Firing pottery can seem like a mysterious process to the new potter. There are lots of technical terms that can sound quite foreign. So, I thought it would be helpful to write an overview of the stages of firing clay. Here is a guide to the 3 stages of firing clay. There are 3 main …
3 Stages of Firing Clay – A Beginners Guide to Firing Pottery Read More »
When I first started firing my own pots, one of my questions was how long does a bisque firing take? This can be a pressing question if you are up against a deadline or excited to see your fired ware. Over time, this is what I have learned about bisque firing pottery… A bisque firing …
How Long Does a Bisque Firing Take? – 6 Factors at Play Read More »
When I first got my kiln, I had no idea how to use it. The first hurdle was to learn about firing greenware to bisque. It was a bit of a learning curve for me and some of it I learned through trial and error. So, I thought it would be helpful to put together …
Firing Greenware to Bisque – 11 Tips on Bisque Firing Pottery Read More »
Plaster has lots of uses to potters. For example, it can be used, for mold making, casting, and making damp boxes. But there are a lot of different types of plaster. And if you are trying to figure out which one to use, it can be confusing. In particular, you might be wondering about the …
Pottery Plaster Vs Plaster of Paris – Which to Use? Read More »
I really like the look of flowing glazes, so when I first saw the Potter’s Choice range, I loved them. When I began to use them, I had a few difficulties and I wasn’t getting the results I wanted. With a bit of research, and with trial and error, I have worked through these. Here …
4 Potter’s Choice Glaze Problems – And How I Solved Them Read More »
A lot of heart and soul can go into making your pottery. So, it can be gutting when your glaze doesn’t turn out how you wanted it to. If your glaze is underfired, you might be wondering if you can do anything to salvage your work. The question is, can you refire underfired glaze to …
Can you Refire Underfired Glaze? – Rescuing Underfired Pottery Read More »
Pottery for beginners can be very exciting. It can also feel a bit overwhelming. It can seem like there is a lot to learn. And like most hobby’s, the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know. But pottery is really just about making things out of mud! All you really need to …
Pottery for Beginners – How to Start Making Pottery at Home Read More »
When you are firing pottery in a kiln, you need to control the temperature that the kiln reaches. You also need to control how long it takes for the kiln to reach that temperature. So, what is a kiln sitter? There are three main types of kiln controller. They are the fully manual controller, the …
What is a Kiln Sitter? – And How do Kiln Sitters Work? Read More »
When I first started firing my own pottery, I was very cautious about how I loaded the kiln. I’d heard that greenware pottery could touch when it was being fired, but I didn’t quite trust this was true. After a while, I wanted to know if I could bisque fire more pottery in one load. …
Can you Stack Greenware in a Bisque Fire? Stacking Greenware Read More »
Buying your first kiln is exciting, but it can also be confusing. A lot of times when you look at listings for used kilns, the information in the advert can be patchy. However, even buying a used kiln can be a big investment. So, it’s good to have an idea of what to look for. …
Buying a Used Kiln – 12 Top Tips on Second Hand Kilns Read More »
When I first started glazing my own pottery, I wondered how long should glaze dry before firing? I was well aware that greenware can explode in the kiln if it is fired when damp. But what about glazed bisque ware? Glaze contains water, so does that water need to be given time to evaporate before …
How Long Should Glaze Dry Before Firing? Drying Pottery Glaze Read More »
With time pottery glaze can dry out. The water content will evaporate and the glaze can either become too thick to apply. Or it can even become a bit hard and crusty, like old paint. The question is, can you add water to glaze to make it thinner? After all, glaze, particularly commercially made glaze, …
Can you Add Water to Glaze to Make it Thinner? – Thinning Glaze Read More »
My electric kiln has a digital kiln controller. When I bought it, I thought, ‘great I don’t need to bother using cones’. But I bought it from an experienced potter. And he advised me that it’s always good to use pyrometric cones with an electric kiln controller. These are some of the reasons he gave …
6 Reasons to Use Pyrometric Cones with an Electric Kiln Controller Read More »
Making pottery pre-dates the invention of the pottery wheel by many thousands of years. One of the most extensively used methods for making early pottery was the coiling technique. Early historical coil pots have been found across the globe. Many of the techniques currently used to make coil pots date back to pre-historical times. This …
Historical Coil Pots – A History of Coil Pots Over the Years Read More »
Coil pottery is a diverse technique that has been adapted to suit the styles of a wide range of ceramic artists. This article takes a look at some famous coil pottery artists and their own individual way of hand-building pottery. You will see that the methods used and the ceramics produced vary widely between each …
Famous Coil Pottery Artists – 18 Different Ways of Coiling Read More »
I sometimes find myself in a position where I don’t have the exact color glaze that I want. Recently I wondered if I could mix different types of glaze together and what would happen. So, I looked into the question of combining glazes and this is what I have found…. You can mix different types …
Can you Mix Different Types of Glaze? – Combining Glazes Read More »
Kilns are insulated chambers that use fuel or electricity to reach high temperatures. When something is heated in a kiln it is described as being ‘fired’. There are different types of kiln to fire different materials. For example, there are kilns designed specifically for ceramics, glass, metal, brick, metal clay, and enamels. This article is …
11 Types of Kiln for Pottery – Different Kilns for Firing Clay Read More »
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’s 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 glaze …
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. …
What is Fired Clay Called? – The 3 Main Terms For Fired Clay Read More »
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 …
Can I Use An Extension Cord with a Kiln? – Is it Advisable? Read More »