hobby
Pottery at home: These are the most important steps without a kiln
Pottery is a popular hobby that adults and children alike love
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Flowerpots, bowls, vases or candlesticks: Clay can be used to model both practical and decorative furnishings. In order for the finished works of art to become stable, they must be dried in the kiln. However, very few people have it at home – but it is also not absolutely necessary.
Classical clay requires intense heating in the kiln to harden. But what some hobbyists don’t know: there is also modeling clay that can air dry: so-called soft clay. Although this can be fired (at 1040° to 1200° C), it also becomes extremely solid at room temperature. In order to subsequently seal the surface, it should be treated with a special varnish – also known as clay seal – and thus made watertight. This article summarizes which other steps are important when making pottery at home and what belongs to a solid basic equipment.
Basic basic equipment for pottery
Besides the said soft tone (including clay seal), which you can process without a kiln, the following materials are among the most important basic equipment for pottery. They are not a must, but make modeling and subsequent decoration easier in many places:
- turntableto be able to edit the sound from all sides
- Waterproof pad, for example a silicone mat
- modeling tool for decorating and straightening
- Waterproof acrylic paints for painting the clay
- Rolling tool, for example a rolling pin
- clay ribs ceramic for modelling
- Brushes (various sizes) for painting
- A bowl of water and sponges
Important:
The sealing protects the surface of the soft clay from moisture, but it should not come into permanent contact with water. Accordingly, vases or cups should be fired better, decorative elements, on the other hand, are adequately protected by the clay density and the acrylic paint.
These are the most important steps
If this is your first time making pottery, you can use the following steps as a guide. They contain the most important basics that you should consider – from the raw clay to the finished result:
- fresher volume is soft and supple so you can mold it straight into the shape you need. If you use old clay that has already started, it can harden easily. Here it makes sense to knead the mass vigorously before modeling. This also helps to push any air bubbles out of the clay. Alternatively, you can also put a little moisture in the plastic bag with the old clay, for example using a spray bottle, so that it softens.
- A natural binder for connecting two clay elements is the so-called slip. You can easily make this yourself by putting some clay (you are welcome to use the leftovers) in a disposable glass and mixing it with some water. Leave the mixture covered for a while, stirring occasionally. As soon as a tough, slightly mushy consistency has developed, you can use the slip like a kind of glue. However, always scratch the surfaces that you want to connect beforehand, otherwise they will not stick together well, despite the slip.
- When your work of art is finished, the soft clay must first dry well before you can paint it. Pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendation. And always remember: the thicker the layer of clay, the longer the drying time. Then the above must be done tone poetry used to seal the surface so that water cannot later penetrate the structure through fine cracks in the clay.
- Last but not least, there is the painting if you want to give your artwork a coat of paint. Before you get started, you should round off all corners and edges with a fine sponge (alternatively, you can use thin sandpaper) or your fingers. Then come so-called Acrylics (Tone glaze is only suitable for firing), which you apply with a fine brush. A second coat makes sense to increase the intensity. At the end there is another layer of clay seal when the paint has dried.
These pottery techniques exist
Pottery is not difficult, but it does take some practice at first – at least when you work with the soft modeling clay for the first time. To help you get started, we’ll tell you a few common pottery methods.
The rolling technique: Whether plates, vases or bowls: If you want to create a shape that includes large areas, you can easily roll it out. For straight surfaces, cut off a thick slice of clay and roll it – for example with a rolling pin – thin out. For curved surfaces, you can then place the thin clay surfaces over a bowl to press them into the right shape.
The ball technique: To use this technique, first form the soft clay into a ball and then poke a hole in the center with your thumb before sculpting and shaping the clay into your desired shape – such as a cup or vase. You can use a damp sponge to smooth out any unevenness on the surface.
The layering technique: In this case, roll out several layers of clay thinly, cut them to the desired size and connect them one after the other until the desired surface is reached. It is important here that you have to use the slip to connect the individual elements so that the surfaces merge seamlessly. Then model the clay to the desired shape.
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