Pottery, for Artists, Craftsmen & Teachers

The study of the fictile art of the potter, even from the theoretical side alone, cannot fail to quicken and broaden education. The antiquity of the craft, stimulating research...

"After this he led them into his garden, where was great variety of Flowers. Then said he again, Behold, the Flowers are diverse in stature, in quality, and colour, and smell, a...

What must be the first representation of a kill, or kiln, is found at Beni Hassan. It appears to be square in form, and the potter is shown feeding the fire at the base. In the...

The casting process, employed so extensively in commercial work, is in its essence mechanical and therefore can never have the spontaneity or character of thrown work. To-day wh...

"I began to think that if I should discover how to make enamels I could make earthen vessels and other things very prettily, because God had gifted me with some knowledge of dra...

When sufficient green shapes have been accumulated and are white dry, the next stage will be _biscuiting_. This process is the firing of the clay to a primrose or a white heat a...

Decoration has been touched upon briefly in one or two of the preceding chapters. To attempt a description of the various kinds of decoration which it is possible to place on a...

The wheel is the true fountain head of all beautiful shapes, and the student who would become a potter cannot get "on the wheel" too soon. Throwing, sometimes _spinning_, is the...

Raw glazes for green shapes are now seldom used except for the coarser wares or peasant pottery. In commerce it is, however, largely used on tiles, mouldings, and big sanitary a...

Tiles may be made of various kinds and sizes, but in every case they show an inclination to buckle in drying and firing. The larger the tile the stronger is this tendency to war...

Clay being the chief material used by the potter, it demands a description which, without being too technical, will give from the start a clear idea of the nature of clays or pa...

"But if you carve in the marble what will break with a touch, or mould in the metal what a stain of rust or verdigris will spoil, it is your fault not mine."

Dishes, platters, and to some extent bowls, are usually made on a _Jigger and Jolley_. The jigger has a revolving head, fitted to receive moulds. The jolley has a pivoted arm to...

With good plastic clay and with the aid of a few simple tools, the fingers can fashion shapes of considerable diversity and some refinement. In elementary schools this is by far...

The turning or shaving operation takes place when the green shape has dried to a _leathery_ condition. It consists in shaving the sides and hollowing the base until the thicknes...

Drying out is quite an important part of pot making. For this a drying cupboard is a necessity. It is easily erected, if the front and sides of wood be backed against a wall. Ac...