Methods of teaching children to work on the potter's wheel. Children's potter's wheel - what is it

This is a process in which the skillful hands of a master and clay participate, an action in the rhythmic movements of which an internal connection between them is born. Until recently, the most common potter's wheel was a foot wheel, consisting of a vertical axis of iron, in the upper part of which a small disk is fixed, on which molding takes place, and the lower part is a flywheel that sets the upper wheel in motion. The flywheel itself is set in motion by the potter's foot. AT recent times Increasingly, an electric machine is used: the speed of rotation of the circle is controlled by a pedal. The disk always rotates counterclockwise.

Coma preparation. Before starting work on the potter's wheel, it is advisable to prepare several lumps of clay, which should be covered with a damp cloth so that the glossy dough does not dry out.

After the amount of clay necessary for the product has been separated from the solid block, the clay is divided into two parts, which are again connected with a decisive and strong slap. This is repeated several times, after which the clay is shaped into a ball.

Main stages. Main principle, which is the basis of work on the potter's wheel, is to resist with the help of hands alone centrifugal force, which, when rotated, pushes the clay object out of the circle.

Centering. The clay blank is placed in the center of the circle. To prepare it, separate a small amount of clay, with which it will be convenient for you to work on a potter's wheel, throw the workpiece onto the wheel with a strong movement, and press its lower part to the circle. Hands, lightly touching the disk, cover the lump of clay. Press on the clay, slightly shifting it in different directions. Hands and wrists should be tense. Push the clay up, applying pressure to the bottom of the ball with your palms, then move it down again. In this way, the clay is thawed.

recess inside the workpiece. Press with your left thumb central part clay. Then thumb right hand must reach to the bottom, leaving a layer for the base, while the left hand supports and directs the entire mass. Having established what width the product will be, proceed to the walls: thumb with inside, the rest of the fingers - from the outside.

Cylinder molding. The cylinder is formed after centering and kneading the clay mass. Now make a recess and raise the walls.

Stretching walls. With one hand, take the “pincer” position: the index and middle fingers are located on the inside, and the remaining fingers are on the outside. Use your other hand to support and guide the product. Remember that the walls must be the same thickness. In this case, the bone of the index finger of the right hand should slide along the outer wall, and the bones of the fingers of the left hand, clenched into a fist, should press them against the wall from the inside. Repeat this operation several times.

Cycling. Level the cycles and smooth the outer walls of the vessel. After that, with a potter's string, separate the product from the potter's wheel. Remove the vessel only with dry hands. Hold it carefully, evenly distributing the weight, as the product retains ductility and, therefore, is easily deformed.

When working, hands should always be moistened with water so that they easily glide over the surface of the product. It is advisable to have a bowl of water to wet your hands from time to time.

Top extension. After centering and making a recess in the center of the workpiece, it is time to expand the walls of the vessel upwards, while maintaining the same wall thickness. The most common mistake at this stage of work is too thin and fragile walls that cannot keep their shape.

The work of expanding the upper part of the product is especially important in the manufacture of plates and dishes, small, medium and large sizes.

Body molding. Ever since the potter's wheel appeared, man has learned to make round vessels. Complete the blank by repeating the same steps as for the manufacture of the cylinder: centering, making a recess and expanding, then pulling up the walls. When giving the vessel a spherical shape, the hands take the position of the "hammer".

Wall expansion. With the fingertips of the hand that is inside the vessel, press on the wall of the cylinder, shifting it from the center, while with the other hand hold the work and press from the outside. To narrow the vessel - press with force from the outside to the center. Help yourself cycles.

Narrowing. Taper until the hole reaches the intended size. If the tapering part of the vessel should have a valley and a narrow neck, then it is necessary to press evenly with your hands, shifting the clay both towards the center and up.

Spout. With one hand, while holding, press on the wall, and with the index finger of the second hand, support the product. So that it does not move off the axis. With the same finger, press down to form the curve of the nose. Smooth out the walls of the cycles with a sponge. If you want to expand the neck, fashion a spout for the liquid to flow out. Place the thumb and forefinger of the left hand over the upper edges and apply pressure towards the center. At the same time, with the index finger of your right hand, move the walls to the outer edge and down. This movement will determine the shape of the vessel.

Pen. Prepare and rinse well a long and rounded strip of clay. Smooth it from top to bottom with wet hands. When Bottom part reaches the desired length and thickness, separate the piece of clay.

To attach the handle, make an incision on the surface of the jug with a serrated cutter. Attach the handle to the top of the jug and press it against the rim of the jug. Do the same with the bottom of the jug, smoothing out the joint so that the surface remains flat.

Turning. When the product is removed from the potter's wheel, its walls are not yet sufficiently cleaned. Dry the vessel slightly so that it gains strength and does not deform during further processing. Place the vessel back on the potter's wheel. Now the speed of its rotation should be moderate. You will need iron-ended stacks. Special attention you need to give the bottom of the product - the bottom.

People's craftsman of Belarus Dmitry Viktorovich POLESHCHUK traveled to many cities and villages with his "festival" pottery machine - very mobile due to the disassembly of the main parts made of wood. Pottery's pottery delighted many people with its beauty and functionality.

It has long become an axiom for us that it is not the gods who burn pots, which means that it is quite possible to make a pottery machine with your own hands.

Potter's wheel

It consists of a frame with a table (which serves as a bench at the same time), an axle, a flywheel, and a working disk. The sizes of the components are arbitrary, but they certainly need to be adjusted to fit your height. The main thing is that the working disk should be at the level of the lower back (when you are in a sitting position) and at the same time not very high so that your hands do not get tired.

We knock down the flywheel from thick boards, which we then fold in two layers(photo 1). The axis of the square section narrows up(photo 2), at the level of the desktop we make a circular section. Top and bottom - metal pins(photo 3).

In the table, we cut out the part that, during operation, rests on the pins(photo 4)and serves to hold the axle. Important: do not forget to make semicircular holes for the axis in the table and the cut off part. We put the axle with the flywheel on the bushing in the frame(photo 5)and clamp at the top so that it can rotate. For reliability, we fasten the cutting part to the table with a rope. Next, we put a working disk on a metal pin(photo 6).

You can get on the bench and start “sculpting”, turning the “pedals”, that is, the flywheel, which it is desirable to weight with a cobblestone!

Pottery

For work, it is better to take clay cleaned of impurities (vacuum).

To kolobok (photo 7)did not run away from you at the initial stage, with some force we throw it into the center of the disk - this is the installation and centering of the lump. We crimp with hands(photo 8).

For better glide, we spray clay water and turn the bun into a smoothed dome(photo 9). With your thumbs, press on the clay from above, and with your palms - from the sides. At the same time, the mass is additionally pressed and completely unnecessary air bubbles leave.

In the intended center of the dome, when the disc rotates, we push the thumb, outlining the bottom.

Then we raise the cylinder to the height of the future product(photo 10, 11). Remember to lubricate with water from the inside, but without deoxidizing the clay. With the fingers of the left hand we press the inner cavity, with the right hand we hold the shape during rotation.

We have come to the desired height, and then the molding of the pot follows in several stages. From the inside, slightly squeeze the rounded sides, holding them outside. With the help of a quadrangular wooden knife called a "shinal"(photo 12), "grow" the neck of the vessel(photo 13).

The finished product is separated from the disk with a thin rope or wire(photo 14).

We dry it for 2-3 days, and then fire it in a pottery kiln (today this service is provided by some art workshops, educational establishments etc. - approx. ed.).

If the “formation” of the vessel has taken place, then you can also become a specialist in pottery, Dmitry Poleshchuk believes. It remains to learn how to make caps for vessels and master more complex forms of craftsmanshipClay must be plastic, able to take any shape and retain it after burning. I use two types of clay: mainland and quarry. When mixed in a ratio of 1:2, they form the desired homogeneous mass, which has the properties of a strong tortoiseshell and firebrush.

Continental clay is mined in wells with a diameter of 1-1.5 meters. The adit is covered with willow vines to avoid spilling the soil. You have to dig deep. The clay of the original deposit usually lies at a depth of 10-15 meters.

Continental clay is formed where rocks have been washed by water. Therefore, it is the purest, without impurities, white or almost white, refractory. It is this layer of clay (1 meter or more thick) at a depth of 12 meters that lies in the mines of my grandfather. Its long-term development led to the fact that from the well many tens of meters horizontally stretched vriznobich sleeves of makeshift mines.

The best clay for pottery production is Chasovyarska clay (Donetsk region).

Quarry clay can be found in the Yaruga, along the slopes of the river banks. This is the so-called sedimentary clay. She is not so pure, with various additives that give her different colors less refractory. The main thing is to pay attention to the plasticity of clay, i.e. its ability to change shape without breaks and cracks. It can be oily (or plastic) and song (or low-plastic). Oily - poorly rotting, dries slowly, forms a sticky mass. Lenten clay, on the contrary, easily vomits, dries quickly, and forms a not-so-trinket-squeaky mass.

Based on my own experience, I will say: as soon as the excavated clay is of little use for work. It is not plastic enough, it often has various impurities (small pebbles), which lead to the destruction of products, as they expand during firing, while the clay itself contracts. I will tell you how to choose trash from clay below. Feldspar, quartz, lime (they will be used for making irrigation) also cannot be used immediately: they must be cleaned of impurities, trimmed, sieved and washed. This is laborious, monotonous work, but it is necessary so that later less marriage. The clay mass itself must also be homogeneous, otherwise, during burning, parts of it will react differently to temperature. And from this, curvature, cracks and breaks are often formed. That is why the original raw materials need to be finished. The clay must be soaked overnight in a special pit or bath. These clay mixtures are stitched to the bottom with a stick so that the holes formed are filled with water. And in the morning we begin to prepare the clay for work.

We choose from the bath the soaked clay on the wooden platform. If there is no platform, then it can be replaced with a row lined with toppings. We take as much clay as we need to work. We put it in a cone-shaped large pile. Then wooden Dovbnya gradually breaks the cone. When the clay rises and its size is approximately 5-10 centimeters, the operation should be repeated, i.e. make up again the same mass as it was before. Breaks it into a layer, which should already be a little thicker than the previous one (i.e. 10-15 centimeters). Such beating of clay lasts until all the clay is swaying and again the same visochny cone appears in front of you.

In order for clay NOT to stick to Dovbnya, it needs zishkribats of the cycle. But Dovbnya is most effective to moisten more often. And so that the clay would NOT stick to the platform, my grandfather crushed it with ashes, which was enough in the furnace. (Photo - manual selection method)

In the clay that we have just knocked down, it is possible that chips, leaves, roots, worms, limestone stones are trawling. In order for the mass to be suitable for work, it is necessary to separate this rubbish from it as carefully as possible.

For this, a plow is used. They need to cut the whole heap of clay into small shavings, while choosing impurities. Then the re-planed and selected clay is squashed into a large bullet and moistens it. We select the amount necessary for work in order to start expelling air bubbles from the clay mass, and cover the rest of the clay with wet rows or rags, take it to a cool corner of the workshop or put it in the bath. (Photo-swinging of air bubbles by pumping)

Air is blown out, which will then interfere with work on the potter's wheel, in two ways - swinging and knocking out. Small pieces of clay (the same as those of the hostess who prepares the dough for dumplings) are wobbled on a circle. At the same time, air comes out of the clay mass and it becomes solid.

Let me explain how to get out. If you need a little more clay than for the manufacture of one small product, then it is convenient to kill it on the table. To do this, they take a piece of clay dough and, from a height of an arm extended above their head, forcefully throw it onto workbenches. Then it is formed into a loaf and cut with a string or brass wire into two parts.

After that, the upper piece is placed on the table, cut side up, and the bottom piece, without turning over, is thrown with force onto the former upper one. Again, a cut is made at a right angle to the table, one of the pieces is also thrown cut up, and the second is also cut side up on it. So the operation is repeated about twenty times.

I want to end this section with a story about how top-grade clay is prepared, exactly the clay that is used for high-quality pottery.

My grandfather laid out the brought clay on the ground in beds and left it in this form for a year or several years (the longer the better). This natural processing method in potters is called lituvannyam. For products of the highest quality, the poured clay is subjected to further flour, purulence and remembrance.

In order to make the clay look more rough, it is mixed in a large cadubi with water, allowed to settle, so that coarse, heavy impurities settle. Cream with clay, transfer to another tub and let it settle again. Then the third and fourth. In the last tank, the clay particles are the lightest, finest and purest, they are allowed to settle, the water is released, and the finest, purest clay of the highest grade remains on the bottom, it is put in the cellar, where it fester for several weeks: it becomes covered with dark spots, emits an unpleasant smell . After festering, the clay becomes plastic and homogeneous, suitable for the most delicate work. Since the upper layers dry faster, the clay must be kneaded on a special bench before use. There is a fairly diverse technology for preparing clay. While we are studying, clay can be laid on the lituvannya. And for the first work, a homogeneous mass is quite suitable, which can be obtained by soaking and mixing continents and quarry clays, brewed several times with a manual pug mill.

There is a long-standing method of knocking air bubbles out of clay balls. Clay, creased on a manual clay mill, jump in a ball and spread with a string on the necessary breasts for work. A separate lump is taken in left hand. With the palm of the right hand, they clap it, knocking out the air. And with the left, continuously twist the ball, holding it in a hanging position. This work is tedious, and therefore the lump must be cut off so that it is easy to lift. But its value also depends on the pottery for which it is intended. For training and until the hands are strong, I advise you to prepare balls (breasts) weighing about 500-600 grams. (From the book by V. Ristsov "At the potter's wheel")

At the end of last year, an exhibition of the English ceramist J. Powell was held in Moscow. Vases, jugs, sconces, floor lamps, chandeliers, family coats of arms amazed connoisseurs with their refinement, beauty, high artistic taste and subtle knowledge of the material. Particularly noted unusual technique. As we managed to find out, Powell does not work on a special machine, but uses relief materials, for example, gauze, rope fine mesh, and even coarse burlap. So we invite you to get to know her.

Let's start with clay. You can find it right on suburban area or in the next career.

Take a piece of clay with a volume of 0.5 liters. Add some water to it and stir until it absorbs all the moisture and starts to stick to your hands. Having prepared a steep dough, roll it into a ball with a diameter of 50 mm and a cake with a diameter of 100 mm. Then dry in the shade for two to three days. If cracks appear on the ball or cake during this time, then the clay is too oily and requires the addition of fine river sand. But there are no cracks, and a ball thrown from a height of 1 m onto a hard surface does not crumble - the clay is normal. Skinny clay does not crack when dried, the product from it will not acquire proper strength; in such clay it is necessary to mix more oily. Sand or clay is added in several steps, each time checking the quality of the resulting mass.

Further, work with clay raw materials is carried out in the same way as Powell himself does. Take a sheet of thick plywood or plastic with dimensions of 500 x 375 mm. Cover it with a piece of cloth measuring 950 x 620 mm.

Put two wooden slats 350 mm long and 10x10 mm in section on it, as shown in Figure 1. Place a piece of clay between them and roll it into a pancake 10 mm thick with a wooden rolling pin (Figure 2). We note right away that as a result of this operation, the lower surface of the clay pancake will acquire the texture of a fabric. Further sharp knife carefully cut the workpiece, as shown in Figure 3. Roll the trimmings into a ball and put them in an enamel pan or a plastic bag so that it dries out less. Take the fabric with the workpiece by the corners (Fig. 4), tie them in knots and hang them on the frame (Fig. 5). In this position, the clay blank will take on a concave shape. Hold it for two or three days so that the clay dries a little and hardens. After removing the workpiece, cut the edges with a sharp knife, as shown in Figure 6. It remains to install it on the legs. Prepare three conical supports from clay dough in advance. On the mating surfaces with the tip of a knife, apply deep risks, moisten them with water and press the parts tightly against each other (Fig. 7 and 8).

Products of a more complex shape are easy to make on a four-walled wooden box without a lid (Fig. 9) and the same box, but with a lid (Fig. 11), which has slots different kind(Fig. 12). The further steps required to obtain blanks are easy to understand by looking at the rest of the figures.

Not everything will work out on the first try. But here you have several products that suit you with their design, beauty of execution. What's next?

Firing is a complex process that will give the product the necessary strength. It is carried out in three stages: warming up, firing itself and gradual, controlled cooling. At the first stage, the process can be carried out in an ordinary kitchen stove at 250 ° C. In this case, the clay crystals are destroyed and the entire mass passes into an amorphous state. At a higher temperature (the process is carried out in a muffle furnace at 850 ° C), the mass is sintered with the formation of a strong shard.

After firing, the products are cooled. This process is very long and responsible. A freshly fired product does not tolerate a sharp change in temperature and access to cold air. Assume this, and cracks form instantly. The temperature should be reduced slowly, depending on the wall thickness of the product and the quality of the feedstock. Therefore, the cooling mode is determined empirically. But usually ceramists reduce the temperature at the rate of 50 ° per hour. After firing, the product acquires a bright red color. This color can be considered final. But it is better, according to Powell, to paint the product on the outside or inside in a different color, for example, black, blue or white. It is easier to paint with bright nitro enamels.

Printing inks are made in ink rollers. Initially, by passing through the rollers, the paint is first stirred by hand with a solvent using a spatula, and to obtain homogeneous mixture twice passed through the rollers.
The paint used for painting by printing, with the necessary viscosity, must be perfectly removed from the iron board or shaft and perfectly transfer from paper to painted products without blurring on them. At the same time, it does not have to dry very quickly and give a clear and high-quality contour.

For underglaze printing, paints are used approximately next composition(in %):
Glycerin 19
Molasses 23
Dry paint 58

For overglaze printing:
Drying oil 42.35
Dry paint 57.65

When painting ceramic products by printing, the master engraver, according to a given pattern, cuts out on a metal drum or board exact copy drawing. The depth of the cut lines of the pattern on the drum or board depends on the intensity of the ink in the corresponding places on the original. The drawing on the metal is cut out using a special cutter (grave pin).

Paint is applied to the board with wooden spatulas, and on drums, with the help of special tools. Remove excess paint.
A special thin, slightly moistened paper is applied to the board with paint applied to it, on which a layer of newsprint-type paper 5-6 mm thick is applied on top, and a tarpaulin pad is placed on top, after which the board is passed between rollers or put under a press.

The paper with the print of the picture lowered on it is dipped into the water in which it is located until softened.

After saturating the paper with water, the pattern together with the paper is applied to a dry product and wiped with a felt roller, the paint adheres well to the surface of the product, and the paper is easily separated from the pattern. To enrich the pattern applied by printing, additional coloring is done with paints or gold.

Unlike screen printing, pad printing began to develop intensively only with the advent of the ability to make printing plates from high-quality silicone rubber. Pad printing is a method of transferring an image from a printing plate (cliché) to a hard surface to be printed using an elastic tampon.

Pad printing technology is based on the transfer of ink using a cliché through an elastic silicone pad that follows the curvature of the surface. Due to the low wettability coefficient inherent in silicone, the tampon “repels” many liquids, including paint, and when the tampon comes into contact with other objects, it easily transfers paint to these objects.

Pad printing allows you to apply an image on almost any kind of solid surface (smooth, corrugated materials that do not absorb paint) - plastic, glass, wood, metal. Usually, logos or images are applied by pad printing to small souvenir products: pens, lighters, key rings, watches, calculators, mugs, ashtrays, key holders, bottle openers, plastic coasters or similar products made of plastic, leather and polyethylene, as well as on bottle caps. , jar lids, disposable tableware, perfume packaging, various stationery (mechanical pencils, rulers, knives, business card holders and much more), audio and video cassettes, CDs, instrument cases, perfume packaging.

Pad printing allows you to print in several colors, including CMYK, however, just like in silkscreen printing, color matching is very problematic. Image size is limited by the size of the pad and cliché. When applying an image to metal, glass and ceramic products, two- and three-component paints are used to give additional stability, as well as additional heat treatment

Pros: the identity of all products in the run, the ability to use Pantone, low cost per print for large runs, printing on curved surfaces

Cons: pre-printing process - cliché, makeshift; as a rule, the size of the printed area is small; high cost for small runs

Application surfaces: glass, plastic, ceramics, wood, metal.
Pages: 64

Series or Issue: Pottery Lessons
A stunningly illustrated book is a step-by-step course of the hand-sculpting school.
crazy good photos as well as detailed comments on them make it possible to determine the suitability of clay for modeling, teach how to effectively prepare and process it, give the ability to go step by step through all the stages of preparing clay dough in order to start molding all kinds of products: vases, sculptures and also abstract forms .
The book is intended both for experts and for a wide circle of fans of ceramics.

Pottery originally developed as a craft that served to make containers for meals or vessels in which bulk and liquid materials are stored. Today, it is a processing by molding on a specially designed potter's wheel, after which glaze is applied to the dried product, followed by a mandatory one. In this way, objects are made that are used in any field: household, construction, decorations, jewelry, souvenirs. These products are called pottery ceramics, they can be found in any corner of our planet.

There are three main production classes in pottery technology:

• production of building bricks;
• making pottery or stoneware;
• the development of more refined faience or porcelain items.

Based on the production technology, all classes of pottery are similar to each other, but there are a number of nuances that affect the final result. The main difference is the grades of clay that underlie the product.

Story

As mentioned earlier, pottery originated from a craft that served solely to make vessels for storing materials and food. Over time, it developed, enriched and appeared before us today no longer in the form that our distant ancestors saw it. Thanks to technological discoveries, new articles of dressing began to appear, they led to the emergence of such items as refractory bricks, stoneware, tiles, tiles, drainage pipes, architectural decorations and numerous other products.

Due to the fact that society began to finish and decorate the usual clay products, pottery moved from the category of craft to the category of art. Manufacturing clay pots It has been popular in antiquity ever since mankind became acquainted with the material common on the planet - clay and its properties.

The Old Testament contains several references to the profession of a potter and his products. The oldest vessels made of clay, even in the prehistoric era, got off human hand and, accordingly, were of irregular shape. A little later, there are round and oval items, obviously made using a potter's wheel. History has not preserved information about the exact appearance of this circle, but it has been mentioned since antiquity.

It is known that the first porcelain products appeared in Asia two thousand years ago. This indicates that the pottery industry in China developed much more rapidly than in the rest of the world.

Each nation had its own traditions associated with this craft, which turned into an art. So in African countries at the beginning of the twentieth century, pots were made by hand, clay was dried in the sun, and the product was fired with a bundle of straw and fire.

As for Europe, here until the eighth century pottery was in complete decline. Only the Spanish Moors gave it a push, around the same time there were products that were covered with glaze.

Pottery flourished around the thirteenth century. The most striking surge occurred in Italy, where majolica was invented - a type of ceramic that is made from fired clay. Florence gave the world such a master of pottery as Luca della Robbia, his sculptures and other works are considered the pride of the nation in our time.

Using the technologies of the sculptor Robbia, the Tuscan factories have taken another step forward - faience products. They were first burned with fire, then they were covered with white glaze, on which drawings were made, after which the product was subjected to a second firing, stronger than the first. From majolica, they began to make not only architectural decorations, but also flowerpots, figurines.

After the decline of pottery in Italy, France took over. It was here that the clay kiln was invented.

In the Middle Ages, earthenware was created and used only by the poor, the upper classes used pewter, silver, and gold. Pottery was also widely used in church decoration. Here it was used to create jugs. Churches of Novgorod, as well as churches from the time of the Romanovs, are decorated with similar items.

At the end of the eighteenth century, entire factories began to appear around the world that were engaged in pottery.

Ceramic products

The main difference between the varieties of ceramics is the composition of the mass, as well as the type of glaze from which they are made. Pottery comes in two types: dense and porous.

Dense - these are products that, when fired due to high temperature merge into a homogeneous solid mass. At a break, such a product resembles glass. It is translucent and does not absorb liquid, and when it hits steel, it gives sparks. An example of dense pottery is porcelain.

Porous, on the contrary, break easily, let the liquid through. Among such products is faience.

There may be products that do not belong to any type, but are something transitional between these two types.

Dense

• Hard porcelain. The mass is fused, translucent, fine-grained, elastic, homogeneous, hard, it will not succumb to the action of a knife. Such porcelain contains kaolin, chalk, quartz and feldspar. It is subjected to a double firing: first, a weak one for glazing, then a strong one after coating.
• Soft porcelain. It is also called French. Its content is an almost transparent lead glaze. A double firing is also necessary here, only very strong at first and weaker at the end.
• Unglazed porcelain, or biscuit. It has the usual porcelain mass.
• Pariyan. By weight it is close to soft porcelain, has a yellowish tint, and is hard to melt.
• Carrara. white color, translucent. Its mass is a cross between stone products and paryan.
• Stone products. They have a dense fine-grained mass. There are ordinary and delicate products, mostly white.

porous

• Delicate faience. It is a mixture of refractory clay and silica. It is covered with transparent glaze. The mass is opaque, ringing.
• Ordinary faience, or majolica. This is a red-yellow mass, which, after firing, is covered with an opaque tin glaze.
• Products from ordinary and refractory clay. This includes bricks, tiles, drainage pipes, etc.
• Burnt stone mass, or, as it is also called, terracotta. Its composition is purified clay and ground fragments of finished products. It is used to decorate vases and other products.
• Ordinary pottery. The mass is produced from clay, clay marl, and also from opaque lead glaze.

Materials for pottery

To make brick, porcelain, faience, you need to do the following work: make a clay mass, shape it, dry it, burn it and cover it with glaze. The main material for the manufacture of products is clay. Potters prefer to use potting clay, which has the right viscosity and its temperature resistance is ideal for creating products. Despite the fact that the clay itself has a high level of plasticity, the addition of auxiliary materials is mandatory due to the fact that during firing it is rapidly and unevenly compressed, which turns the product into an awkward thing. To make the simplest product, you also need sand, ash, sawdust, for products best quality you need fireclay - a powder that is obtained from crushed products.

For the production of ordinary pottery, previously mined clay must be left for one to two years in air or in water. After that, it is kneaded in wooden boxes, in factories and factories this is done by special machines. This action is necessary in order to clear the clay of stones or debris. After the clay is taken out of the boxes, it is piled into heaps, which are cut into thin slices with a knife. They are again placed in boxes and are re-kneaded, cleared of impurities that could remain on it. Higher grades of products, especially colorless ones, require components that must be perfectly cleaned. The basic rule of a benign clay mass is its uniformity. For the purpose of high-quality cleaning, the clay is divided into small pieces, which are poured with water and, after a day of “soaking”, are thrown into kneading machines. The teeth of this machine, during rapid rotation, cut clay, and a stream of water passing through this chamber carries away very small pieces into a special pool, large ones remain at the bottom. The pool is designed for the next level of cleaning, here coarse particles are deposited, after which another jet carries them into the second pool. In it, the clay is finally sifted out. This technology uses only warm water, because it separates clay pieces better, and the cleaning process is noticeably accelerated due to the optimal temperature.

Proportions constituent parts determined for each type of product separately. Mixing of funds also occurs in different ways: dry, with knives or with jets of water. When this homogeneous mass is obtained, a large number of unwanted bubbles still remain in it. This problem is eliminated either with special equipment or with the help of feet, which simply trample the clay until the desired consistency is obtained.

Burning

In a narrow sense, ceramics is the same clay, but fired. Accordingly, when they say "ceramics", they mean products made from inorganic materials (often clay), as well as their mixtures with various additives, which are produced under the influence of high temperatures and subsequent cooling.

The firing process triggers irreversible changes, after which the material turns into ceramic. Under the influence of high temperature, small particles are fused in those places where they come into contact.

In the production of porcelain, technologies undergo significant changes. This is due to the difference in materials, the required temperature and the different properties of the components. Each source material has its own proportions, as well as a certain temperature regime:

The technology of roasting products is carried out various methods. Nevertheless, the kiln firing process is a centuries-old, unchanging tradition. Depending on the temperature and duration of the process, products of different quality are obtained. So Maximum temperature in production furnaces does not change until the production of a whole batch of products is completed.

Furthermore, appearance the finished product also depends on the composition of the atmosphere in the kiln for firing. You can cause one or another degree of air oxidation. With the help of specially set parameters, it is even possible to achieve that the potter's clay will change color from brown to green.

Glaze application

Some pottery works are not glazed at all. These include bricks, tiles, terracotta, pots. The so-called glazing is carried out in order to protect clay products from excess moisture. The same result was achieved in antiquity by milk roasting - a method of giving products beautiful view and waterproof.

Not the most expensive clay products are glazed in their raw state at the same time as they are fired. This is called antling. The essence of this action is that during firing, salt is thrown into the oven, which turns into vapor and settles on the product. In the place where it lands, a fusible compound is formed, called fort.

Another way of coating is that the glaze, crushed into a fine powder, is sprinkled on the product. Often these are products of rough manufacture: pots, unfired pipes, and so on. Before coating, the product is smeared with flour paste and fired.

The essence of the third method is that the product is doused with glaze, which has the consistency of cream. A similar method covers solid products that practically do not absorb liquid. For example, some types of porcelain and faience.

And the last way is that porcelain and faience products are placed in a container with glaze. This method Designed for those products that are subjected to weak firing and initially absorb liquid. The glaze is ground into a fine powder, mixed with water. In this liquid, resembling milk in consistency, a product is placed that absorbs this mixture. It is possible to make a drawing on such a glaze.

Art therapy

In the modern rhythm, everyone finds their own way to relax. One of the most beautiful and unusual methods is to do pottery. There are two ways to try yourself in this art. The first is to buy a potter's wheel and necessary materials to practice on your own. A pottery workshop in your own home is not only stylish and fashionable, but also incredibly exciting for you, your loved ones and friends. In this case, you can feel like a free artist, try different forms based on video tutorials.

The second way is the school of pottery. In the class of beginners like yourself, you will have the opportunity to try on the role of the creator of the beautiful, the artist and the sculpture.

Psychologists say that pottery is a great way to cope with stress, become more balanced and attentive. Art therapy, according to experts, is one of the best practices fight depression and other nervous disorders. Spending time at the potter's wheel helps to organize thoughts, distract from small everyday troubles and find a way out of a difficult life situation. "Full dedication to the cause will not solve your problems, but it will definitely help you find ways to solve them," the doctors say in one voice.

DIY products

In every house there are clay, ceramic or porcelain products. In conditions of mass production, it is difficult to surprise someone with factory-made dishes or a flower vase.

Pottery is an incredibly fun and exciting activity for the whole family. You can have fun, learn a new business, develop skills and dexterity.

Having visited the first pottery master class, you will be able to make a pot yourself. Attentive teachers are usually patient with newcomers, guiding them and helping in everything. Pottery helps to cope with minor stresses, distracts from everyday hustle and bustle. And the products that you make yourself will be a reason to be proud of another victory over yourself. In addition, after you work around the circle and blind your pot, you will have the opportunity to paint it with your own hands. Here you can show all your imagination. Such a product will be a wonderful gift for a loved one.

Parties, birthdays and corporate parties held for such an unusual activity are popular. This is a good opportunity to communicate, get to know each other better and see the creative potential of your friends. In addition, such a holiday will surely be remembered for its unusualness, originality, and products made independently at the potter's wheel will be an excellent gift in memory of a wonderful day. And someone, perhaps, will discover a talent in himself and seriously take up this business in order to open his own museum of pottery in the future. Children will especially like this activity. If they are good at sculpting from plasticine, then you should try to send them to a pottery school. This will help develop hand motor skills, have a beneficial effect on the mood of the baby, and also allow you to discover the child's creative potential. An interesting and exciting hobby develops attention, imagination and thinking.

Hobby or business?

AT modern world pottery is very popular. They belong to the category of products that are always in demand and relevant. Each house has dishes, vases, pots, various figurines and souvenirs. For many centuries, growing into art, is popular and in demand. Therefore, the passion for pottery is increasingly growing into a real business. Our own pottery workshop is a very profitable business, because the main raw material - clay - is a free material that literally lies just under our feet. Beautiful, original, designer products can bring a good income to the manufacturer. The master of pottery is a profession for the soul. You can diversify the world around you, get a unique hobby that will bring you profit, and also reveal your creative potential.

Pottery is popular all over the world. Despite the fact that it has been around for several decades, it will never go out of fashion.

When working on the potter's wheel, beginner potters are advised to use soft clay. Later, when you have mastered the basic techniques, most of which you can bring to automatism, you can move on to more hard varieties ceramic masses.
It is best to start mastering the potter's wheel with the manufacture of small things. These include, for example, small plates.

Cut a small amount of clay from a piece of clay with a wire, knead it and fashion a flat disk of small height with a size corresponding to the bottom of the future product.
In the center of the potter's wheel, place a lining of damp (but not wet!) Fabric so that after finishing work, the plate can be easily lifted without deforming.
Lay the workpiece on the fabric, slightly moisten the clay with water with a sponge and gently place your palms on the clay. After that, lightly press it to the surface. Then rotate the circle a few times and check that the piece of clay does not move or bend relative to the outer edges of the disk. You can track changes not only visually, but also with your fingers.
This moment - the exact placement of the first piece of clay in the center of the circle - is very important. At the slightest deviation of the clay from the center, carefully correct it. Only after that you can proceed to the next stages of molding the product.
Having completed the “centering” of the clay workpiece, squeeze it strongly, pressing it firmly against the lining surface. This procedure is necessary to securely strengthen the bottom of the future plate.
Gradually rotating the circle, gently lift the clay from the outer edge with your fingers so that you get a thick rim. Next, start smoothing it, slightly pulling it to the sides.
The main thing when working on a potter's wheel is to acquire the skills of smooth, measured and rhythmic work with clay. Sharp movements are inappropriate here, as they can lead to deformation of the parts of the product.

The next step is to finish the plate. Take an oval rib and process the bottom with it. The walls can be smoothed out with your fingers. In the future, if desired, the bottom of the plate can be decorated with an ornament. When the product is dry, its surface can be rubbed to a shine with chalk or charcoal.
When the plate dries slightly and hardens, it must be cut with a wire.
When removing a product from the surface of the potter's wheel, certain rules must be observed.
Before separating the object from the potter's wheel, prepare a clean area where it will dry.
It is necessary to cut the finished product only with a long wire or string. The movements should be fast, but not abrupt.
Small items can be removed immediately after molding. Large items are best left to dry on the lining of the potter's wheel for I-2 days and only then cut off.
After cutting off the vessel from the potter's wheel, wash your hands of the clay and dry them thoroughly with a towel.
To avoid deformation of things that have just been removed from the circle, things must be carried carefully and quickly, clasping them with both hands. Large vessels, when carried to a drying place, are best kept under the bottom.

Figure 41. Making a plate on a potter's wheel

Having mastered the production of simple and small items on the potter's wheel, you can proceed to the manufacture of larger items, such as cylindrical vases.
Work should be started in the manner described above. Place the required amount of clay in the center of the potter's wheel, while not forgetting the lining. Check that the clay mass is exactly in the center.
Then press down its middle so that the bottom of the future product rises about 0.8-1.0 cm above the lining. As a result, you should get a cup-shaped recess.
Place the palm of your left hand on the edge and, holding the wall with your thumb, slowly guide the clay towards it with other fingers (except the little finger).
Rhythmically move your fingers back and forth along the bottom of the clay mold, trying to compact the clay at the bottom of the product as much as possible. In the future, this will prevent the bottom from peeling off the walls during drying and firing.
Try not to move the product from the center of the circle when moving.
When a right angle forms between the outer side of the wall and the bottom, grasp the workpiece with both palms and press on its walls with light, smooth movements.
All actions at the same time, including, among other things, the rotation of the potter's wheel, must be slow. Too rapid expansion or contraction of the walls can lead to irreparable damage to the product.
In order to raise the walls of the future vase-cylinder, place the middle finger of your right hand on
its outer side and, slightly pressing down, make a groove. As a result, the clay from the outside will move inside the mold. In order for the walls to turn out to be even, from the inside of the wall, where the bulge from the groove appeared, support the clay with the index finger of your left hand. Then gradually stretch and thin the walls of the future product. In the process of work, do not forget to periodically moisten the surface of the product with water.
Going to the top edge of the product, reduce the speed of rotation of the potter's wheel to a minimum.
Remember that it is impossible to add new pieces of clay to the workpiece, since later this can lead to irreparable deformations during drying and firing of the product.
When the shape of the object is finished, carefully remove your hands, being careful not to damage its edges.
Then work the surface with a potter's edge and a piece of fur. Before cutting the cylindrical vase off its base, cut at an angle (the angle is up to you) the outer edge of the mold base. You can do this with any metal tool with a pointed end. Such an operation is necessary both from an aesthetic and technological point of view.

Is pottery a promising business? This craft opens up opportunities for creativity, learning and earning. Its history goes deep into the millennia: many centuries ago, people molded vessels and pots from clay, decorated them with carvings and glaze. The mass production of tableware in the 21st century has shifted pottery into an entertainment industry. We tell you what the technology of pottery production is, what materials are used for production and what you can earn on.

History of pottery

Pottery production has been known since ancient times. This craft created the necessary containers and vessels in everyday life. The main material for it is clay. The story began with manual production: a craftsman sculpted a product from a piece of clay, and then fired it in a kiln or dried it in the sun (in hot countries). However, quite a long time ago, at the beginning of the first millennium, a potter's wheel appeared - a machine tool that, with the help of rotational force, gives products an even symmetrical shape. In addition to the beauty of the vessels, this device ensures a higher production speed.

In addition to making pottery, potters produced bricks, tiles, drainage pipes, and even architectural decorations. Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, earthenware vessels were invented to improve the acoustics of temples: they were immured into the walls. These can be seen in Novgorod, Pskov and Moscow.

Russian pottery masters also worked with their hands and in circles, creating items that were in demand and needed in everyday life. This skill was not rare: in every family there were people who were able to make the necessary vessel. From the end of the 19th century, factory-made dishes were replaced by factory-made ones, and pottery moved from the sphere of vital skills to the field of folk art and hobbies.

Pottery - making pottery, various vessels, toys and even architectural elements from clay

Pottery materials

The main material for pottery is clay. A special potted variety is considered optimal for the manufacture of vessels, although there can be quite a lot of options for the composition of the clay mass. They are divided into dense (porcelain, biscuit, parian) and porous (faience, terracotta). Clay may contain quartz and gypsum. These components make products more durable.

Most often, finished products, but after firing, are painted with glaze. The goals are not only decorative, but also practical: the paint does not allow moisture to penetrate into the product and destroy it. There are several ways to apply glaze: etching, sprinkling, dousing or hand-painting.

Production technologies

Pottery for beginners at home is quite a feasible task, although working in a special workshop is much more convenient. The reason for the simplicity of this business lies in its antiquity: initially people worked manually or with the help of very simple fixtures, and the sculpting skill itself was very massive.

The manufacture of the product begins with the preparation of the clay mass. The quality of the vessel depends on its quality and features. The so-called pot clay is usually used, its composition is considered optimal. The uniformity and density of the mass is important. Now such material can be easily bought in hobby stores. Harvesting clay on your own is problematic: you need to find a good place, collect material, clean it from pebbles and impurities.

When the mass is ready, you can start molding or sculpting. Some types of products are made in forms and frames, vessels are formed on a potter's wheel, figurines and whistles are molded by hand. This can be a creative or purely mechanical process, depending on the wishes and goals of the master.

Burning

The formed product must be fired so that it retains a stable shape. Clay is fired at very high temperatures - from 1000 degrees. For a different composition of the mass, a certain temperature is required:

• clay - 1000–1200 degrees;
• ceramics - 1100–1300 degrees;
• porcelain - 1200–1400 degrees.

Difficulties can arise with low-quality compositions. For example, there are examples when purchased powdered clay boiled already at a temperature of 750 degrees and the product deteriorated. Therefore, the choice of raw materials must be treated very carefully, check the manufacturers so as not to waste time and money.

It is advisable to use gas or electric ovens: they are easier to manage, soot and soot do not form in them, which spoil the surface of the products. The atmosphere in the kiln during firing also affects the appearance of the vessels and figurines. For example, you can cause clay to oxidize and give it a more brownish tint.

The basis of the workshop is the potter's wheel

Glaze application

Glaze is a glassy coating of clay products. Its purpose is not only decorative. First of all, glaze is necessary to protect the product from moisture, which can get into its structure and destroy it. The protective coating is applied during or after firing. The basis of such a coating are quartz, kaolin and feldspar. To make the glaze colored, oxides and metal salts are added to the composition.

Methods for applying glaze to pottery:

• pulverization;
• spatter;
• dipping;
• watering;
• plugging;
• brush painting.

When staining, defects sometimes occur, such as bubbles or cracks. The pottery maker must anticipate their causes and prevent them. To do this, you need to monitor the uniformity of application, grinding raw materials for glaze and choose the right temperature for firing.

Necessary equipment

The basis of the workshop is a potter's wheel. This device is quite familiar to everyone: a rotating device that allows you to form symmetrical volumetric products. There are several varieties:

• manual (set in motion with one hand, and you need to work on the workpiece with the other hand);
• mechanical foot (rotation force is provided by the legs, both hands are free to work);
• electric (the most common now, rotation provides electric current, the master works only on the product).

For business, especially if you plan to conduct training in pottery, you need an electric circle. A compact machine can be purchased for 30 thousand rubles, a more professional one - for 45 thousand. The rotating part of the circle is called the turnstile. One turnstile is always included with the circle, but you can buy additional ones, for example, large and smaller sizes.

In addition to the potter's wheel, a muffle furnace is needed: it is able to heat up to a certain high temperature (up to 1400 degrees) and maintain this temperature for the required period of time. You can buy a pottery oven for an average of 30-40 thousand rubles, but it is better to lay a larger amount - in the region of 100 thousand rubles. The firing time depends on the material and volume of the product. Sometimes it is required to fire clay 2-3 times for glazing.

What can you make money on

Pottery is now more folk craft than the mode of production. A master working on a potter's wheel will not be able to compete in terms of production with industrial enterprises. And the quality of his products is likely to be inferior.

An option to earn money in pottery is the manufacture of decorative toys, whistles, bells. They are sold in museums, souvenir shops, tourist shops.

The most promising in terms of income is a master class in pottery. The opportunity to try yourself in a new role, work with your hands, make a souvenir or a useful thing in the household attracts many. Such lessons are enjoyed by children and adults. Pottery courses can be organized only if the entrepreneur already has skills in this craft (otherwise, teaching people will not work).

Let's consider each option in a little more detail.

There are several options for earning pottery, one of which is training

Pottery

The sale of pottery - dishes, household vessels, as well as decorative figurines and whistles - can generate income. Such souvenirs are not mass-produced, although the demand among tourists for them is quite high. If you manage to find distribution channels in this direction, you can make a profit during the spring-summer season and the New Year holidays.

You should not expect big money: one figurine is sold for an average of 100-150 rubles at a cost of up to 30 rubles. If you make 500 pieces, you can earn 75,000 rubles. The downside of this method is that creating such souvenirs is not as easy as it seems at first glance. We need accuracy, pleasant colors and original ideas.

Another idea is to sell dishes and vases over the Internet. The tendency to use only natural materials in the interior will work in favor of the master. If you take beautiful pictures of the products, tell more about them and maintain pages regularly, you can find many customers.

Master classes for children

Another more profitable direction is master classes for children. Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities have already joined this work. The advantage is that the audience of potential visitors is simply huge, and special knowledge is not needed to conduct children's master classes. Experiences are important for children, not knowledge and skills. Often these classes are attended by families.

Classes are held in small groups and last an average of 1.5 hours. Children are told a brief history of pottery, show finished products and learn how to work with clay. This is an easy and enjoyable job. The only negative is the cost: you need to rent a large room, renovate it, put up furniture and buy a few potter's wheels. One oven is enough. It is also necessary to develop training programs and provide for variability for different ages.

Education

You can also earn on more advanced training. Some people are really interested in mastering pottery at an advanced level. Perhaps they plan to earn money later on or build a business, so they are ready to pay for the lessons. This direction of work should be combined with children's master classes and independent production.

Not quite the usual option - books. If the master has already accumulated solid work experience and knows the craft well, you can try to write tutorial and publish it in a limited edition.

Many are willing to pay to learn how to work on a potter's wheel and make their own dishes.

Financial investments and payback

An average of 150 thousand rubles will have to be spent on equipment for the workshop: an oven and a potter's wheel. Working tools like thread, modeling kits - another 10 thousand rubles. Raw materials for several months of work - approximately 30 thousand.

Suppose an entrepreneur plans not only to produce on his own, but also to train other people. Then there will be more costs: several potter's wheels, rent and repair of premises, more tools and raw materials, as well as advertising. All this can be put on average in 500 thousand rubles. The total cost of starting a business will be 800 thousand rubles.

We found out that you can earn about 75 thousand rubles per season by selling products. Master classes should bring the bulk of the income. A 1.5-hour lesson costs from 500 rubles, groups - 10-12 people. If you conduct 4 classes a week in fully loaded groups, you can earn 24 thousand rubles in a week, and 96 thousand in a month.

It is quite possible to earn at the level of 100 thousand rubles a month in your own pottery workshop. Including the purchase of consumables, payment of rent and utilities You can recoup all investments within 8-12 months of active work.

Conclusion

Pottery is a promising craft in terms of earnings. The most profitable is the organization of master classes for children and adults. You can also earn money by selling dishes and souvenirs. Opening a workshop costs an average of 800 thousand rubles, which can be recouped in 1 year of work.