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The Creation of Ceramic Art
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What
Is Ceramic? Ceramic starts with a special liquid clay called "slip". The clay is poured into plaster molds and allowed to "set up" for a defined period of time. The mold is emptied of the excess slip leaving a shell inside. When the shell has hardened sufficiently (not dry), the mold is separated and the shell is in the "leather-hard" state. After the shell is removed from the mold, it is set out to dry. Some items have multiple parts that are assembled after removing from the mold. These are called "attachments". When dry, the complete piece is referred to as "Greenware". The next step is to "Clean" the greenware of any mold marks and seams. The greenware is very fragile and must be handled with care to prevent breakage. After cleaning, the greenware is "fired" (heated) in a "kiln" (a special oven for firing ceramics) to a very high temperature to harden and becomes "Bisque" or "Ceramic". If using underglazes, (explained later), they are applied before firing. What is Ceramic Art? The art starts with either greenware or bisque. This can be referred to as "Ceranvas" or the artist's three dimensional ceramic canvas. The piece can be finished in under glazes, acrylic paints, oils, chalks, or glazes. Each method requires different techniques. "Underglaze" is a type of paint that is applied before a "Glaze "or "Glass" coating (ground glass suspended in a paint type base), which is then fired in a kiln that melts the glass allowing it to flow over the surface of the bisque. (This technique takes a minimum of two firings.) "Oils" (special oil based paints for use on ceramics) are applied to bisque and require no additional firing. A spray sealer is used to protect the finish. "Acrylic paints" or "Stains" are applied using several techniques to achieve special effects. Stains come in "opaque" (solid colors) and "translucent" (slightly transparent allowing the color underneath to show through), pearls and metallic assortments. A variety of brush strokes and applications are used to achieve the desired effects. No additional firing is necessary. A spray sealer is used to protect the finish. "Chalks" are much like the ones you used in school and come in a variety of colors. They are grated on a piece of window screen and applied with a stiff brush or fingers to achieve the desired effect. The finished piece is sealed with a spray sealer to protect it. "Chalking" is one of the most difficult techniques to master but gives a very soft and delicate appearance. What is a Ceramic Artist? A ceramic artist, also called a "Ceramist", is one who casts, cleans, alters, modifies, paints, and applies glazes to create a finished ceramic art piece. In show competition, judging the finished art piece is rated on all of these phases. Buying Ceramics What to Look For! When shopping for ceramic art there are several things to consider, such as quality, price, purpose and value. Quality can vary in several ways
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Copyright © 2006 Michael Smith
![[A guide to Ceramic Art]](artguide.gif)
