“Sometimes, to pursue a new idea, the artist must forfeit his deposit on an old idea.”—Robert Brault

a ceramics primer

I suppose any self-respecting ceramicist with a Web site should at least talk a little bit about ceramics as an art form, right? Well, that's what this page is about. It's not intended to be an exhaustive resource, but rather to present some basic information, provide some informative links, and offer suggested reading for those who want more.

ceramics and pottery: is there a difference?

In the context of art, the most basic answer is that ceramics is a general term that describes the art form which includes pottery. The word comes from the Greek keramos, or "potter's clay." Pottery can also be used to describe the process by which ceramic art is made.

There is more subtlety to be understood, however. If you've been paying attention, you may have noticed that I've generally refrained from using the term pottery to describe what I do. That's because the two terms have in fact taken on different subtleties in their meanings within the artistic community over the years.

Prior to the 1980s, when someone talked about ceramics, they were usually talking about the stuff you would pour into the little puppy and kitty molds and then paint them. It was regarded as an "arts and crafts" soft of thing. Conversely, pottery was generaly thought to be more of a fine art form, practiced by those with years of training and experience. Sometime during the 1980s however, the perception began to shift.

Today—at least within the artistic community—pottery can still be considered fine art in some cases, but it's generally thought of in terms of less sophisticated, maybe entry-level work. In the clay world, ceramics is now thought of as the higher-end professional-grade work.

materials

I use two major types of material: earthenware and stoneware. In the following paragraphs, I'll give a basic explanation of both.

Earthenware is the most traditional clay body. It's softer and more easily scratched because it is fired at lower temperatures.Earthenware clay will usually fire to a reddish hue, but the exact clay composition and kiln atmosphere can influence the final color slightly. Earthenware is porous and will absorb water unless treated with a glaze and refired. The glazes typically used with an earthenware clay body are those which will draw out the natural color of the fired clay.

Stoneware clay, on the other hand, is a different matter. It's more dense and durable than earthenware clay, and it's waterproof even when unglazed. Since the chemical makeup of stoneware is different from earthenware, it can be fired to a white or off-white hue, more suitable for colored glazes. These are all reasons why it's used so much in commercial ware.

the process

In short, there are four broad stages which together compose the pottery process.

Mixing the clay. In the vast majority of situations, we don't use raw clay taken directly from the ground. Most often, we will use special clays mixed with a variety of substances which allow us to get the result we want. This mixture is known as the clay body, and since this mixing often happens upstream of our involvement, it's often overlooked as one of the steps in creating ceramic art. But since the quality and charcater of the finished piece can depend so heavily on the clay's composition, I would be remiss in omitting it.

Shaping the clay. Often, this is the first step in which the artist is personally involved. Shaping the unfired clay can be done through a variety of methods and with a variety of tools. Common methods include the potter's wheel and the use of forms or molds which are consumed during the firing process. Once the clay has been shaped, it's often allowed to dry before firing; however, some ceramicists have developed "wet-firing" techniques.

Firing the clay. Next, we use an oven called a kiln to heat the clay body to temperatures ranging from 1800–2400°F (1000–1300°C), depending on the type of clay we're using. Earthenwares will be on the lower end of the spectrum, and stonewares on the upper. The firing process gives permanency to our work; without it, the beautiful ceramic bowl you just made will turn back into mud as soon as water touches it.

Decorating the clay. Although it's listed as the fourth stage, some kinds of decoration can take place while the clay is still wet. Common decorative techniques include impressing/stamping, scratching/carving, slip decorating, polishing, glazing, and painting. With some techniques, a second firing stage will be required.