Millions of people want to hold the clay in their hands and experience the magical journey of adventure. That’s why, for you to turn your heart and mind into tools of mass construction effectively, this feature is all about guiding you to your rightful growing compassion for pottery clay!
With your furnishings, you make connections with what you are made of. With your resources, you make a connection with your potential crafting capability. The artefacts you create in your thoughts, the practical manufacturing of your thoughts, and that explain why pottery clay is more like a nucleus to your works. Hence, your choice matters the most. To further stimulate your passion, we have aggregated best online free pottery classes to enhance your skills and take advantages of others experiences.
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Your clay- before you choose
If you love domestic pottery then you may choose natural clays which are water-based ‘air-dry’ clays, if you are a commercial potter then you have to be vigilant as some clay bodies are great as throwing clays and in this case natural clay would be a disaster and lastly, if you are into ‘stop motion Claymation’ which is (wax-sculpting clay).
This shows exactly how much clay has so many various forms and how many types are in front of you, so, to give form to your ideas, however, you want, is what makes this artwork possible because this passion at its core is optimistic.
Interesting types of clays
Ceramic differs so as the types of clay that can be used for peculiar manufacturing of a pottery ware; earthenware, stoneware, ball clay and porcelain products whatever you desire to make, you need to make the right choice. The indicated varieties possess distinguished characteristics like viability, temperatures, and permeability. You definitely should have knowledge of using more than one clay body, which is often the best solution-a prediction to your problems before they happen.
Therefore, if you love playing with clay and you want to design your very own handmade beautiful ceramics then let’s ease you’re scavenged by providing you details of the perfect type of clay bodies!
Earthenware
This type of clay is ideal if you don’t have any desire to fire and glaze your sculptures. The mentioned clay is re-useable as well because you need to keep this clay moist with water which helps you to start playing whenever you want and create aesthetically appealing earthen clay bodies. Here are some top pottery ideas to learn pottery through online courses.
Crayola air-dry clay, Amaco air-dry modelling clay, Aurora Sculpting Clay, Activa Plus- are all-natural self-hardening clay widely used by domestic pottery lovers. This clay can be considered the most primitive type of clay and as one of the most common clays used by potters. Terracotta is known as baked earth, one of the most popular types of earthenware. Colour your moist earthenwares orange, yellow, and light grey and sprinkle the hopes in the form of colours which defines your love for pottery.
This indicated clay posses quantities of iron and mineral in its composition which causes the clay to reach achieve the maximum level of firmness at minimum heat, which is between 1745 F and 2012 F (950 C and 1100 C).
Stoneware
If you want a plastic-based clay, moist and is like ceramic clay but easier to deal with, you can use definitely Polymer Clay Monster which comes as Premium Grade Modeling Clay or Chavel NSP Polymer Clay.
Before selecting this, remember that stonewares are fired at very high temperatures, therefore this type of clay needs to be fired and it can be baked in a normal kitchen oven at standard temperature, thus this temperature alternates depending on your desire for mild-fired stoned clay body (2150 F and 2260 F,1160 C and 1225 C) or maximum fired stoned clay body(~130°C). After firing this clay body, you’ll notice colours ranging from light grey to medium grey and shading brown as well.
Ball Clays
Ball clays are highly plastic and greatly ideal for ‘stop motion claymation’. Ball clays are air dry clay known as the ultimate ‘convenience clay’, and can be used to pinch, slab, coil, weld, score and hardens at ideal room temperature. Depending upon the density and room temperature provided, the drying process for your creation can be processed at about 2336 F (1300 C).
You may select ball clays which are actually water-based ‘air-dry’ clays. Water-based clays dry naturally and cannot be used single-stranded and may excessively shrink during drying and firing but also increases workability and plasticity after mixing of different clay bodies.
Fire clay
This type of selection, taking under consideration your choice and need for clay, needs to be fired and glazed using an oven or kiln. This choice of clay is an ultimate resort for ceramic artists as they’re tremendously remarkable and effective for sculpting and moulding and vary widely in characteristics. This clay body reaches maximum shape and sculptural at 2696 F (1500 C). Often, this clay is required for mixing in other clays such as stonewares to add firm resolution to the moulding of stonewares.
Fire clay has superiority for its special effects as once you fire the clay body they reflect beautiful textures and colours due to its composition and glazing, attracting many people towards itself!
Porcelain
Porcelain clay also known as kaolin clays provide porcelain-based artefacts. The clay falling under this heading is pure and possess dim, delighting range of colours. When moist, they project light grey shade and after glazing may project light grey colour or near-white, sometimes white colour.
Porcelain clay is many times achieved through a mixture of ball clay which explains that Kaolin clays are not nearly as plastic and synthetic compared to other clay bodies making it a little challenging to work with them. Pure kaolin clays are manufactured, when heated at about 3272 F (1800 C).
Explore through application
The only way for you to realize which clay is best for you, you have to try them yourself and measure the difference, find the clay that is perfect for your needs, explore this realm of self-expression, freedom of using your hands and your imagination to inspire the world through your creations and all this can only be achieved through your experiment with various clay bodies.
Examine and observe how the clays behave and how they interact with the glazes you use, measure the permeability range by pushing the clay to its limits and grab this potential knowledge to make the most of your talent in this imaginative and creative field. Make your way a smoothly carved sculpture and excel in your creativity, don’t forget to make the right choices and nothing can stop you!
