Ceramic vases, pots, tea sets, candlesticks, plates, whistles and even musical instruments - you can create all this yourself.

To learn how to make ceramics with your own hands, the main thing is desire. Before becoming a ceramicist, try making a simple trinket out of clay, and you will understand whether it is worth spending money on buying equipment for the work. If something doesn’t work out, it doesn’t matter, soak the scrap and make a new figure out of it; before baking, the product can be modified endlessly.

What is ceramics made from and where to get materials for work

Ceramics is fired clay, which is the main material in the work of a ceramist. In contrast, natural is of natural origin; it is extracted from the bowels of the earth without subjecting it to chemical or other types of processing.

Experienced craftsmen, in order to save money, extract and prepare raw materials themselves. This process involves several stages and is unlikely to deserve attention if you are just starting out and live in the city.

Clay for making ceramics must be greasy and free of pebbles and other debris, otherwise the craft will crack during baking. The finished mass is stored under certain humidity conditions.

Natural clay happens different types:

• White is the most common, initially has a grayish tint, and after heat treatment it acquires a pleasant ivory shade.
• Red – contains iron oxide, which gives the raw material a greenish tint. The main color of the raw material is brown, after firing the products become red. It lends itself well to modeling, does not crumble, and is ideal for sculptures and large items.
• Porcelain – gray when raw and white after baking.
• Blue - more often used in cosmetology and folk medicine.
• Black or dark brown ceramic mass is the hardest clay, taking on an ivory hue after being kilned.

Also clays for ceramics classified by temperature processing for low-melting, medium-melting, refractory.

It is most convenient to buy ready-made pottery clay, focusing on the fraction size, color after firing at different temperatures and other characteristics and quality indicators. The cost depends on the manufacturer, packaging, texture. There are ready-made masses with additives for various tasks - modeling, molding, potter's wheel.

In addition to clay, you need glazes and enamels to coat products, pigments to give hand-made ceramics the desired shade, special additives to improve properties and heat treatment.

Used for gluing parts slip mass- a kind of glue made from diluted clay. If you simply connect the elements, they may fall off when heated. All this is sold in specialized stores for ceramists.

Methods for making ceramic products

There are several ways to transform clay into a beautiful ceramic product.

Modeling- the most affordable way to make ceramic products with your own hands at home. Souvenirs, sculptures, dishes, toys or other crafts are sculpted by hand, as if from plasticine, helping themselves with special stacks or improvised devices.

Pottery requires a rotating circle. With the help of this ancient craft, vases, jugs, pots, plates, and cups are still created today.

Cooldown– the easiest option for making ceramics for beginners. The work uses a plaster mold, into which soft clay is placed, and after hardening, the figured product is removed. Plaster molds are attractive because they absorb excess moisture, helping the clay product to harden and dry.

Casting– forms are also used here, but of a different type. The diluted clay is poured into molds, the blanks are dried, removed and painted.

Clay crafts gain strength only after firing - processing in pottery kilns at temperatures from 900 to 1300 degrees. Finished souvenirs are coated with acrylic paints or a special glassy glaze for ceramics. In the case of glazes, another firing is required after coloring.

If you want to get a natural shade, use milking - cover an unpainted baked ceramic figurine with milk in several layers and bake again at lower temperatures.

Pottery kiln - types and preferences

Previously, kilns for firing ceramics were furnaces dug in the ground and heated exclusively with wood. Modern pottery kilns come in gas, electric and wood. The latter, as a rule, are made by hand and are suitable for use in private households. In apartment conditions, it is most convenient to work with electric ovens; for larger volumes, you can choose a gas oven.

The metal body of such furnaces contains a refractory brick or other material that retains heat and is not afraid of heat. Ventilation holes are provided to remove moisture; the ceramic firing process is controlled by a program controller. Electric pottery kilns are not a cheap pleasure. The price depends on the manufacturer, volume, power.

There are models with vertical and horizontal loading and bell-type ones on sale. According to the type of location of the heating element, pottery kilns are divided into muffle and chamber kilns. IN muffle it is located around a container made of refractory material (muffle). In chamber heaters, the heater is located inside, which reduces heat loss and makes the equipment more economical.

With a little effort, you can make a kiln for firing ceramics at home with your own hands, using refractory bricks and something for the body, for example, an old washing machine.

Baking is the most important process that does not forgive mistakes. Sometimes even experienced craftsmen see a worthless defect instead of the expected masterpiece. The products are never taken out immediately; they must cool in the oven.

How to choose a pottery wheel

Pottery wheels are needed for sculpting round objects, so you don’t have to buy this tool right away. If you are just learning ceramics, start with sculpting or kneading. Circles come with manual, foot and electric control.

You couldn’t help but notice the new fashion trend of our days - “handmade”. Do you think that the popularity of this type of activity is for no reason, and that people do it for fun? Of course not. There are many reasons for such an interesting and useful activity. You can consider this using the example of making dishes with your own hands. In this article we will look at options for making ceramic dishes.

Making dishes with your own hands

How to make dishes at home? First we need to decide on the material from which we will make something. The most common raw material for making dishes with your own hands is clay. Let's delve into all the intricacies of this matter and look at a few examples.

Becoming a master is easier than you might think

Clay dishes are a combination of beauty and practicality. Such equipment is the most ancient and had no alternatives for a long time. In ancient times, people did not use firing to create dishes, but then they learned to prepare ceramics.

Clay dishes cope with the preparation of a variety of dishes and are an integral assistant to the housewife. She:

• durable;
• heat resistant;
• environmentally friendly;
• beautiful.

Important! Some believe that the material used to make items draws out bad energy through a combination of water, earth, air and sun.

And doing something with your own hands is the most pleasant thing, because you put your soul into such things, and questions like: “did the manufacturer do his job well?” will, of course, not occur. So is it difficult to make dishes from clay? No, you will soon see for yourself.

Making a clay plate with your own hands

Now we will consider in order all the nuances of making dishes from clay.

Preparation of material

The first step is to prepare the material with which we are going to work. Simply follow these tips:

1. You need to find clay, and in order to determine whether it is suitable for making dishes: you need to take a small lump of slightly damp clay, roll it into a rope between your palms and bend it in half. If no cracks appear at the bend, then you can safely deal with such material.
2. Place the required amount of clay in some deep container and fill it with water to the top.
3. Don’t be afraid to go overboard with the amount of prepared material. Nobody forbids you to use the surplus in the next sculpting and make something else out of clay.

Clay elutriation

Elutriation will allow the clay to become more plastic, fatter and cleaner.

Important! Most often, elutriation is carried out with clay that contains sand in large quantities, which is why it becomes less plastic.

What exactly needs to be done:

1. We take a deep dish, put clay in it and fill it with water in a ratio of 1 to 3, leaving the material to moisten all night.

Important! The water should completely cover the clay in the container.

1. In the morning, bring the mixture to a homogeneous consistency. Let the solution sit for several days. Further work can begin only when the water becomes lighter.
2. Drain the water through a rubber hose.
3. Scoop out the clay down to the very bottom layer. There is no need to touch the layer itself, because only stones and sand will remain there. Pour the mixture into a wooden box and leave it in the sun to evaporate unnecessary moisture.
4. When most of the water has evaporated, you can start mixing the clay. The material should dry until it takes on the consistency of dough and begins to stick to your hands. Now the finished clay, which should be covered with polyethylene, remains to wait for modeling.

Important! Be sure to remove the air before sculpting. To do this, knead the dough with your hands. You should add a little water if the material is very hard.

Let's move on to the next stage, in which you will make ceramic dishes.

Making pottery

Objects can be made from clay strands or flat pieces. We recommend making dishes using the first method. We take a rolling pin and a piece of clay, roll it out and give it any desired shape. In this way you can easily make bowls or shallow plates.

In order to make a pot or vase from the material, you should adhere to a different technology:

1. We make the bottom for our dishes as described above.

Important! The bottom should not be too thin. The optimal thickness should be approximately 2 cm.

1. Cut the clay into pieces and use a rolling pin to make ropes out of them.
2. We place the end of the tourniquet on the bottom and press firmly so that it is secured to the bottom.
3. We place the rolled strands on top of each other, pressing the new layers.
4. Moisten the strands with a small amount of water if the material hardens.

Important! You can create fancy vessels of various shapes using these modeling methods.

Drying

There's no need to rush. Rushing can cause cracks and wrinkles on the surface of the ware, which can lead to defects during firing. Making dishes from clay is not difficult, but you can’t do it without patience. Just follow all the deadlines and the result will please you.

The dishes should be dried bottom up in a draft-free room for at least two days, then transfer the product to a warm oven and dry until the moisture has completely evaporated.

Important! The pot may burst during firing if you do not completely remove the moisture.

Firing the product

There are special stoves for various purposes that you can purchase and install at home. But we were talking about an easy and accessible method, so we will do the firing on a regular fire:

1. We line the dishes with wood and set them on fire.
2. We wait eight hours minimum.

Important! The longer you keep the product in the fire, the stronger it will be.

If you did everything correctly, then at the end you will have an excellent ceramic product that is highly durable. It is worth noting that the manufacturing method does not require any special costs. Making pottery from clay is not difficult, and constant practice will make you a master potter.

Five reasons to start sculpting

Still don't see a reason to get into crafts? You'll soon change your mind!

Reason #1: uniqueness

Only you can decide exactly how your clay plate will look. Imagine what a surprise your guests will be when, instead of buying a set from Posuda Center, you get a set that you made yourself. Such things will instantly attract attention.

Reason #2: environmental friendliness

Did you know that harmful materials are still used in the production of tableware? The glaze made from the same lead gives the product an attractive, beautiful shine. There is not much lead there, but using such utensils is more expensive.

Moreover, this kind of product is even prohibited in some countries. Better think 100 times before buying a cheap and bright cup or bowl.

Important! Do not forget that there are natural colored clays: blue, green, black.

Reason #3: replenishment

Your set will not suffer from a broken mug or plate, because you can always restore the loss. With the arrival of a new friend or family member, there is nothing stopping you from adding a new item to your collection. If necessary, you can absolutely always do something new and useful. And when looking through your vacation photos, you might see a beautiful vase in a gift shop and easily recreate it at home. Great, right?

Reason #4: quality

There are often cases of online purchases that disappoint you immediately after opening the package. The beautiful design began to peel off from the mug after washing, and the plate was scratched by cutlery.

When making dishes yourself, especially when processing them in a ceramic workshop under the watchful eye of a specialist, such disappointments are completely eliminated. You will be taught how to handle clay correctly, and all the nuances of manufacturing technology will be explained step by step, which will help make your dishes of the highest quality and practical.

Important! Such products will not be damaged by the dishwasher or microwave. Over the years of use, you will not see any cracks or peeling paint.

Reason No. 5: saving the family budget

Even if you have made only a couple of mugs, then this knowledge will be enough for you to competently understand dishes, materials and glazes. If some seller begins to assure you of the enormous cost of a coffee pair made of blue clay, then you can safely fight back and will not allow yourself to be deceived.

Video material

Well. Now all doubts about needlework have disappeared? Still would. Making dishes from clay is not only profitable, but fun! No one will stop you from making money from this or simply pleasing yourself, your friends and your loved ones. The best thing is that this activity does not require any special investments, except for one thing - the soul! By putting your soul into the process, you will experience indescribable delight when you drink tea from a saucer that you made yourself. Creative success to you!

Transforming clay into the most ordinary kitchen pot is an amazing process.

In fact, compare a piece of clay with a clay shard. Clay is crumbly and loose. The shard is dense and strong. The clay gets wet from the water and turns into dough. The shard does not change due to water. The clay can be given any shape: it can be sculpted, rolled into plates, twisted into ropes. The shape of a shard cannot be changed unless it is broken into pieces.

To understand all this, let's try to make a clay pot ourselves. It's not that difficult at all. They say that “it’s not the gods who burn the pots.”

To fashion a pot out of clay, you first need to prepare clay dough - mix clay with water. But we will not take anything on faith, but ask: is it possible to do without water?

It turns out that it is possible. A press was invented that molds clay products - tiles, dishes, floor tiles - without a single drop of water. Dry clay is placed in a steel mold and pressed with a steel die. True, this requires enormous pressure - two hundred atmospheres. Do you know what this means? To squeeze a book with such force, you would have to put four freight cars loaded to the top on top of it, one above the other. But you and I don’t have such a press. Of course, it is impossible to squeeze clay with such force with your hands.

Just as oil reduces friction in machines, water in clay dough reduces friction between individual clay particles. But molding consists of moving particles, forcing them to be positioned the way we want. And besides, the water does not allow them to crumble, but holds them one next to the other.

But this is not enough: by molding a clay product under pressure, we not only give it shape, but also compress it, making it denser. And water helps us with this.

If a product made from clay dough is dried, the water will evaporate. And because the clay particles come closer together, the product becomes denser. A clay brick can shorten by a whole quarter when it dries out.

The only bad thing is that, as the clay product dries out, it very often cracks, like the bottom of a dried-up puddle. You've probably seen cracks in clay soil that has dried out after rain. They resemble those huge chasms that form on the surface of the earth during an earthquake.

Dried cracked clay

To prevent the clay from cracking when drying, sand is added to it. Grains of sand, sitting here and there in the clay, hold it together like a strong frame or skeleton, and prevent it from shrinking too much.

After we have understood all this, we can get to work. Let's take out a piece of clay, add water to it - about a third - and knead it. If you add more water, the dough will get dirty on your hands; if less, it will crumble.

Add some very fine sand to the dough. Knead well so that the sand is not visible. All that remains is to fashion the pot.

The dough may not be successful the first time - after all, there are different types of clay. Some clays require more sand, others less. The composition of the test is best determined by experience. If one pot doesn't work out, we'll make another until we get what we need.

Here the pot is sculpted. But how wrong and unsightly he is! If you look at it from above, you can see that it is not round, but elongated, like the face of a person with a swollen cheek.

And it would be difficult to do better. After all, it is not at all easy to do by eye so that the walls everywhere are equally spaced from the middle. It's like drawing a circle without a compass.

Potters form pots on a special machine. A pottery machine is a round board that rotates on an axis. It is driven by the foot.

The potter places a piece of dough in the middle of the board and, pressing his thumb inside the dough, holds it with his other fingers on the outside. While rotating, the dough rubs against the potter's fingers and is leveled into a round wall. It's the same as drawing a circle by holding the compass steady and rotating the paper. The compass is the stationary hand of the potter, and the rotating paper is the round board of the potter's press.

Whether it’s good or bad, the pot is sculpted. Let's put it on a shelf somewhere to dry for two days.

When it dries, you will need to burn it. If the pot is not burned, it will not be possible to pour water into it. After all, water will turn unfired clay into dough again. It would be nice to have a pot that would get soggy from the water and crumble into mush!

Place the pot in the oven over hot coals.

Something bad can happen here. If the pot is not dried well, it will fall apart.

The heat will turn the water remaining in the clay into steam. And since steam takes up many times more space than water, it will tear the walls of the pot and escape into the wild. To prevent this from happening, the pot must be well dried.

While it’s standing in the oven, we’ll figure out why we hid it there.

During firing, clay particles are welded and fused together. This means that the burnt shard no longer consists of individual particles that can be easily moved by moistening with water, but of a continuous, sponge-like mass. That is why you can no longer make dough from a shard.

Pottery kiln

How to determine whether you have found clay or not. This can be done in two ways. First, take a piece and try to roll it into a thin sausage; if it rolls out to a diameter of 3-5 mm, then you are already close to what you need. Now take a small bite and chew.

If your teeth don't creak and the substance in your mouth doesn't have a distinct taste or smell, you've found good clay. Take a sample home, dry it thoroughly in the air, and then heat it in a fire. If after this it does not crumble and acquires a homogeneous, slightly rough structure at the fracture, this clay is suitable for making dishes.

First you need to prepare the clay. To do this, the raw lump is thoroughly kneaded, just as hard dough is kneaded. In this case, it is necessary to periodically knock on it with your fist. This is done so that the clay becomes homogeneous throughout the entire volume, all excess air is removed from it, which guarantees the quality of the resulting product.

If the clay is too hard, you can add a little water. You can knead clay not only with your hands, but also with your feet, which is even easier. The result should be clay that does not stick to your hands, but is not too dry and brittle. To work using a potter's wheel, you need to prepare softer clay. But people mastered this technique much later, and we will do the same, having first examined the elementary technology of making pottery, which was used long before the invention of the potter’s wheel.

The actual production of dishes can be carried out in two main ways - from rolled out flat pieces and from strands, or some combination thereof.

The clay is rolled out like pie dough on something flat, covered with a previously damp cloth, to a thickness of 5-7 mm, after which the resulting pancake is formed into the desired shape with your hands. This method is good for making flat dishes, such as plates or shallow bowls, or something very small, like a fat (oil) lamp.

Making pots, cauldrons, jars, and jugs requires using a different technique.

Take a small piece of clay and roll out a rope with a diameter of 0.5-0.7 mm, from which you will form the walls of the vessel, twisting the rope into a spiral. If the vessel should have a flat bottom, proceed as described above, make a pancake and cut out a circle of the required size from it.

Laying it around the perimeter of the bottom with your right hand, press the surface of the tourniquet with the thumb of your left hand, ensuring that it adheres firmly to the bottom. Then the next bundle is rolled out. Since the surface of the product gradually dries out, for better adhesion of the next turn it must be slightly moistened with water using a brush, a rag swab, or a bunch of feathers.

The described operations are repeated until the end of modeling, i.e. until the vessel capacity is completely formed.

If you want to get a vessel with smooth changes in diameter, during operation, apply the coils with a slight deviation outward when expanding, and inward when narrowing. To give the product greater strength during sculpting, the strands are smoothed and leveled from the inside with a stack or hands moistened with water.

After forming the container, you can attach handles, legs, etc. which I don’t advise you to do. For carrying, it is better to use wicker products and place them on special stands or sand.

After finishing sculpting, wrap your product in something similar to a rag or newspaper and place it on the table bottom up to dry for two days. Drying of the product should take place under natural conditions. First, it is desirable for the bottom to dry, and then the neck, so the vessel is placed this way, only then will the thing be durable. If the raw product cannot be placed on the neck, its upper part is wrapped with a damp cloth and dried in the position in which the thing was sculpted.

The product must dry to an air-dry state. If it is damp, it may burst during firing. Now the most important procedure is firing.

During the first firing, it is necessary to slowly raise the temperature to 300°C for 2-3 hours.

Before the process of sintering of clay particles begins, residual moisture must be removed. The main thing is to avoid sudden temperature changes and one-sided overheating of the product. Then we raise the temperature to 580°C, hold it for 10-15 minutes, after 15 minutes we give the temperature 900°C.

After this, we stop firing and let the products cool quietly to a temperature of no more than 30°C.

Only then can the product be removed.

DIY pottery

Have you ever watched how a swallow makes its nest? In addition to blades of grass, used by all feathered builders, clay is also used. Moreover, clay is the main building material for swallows. No wonder people say: “A bee sculpts from wax, and a swallow from clay.” Softening the clay with a liquid secreted by special glands, the swallow, like a real potter, sculpts a deep bowl, lump by lump. When it dries, it becomes so strong that if it accidentally falls, it will not break. It is quite possible that in very distant times, observations of swallow work gave people the idea of ​​​​building adobe dwellings and mud huts. Until now, using the “swallow technology”, raw bricks are made from unfired clay, used for the construction of various buildings, not only rural, but also urban. As you know, highly compacted clay does not allow moisture to pass through, so in folk construction not only walls, but also floors and roofs were made from it. To increase the strength of the adobe floor, it was watered with salt water from time to time.

Clay has become so firmly established in the construction industry that even in our reinforced concrete age, a third of the planet’s population lives in adobe dwellings. And this is not counting the houses made of baked bricks.

In ancient times they wrote on thin clay tablets in the same way as they write on paper now. (By the way, white clay is necessarily included in modern paper. This means that to some extent we still write on clay.) Among the clay tablets found during excavations there are all kinds of documents: laws, certificates, business reports. Clay tablets became the pages of the very first books written by ancient authors. Epic poems, religious hymns, proverbs and sayings composed in those distant years were immortalized on them. After completing the inscriptions, some tablets were only dried well in the sun, while others, more valuable, intended for long-term storage, were fired. Since time immemorial, people have sculpted from clay objects necessary for everyday life, primarily dishes. The only problem is: dishes made from unfired clay are very fragile and are also afraid of moisture. Only dry foods could be stored in such containers. While raking up the ashes of a dying fire, the ancient man more than once noticed that the clay soil in the place where the fire burned became hard as stone and was not washed away by rain. Perhaps this observation inspired a person to burn dishes at a fire. Be that as it may, clay fired in a fire was the first artificial material in the history of mankind, which later received the name ceramics. With the development of technology, molded and dried clay products began to be fired not in fires, but in special furnaces - forges. In Rus', the very word “potter” comes from the name of kilns. In the old days, craftsmen who worked with clay were called potters, but over time the letter “r”, which made it difficult to pronounce, was lost. Ceramics are the most common finds of archaeologists. Indeed, unlike wood, clay does not rot or burn, does not oxidize, like metal. Many clay objects have reached us in their original form. This is primarily a variety of dishes, lamps, children's toys, religious figurines, casting molds, sinkers for fishing nets, spindle whorls, spools of thread, beads, buttons and much more.

In the hands of talented craftsmen, ordinary things turned into true works of decorative and applied art. The art of ceramics reached high development in Ancient Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece and China. Many museums around the world are decorated with dishes made by ancient potters. The old masters knew how to sculpt dishes that were sometimes gigantic in size. The Greek pithoi - vessels for water and wine, reaching a height of two meters - amaze with their high technical skill. It was in a pithos vessel, and not in a barrel, as is commonly believed, that the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes lived.

In our time, many of the secrets that the ancient masters possessed have been lost. Despite the high development of production, modern ceramists have not yet been able to uncover the secret of preparing the glaze that covers two large vases discovered during excavations by Chinese archaeologists. When water was poured into the found vases, the glaze immediately darkened and changed color. As soon as the water was poured out, the vessels regained their original whiteness. Ho

Even though these amazing chameleon vases were made by Chinese potters more than a thousand years ago, they have not lost their amazing properties. Ancient Rus' was also famous for ceramics. Bowls, dishes, jugs, egg capsules, wash basins, stove pots and even calendar jugs came out of the potters' workshops. Each calendar was a jug on which certain signs were applied with stamps in a rectangle allocated to each month. In addition to calendars designed for the whole year, there were agricultural calendars covering the period from April to August, that is, from sowing to grain harvest. On such a calendar, special signs indicated the most important pagan holidays, dates for field work, and even days when it was necessary to ask the sky for rain or buckets (sunny weather). Blessed water was poured into the calendar jug ​​itself, which was used to sprinkle the fields during the prayer service. Russian potters painted tableware with special ceramic paints or engobes (liquid colored clays) and covered them with glassy glaze. Especially a lot of black-polished clothes were made. Slightly dried items were rubbed to a shine with a polish (smooth stone or polished bone), and then fired over a smoky flame without allowing oxygen into the forge. After firing, the dishes acquired a beautiful silver-black or gray surface, at the same time it became more durable and less permeable to moisture. There is pottery in every modern home, although it is difficult to believe that sparkling white porcelain cups and plates are relatives of smoky stove pots, throaters and all kinds of makhotkas fashioned from dark clay. But dishes made of white and dark clay are not rivals, each is good for its purpose.

“Breaking” the clay

Immediately before modeling, in order to remove air bubbles from the aged clay and increase its uniformity, the clay dough is “beaten” and kneaded. “Killing” the clay is indispensable in cases where the clay, for some reason, has not been cleaned well enough and there are small pebbles and other foreign inclusions in it. Processing begins by rolling a piece of clay into a bun (Fig. 2.1), which is then lifted and thrown forcefully onto a table or workbench. In this case, the bun is slightly flattened and takes the shape of a loaf. Take a pottery string in your hands (steel wire with two wooden handles at the ends (2.2)) and cut the “loaf” into two parts (2.3). Having lifted the top half, turn it over with the cut side up and throw it forcefully onto the table. The lower half is also thrown onto it with force, without turning it over (2.4). The stuck halves are cut from top to bottom with a string, then one of the cut pieces of clay is thrown onto the table, and the second one is thrown onto it (2.5). This operation is repeated several times. When cutting clay dough, the string pushes out all kinds of pebbles encountered along the way, opens voids and destroys air bubbles. The more cuts you make, the cleaner and more uniform the clay dough will become.

You can also process clay dough using a carpenter's plow or a large knife (Fig. 3). The lump of clay is thoroughly compacted using a massive wooden mallet (3.1). Then it is pressed forcefully against a table or workbench and the thinnest plates (3.26) are cut off with a plow (3.2a) or a knife. All kinds of foreign inclusions that fall under the blade are thrown aside. The thinner the slices are cut, the cleaner and more uniform the clay dough becomes. The plates obtained after planing are again collected into a single lump and compacted with a mallet until it becomes monolithic (3.3). The lump of clay prepared in this way is planed again. These techniques are repeated until the clay dough becomes homogeneous and plastic.

Plasticity is the amount of water that must be added to the clay to form a plastic dough. This amount of water is determined experimentally.

Take 100 g of dry clay, ground in a mortar to a fine powder, and add 5 g of water to it. Knead the dough, roll it into a ball, place the latter on a flat surface, for example, on a table, and roll it into a “sausage” cylinder with the palm of your hand (Fig. 1). If the “sausage” begins to disintegrate after some time, there is not enough water. Then the experiment is repeated, adding a larger amount of water to the clay, for example, 10 g. But you cannot add water to the already prepared dough, you will have to knead the dough again. If this time the cylinder falls apart, it means there is still not enough water. Then you need to increase the amount of water by another 5 g. In a word, this procedure is repeated until the clay “sausage” either stops cracking (which means the rolling limit has been reached), or begins to simply spread over the surface, which indicates that the yield point has been reached.

The difference between the moisture content of clay at the yield point and the moisture content of the same clay at the rolling limit is called the plasticity number. The value of this number is used to judge the plasticity of the clay. Let me also remind you that relative humidity is characterized by the ratio of the mass of liquid contained in a wet substance to the mass of this wet substance. Humidity is expressed as a percentage. So, clay is considered low plasticity if its plasticity number is less than 7%; for plastic clay this number is 7...15%; for highly plastic clay it is more than 15%. Knowledge of the plasticity of clay is very important when formulating a ceramic mass, as well as for assigning a drying regime for products.

The plasticity of clay can be changed to some extent by introducing additives.

Air shrinkage is a decrease in the volume of clay as it dries. When water is removed from clay, the mineral particles that make up the clay move closer together, which causes shrinkage. This is also a very important characteristic that will be needed, for example, to determine the dimensions of a raw product. Air shrinkage is determined as follows. Having prepared and kneaded a certain amount of clay dough, the moisture content of which corresponds to the limit of plasticity, it is wrapped in a slightly moistened piece of canvas and placed on a flat board. Next, the dough is “tapped” with a wooden mallet. This technique, called punching, produces a dough without air bubbles or voids. Then, without removing the clay from the canvas, they give it the shape of an even layer 10 mm thick. After this, use a sharp knife to cut the clay (without canvas, of course) into squares with a side of 50 mm. In this case, use a ruler so that the cutting lines are straight and even. You will need to make at least five of these clay tiles.

Then, using a pointed stick, diagonals are also drawn on the surface of the tiles along a ruler. Not deep, but so that they are clearly visible. All that remains is to use a measuring compass, opening it exactly 50 mm, to apply marks with its ends across both diagonals (Fig. 2). To dry, the tiles are placed in a secluded place, for example, on a shelf or on a dry window sill. Of course, the tiles should not be exposed to direct sunlight, and they should not be placed close to heating appliances. At room temperature, the tiles will dry in a week, after which you can begin to determine air shrinkage. To do this, take a caliper and measure, with an accuracy of 0.1 mm, the distance between the marks on the diagonals. Do not forget to inspect the samples during measurements, note changes in shape, the presence of cracks, deflections, curvatures, etc.

Let's assume that after measuring all 5 tiles we got the following results (in mm): 45.0, 45.9, 46.1, 45.6, 47.8, 46.2, 45.4, 45.5, 46, 1, 45.8. Let's calculate the arithmetic mean of this group of numbers, for which we divide the sum of the values ​​of these numbers by their number:

459.4: 10 = 45.94 mm.

Now let’s determine the percentage of shrinkage, knowing that the distance between the marks before drying was equal to 50.0 mm:

[(50.0 - 45.94)/50] x 100 = 8.12%.

This is the air shrinkage of our clay. It varies from clay to clay and ranges from 1 to 15%.

At the same time, based on the state of these same samples, we determine another property of our clay - sensitivity to drying. If after drying the samples are not deformed and there are no cracks on them, then the clay is not very sensitive to drying. The presence of slight distortions in shape or a small number of small shrinkage cracks indicates an increased sensitivity of the clay to drying. Finally, if the samples are severely deformed or cracked, the clay is highly sensitive to drying. This is a very important indicator, which must be taken into account when prescribing a recipe for ceramic mass from a particular clay.

Fire properties

Sinterability is the ability of clay to produce a dense shard when fired. Researchers involved in ceramics have agreed that the ability of clay to form a shard must be determined at the same temperature, namely at 1350° C. After all, different clays are sintered at “their own” temperatures, the spread of which is very significant (from 450 to 1450° C) , and if the sinterability of each clay is determined at its temperature, then it is difficult to establish a quantitative measure of sinterability. That's why we chose one temperature.

The degree of sintering is determined by the water absorption of a shard of this or that clay fired at 1350°C: if the water absorption is less than 2%, the clay is highly sintering; from 2 to 5% - medium sintering; more than 5% - non-sintering. (Water absorption is the ability of a material to absorb water when immersed in it.) The caking ability of clays can be controlled using additives.

Since we agreed that we would be engaged in the production of majolica, that is, porous ceramics, we will not need to achieve strong sintering of the clay. However, in order to determine the sintering temperature of the clay with which to work, it is advisable to know this property of the clay.

To determine the sinterability of our clay, the same samples that were used to determine air shrinkage are suitable. And it’s not scary that they cracked during drying or changed shape. If you have access to a laboratory muffle furnace, then it is better to burn the dried samples in it.

We want to establish now how hard a shard can be baked in your oven from the existing clay without introducing any additives. Therefore, we will set the appropriate temperature in the muffle.

In the absence of a muffle, the samples are fired in a conventional heating furnace. To do this, at the end of heating the furnace, when quite a lot of ash has accumulated in the firebox, but the fuel has not yet completely burned out, dried samples are placed on top of the coals without burying them. The stove valve and ash pan are covered so that fuel combustion continues at medium intensity. When the stove is heated, it is simply closed. The samples are taken out of the furnace only after it has completely cooled, that is, after about 10...12 hours. The sintering temperature in this case will be the same as that provided by the furnace where you are going to fire your products. Typically, wood-burning stoves produce temperatures of 850...950° C. Aspen, linden and other soft woods emit less heat when burning than coniferous woods. Hard (oak, beech, elm) - more. Of course, the temperature largely depends on the draft in the furnace.

Having removed the samples from the oven, they are shaken off from ash and dust, after which they are weighed on a pharmacy scale with an accuracy of 0.1 g and placed flat in a vessel with water, immersing the samples in water not completely, but 2/3 of their thickness.

The samples are kept in water for one day, after which they are taken out, blotted with a dry cloth or blotting paper (water should not drip from them) and weighed again with the same accuracy.

Water absorption of samples is calculated using the formula:

B = [(M in - M s)/M s] x 100,

where M s is the mass of the dry sample, g; M in - mass of sample saturated with water, g; B - water absorption,%.

At least 3 samples must be subjected to such a test, then the arithmetic mean of the results obtained is calculated. This will be the water absorption value. If it turns out to be less than 2%, then the clay is easily sintered, at 2...5% it is medium sintered, and above 5% it is unsintered. If the clay is easy to sinter, no measures are required to improve its sinterability. Medium baked clay can most likely be left alone. But we’ll discuss how to increase the sinterability of non-sintered clay later.

If, after determining air shrinkage, the samples turn out to be unsuitable for determining sintering, well, say, they fell apart during drying or turned out to be severely deformed, exactly the same new samples should be prepared. But you will have to dry them more carefully and slowly, for which it is better to place them in a closed container, for example, a glass jar, and cover it with a sheet of paper. Drying under these conditions will last at least 2 weeks.

Fire shrinkage is a change in the volume of clay during firing. The degree of such shrinkage depends not only on the properties of the clay, but also on the firing temperature. As in the case of sinterability, fire shrinkage is determined at 1350° C. But in our case, fire shrinkage is important at the firing temperature, that is, at the one that the furnace will provide. Knowledge of fire shrinkage will help determine what size casting is required in order to obtain a product of the given dimensions after firing. Naturally, air shrinkage is also taken into account.

If the samples that were fired to study sintering have retained their shape well and the marks applied to them are clearly visible, fire shrinkage can be determined using them.

To do this, using a caliper or measuring compass, again measure the distances between the marks on the diagonals of the samples. Fire shrinkage is calculated using the same formula as air shrinkage. You just need to compare the distances between the marks after drying with the distances after firing. Typically, most clays have fire shrinkage of 6...8%. As already mentioned, the total shrinkage is equal to the sum of air and fire. For ordinary clays, as a rule, it is close to 15%, but significant deviations from this value are also observed.

All this information will be needed to determine the composition of the raw material mixture with which you will have to work, as well as determine the dimensions of the molds and set the modes of drying and firing of products.

So, we have figured out the properties of the plastic clay mass. Let's get acquainted with the specific properties of liquid foundry clay (slip), which will be needed when making majolica using the drain method. But first, let's prepare a sieve with a mesh size of 0.0053 mm, an Engler viscometer and a stopwatch. You are unlikely to get all this in a small town, much less in a village. But you can make both a sieve and a viscometer yourself. This will be discussed in detail in the next section, specifically dedicated to the equipment, instruments and devices necessary for working with ceramics. For now, let’s say that the design of the sieve is no different from ordinary sieves, only instead of traditional mesh, you will have to pull a nylon or nylon stocking, which will replace the mesh with a cell size of 0.0053 mm. Instead of a stopwatch, any watch with a second hand will do - an accuracy of up to 1 second is quite enough.

You will also need a porcelain mortar with a capacity of at least 0.5 liters with a porcelain pestle. An even better idea would be to purchase a laboratory porcelain mill. Keep in mind that cast iron or bronze mortars are not suitable in this case, since when grinding the components, metal in the form of fine dust will get into the slip, which can significantly affect the properties of the slip. But if there is no other choice, use a cast iron mortar.

To determine the properties of the slip, the latter must first be prepared. To do this, take 0.5 kg of dried clay and add water to it, the amount of which depends on plasticity. So, we dilute low-plasticity clays in 320 ml of water, medium-plasticity clays in 300 ml, and high-plasticity clays in 280 ml. (The moisture content of the slip in this case will be approximately 39%, 37.5% and 36%, respectively.)

So, clay and water in the required quantities are placed in a mortar, after which the clay is crushed by rubbing it with a pestle. When you can no longer feel the sand under the pestle, you can determine for the first time the fineness of grinding (grinding) of the slip. After weighing out 100 g of slip, it is poured into a sieve with a stocking mesh and the slip is washed with a stream of water to clean water. The washed residue is dried and weighed. If its mass is less than 2g (in our case less than 2%), then the slip is ready.

The mass of the residue on sieve 0053 (this is the designation for a sieve with a mesh size of 0.0053 mm) characterizes the fineness of the slip grinding. It should not exceed 2%, otherwise the slip will begin to intensively delaminate, that is, during the formation of products, larger particles will quickly begin to settle out of it, as a result, the walls of the product will acquire unequal structure and density at different heights. We also add that the grinding fineness should not be less than 1%. In the latter case, the slip thickens too quickly, so the density of the walls of the products will vary in thickness. If the grinding fineness turns out to be insufficient (the residue on the sieve exceeds 2%), the slip will have to be additionally ground so that the amount of residue fits into the desired range.

Having prepared a slip of the required quality, we begin to determine its fluidity. To do this, the slip is poured into a viscometer with a closed drain hole. After 30 seconds, the drain hole is opened and at the same time the clock starts counting down the second hand. When exactly 100 ml of slip is poured into the vessel under the viscometer, the drain hole is closed. The time during which 100 ml of slip flows out of the viscometer is its fluidity. Typically, the normal fluidity of casting slip is 20 s. If the fluidity is more than 25 s, it is necessary to introduce a thinning (plasticizing) additive into the slip. If the fluidity is less than 15 s, it is necessary to reduce the humidity of the slip, that is, add less water to the clay. In short, the fluidity of a slip suitable for casting lies within 15...25 s.

Now let's look at the thickening of the slip, which manifests itself in the fact that the fluidity of the slip decreases over time, that is, the time for 100 ml of slip to flow out of the viscometer increases after some period. Thickening is determined as follows. The slip remaining in the viscometer after determining the fluidity is kept at rest for 30 minutes, without shaking or stirring it. Then the flow time of 100 g of slip is measured again, as in the first time. This time will, of course, be longer than the first. By dividing the new slip expiration time by the previous one, its degree of thickening is obtained. If this quotient is greater than 2.2, then the slip is not suitable for formation. Its fluidity and thickening time must be regulated by additives.

Another very important property of the slip, on which both the molding properties of the slip and the quality of the future shard largely depend, is density. The slip density is determined using a hydrometer (densimeter) with a calibration interval of 1.5...1.8 g/cm³. It is not always possible to obtain such a hydrometer, but you can replace it with two or even three hydrometers, the measurement range of which covers the mentioned interval, for example, one - from 1.5 to 1.6, the other - 1.55...1.65, and third - 1.56...1.85.

In the absence of a hydrometer, density is determined by weighing a known volume of slip. For example, a measuring vessel with a capacity of at least 100 ml, pre-weighed with an accuracy of 0.1 g, is filled with slip to the mark indicating this volume. After weighing the vessel with the slip, subtract the mass of the empty vessel from the resulting mass and divide the result (difference) by the volume of the slip O w. The quotient of the division (with some reservation) can be considered the density of the slip P w:

P w = (M w - M p)/O w g/cm³.

I note that in reality the density value calculated in this way will be slightly different from the value that the hydrometer will show. The specific gravity of the slip obtained in the first case may not coincide with the density measured by the hydrometer.

Making tiles with your own hands is a completely doable task for anyone who has at their disposal the necessary equipment for production technology and the desire to create. And, although not everyone manages to make high-quality tiles the first time, sometimes the idea is still worth the effort spent on it. So, you can create unique samples of facing material both for personal use and for sale.

Handmade tiles

Selection of materials

First you need to understand the manufacturing technology. So how are ceramic tiles made? In fact, all ceramics are made using a similar method. The basis is a plastic clay mass, from which a tile of the desired shape is formed, and then subjected to further processing.

The technology for producing ceramic tiles is as follows:

• Preparation of raw materials. Selecting the appropriate type of clay, mixing in additional mixture and keeping the mass wet.
• . This is the name of a workpiece made from raw clay. To proceed to the next stage, the raw material must be properly dried.
• Biscuit firing. This is the primary heat treatment. At high temperatures, mineral particles fuse together, forming a durable ceramic product called terracotta.
• Decoration. Here either varnish or enamel is applied to the primed surface, or glaze is applied with further firing to obtain glossy majolica.

To make good tiles with your own hands, each stage of the process should be considered in more detail.

Making any ceramic tiles with your own hands at home begins with the selection of raw materials. The main component is, of course, clay. It is worth considering that there are many varieties of this material:

When choosing clay for tiles, it is also necessary to take into account the degree of its plasticity. The most plastic is fatty clay, which can be given absolutely any shape. Skinny is a non-plastic, brittle clay that breaks when subjected to a certain impact. It is best to choose the medium type.

You can take fatty material and dilute it with sand, fireclay or pumice. This will also make the clay less refractory and prevent it from tearing during firing.

Clay is the main component of tiles

It is also necessary to distinguish between such types of clayey rocks as:

• Kaolin . It is distinguished by its white color and is used for making earthenware and porcelain. Also used in paper production and cosmetology.
• Cement. Cement mixtures are made from it.
• Brick . It is easily fusible and is used to make brick products.
• Fireproof. Refractory variety that can withstand temperatures up to 1580 degrees.
• Acid resistant . Do not interact with most chemical compounds. It is a raw material for the production of chemical-resistant glassware and molds for the chemical industry.
• Molding . Plastic refractory grade, used in the metallurgical industry.
• Bentonite. A characteristic difference is its whitening properties.

The facing tile must be strong, so reinforcing mesh is sometimes used for additional strengthening. To give a shade to terracotta, natural pigments, which are mineral oxides, are used. Some types of clay already contain them in their composition, as evidenced by the characteristic shade of the raw material.

When considering the production of ceramic tiles at home, the first step is the preparation of raw materials. After you have decided on the composition and mixed all the components in the required proportions, you need to wrap the mass in a plastic bag and block the access of air. In this form, the clay must infuse sufficiently for every particle of the porous material to absorb moisture. The presence of air chambers will worsen the strength properties of the finished product.

Further production involves molding the tiles. For convenience, it is better to use polyurethane molds. With their help, you can create smooth products with the same external parameters. It is important to thoroughly compact the clay and distribute it over the mold to achieve uniform thickness over the entire area of ​​the sample.

The first stage of tile production is preparation and molding of the raw material.

Next, the tile blank, the so-called raw material, is left to dry. The completion of this stage is indicated by the brightening of the tile and its hardening. You need to be careful, because the raw material is very fragile. But in case of failure, the molding and drying process can be repeated by soaking the tile blank in water.

Primary firing

The next step in how to make real tiles with your own hands is firing the raw material. At this stage, the mineral materials used for ceramics are exposed to high temperatures and fused together to form a glass-like mass. At the same time, the strength of the tile becomes many times higher.

To give strength to the product, it is fired in a kiln.

According to traditional technology, the clay baking temperature for different types of tiles should be 1000-1300 degrees Celsius. Since it is quite rare to achieve such values ​​at home, you can reduce the temperature down to 850-900 degrees.

To prevent the quality of the product from being affected, pumice should be added to the raw material in advance. It is due to this that it is possible to reduce the baking temperature. However, keep in mind that a large amount (more than 40%) will affect the plasticity of the clay and reduce its strength.

During biscuit firing, the raw material shrinks due to the evaporation of moisture from the mass. This must be taken into account when calculating the final dimensions of the product. Also take into account the fact that at this stage the tile structure becomes more porous. With auxiliary pressure, it is possible to make fewer pores, but this is only possible under production conditions.

Decorating the product

The fact that homemade tiles have a porous structure also has its advantages. This will be useful for further decorative processing. It is the pores that will absorb part of the outer coating and prevent it from spreading.

To make the facing tiles glossy, you can make a special glaze with your own hands. It may include the following components:

• glass;
• kaolin;
• tripolephosphate.

The resulting dusty powder is mixed with clean water. Other minerals are also added to the mass, the total list of which includes about 30 items. You can apply the glaze to the tiles using a sprayer or a brush. The pouring method is also used.

To harden and bond with terracotta, the product undergoes a secondary firing. It is important not to allow the temperature of the lower layer to rise above a critical level, otherwise the tile may melt. Using glazes of different compositions you can create unique compositions on majolica. If creating a glass-like coating is not an option for you, you can achieve a glossy shine using enamel or varnish.

Decorating tiles

Now you know how to make ceramic tiles yourself at home. Before commencing volume production, experiment with shrinkage, composition and design of sample pieces.

Pottery is one of the most unique and practical inventions of mankind. The environmentally friendly material from which original utensils were created and are still being created makes them especially valuable. According to ancient belief, clay products have the ability to absorb negative energy. For this reason, before you start making an original item, you should be in a positive mood.

According to historians, the first clay products appeared around 10,000-18,000 BC. Initially, dishes were used only for storing food. But over time, our ancestors came to the conclusion that fired products are particularly durable and impenetrable. Since then, they began to burn it on fire, thereby increasing the term of its exploitation.

The emergence of the potter's wheel during the Bronze Age greatly facilitated the work of pottery masters. This event allowed us to expand the range of products - jugs, pots, bowls, teapots, saucepans, cups. Food cooked in clay utensils has an extraordinary aroma and taste. Since the walls of the cookware retain heat well, this allows the dish to “simmer” rather than boil.

Preparing clay for work

Do-it-yourself dishes are always a spiritually created product that retains the special energy of the master. Having mastered some skills and patience, you can create a truly unique thing that will decorate your interior or become a wonderful gift for loved ones.

To do this you need to know something about the properties of clay:

1. The most important step is to clean the clay from various sandy impurities, since this directly affects the quality of the product.
2. In order for the product to be of high quality, the clay must be plastic, without foreign additives and air bubbles.
3. To increase strength, lime or gypsum is added to the raw material.
4. Shortly before creating clay products, the clay should be thoroughly kneaded and left to “rest” for 7-10 days.

Working on a pottery wheel

The emergence of the potter's wheel had a huge impact on the improvement and variety of pottery.

During the rotation of a small disk, which is driven by a flywheel rotated by the master’s foot, a clay product is formed. Using your hands, the clay lump should be placed in the center of the disk and, grabbing the workpiece, press it against the circle. The rotational movements of the circle will make it possible to move the workpiece to the sides. This process is called warming up.

To determine the width of the future dishes, it is necessary to determine the center by pressing on it with the thumb of your left hand. To further deepen the workpiece, support the raw material with your left hand; touch the bottom with the finger of your right hand.

Creating the walls of the product consists of pulling them out using the index and middle fingers, which should be located on the inside of the workpiece. While supporting the work with your other hand, you should control the thickness of the walls.

After separating the dishes from the circle using a special string, you need to trim the outer walls. To avoid damage, the clay creation must be carefully removed. Hands must be dry.

The next stage in the production of pottery is drying in several stages. A characteristic ringing sound when tapped lightly indicates that the utensil is ready for firing.

Techniques for working with clay by hand

This master class discusses the method of modeling clay without using a potter's wheel. In the process, the oldest techniques will be used with the help of some available means. There are three most famous sculpting techniques without a pottery wheel or professional tools. They will be used further.

How to make a dish or plate out of clay with your own hands

Preparing for the sculpting process

We will need: kneaded clay, a glass of water, a rolling pin, a flat surface for rolling out clay, a wooden spatula and a sheet of paper.

First you need to knead the clay until it becomes an elastic dough so that it does not stick to your hands. Then start sculpting.

Method one:

• Roll the clay into a ball with a diameter of 7–8 cm.
• Make a depression in the center of the ball.
• Using gentle movements, slowly turning the ball counterclockwise, press the indentation with your thumbs, and with each movement try to stretch (increase) it. Thus, it should look like a bowl. Using the same movements, you can give this bowl any desired shape. For convenience, you need to place a sheet of paper under the product, which can be rotated during operation.
• After the product has reached its optimal shape, it is necessary to form smooth edges. To do this, take a wooden spatula, place it perpendicular to the edge, and rotate the sheet of paper in a circle to give the dish a neat appearance. If there is no spatula, the same can be done with a finger moistened with water.
• The next step is to make the inner surface of the bowl smooth. To do this, you need to wet your fingers with water, and with light movements (from top to bottom), smooth the product step by step.

Method two:

• Take a small piece of clay and roll it out into a rope (sausage) with a diameter of 0.7 - 1 cm. You will need several such ropes.
• Roll the tourniquet into a snail shape as tightly as possible. And so wind the snail to the desired size. Thus, the bottom of the future plate is formed.
• When the desired size is reached, the resulting snail should be smoothed out. As described above, wet your fingers in water and smooth the surface with light movements (from edge to middle).
• Next, the sides of the future plate are formed from the same sausages. A clay rope is taken and wound along the edge of the bottom to the desired height. To make a plate of a classic shape, you need to wind the strands, slightly moving them towards the edge of the previous one.
• Then you need to align the inner (in this technique also the outer) side of the product again. Smooth the surface with wet fingers.

How to make a clay mug with your own hands

The principle of making a mug from clay is the same as the technology of making a plate or dish. These techniques can be used to sculpt any product. But there is another option for making dishes with your own hands. It will require a mold, food paper, a rolling pin, a knife and a stencil. A glass bottle or any other narrow vessel is suitable for the form.

Method three:

• Roll out the clay into a layer 0.5 - 0.7 cm thick.
• Using a stencil (if not, you can do without it), cut out a strip of clay 5–10 cm wide and a circle with a diameter equal to the diameter of the bottom of the mold.
• Turn the pan upside down and wrap it in cling paper.
• Then place the cut strip of clay around the circle of the mold so that part of the strip extends beyond the bottom. It should be noted that the length of the strip should be such that when applying it to the mold there is no excess clay left. And the strip was connected end to end.
• Next, you need to crush the part of the strip that extends beyond the border to the bottom of the mold. And then put the cut circle on the bottom.
• All parts must be well secured to each other and smoothed with wet fingers.
• The next step is to carefully turn the product over and carefully remove the mold and cling paper.
• At this stage, the final processes of preparing the product for drying take place. You should align the edges and give the desired shape to the future mug. All that remains is to form a handle from a thin rope and attach it to the product, making two small indentations parallel to each other.

Drying and firing the product in an oven

After the product has acquired the desired shape, it must be left to dry for a day. The next step is to fire the product in a kiln. The approximate time required for firing until the product is completely ready is 8 hours. The temperature in the oven must be increased gradually so that the product does not crack. Approximately 100 - 200 degrees every hour. The maximum firing temperature should reach 900 degrees.

If you do not have a special oven, then the product can be fired over a fire. To do this, you need to carefully surround the vessel with small firewood and set it on fire. This firing time is also 8 hours. This method requires great vigilance and caution.

Clay dishes are an excellent solution for every home. This type of cookware will last for quite a long time. She is not painstaking in her care and has her own unique style. And besides, such dishes will be a good gift for any occasion.