Chapter 1: Introduction

A few words about pottery

Ceramic is made from clay. Clay must be exposed to intense heat in order to be cleared of any water, so becoming a solid material, insoluble and impervious to chemicals.

Steps of the making

Clay must be prepared before beeing modeled.

Afterwards, the potter will give it a form (on the wheel, by hands or in a mold). Then, pottery must dry in the open until any water has evaporated. During that process, the pottery contracts.

Then it is baked for the first time in a kiln, in order to eliminate the water molecles chemically part of the clay.At this step of the making, the pottery is solid but porous.

It must be coated with some form of glaze, which is a part containing powdered glass. Pottery is then baked for the second time, so the paste melts and coats the object with a solid glaze.

The pottery can be decorated at any step in the processing.

Different forms of ceramic

They are distinguished by the temperature of the second firing.

Earthenware is a ceramic which has been object of a glazing fire at temperature of 1000°C / 1100°C: it's somewhat light and generally clear with brillant and glossy colors.

Stoneware is a ceramic which has been baked at a temperature of 1200°C / 1300°C. At this temperature, clay itself becomes glass. Stoneware is heavier than earthenware, and its colors are darker and less homogen.

China is a ceramic exposed to higher temperatures. China is generally very thin, light and near translucid. It needs specifics and purest clays and glazes.