The Earthy And Worthy Art Of Pottery

When you hear art being described, it is often in terms of how ethereal and otherworldly it is or in terms of being out of the world. This is often true as art does inspire you to think of things like the world, the universe and even the heavens but that is not all. Sometimes, art can be of the earth and have a very earthy nature like the worthy and earthy art of pottery. Pottery is one art from that actually draws its’ raw material from the earth. When you learn more about the world of pottery and learn more about it, you will find this art comes from the roots of practicality. In fact, even today in many rural areas it is the results of pottery that serves as the means to cook and store food and beverages.

While it is true that pottery does have its roots in the earth and has a practical angle to it, this definitely does not mean that pottery is all about practicality. There are many pottery painting ideas and designs that show that you that this very practical and earthy art does have a decorative and aesthetic side to it. If you are still not convinced about the artistic side of pottery, then all you need to do is look at the fascinating world of ceramic art.

The Basis Of The Art Of Pottery Is Basically Based On Three To Four Elements:

Clay: First is the clay that you use for pottery. Do not make the mistake of considering clay as just sodden earth; in fact when it comes to pottery, there are different types of clay to be considered. There is the China clay or Kaolin. The ball clay is something that is very plastic in texture and is added to porcelain for this very quality. Then there is fire clay that has lower fluxes than Kaolin but still manages to be very plastic. Stoneware clay is used for creating stoneware vessels. Then there is the general clay that is used to make bricks and such other things. There is also bentonite that is added to other clays to make the texture more plastic.

The pottery wheel: The next element that is used in the creation of pottery is the potter’s wheel. When you watch a potter’s wheel being used, the process may fascinate you and keep you absorbed in the process. In some instances, you may mistakenly assume that the wielding of the potter’s wheel is easy but in actuality, it is not, at least in the beginning. With mastery over the potter’s wheel, you will be able to give life to works of different shapes and types.

The kiln: This is something that needs a lot of thought, time and investment to put together if you are considering pottery as a hobby or taking it up as your art project. Once the objects that you have created using the clay and the potter’s wheel, the next process is that of baking the object in the kiln. It is the heat of the kiln, that burns away the water in the object in such a way that the object does not crack. For this to happen, you need to have mastery over the whole process of firing up and heating the kiln. Once you have mastered the use of the kiln, you will find that the objects that you bake in the kiln have a different texture and feel after they have gone through the process.

Once you are finished with the whole process of creating pottery, you can take it to the next level with glazing and addition of colors to the work of art that you have created.