Why don't you make the bowls that you use everyday? If you want, here is a ceramic art. Ceramics refers to all clay-made things such as earthenware (fired at low temperature) and porcelain (fired at high temperature). From a work of art to dishes, the range of pottery craft is wide. Among them, making bowls, plates, and cups are recommended for beginners.
Methods of Ceramic-art
There are two ways to make ceramic. They are jiggering and Hand-Building. Jiggering is a way of spinning an electric wheel to form an object. Large objects can be made quickly and easily, and the surface becomes smooth. Hand building is a way to make objects by coiling the clay with hand. However, instead of coiling, there is a case using plaster mold. It is also a kind of handbuilding but it is easier to make. Because plaster mold absorbs the water of clay, it is easier to shape the object. HandBuilding is more simple than jiggering for beginners, but there is a limit to producing various forms.
Process of Making Hand-made Ceramic Object
I didn't decide the design in advance, so I looked at the works in the studio and decided to make bowls with stars on them.
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Tips! It is better to think about the design you want to make in advance. If you don't have any, there are some examples that you can refer to, so don't worry. |
STEP1. Choose a ring design and measure your ring size.
First, place the clay between the two wood laths and roll out as wide and round as possible using a push stick. You just have to push it round until you get caught in two wood laths and won’t be pushed back.
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Caution! Do not forget to push down harder in the middle when rolling. If you roll it forcefully in one direction, it will become oval. Therefore, you must roll it in all directions with an even pressure. |
STEP2. Second, cover the thinly rolled clay on top of the plaster frame of the bowl model to shape it.
As previously stated, using a plaster mold is easier for beginners to shape the clay than coiling it. After placing the clay on the plaster frame, gently wipe the clay with a wet sponge to remove the fingerprints.
STEP3. Next, make a rough sketch line on the clay with a wooden tool, and while spinning the turning wheel, use a knife to cut along the path and arrange the shape.
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Caution! Due to the ceramic decreasing in size after it is baked, make sure to cut wider than you ordinarily would. After cutting the clay off of the bowl, use the leftovers to attach along the bottom of the bowl as a stand |
STEP4. As the bowl is upside down on the mold, you will attach the remaining clay to the bottom of the bowl using a wooden stick. Consider smoothing the clay with a knife to make the bowl well balanced.
STEP5. Then you will pull out the hardened clay from the plaster mold and stand it upright. After that, design the edge of the bowl anyway you want. I did mine with a gentle wave design. Before you start designing, lightly wet your hand and press it along the edge of the bowl to shape it. Support the clay with one hand while gently pinching it with the other hand. Be careful of using too much pressure. Again, use a damp sponge to smooth away the fingerprints.
STEP6. As a final touch, you can paint shapes on the clay using ceramic-only paints.
You can design detailed pictures using a thick or thin brush. However, the color may come out lighter when the pottery is baked, so you should paint it with that in mind. The more color you add onto the clay, the more it will show up after it is baked.
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Tip! There are samples that show each color and how it appears after baking, so don’t stress about how the colors will come out |
STEP7. Finally, the ceramics instructor will bake the item twice in a 1,250 degree Celsius kiln. The instructor will then glaze the item before baking it once more.
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Tips for Using Hand-made Ceramics Don’t heat your pottery directly! Using microwave ovens and gas ovens are prohibited for handmade ceramics. There may be defects in the ceramics because they are handmade. Thus, if you heat it, it will crack. Luckily, washing your ceramic in the dishwasher is safe. |
I was soothed by this experience, for while making the ceramic, the smooth texture of the clay relaxed me. It was also surprising to me that a simple mass of clay became an object that can be used. The best part is making it to suit your own taste. I recommend making a bowl or a cup to suit your taste this winter.
| Lee Da-yeon Editor, Bang Jun-hui Reporter