through three distinct stages. The first stage is when it is soft, plastic, and workable. The second stage is when it is leather hard. And the third stage is when it is bone dry. This article is all about leather hard clay. So, what is leather hard clay and…
There are lots of different types of clay for pottery. One of the ways that pottery clay is categorized is the temperature it should be fired at. Low fire is best fired at low temperatures. And high fire clay is best fired in the high-temperature range. But which will suit you best? This article is…
If you are learning about glazing, there is a lot to take on board. There is a large range of different glazes to choose from. And like clay, you can get low fire, mid fire, and high fire glazes. You may have been wondering if you can put low fire glaze on high fire clay. …