In today's world, everything revolves around diversity, which also applies to clay. There are so many kinds of clay with different textures and colors and even other original materials, and it's easy to get lost in figuring out how to make the best use of the type of clay you have. We at PotteryDen make our clay from scratch, so here's a behind-the-scenes of how we make our clay!
There are six stages in our clay-making process.
1. Slip - it is essentially water added into clay to make it into a paste-like texture. Slip is most commonly used to join pieces of wet or hard clay together, acting as an adhesive. It can also be mixed with chemicals to make it extra runny and be used with a plaster mold to cast pieces of pottery in a process called slip casting.
2. Wet Clay - It usually comes in massive bags from suppliers who make the clay using different combinations of rocks and clays. During this stage, the clay must be kept wrapped in plastic to make sure it's in a usable condition. Wet clay is flexible when making infinite pieces using many different techniques. For example, it can be used to throw pots on the wheel, roll out flat slabs, it can be cut out with cookie cutters, and it can also be used to hand-make sculptures, to name a few.
3. Leather Hard Clay - This is the stage in which the clay is mildly dry but has yet to dry thoroughly. It is an advantageous clay state as it is firm but still mouldable. This stage is usually where the pots are strong enough to turn upside down to shape or design the bottom of the pot.
4. Dry Clay - The clay is at its most fragile state and needs meticulous handling to prevent breakages. To make this clay strong enough, it must be fired in a furnace. Dry clay is commonly known as greenware.
5. Bisque - Clay that has been fired once comes under this stage. The firing of the clay permanently changes its physical and chemical nature. Clay at this stage is hard, but it is still porous, which results in the absorption of water and glaze. Due to this very absorptive property, the glaze is applied to the pots so that it gets absorbed and sticks to the pot's surface. After this, the pot is prepared for the final firing.
6. Glaze Ware - It is the last stage. This is where you fire the pot for the second time after glazing, which results in the fusion of the clay and the glaze resulting in a non-porous surface. After the double glazing, the product is strong and gains more durability and a beautiful reflective surface.
After all our products undergo these six stages, the products arrive at our studio and are packed and ready to find their places in your beautiful homes.
There are six stages in our clay-making process.
1. Slip - it is essentially water added into clay to make it into a paste-like texture. Slip is most commonly used to join pieces of wet or hard clay together, acting as an adhesive. It can also be mixed with chemicals to make it extra runny and be used with a plaster mold to cast pieces of pottery in a process called slip casting.
2. Wet Clay - It usually comes in massive bags from suppliers who make the clay using different combinations of rocks and clays. During this stage, the clay must be kept wrapped in plastic to make sure it's in a usable condition. Wet clay is flexible when making infinite pieces using many different techniques. For example, it can be used to throw pots on the wheel, roll out flat slabs, it can be cut out with cookie cutters, and it can also be used to hand-make sculptures, to name a few.
3. Leather Hard Clay - This is the stage in which the clay is mildly dry but has yet to dry thoroughly. It is an advantageous clay state as it is firm but still mouldable. This stage is usually where the pots are strong enough to turn upside down to shape or design the bottom of the pot.
4. Dry Clay - The clay is at its most fragile state and needs meticulous handling to prevent breakages. To make this clay strong enough, it must be fired in a furnace. Dry clay is commonly known as greenware.
5. Bisque - Clay that has been fired once comes under this stage. The firing of the clay permanently changes its physical and chemical nature. Clay at this stage is hard, but it is still porous, which results in the absorption of water and glaze. Due to this very absorptive property, the glaze is applied to the pots so that it gets absorbed and sticks to the pot's surface. After this, the pot is prepared for the final firing.
6. Glaze Ware - It is the last stage. This is where you fire the pot for the second time after glazing, which results in the fusion of the clay and the glaze resulting in a non-porous surface. After the double glazing, the product is strong and gains more durability and a beautiful reflective surface.
After all our products undergo these six stages, the products arrive at our studio and are packed and ready to find their places in your beautiful homes.