By Ashley and Miranda
Pottery is clay that is hardened by fire. Pottery comes from the greek work, keramos which means, "potter's clay". Depending on the clay and the temperature, it can turn red, buff yellow, brownish brown, or black. Steps to make Pottery:
Step 1. A potter first must find the proper clay and clean it to make it usable (if the artist buys clay at a
store he can skip this whole step.) Raw clay is washed in
large pots called blungers to
remove pebbles and sand.
Step 2. Clay is moistened to make it more flexible and easier for the potter to handle.
Step 3. The next step is to actually form the object. This can be done by throwing on a potter's wheel. Throwing means shaping a big hunk of clay by spinning it on a potter's wheel. It can also be done with a mold.
Step 4. After the object is shaped, it is ready for firing. How hot the fire is depends on if the object is going to be pottery (1,400 degrees F.) , porcelain (2,700 degrees F.) It is fired in a kiln.
Step 5. There are many different kinds of glazes. Underglaze decoration (the design) is painted on after first firing. Then it is glazed before the second firing.
When and where the pottery wheel was invented no one knows. In early time it was used in Egypt, Persia, and Babylonia.
Excavations in Egyptian tombs show that pottery making was well advanced as early as 3000 B.C. These clay objects were both useful and also good for ornaments. They give a good insight into the lives of these ancient peoples.
Bottles, jars, and jugs for carrying and storing water represent a large portion of the earthenware vessels of the Egyptians. The classic shapes of their vases, urns, and bowls have changed very little today. The Greeks developed pottery making to its greatest art between the fourth and sixth centuries. (BC) They printed their gods and heroes on vases beautifully, but they were made out of coarse clay.
Home Page Crayons Stained glass Photography Pens Test Paints Games About
UsResources "Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing."
Camille Pissarro