Pottery art was originally developed as a craft, used to make containers for meals or vessels in which bulk and liquid materials are stored. Today it is a processing by molding on a specially designed potter's wheel, after which glaze is applied to the dried product, then obligatory firing of clay follows . Thus, objects that are used in any field are made: household goods, construction, decorations, jewelry, souvenirs. These products are called pottery, they can be found in any corner of our planet.
There are three main classes of production in pottery technology:
- production of building bricks;
- making clay or stone utensils;
- the development of more refined earthenware or porcelain items.
Based on the production technology, all classes of pottery are similar to each other, however, there are a number of nuances that affect the final result. The main difference is the clay grades that underlie the product.
History
As mentioned earlier, pottery came from a craft that served solely to make vessels for storing materials and food. Over time, it developed, enriched and appeared before us today not in the form that our distant ancestors saw it. Thanks to technological discoveries, new objects of decoration began to appear, they entailed the appearance of objects such as refractory bricks, stone dishes, tiles, tiles, drainage pipes, architectural decorations and other numerous products.
Due to the fact that society began to decorate and decorate familiar clay products, pottery moved from the category of craft to the category of art. Making clay pots has been popular in antiquity since the time when mankind became acquainted with the material widespread on the planet - clay and its properties.
The Old Testament contains several references to the potter profession and its products. The oldest clay vessels, even in the prehistoric era, were trimmed with a human hand and, accordingly, were irregular in shape. A little later there are round and oval products, obviously made with the help of a potter’s wheel. History has not preserved information about the exact appearance of this circle, however, mention of it comes from antiquity.
It is known that in Asia the first porcelain products appeared two thousand years ago. This indicates that the pottery industry in China has developed much more rapidly than in the whole world.
Each nation had its own traditions associated with this craft, which turned into art. So in African countries at the beginning of the twentieth century pots were made by hand, clay was dried in the sun, and the product was fired using a bundle of straw and fire.
As for Europe, here until the eighth century pottery was in complete decline. Only the Spanish Moors gave him a push, at about the same time there appeared products that were covered with glaze.
Pottery craftsmanship flourished around the thirteenth century. The brightest splash occurred in Italy, there was invented majolica - a type of ceramic, which is made from fired clay. Florence presented the world with such a master of pottery as Luca, Robbia, his sculptures and other works are considered the pride of the nation in our time.
Using the technology of the sculptor Robbia, Tuscan factories took another step forward - earthenware products. At first they were fired by fire, then they were covered with white glaze, on which drawings were made, after which the product was subjected to a second firing, stronger than the first. Majolica began to make not only architectural decorations, but also household utensils, flowerpots, figurines.
After the decline of pottery in Italy, France took the baton. It was here that the clay kiln was invented.
In the Middle Ages, pottery was created and used only by the poor, the upper classes used tin, silver, and gold. Pottery was also widely used in church decoration. Here he was used to create jugs. Churches of Novgorod, as well as temples of the Romanov times, are decorated with similar products.
At the end of the eighteenth century, whole factories began to appear around the world that were engaged in pottery.
Ceramic products
The main difference between the varieties of ceramics is the composition of the mass, as well as the type of glaze from which they are made. Pottery is of two types: dense and porous.
Dense - these are products that, when fired due to high temperature, merge into a homogeneous solid mass. At a break, such a product resembles glass. It is translucent and does not absorb liquid, and when it hits steel, it gives sparks. An example of a dense pottery is porcelain.
Porous, on the contrary, easily break, pass liquid. Among such products is earthenware.
There may be products that do not belong to any type, but are something transitional between these two types.
Dense
The following items belong to this category of pottery:
- Solid porcelain. The mass is fused, translucent, fine-grained, elastic, uniform, solid, it will not succumb to the action of a knife. Such porcelain contains kaolin, chalk, quartz and feldspar. It undergoes dual firing: first weak to cover with glaze, then strong after coating.
- Soft porcelain. It is also called French. Its content is almost transparent lead glaze. Double firing is also needed here, only very strong at first, but weaker at the end.
- Unglazed porcelain, or biscuit. It has the usual porcelain mass.
- Paryan. By mass it is close to soft porcelain, has a yellowish tint, hard to melt.
- Carrara White, translucent. Its mass is a cross between stone products and parian.
- Stone products. They have an inherent dense fine-grained mass. There are ordinary and delicate products, mostly white.
Porous
This category contains:
- Gentle faience. It is a mixture of refractory clay and silica. It is coated with clear glaze. The mass is opaque, ringer.
- Ordinary faience, or majolica. This is a red-yellow mass, which after firing is covered with an opaque tin glaze.
- Products from ordinary and fire-resistant clay. This includes bricks, tiles, drainage pipes, etc.
- Burnt stone mass, or, as it is also called, terracotta. Its composition is refined clay and frayed fragments of finished products. It is used to decorate vases and other products.
- Ordinary pottery. The mass is produced from clay, clay marl, as well as from opaque lead glaze.
Pottery Materials
To make a brick, porcelain, earthenware, it is necessary to do the following work: to make a clay mass, shape it, dry it, burn it and cover it with glaze. The main material for the manufacture of products is clay. Pottery masters prefer to use pottery clay, which has the necessary viscosity, and its temperature resistance is ideal for creating products. Despite the fact that the clay itself has a high level of ductility, it is mandatory to add auxiliary materials due to the fact that during firing its rapid and uneven compression occurs, which turns the product into an awkward thing. To make the simplest product, you also need sand, ash, sawdust, for the best quality products you need fireclay - a powder that is obtained from crushed products.
For the production of ordinary pottery, previously extracted clay should be left for one to two years in airspace or in water. After that, it is kneaded in wooden boxes, special machines do it in factories and plants. This action is necessary in order to clean the clay from stones or debris. After the clay has been taken out of the boxes, it is put in heaps, which are cut into thin plates with a knife. They are again placed in drawers and crushed again, being cleared of impurities that could remain on it. Top grades, especially colorless ones, require components that must be perfectly cleaned. The basic rule of benign clay mass is its homogeneity. For the purpose of high-quality cleaning, the clay is divided into small pieces, which are watered and after a day of "soaking" are thrown into the kneading machine. The teeth of this machine cut clay during rapid rotation, and a stream of water passing through this chamber carries very small pieces into a special pool, large ones remain at the bottom. The pool is designed for the next level of cleaning, here coarse particles are deposited, after which another jet carries them to the second pool. In it, clay is sifted out completely. This technology uses only warm water, because it better separates clay pieces, and the cleaning process is noticeably accelerated due to the optimal temperature.
The proportions of the components are determined for each type of product separately. Mixing means also occurs in different ways: dry, with knives or streams of water. Upon receipt of this homogeneous mass, a large number of unwanted bubbles still remain in it. This problem is eliminated either with special equipment, or with the help of feet, with which clay is simply trampled to obtain the necessary consistency.
Burning
In the narrow sense, ceramics is the same clay, but past fired. Accordingly, when they say "ceramics", they mean products made from inorganic materials (often clay), as well as their mixtures with various additives that are produced under the influence of high temperatures and subsequent cooling.
The firing process triggers irreversible changes, after which the material turns into ceramic. Under the influence of high temperature fusion of small particles occurs in those places where they are in contact.
In the manufacture of porcelain, technology is undergoing significant changes. This is due to differences in materials, the required temperature and different properties of the components. Each source material has its own proportions, as well as a certain temperature regime:
- for clay products - 1000-1200 degrees Celsius;
- for ceramic products - 1100-1300;
- for porcelain products - 1200-1400.
The technology of firing products is carried out by various methods. Nevertheless, the kiln firing process is a centuries-old, unchanging tradition. Depending on the temperature and duration of the process, products of various quality are obtained. Therefore, the maximum temperature in the furnaces in the production does not change until the production of a whole batch of products ends.
Moreover, the appearance of the finished product also depends on the composition of the atmosphere in the kiln. One or another degree of oxidation of the air can be caused. With the help of specially defined parameters, it is even possible to achieve that the pottery clay will change color from brown to green.
Glaze application
Some pottery works are not at all glazed. These include bricks, tiles, terracotta, pots. The so-called glazing is carried out in order to protect clay products from excess moisture. The same result was achieved in antiquity with milk firing - a method of giving products a beautiful appearance and water resistance.
Not the most expensive clay products are glazed in raw form at the same time as firing. This is called picking. The essence of this action is that during firing, salt is thrown into the furnace, which turns into fumes and settles on the product. In the place where it lands, a fusible compound called ant is formed.
Another coating method is that the product is sprinkled with glaze crushed into a fine powder. Often these are rough products: pots, unfired pipes and more. Before coating, the product is smeared with flour paste and subjected to firing.
The essence of the third method is that the product is doused with glaze, which has the consistency of cream. A similar method covers solid products that practically do not absorb liquid. For example, some types of porcelain and faience.
And the last way is that porcelain and earthenware are placed in a container with glaze. This method is intended for products that undergo weak firing and initially absorb liquid. The glaze is ground into a fine powder, mixed with water. In this liquid, reminiscent of the consistency of milk, a product is placed that absorbs this mixture. It is possible to make a drawing on such a glaze.
Art therapy
In the modern rhythm, everyone finds their own way to relax. One of the most beautiful and unusual methods is to do pottery. There are two ways to try yourself in this art. The first is to buy a potter’s wheel and the necessary materials to do it yourself. A pottery workshop in your own home is not only stylish and fashionable, but also incredibly exciting for you, your family and friends. In this case, you can feel like a free artist, try various forms, relying on video lessons.
The second way is the school of pottery. In the class of newcomers like yourself, you will have the opportunity to try on the role of the creator of the beautiful, artist and sculpture.
Psychologists claim that pottery is a great way to deal with stress, become more balanced and attentive. Art therapy, according to experts, is one of the best methods to combat depression and other nervous disorders. Pastime behind the pottery wheel helps to organize thoughts, escape from small everyday troubles and find a way out of a difficult life situation. "Full dedication will not solve your problems, but it will definitely help you find ways to solve them," the doctors say with one voice.
DIY products
Each house contains clay, ceramic or porcelain. In conditions of mass production it is difficult to surprise someone with factory dishes or a flower vase.
Pottery is an incredibly fun and exciting activity for the whole family. You can have fun, learn a new business, develop skills and dexterity.
Having visited the first pottery master class, you can already make a pot yourself. Attentive teachers are usually patient with beginners, guiding them and helping with everything. Pottery helps to cope with minor stresses, distracts from everyday fuss. And the products that you yourself will become an occasion to be proud of another victory over yourself. In addition, after you work around the circle and mold your pot, you will have the opportunity to paint it with your own hands. Here you can show all your imagination. Such a product will be a wonderful gift for a loved one.
Parties, birthdays and corporate parties held for such an unusual pastime are popular. This is a good opportunity to chat, get to know each other better and see the creative potential of your friends. In addition, such a holiday will certainly be remembered for its unusualness, originality, and products made independently behind the potter's wheel will be an excellent gift in memory of a wonderful day. And someone, perhaps, will discover the talent in himself and seriously engage in this business in order to open his own museum of pottery art in the future. Children will especially enjoy this activity. If they are good at sculpting from clay, then you need to try to send them to the school of pottery. This will help develop hand motility, have a beneficial effect on the baby’s mood, and will also open up the child’s creativity. An interesting and fascinating hobby develops attention, imagination and thinking.
Hobbies or business?
In today's world, pottery is very popular. They belong to the category of products, which are always in demand and relevant. Each house has dishes, vases, pots, various figurines and souvenirs. For many centuries this craft, growing into art, is popular and in demand. Therefore, the passion for pottery is increasingly growing into a real business.Own pottery workshop is a very profitable business, because the main raw material - clay - is free material, which in the literal sense lies just under our feet. Beautiful, original, designer products can bring a good income to the manufacturer. A master of pottery is a profession for the soul. You can diversify the world around you, get a unique hobby that will bring you profit, and also reveal your creativity.
Pottery is popular all over the world. Despite the fact that he is already several decades old, it will never go out of style.