Long periods under stress. Menstrual irregularities due to stress

In this article we will talk about such a popular material today as polymer clay. From it you can make a lot of beautiful things.

Polymer clay is one of the most common craft materials. And no wonder, because it is very elastic and completely non-toxic, and the crafts are simply fantastic!

Moreover, the variety of such crafts is striking - not only decorations, but also many other things that will definitely decorate your life.

How to work with polymer clay?

So, to begin with, let's deal with What should you stock up on when working with polymer clay?. Half of success in work depends on the right choice.

Of course, first of all, you need to stock up on the clay itself, which is sold in special stores for needlework. There are enough marks:

You can buy a domestic version of the type "Flower"- it is inexpensive, but unsuitable for sausage preparations. The color palette is not extensive, there are no special effects like mother-of-pearl, no metal

IMPORTANT: The most tangible drawback is that after baking, the products from the "Tsvetik" become very fragile.

Of the foreign brands, the most common is considered "FIMO"- it offers the buyer a large selection of colors that practically do not change after baking, suitable for a variety of techniques
There are the following types: soft Soft, standard Classic and interesting Effect with additives, transparency, sparkles and mother of pearl

Premo- has a greater similarity with wax than the previous version. It is very easy to mold from it. Good for sausages
"KATO"- with this brand you will have to suffer a little, as it is baked at a fairly high temperature. And as for trying to knead the clay, it will be quite problematic to do this if you do not use a hammer
You can pay attention and for Polish products- It is strong and affordable. Good for sculpting applications. However, if you plan to make sausage blanks, such clay is of little use.
Cernit- recommended for those who want to sculpt dolls and imitate stones such as marble. For those who want to bring a touch of transparency to their products, this brand is perfect. Clay is similar to wax, it is advisable to knead it well before sculpting

Dolls are drawn on the packaging of Cernit polymer clay - products that are best obtained from it

What else can the creative process do without?

Without workplace, of course. For this case, it is best to find a tile or glass, as you will have to work with a knife. A thick sheet of white paper is also possible, but this is in extreme cases.
Knife you need the sharpest, and preferably a special one for this kind of work. But if this is not found, you can use the stationery. Pay close attention to sharpness - the material should not be smeared as a result. And look at the price, choosing the “golden mean”, since cheap ones are very often blunt, and expensive ones have an overly thick blade - these include, for example, Japanese

IMPORTANT: Do not use the kitchen under any circumstances! There is a risk of harm to health.

rolling pin also irreplaceable, but not plastic. The fact is that some types of plastic quickly deteriorate under the influence of polymer clay. But you can use a special roller for rolling clay or even
toothpicks they will help well in making holes in beads, forming details, in drying beads - it is very convenient to string round details on such sticks. As an alternative to toothpicks, stacks are used, but not made of plastic
Buttons, pendants and other accessories make crafts unique
For cutting out details, in the absence of special molds, it is quite possible to take lids or glasses
Emery skins with waterproof effect sand well and remove fingerprints from products. And dense material like felt, jeans will help to polish
Lucky will definitely be required. You can use building acrylic with a base on the water, but the best brands are Sculpey, Fimo

The basic rules for working with polymer clay are as follows:

The most basic - maintaining cleanliness. The surface must be clean, as are the hands. It would be nice to stock up on gloves. And try to keep the place of work free of lint

IMPORTANT: Wet wipes will help a lot when working. They will not only keep your hands and tools clean, but will also smooth out the unevenness of the material.

For clay softening you can use a special tool called a plasticizer. Experienced needlewomen recommend the Moldmaker brand. A few peas of the product is quite enough for a pack of clay. As an alternative, creams, petroleum jelly, a warming procedure are suitable
There are also cases when the clay sticks to your hands especially fresh. Then you can mix it with harder clay or leave it on a white sheet of paper for several hours. But if paint has already got into the material, it is hardly possible to do something.
Lacquering of details occurs in different ways. For flat ones, each side is processed in turn. Round ones are best first strung on a toothpick, which, in turn, must be stuck into plasticine. You can also dip the parts in varnish or apply it with a synthetic brush

Whatever clay is chosen, it must be properly used before use. knead- thanks to this, the material becomes plastic, soft and suitable for comfortable modeling

IMPORTANT: Do not ignore this step, otherwise air bubbles will remain in the material, which will turn into bumps when the clay is heated.

Stock up on special baked gel- for example, such as FIMO liquid. Sometimes you need to glue a pin to the part - in this case, the hole for it needs to be made a little larger, taking into account the glue
Store clay sausages you need in a film or a well-closing bag. Otherwise, they will not dry out, but will lose their plasticity and become brittle. This is explained by the evaporation of the plasticizer. It is even better to put the blanks in the refrigerator

At what stage do you need to do grinding? After the parts are baked, but before varnishing. It is recommended to wipe the parts with a linen towel after grinding - this way they become as if velvety

IMPORTANT: Do not think that the varnish will hide the defects of the material. As a rule, he only emphasizes them. Therefore, it is worth taking the time to polish.

How to bake polymer clay crafts?

The baking process should be discussed separately, but this does not mean at all that it is somehow too tricky and requires a special oven.

This is not ceramics - here an ordinary oven is enough, after all the temperature at which many types of polymer clay harden is only 110-130 degrees.

What do you need to bake crafts on? Never on utensils that are used for eating
It is better to adapt a special baking sheet for a creative impulse, covered, in turn, with accordion-folded paper
A lot depends on what is being baked. So, the beads will feel great strung on a toothpick stuck in foil. Flat parts are recommended to be placed on glass or ceramic tiles
You can place the glass in the sleeve for baking, and then get the craft on the street - this is if you are overcome by doubts about toxicity

In general, so that no toxic substances are released, you must adhere to the temperatures indicated on the clay packaging. And even with this, it is necessary to work with the hood. After each work, the stove must be thoroughly washed.

IMPORTANT: If there is a smell, and the craft itself has turned black and even charred, immediately stop baking and ventilate the room well.

If, after processing in the plate, the product becomes dense, thin parts are able to bend, and subsequent drilling produces long chips - everything is in order, you are on the right track.

Polymer clay crafts for beginners step by step: master class

Beginning needlewomen must first of all master master classes on making sausages from polymer clay. Having such sausages, in the future you can create spectacular details for various products.

Snowflakes, flowers, fern leaves - all this can be easily made from polymer clay

So let's try to do the simplest strawberry sausages which even a beginner can do:

So, you need pink, red and white clay. From white blind a slightly elongated triangle, and from pink - layer about a millimeter thick

IMPORTANT: Before rolling out the layer, the clay should be thoroughly kneaded.

Yet from white clay you need to make sausages. Sausages will also be needed from red. Then they need to be connected to each other.

Carefully wrap connected red and white sausages with a pink layer

The resulting red-white-pink sausage should be pulled out as carefully as possible in length. Approximately until it reaches a length of 12 or 13 centimeters. When stretching, the product should in no case lose its original shape.
And after that the sausage can be cut in equal pieces

Now from scattered sausages a strawberry is formed. Forming it is not difficult at all: a white sausage is wrapped in a pink layer and stuck around with sausages made of red and white clay in a circle

IMPORTANT: Do not glue the entire core, leaving the bottom intact, as shown in the photo.

Now the core turns again, but this time with a layer of red polymer clay

At this stage the sausage needs to be stretched to a size that is convenient. Please note that for beads it should be thick and short, and for toy pieces it should be thin and long.

And here is the final step - baking! Do this for about half an hour, after which cool the workpiece and cut into strawberries
When properly manufactured, they should be easy to cut, resembling fairly dense rubber in structure.

The described master class is intended for the simplified production of strawberry sausages. If you want something more naturalistic, then you can use a pasta machine.

It allows you to achieve smooth color transitions. As an analogy, take an acrylic rolling pin, only it will take longer to tinker with it.

Fruits from polymer clay sausages can be used in manicure

Beginners can also practice on buttons- it is very easy to make them, and the thing turns out beautiful and useful. So, for the simplest recipe for making need:

In fact, polymer clay
Acrylic paint for decoration
Sandpaper
The sleeve in which baking is done
Some kind of vintage style button

So, to get started, you just need to roll polymer clay balls. Choose colors as you wish. Attach a button to the balls

Now with a thick needle make holes. Such blanks can be immediately packed in a sleeve and baked at 110 degrees

IMPORTANT: It is better not to use a baking sheet, as it will not always be possible to fully wash it, like an oven. Even then, leave the oven door slightly open.

Sandpaper processed baked buttons. Edges can be neatly trimmed
Now you can add the finishing touches processing products with paint or varnish

But what if you want to make such a trinket, but you don’t have a vintage button at hand? No problem: you can create a craft in a different way and easy too!

Roll out the polymer clay layer thinner. Attach a piece of lace to the layer which is sure to be found in any home. But before applying, be sure to lightly sprinkle the clay with water.

Now cover the workpiece with polyethylene- without it, cutting will turn out sloppy

The mold must be pressed on the layer. The mold can be absolutely any shape

According to the resulting contours, it is easy can be carefully cut future button

With a toothpick holes are being made

blanks bake, cool- and now they can be coated with acrylic paint

IMPORTANT: The thing should cool in the oven.

Easy crafts from polymer clay

An easy and useful craft will be needle magnet. You will need:

Rolling pin and work surface
mold
Polymer clay
Acrylic paint, brush
Lace
Sandpaper
2 magnets

You can get started:

Clay needs it right knead hands
Then her roll out
Using a cookie cutter desired contours are cut. The edges are trimmed
Now for preparation pressed lace
You can bake the craft in the oven. However, if polymer clay is purchased with the feature of self-hardening, it’s even easier - you just need to let it harden
sandpaper product is processed
And now can apply paint e the way you want. If there is a desire to somehow decorate the magnet - it's time to do it
On the back side of the craft a magnet is attached. That's all, it is quite possible to use it! You need to apply a useful craft on a fabric previously fixed in the hoop

IMPORTANT: Do not forget about the second magnet, which is applied on the back of the fabric to the one attached to the craft.

The next easy-to-make and useful polymer clay craft is jar lid. The lid will outwardly resemble weaving from a vine, so any jar will look economic and comfortable with it. You need to stock up on these things:

Any of the most common jar lid
Polymer clay any shades. But to recreate the effect of weaving, beige, red, yellow, green, brown and dark blue are best.
If there is molds- a special mold for creating three-dimensional figures - it will be very useful
PVA glue or liquid plastic
orange and brown pastel
Green, yellow, white, red acrylic paint
varnish, also acrylic
Device for rolling out polymer clay- acrylic rolling pin, glass rolling pin, in the absence of a regular jar
A special machine for processing polymer raw materials is desirable, called extruder
tassel for applying paint. In this case, choose a thinner brush
Wand sharper or toothpick

To begin with, a piece of brown clay is taken and rolls out to the state of the formation. Please note that it must be no smaller than the size of the original cap.
The source cover is lubricated liquid plastic or PVA glue

Now clay should be put on the lid. At the same time, it should cover the entire surface of the lid, but should not prevent it from closing. It will be necessary to immediately make incisions - this will release air bubbles. Alternatively, you can pierce the clay - then the air will come out during the baking process, otherwise the clay will simply rise
It's high time twist polymer clay into a sausage, then immersing it in an extruder. This must be done with brown and beige clay. The thickness can be any

IMPORTANT: If there is no extruder, you just need to gently knead the sausage so that the shades do not mix. After that, you need to gradually cut off pieces from it, rolling them into thin threads.

Now we need to twist the strings. First, take a bunch of four and lay them horizontally on the lid. The ends should extend beyond the lid. Then take four more threads and put them on top of the previous ones, only perpendicular to them.
Lay out the threads so that their ends diverge from each other according to the principle of rays
Take a couple more polymer clay threads and place them in the center of the makeshift web. Start weaving in a checkerboard pattern- threading the leading threads first above the others, then below them. If you have ever wove wreaths or baskets, you should be able to do it very quickly.

It is necessary to weave the cobweb to the edges of the lid. If the threads run out, new ones are simply glued to the old ones. After that, the weaving is carefully removed from the lid, transferred to paper
On the lid PVA or liquid plastic is applied. In the first case, you need to act quickly - before the glue dries.

The polymer clay web returns to the lid. And now you need to complete this weaving with a fringing. It is created from six stripes intertwined with a pigtail.

Now you can decorate the lid to your liking- for example, create flowers or berries from polymer clay, do not forget to cover them with varnish

Lovers of weaving and just useful little things will surely like it miniature ring box. We will make it in the form of a basket

You will need:

Clay
Wire, the thickness of which is approximately 0.8-1 mm
Stationery knife
Capacity, which resembles a basket. Cream jars are very suitable for this purpose.

So let's get to work:

Roll polymer clay into a sausage. Its thickness should be about 1.5-2 mm. It is best to use an extruder, but not critical if it is not at hand
This sausage cut into pieces 3 centimeters long

IMPORTANT: Make sure that the number of pieces is odd.

The container itself should be turned over. After that you can stick cuts of polymer clay on it

Carefully cut off excess parts pieces so that they are the same length

Now a circle is made of clay. It must be attached to the bottom of the container. For the best effect, it will be good to iron this circle with a toothpick.

The jar is placed in this form in the oven. The temperature depends on the type of clay, but the time will be enough for 5 or 8 minutes. After baking, the jar is lowered into cold water, cools down and is freed from polymer clay

Roll up the sausage as long as you can. However, it will be possible to connect sausages during the weaving process, which is easier to do with an extruder

IMPORTANT: After weaving, the basket should not be corrected from the sides, otherwise the natural effect of weaving will disappear.

If you want to give the base of the basket completeness, you can weave two piece braid and stick it on top. BUT on the bottom from the inside you can stick a circle of clay- so the bottom will become more accurate

It remains to make the handle of the basket, for which the wire is useful. Measure the desired length and bend the arc

The final stage is wrapping the frame of the handle with polymer clay sausage. You must not forget to leave 5 millimeters on both sides. Next, the handle is attached to the base, and the whole composition is sent to the oven for 20 minutes

Do-it-yourself polymer clay doll

A doll made of polymer clay will be an excellent gift for a child, and it will fit well into the interior of an adult. Of course, each such doll is individual, but still the general nuances of manufacturing are present.

Experienced needlewomen are convinced that the proportions of a living person are not suitable for a doll - the head turns out to be small, and the arms are too long. And best way to calculate proportions is to remember that one body of a toy is measured by seven heads. The palm is equal to the width of the face, and the foot is 1.5 palms.

Creativity should always start from the head, twisting a loop of wire. Foil should then be wound on such a base.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to wrap the foil tightly.

Now polymer clay comes into play, which you need to knead well, then stick around the foil. All unnecessary irregularities are important to smooth out.

Perhaps the most difficult is start drawing facial features. It is necessary to highlight not only the eyes, nose, mouth, but also not to forget about the forehead, chin. You don’t need to paint anything yet - just a relief designation of features. And remember that the face should be convex.

Thereafter the workpiece is placed in the oven. The baking temperature depends on the recommendations of the clay manufacturer.

Hands can be done next.- Cylindrical pieces are formed from clay. They need to be rolled out.

Hands made of polymer clay at the initial stage are cylindrical pieces

Using the stack fingers are formed. It is very important to carefully separate them without damaging them. Next, give the handles a natural look by rounding their outlines and not forgetting the folds.

Now you can treat your hands in the oven, after putting them on the wire.

The manufacture of legs begins, oddly enough, with the feet- they are made from parts, one side of which should be thicker than the other. The stack denotes fingers, folds.

Pieces are attached to the feet, which are then transformed into a leg to the shin. The legs are baked in the same way as other parts of the doll's body.

IMPORTANT: To put the legs on, take the longest pieces of wire, because they will form the main frame of the doll.

And now it's time to collect the disparate parts into general framework. To do this, the wire from the head is connected to the pieces from the hands, and a long wire from the legs is screwed to all this. Where the pupa is planned to have a waist, the wire should be twisted.

Now you can bake the doll.

And here begins the most interesting - the formation of appearance. Recommended for face painting Use acrylic paints and #10 brushes. For the eyes you will need the thinnest brush.

As for the hair then you can use a wig for a good cause, forming the hair in parts. You can form strands of silk threads.

And you can use wool for felting - it turns out just fantastic doll hair.

Outfit whatever is sewn, depending on the idea and the materials at hand.

Doll made of polymer clay by Canadian master Martha Boers

Another polymer clay miracle from Martha Boers

DIY clay toys

You can sculpt a lot of polymer clay toys - it all depends solely on your imagination. Let's try to make a symbol of this year in this lesson - fire monkey.

First of all carefully knead the clay and create an oval from the orange piece- this is the future head of the monkey. Flatten it a little for the face
For body need to make another oval, only remade in the form of a drop

The head and body are held together so that the body is attached to the smaller side of the drop
A thin pancake is formed from beige polymer clay, on which you need to make a recess on top

IMPORTANT: A thin toothpick for forming shapes on pieces of polymer clay is just right.

Beige pancake superimposed on the head. And closer to the bottom. And the recess should "look" up
With the help of dots small dimples for the eyes. By the same principle, the nostrils and mouth are indicated.
Roll two small circles from black polymer clay. They are placed with light pressure in the eye sockets.
2 balls roll from orange and beige clay. And beige is less than orange. They make pancakes. Beige superimposed on orange

Ears made of polymer clay

The resulting ball is cut into two parts - these are the ears. They are attached to the sides of the head with pressure. Joints should be smoothed
A monkey can be made playful with a bang- this is a small orange droplet, glued with the wide part up. The bottom one needs to be screwed down a bit.
And now handles-legs are formed from 4 sausages in the form of drops. For hands, roll smaller drops. In all four sausages, make indentations in the wide parts

Form 4 drops from beige clay, and cut fingers on their wide parts - these are hands and feet. Attach them to the recesses of the arms and legs

from orange clay tail is formed, pointed on one side, and also twisted in the form of a question mark - on the other

Now all parts of the body are attached to the torso, and the toy is baked

DIY clay sculptures

Garden sculpture is both interesting and functional. It is unlikely that you want to spend money on buying a finished sculpture, but you can try to make one yourself. For example, owl, for which you will need:

Capacity for mixing material approximately 5 liters
Approximately 6 cups building plaster
500 grams polymer clay, which itself can harden
Water
skewers wood or thick wire, stacks
Plastic bag
Paint brushes#1 and #5
More useful for decorating owls gouache, glass eyes, matte varnish, yellow and black nail polishes

So, let's start with the fact that you need to tightly lay a plastic bag in a bucket for mixing material. Separately knead about 4 cups of plaster

IMPORTANT: The consistency of the dough should resemble cottage cheese with sour cream. But there should be no lumps.

After kneading, the dough is transferred to a bucket- it will take up a third of the capacity. The form in which the material was kneaded, meanwhile, is quickly washed off. Well, skewers are inserted into the dough so that they stick out half of the plaster. Gypsum needs to be leveled and left to harden for 2 hours
After curing gypsum is taken from the bucket

Now you need to knead the gypsum again to the same state, same as last time. It is laid out on skewers. It is necessary to form the outlines of an owl. The container is immediately washed, and the workpiece hardens within a day

And so the creativity begins: breaking off pieces of polymer clay, stick them little by little to the gypsum base

IMPORTANT: After breaking off a piece, immediately wrap the rest of the polymer clay in cellophane, otherwise it will harden.

Then feathers are drawn- it is desirable to do this with the help of a pusher. Insert glass eyes

Made from polymer clay back and wings
Black and yellow nail polish eyes are painted. The advantage of this varnish is that it is transparent, and therefore retains the shine of the glass.

And now you can take tail. Moreover, for reliability, it must be formed in tiers and processed by a pusher
Are drawn wings

If there is excess clay left, you can make additional decorations in the form of a ladybug, for example. The owl is dried and painted with gouache. Finished with a matte lacquer

Polymer clay cup

It is highly undesirable to make a cup completely out of polymer clay, since when storing and serving food in it, there can be unpleasant consequences for health. But it is quite possible to decorate a cup. For this you will need:

Polymer clay
Toothpicks, stacks
Utility knife or good blade
Pastel of the color you need for decoration
Water at room temperature

Getting Started:

So first of all need to work on sketch, because in the process it will be quite difficult to decorate at random
Now, based on the sketch, you can begin to mount polymer clay, recreating certain details. Help yourself with toothpicks or stacks
Once the clay outlines are formed, pastel can be added- it emphasizes the 3D effect of the decor
Now burn the cup at 120 degrees
And after this procedure polymer clay parts must be carefully detached from the cup. It is best to help yourself with a clerical knife
Rinse the cup with warm water. Dry it, degrease it
Lubricate each of the decor details carefully with glue, and attach them to the cup. Remove the glue that goes beyond the decor with a toothpick.

IMPORTANT: The most important thing in this case is slowness. Otherwise, fragile elements will break.

Wait 12 hours- during this time, the work should dry. But to be sure of this, after 12 hours, wash the product under running water and soap. Dry the cup - and it can be used after 12 hours

Polymer clay vase

So, first way decorating some of the simplest vase:

Cut out petals, twigs, leaves
Stick all this splendor on a vase
Draw the background, color the decor details
The vase now needs to be placed in the oven for 20 minutes. Set the temperature to 120 degrees
Let the vase cool, cover it with varnish

We offer another option for decorating a glass vase:

In this case, use stamps, stacks, coloring pigment in powder consistency. Pour this powder onto a layer of polymer clay, and rub it with your fingers - this way you can achieve smooth transitions of shades. Patterns can be pre-marked with stamps
Now cut out the figures from the layer. You can use scissors, or you can use a utility knife. Let the figures be of different sizes - in design it looks just fine
Figurines need to be baked, following the directions on the clay packaging
Roll out another layer of polymer clay- figurines will be attached to it

IMPORTANT: The base layer must be the same size as the glass vase. And in terms of thickness, it should be denser than the layer from which the decor details were cut.

Use glue to attach the base layer to the vase. Push the details into this layer, helping yourself in this work with glue
Apply pearlescent varnish to the entire surface. It is recommended to work with a large brush
Now put the vase in the oven for 5 minutes. Temperature - 265 degrees
So we processed only one side. Repeat this algorithm for others don't forget to let the vase cool down after each baking

DIY clay flowers

Polymer clay makes gorgeous flowers for decoration. For example, delicate sakura flowers

First, make a sausage out of pink and white polymer clay. Color transitions should be smooth, for which you can use a pasta machine. But clay will need a little, so you can try to make it manually
Once the sausage rolls up, cut it into pieces. in a millimeter or 1.5 mm thick Then bend a drop of polymer clay

Now pinch the polymer clay part at one end - you get a petal
- You can start picking a flower. Connect all the petals - the sakura should have from 7 to 11 pieces. Better help yourself with a toothpick
IMPORTANT: Regardless of whether you help yourself with a toothpick when forming petals or not, you need to bake a flower on a toothpick.
- Now make a cherry blossom, the principle of creation of which, by the way, is the same for any colors. So, take a thin wire with a thickness of no more than 0.3 millimeters, and a length of 15 centimeters
- Form a loop at one end of the wire, connect the loop with a piece of polymer clay. It is worth rolling a drop from a piece in advance
- Create 3 more petals, stick them on the drop
Glue the petals onto the polymer clay drop
- For more natural it is better to start creating a sepal. Sakura, as well as roses, cherries, sepals have 5 petals

Recently, it has become very fashionable to make dishes and various interior items from clay with your own hands. We at How to Green decided to find out what are the reasons for the popularity of handmade ceramics, and turned to ceramic artistElena Subbotina . She named as many as 7 reasons (besides the obvious ones - creative self-realization and acquiring new craft knowledge) why dishes for the home and various little things for the interior should be made by hand.

Reason 1: Uniqueness

Obviously, you can make a 100% unique service or a tea pair for your kitchen either to order or with your own hands. Doing it yourself will be much cheaper. You have the opportunity to bring to life the most daring ideas and make exactly what fits perfectly into your interior or is suitable as a gift for a loved one. And not only the desired design, but also the size that you like. So it's up to you to decide whether you will drink tea at home from huge cups and saucers, like in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, or from graceful tiny ones, like Kirsten Dunst's heroine in Marie Antoinette. By the way, making dishes for the home with your own hands is also convenient because, by creating, say, a set in the same style, you don’t have to overpay for soup or dessert plates you don’t need, and then think about where to store them in your small kitchen. You will make for yourself only those plates, bowls, cups and mugs that you need and use.

Reason 2: environmental friendliness

Did you know that some factories still use harmful materials, including lead and cadmium, in the production of tableware? Lead glazes are very beautiful, the content of this metal gives the product a special shine. The amount of lead, of course, is small, but it is strictly forbidden to use this glaze. It is not even recommended to store dry food in such dishes, not to mention pouring hot soup into a bowl with lead. In some countries, there is a law that prohibits the use of lead in food utensils in any quantity. However, in Russia, China, Africa, countries of the South-East region, there is often no strict control over manufacturers who neglect the issue of ethics and consumer health, since the purchase of bright glossy lead-free glazes is much more expensive in large-scale production. So think ten times before you buy a cheap bright cup or bowl. Why do you need dishes that poison you with harmful substances? By making your own pottery, you can control which materials and glazes you use to make your plates and cups. By the way, ceramics can be bright and without colored glazes at all. There are natural colored clays: blue, green, black, and ordinary light types have a beautiful natural color. In order for the products to be functional and not let water through, they must be covered with colorless or white glaze, but it is quite possible to refuse color or choose safe proven options.

Reason 3: Renewability

If suddenly careless guests or you yourself dropped your favorite mug and broke it, it's okay. Your service will not suffer from this, because you can always make a couple more plates or cups. The same is true in the case of replenishment in your family - the birth of a baby or the marriage of a beloved brother. You can always make the missing set of dishes in a couple of hours. If you went on a trip, you probably noticed very interesting interior items - large vases, picture frames, candlesticks. Sometimes things are so beautiful, they just make you fall in love with yourself, but taking them with you from a trip is hard and too troublesome. And why? It is enough to take a couple of photos on a smartphone and, after returning from vacation, make copies of the interior items or dishes you like, but in your own author's style and to suit your tastes and needs.

Photo: ceramics studio Ceramic Forest

Reason 4: Quality

A fairly common story: you bought beautiful dishes in an online store, but they turned out to be of poor quality. The bright pattern on the mug began to peel off after washing, and knife marks appeared on the plates. In the production of your own dishes, especially in a ceramic workshop under the supervision of a master, such excesses are excluded. First of all, they will teach you how to handle clay correctly, explain the sequence of the technological process that will make your dishes of high quality and practical. So you can easily put it in the microwave and wash it in the dishwasher. Cracks and peeling paint do not threaten her.

Reason 5: saving the family budget

If you didn’t decide to produce a whole service, but just for the sake of interest, you listened to an introductory course on ceramics and made a couple of mugs, then even this knowledge is enough for you to start understanding dishes, varieties of clay and glazes, and the artist’s skill. If suddenly a saleswoman in a store starts to assure you that a coffee pair costs 20,000 rubles, because it is rare blue clay, then you can safely clarify whether it is natural or is it just an artificial color (a pigment mixed into ordinary white clay)? Painted clay has no value and you are only paying for the brand name. Expensive pottery stores still like to use stamping. This means that the shape of the products is not unique: the patterns that are applied to them can simply be printed, and not drawn by the master. Another thing is if you see an author's jug made of expensive materials, unique in shape and painted on a market somewhere in the mountains of Andalusia. You will immediately understand how much work the master has invested in it and why it costs a decent amount. By the way, if the author of this work of art is suddenly exhibited in some gallery or museum of modern art, then the purchased jug can also be sold at a profit to collectors.

Reason 6: solved issue with gifts

Do-it-yourself unique ceramics are also exclusive gifts for relatives, friends and colleagues. You can personalize the dishes, leave initials on them, create any images and write wishes. For example, if you have a unique lace left from your grandmother, then you can make a whole service with a unique print based on it. Thus, each member of the family will have a printed memory on a mug, plate, dish or teapot. Clay is an amazing living material that allows you to bring any ideas to life. We use ceramic products every day, so these gifts are not only beautiful, unique, but also very useful for any person, regardless of their gender and age. By the way, it is not necessary to make dishes as a gift. Almost anything can be made from ceramics. For example, floor tiles are a great gift for renovating the bathroom in the apartment of your beloved mother. Other interesting options:

ceramic handles that turn an ordinary stamped wooden chest of drawers into a real work of art for a chest of drawers;
decorative sculpture, for example, for a garden;
pots for indoor or garden flowers;
tray;
whistles for children;
brooches for girlfriends;
soap dish and other bathroom accessories.

Photo: ceramics studio Ceramic Forest

Reason 7: extra income

After you learn how to make dishes with your own hands, mold all the necessary plates for your own home, give gifts to friends and colleagues, then it is quite possible to monetize your favorite hobby. Create, say, an online store on Instagram and produce unique dishes in your author's style to order. By the way, the most popular are craftswomen with a rather narrow specialization, who make, for example, the most beautiful openwork cake stands, unusually shaped mugs or fruit dishes with unique patterns. Who knows, maybe one day you will make plates not only for your beloved man or relatives as a gift, but also for a whole restaurant.

Where to make dishes with your own hands?

You can make dishes with your own hands at home. To do this, you will need the necessary materials - clay, stacks, glaze and so on. You can also burn finished products at home, for this there are furnaces that are suitable for a voltage of 220 W. But they are quite expensive - from 100,000 rubles. Therefore, at the initial stage, it is easier to carry out firing in special furnaces in ceramic workshops. They usually take items not made by them for firing without any problems and for a very moderate fee. Before purchasing materials for the home, we would recommend that you take an introductory course on working with clay from a specialist. Usually ceramic workshops offer different options. Depending on the amount of information, such training will take you from 2 hours to several days and will cost from 2-3 thousand rubles, taking into account the cost of all materials. If you have not yet decided what exactly you want to make from ceramics, it makes sense to purchase a subscription in the workshop and attend master classes that interest you. It will be easier and cheaper than immediately going to long expensive courses. Typically, such master classes are held for several people at once, so you have an original option for spending your leisure time with a friend or loved one.

By the way, you can make all the dishes that you see in the photo in this article with your own hands already in the first lesson ...

CERAMICS

Clay is one of the most common natural materials mastered by man in ancient times. The high plasticity of the material made it possible to make many household items from it - mainly dishes, jewelry and all kinds of cult figurines.

The earliest products were fragile, they were afraid of moisture, and only dry products could be stored in clay vessels. But, raking the ashes of an extinct fire, a person noticed more than once that the clay soil in the place where the fire was burning becomes hard as a stone. These observations, apparently, led a person to the idea of firing clay products for strength.
Things made of fired clay are commonly called ceramics.

Ceramics was widely used in Egypt, Assyria, Babylon and Greece. Many museums around the world are decorated with the famous Greek amphorae vases, painted with traditional ornaments and scenes from ancient Greek mythology. Ancient Russia was also famous for highly artistic ceramics. Terracotta and glazed tiles, dishes, toys came out of the workshops of Russian ceramists. The well-known, modern ceramic crafts of our country - Gzhel, Skopin, Balkhar, Oyat and many others - continue the traditions of the old masters. At international exhibitions, their products were repeatedly awarded with medals and diplomas.

Modern ceramic production has sophisticated technical equipment, uses more advanced technology and new materials. But you can also create ceramic products in a school circle, using quite affordable materials and equipment, using a relatively simple technology.
The basis of any ceramic product is clay. By color, it is divided into two main types: red-burning, which turns red after firing, and white-burning, which turns white after firing. To determine what kind of clay you are dealing with, you need to make a test: burn a small piece of clay. Even some black clays turn white when fired.

Rinse the prepared clay and remove various impurities from it. To do this, put the clay in a bucket or basin, fill it with water and mix thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained. After a few hours, stones and sand will settle to the bottom, and all sorts of light impurities will float. Transfer the clay to a wide bowl, let dry, then knead thoroughly. Clay ready for work should resemble dough and easily fall behind the hand. Clays containing a significant amount of sand are called lean. Skinny clays are suitable for making larger things with generalized shapes. Small products with fine details are molded from oily clay that does not contain sand.

To give the clay some additional qualities, all kinds of impurities are introduced into it. Ceramics will become lighter and stronger if a little sawdust is introduced into it. Folk craftsmen of Tajikistan, instead of sawdust, add reed-cattail or poplar fluff to the clay. The addition of iron oxide or chamotte to the clay significantly speeds up firing. Fireclay is made from crushed shards or red bricks. Crushed brick is sifted, ceramic dust is removed, achieving a crumb that does not exceed the size of a millet seed. Chamotte in clay should be no more than one fifth of the total mass, otherwise the quality of the ceramics will deteriorate.

For modeling, you need to prepare special sculptural tools - stacks. Stacks are cut from hardwood boxwood, pear, apple, beech or birch. For moisture resistance, the stacks are rubbed with linseed or any other vegetable oil. For the first case, it is best to make three stacks. The working part of one of them is made of steel wire, strengthening it, as shown in the figure. This stack is convenient to cut off excess clay.

But the main tools for modeling have always been fingers. Fingerprints bring man-made into the ceramic product, give a special softness to the forms. Therefore, do not get carried away with working with stacks and remember that their main purpose is to work out small details and remove excess clay.
To begin with, try to make a simple vessel. In ancient times, the simplest vessels were simply scraped out of a whole piece of clay or sculpted by hand. In Central Asia, in some villages, the hand-made method of sculpting vessels is still preserved. To make a vessel by hand, first sculpt its bottom in the form of a round plate. Then roll small pieces of clay into flagella of the same thickness. Flagella, starting from the bottom, build up turn by turn, making the diameter of each turn larger or smaller, depending on the required configuration of the vessel. When building flagella, simultaneously rub the gaps between them and smooth the surface of the vessel.

For the manufacture of vessels of a more complex shape, a potter's wheel is used.
The history of pottery knows two main types of potter's wheels - hand and foot. Both work due to the inertia of rotation.

The most ancient circle is manual. The first mention of it refers to the end of the fourth millennium BC. Its working disk is much more massive than that of the foot disk, since it simultaneously serves as a flywheel. The potter spun the circle with his left hand, and in order to maintain uniform rotation during work, he constantly twisted it. With his right hand, the master molded the vessel, laying pre-prepared clay bundles in a spiral. On such a circle it is difficult to sculpt complex-shaped vessels alone, therefore, in ancient Egypt and Greece, when molding complex vessels, the master instructed his apprentice to rotate the potter's wheel. The sequence of modeling a vessel from flagella.

The foot potter's wheel appeared much later and quickly supplanted the hand wheel. Now the master has both hands free to mold the vessels. The increased power of the machine makes it possible to produce large and complex vessels, moreover, from a whole piece of clay.
The foot circle consists of a wooden frame, a vertical metal axle and two wooden discs. In the upper part of the axis, a small disk is fixed, on which the master forms the product, and in the lower part there is a flywheel in the form of a large wooden circle. The lower end of the axle rests against the thrust bearing. The potter rotates the flywheel with his right foot, periodically pushing it, not allowing the uniform rotational movement to fade.

Now many potters work on an electric potter's wheel. You can make such a circle on your own, using an old table or a carpentry workbench instead of a bed. The circle device is shown in the figure. Electric motors can be very different, but it is better to take the engine from a sewing machine - it is equipped with a pedal to control the speed of rotation. Such motors are sold in spare parts stores for sewing machines and cost about eight rubles together with the pedal.
The diameter of the working circle is 25-30 cm. Turn the circle from bronze, aluminum or plastic. You can make a circle from plywood, board or chipboard, but then you have to soak it several times with hot drying oil to make it moisture resistant.

1 - manual, 2 - foot and 3 - electric potter's wheels.

Calculate the ratio of the diameters of the pulley of the electric motor and the pulley of the circle so that the circle rotates at a speed of 300-350 rpm. Note that the rotation must be counterclockwise.
To learn how to work on a potter's wheel, you need to stock up on patience. Only after a good training will you be able to make the simplest vessels of relatively small sizes.
Before starting work on the circle, prepare a jar of water to spray the clay and wet your hands. You will also need a sponge to remove excess water from the bottom of the vessel, calipers and wire, to the ends of which wooden handles are attached. All these devices are shown in the figure.

Clay must be placed on a circle strictly in the center - potters call this operation centering. Having given a piece of clay with your hands a shape close to a ball, with a slight but sharp movement, throw it as accurately as possible in the middle of the circle. The piece of clay should adhere well to the circle. To facilitate centering, you can draw concentric circles on the circle.
Having fixed the clay mass, turn on the motor and, moistening your hands with water, finally center the clay ball so that when the circle rotates, it seems to be stationary. Then the clay must be thoroughly washed on a rotating circle. To do this, then pull it into a high cone, then again give it the original spherical shape. Repeat this operation several times. Air bubbles will be removed from the washed clay, and it will become dense and uniform.

An intermediate form in the manufacture of most vessels is a cylindric, so first of all learn how to sculpt it. In the middle of the clay mass, gently press with your thumbs and make a cylindrical recess. Gradually expand it, bringing the diameter to the required size. With the rest of your fingers, form the outer wall of the cylinder. Then pull out the cylinder. Large cylinders are pulled out with two hands, one of which is inside the cylinder, the other on the outside of the side surface.

Move the hands between which the wall of the cylinder should be from the bottom up, achieving a thin wall by gradually bringing the hands closer. Hands are turned with palms to the surfaces of the cylinder. Repeat this process until you reach the desired height of the cylinder. If you are making a small cylinder, you can work with one hand, gradually bringing the thumb sliding on the inside surface to the other fingers sliding on the outside surface. So that your hands glide well and do not tear the clay, moisten them with water.

From the finished cylinder, form the vessel you have conceived. Lay out the base first. Then, gently pressing with your fingers on the walls of the cylinder from the inside, gradually expand it. The hand inside the cylinder and the hand on the outer surface must move in sync. As a result, you will get the body of the jug. In the same way, only now pressing from the outside, shape the shoulder and neck. Complete the manufacture of the jug by sculpting the whisk. Remove the water accumulating in the vessel with a sponge, which, on a wire hook, is lowered to the bottom.

When making several identical vessels and when copying, use different templates made of wood or plastic.
Cut off the finished vessel from the stopped circle with a wire with handles.
Now the product needs to be decorated. There are many ways to finish ceramics. One of the ancient methods - polishing - is very simple. The surface of the dried product is rubbed with any smooth object, compacting the top layer of clay until it shines. After firing, the brilliance becomes stronger. Polished dishes can be safely used in the household, as it is quite moisture resistant.
In Russia, polished dishes with a decorative purpose were additionally subjected to blackening.

1 - wire with handles, 2 - templates, 3 - sponge, 4 - crown compass, 5 - elements of an earthen vessel.

To do this, at the end of firing, some fuming fuel, such as var, was thrown into the furnace. Absorbing smoke, the vessels turned black, retaining their luster. There is another way to blacken the courts. Hot pottery is thrown into sawdust or chopped straw. As it cools, it turns black.

Widely used in ceramics is the method of decorating with liquid clays - engobes. If the item to be decorated is made of red-burning clay, engobes are made from white-burning clay. Clay is diluted to the density of sour cream and applied to the product with a brush or rubber pear. By adding metal oxides to clay, you can get multi-colored engobes. Cobalt sulphate gives a blue color, manganese peroxide - brown, chromium oxide - green, nickel oxide - yellow, iron oxide - red, a mixture of oxides of chromium, manganese and cobalt - black.

Ceramics can be painted directly with metal oxides without the addition of liquid clay. The control of different shades of color in ceramics is a difficult task, and only numerous trials can solve it. Make your own-shaped palette out of ceramic tiles. Apply smears of different engobes on it, write down in what proportions and what oxides you added, then burn it in a furnace. Several such tiles can be made. They will be a necessary reference material when choosing the right colors.

A bright decorative effect is given by the sgraffito technique. A slightly dry clay product is completely or partially covered with a layer of engobe. After the engobe thickens, but does not lose plasticity, the desired pattern is scraped off with a stack, exposing the lower, darker layer of clay.
Until now, archaeologists have found individual shards and even entire vessels in the settlements of ancient man, decorated with so-called textile ornaments - prints of coarse fabrics and nets.

You can try to make a stamped ornament using wooden dies, after cutting out various elements of the pattern on the tree.
It is convenient to burn clay in a muffle furnace, which is sold in teacher-lecturers and is available in almost every school. Products pre-dried for five to six days at room temperature are loaded into the oven. In the kiln, under the action of high temperature, the clay loses the water associated with it and becomes moisture resistant and durable. The clay is fired for about three hours. Fired but unglazed clay is called terracotta. At the end of the firing, the furnace is turned off, and the products cool down directly in the furnace.

Glazed ceramics are called majolica. Glaze, or glaze, covers a ceramic product with a thin vitreous layer, making colors and engobe bright and juicy, completely protecting them from moisture. Known folk way of making glaze. Heat bottle glass on fire and throw it into cold water. Glass is covered with tiny cracks and easily crumbles. In a mortar, glass is ground into powder, diluted with water and paste is added. Products are watered with this composition and allowed to dry, after which they are again loaded into the oven, where they are kept for about three hours.

In some cases, the glaze on pottery can be imitated. All kinds of decorations, small decorative sculptures and wall plates can be covered with various varnishes instead of laborious glaze. Outwardly, they almost do not differ from glaze, but they greatly simplify the work without reducing the artistic merits of ceramics. This is confirmed by the Abashev toys, painted with oil enamel with great taste, the famous Bulgarian black-lacquer vessels.

Pottery is a combination of beauty and practicality. This inventory is the most ancient and was the only one for a long time. At first, people used unfired objects, and then ceramics were invented - clay baked in fire. Earthenware is suitable for preparing any dishes, for some housewives it is simply an indispensable thing. The material used to make it is believed to draw out bad energy through a combination of water, earth, air and sun. And the best part is that you can make items yourself, using a little dexterity and patience.

Features and Benefits of Pottery

Cookware absorbs heat well, but slowly. At the same time, it also cools down slowly, which allows you to keep food hot for a long time.
Pottery is not afraid of dyes and other substances, so you can cook any food in it.
The dishes are resistant to dirt, easy to care for.
Can be used in the microwave.

How to properly use pottery

Pottery should not be placed in a hot oven or subjected to sudden temperature changes. You must first put the dishes in the appliance, and then turn it on so that the heating occurs slowly.

Do not put ceramic dishes on an open fire, especially teapots and coffee pots. They must be rinsed with hot water before use and only then proceed to the preparation of the drink.

Use only soft materials and dish detergents for cleaning. Do not rub ceramics with hard brushes and graters - this will damage the top layer of the glaze.

Clay preparation

In nature, there are several types of clay that differ in composition. Now you can find deposits of any clay mixture suitable for making both earthenware and oven bricks. Do not try to find valuable clay in large deposits. As a rule, such rocks have already been found and the largest factories for the production of ceramic products have been built next to them. But ordinary clay, suitable for sculpting dishes, can be found everywhere. Very often, a layer of clay is found on household plots during land work.

To determine if the clay is suitable for making dishes, you need to take a small lump of slightly moistened clay, roll it into a tourniquet between your palms and bend it in half. If no cracks or a small amount of cracks form at the bend, then such a material is quite suitable for further work.

Place the prepared amount of clay in a deep container and fill with water. It should completely cover the material. At the same time, do not be afraid to prepare too much clay - for making dishes you will take a small amount of rock, and the rest will rest in water, which will greatly simplify the process of modeling in the next run.

Elutriation of clay

Elutriation allows you to make the clay more plastic, oily and clean. More often elutriation is carried out with clay containing a large amount of sand, due to which it becomes less plastic.

Prepare a deep bowl, in which lay the clay and fill with water in a ratio of 1:3. Water should completely cover the rock. Leave the material to moisten overnight.
In the morning stir the clay until smooth. Leave the solution for a few days to brew. Readiness is determined by the water - when it becomes lighter, you can proceed to further work.
Drain the water with a rubber hose.
Scoop out the clay to the bottom layer. Don't touch it - stones and sand remain there.
Pour the clay into a wooden box and place it in the sun to evaporate excess moisture.
After the main part of the water has evaporated, start mixing the clay.
The clay should dry until it has the consistency of dough and stops sticking to your hands. The rock can be left in the same container, covered with polyethylene and stored until stucco work is carried out.

Before sculpting, it is necessary to remove the air, for this, knead the dough and beat it with your hands. If difficulties arise due to too rigid material, you can add a little water.

You can knead the clay with your feet, which greatly simplifies the process.

Making dishes

There are two ways to make dishes from clay: from bundles and flat pieces. It is better to make dishes in the first way. To do this, roll out a piece of clay with a rolling pin, like dough and give the resulting piece any shape. Note that this method produces shallow bowls and flat plates.

To make a pot or vase, you will need to resort to more complex technology:

As described above, make the bottom for future dishes. It should not be too thin - about 2 cm thick.
Cut a piece of clay into pieces and roll them into bundles.
Put the end of the tourniquet on the bottom and press firmly so that it is fastened to the bottom.
Spirally lay the bundles on top of each other, pressing each new layer.
If the clay hardens, moisten the tows with a little water.

You can make a pot or vase with a smooth change in diameter. To do this, when applying layers, make a slight deviation to the side, which will allow you to create original dishes. If necessary, attach handles, but you should not hold the product by them until the end of production.

Drying dishes

When drying, haste is unacceptable. If you hurry, then cracks and wrinkles may form on the dishes. Also, hasty drying leads to marriage during firing. Therefore, follow all the deadlines indicated below so that the result pleases you.

The first days the dishes are dried upside down in a room where there are no strong drafts. Preliminary drying should last at least two days, after which the dishes should be transferred to a heated oven and dried until the moisture has completely evaporated. If the product is started to be fired in its raw form, then it will burst with strong heat.

Firing dishes in the oven

There are special laboratory muffle furnaces for various purposes. At home, you can install such equipment, it will be useful to you for the manufacture of ceramic and other products.

Pottery is fired at a temperature of +950 0. You can not immediately turn on the oven at full power and allow temperature fluctuations. Heating should be carried out smoothly, gradually reaching the maximum temperature. Raise the temperature by 100 degrees in about an hour. It is impossible to open the window during firing - this will lead to the flow of cold air and cracking of the dishes. It will take you about 8 hours to fire, after which you also begin to gradually reduce the temperature. It is possible to get the product out of the oven only at a mark of at least 40 degrees.

After firing, cover the product with glaze and fire again.

Burning dishes at the stake

If you do not have the opportunity to buy a special oven, you can burn it in a fire. To do this, cover the dishes with firewood and set fire to them. The minimum firing time is 8 hours. The longer you keep the dishes in the fire, the stronger it will turn out.

Pottery is an ageless classic that is in demand even in the modern world of advanced technology. Ceramic products are distinguished not only by their high strength and practicality, but also by their beauty. And thanks to the possibility of self-production, you can avoid material costs and create chic dishes with your own hands.

Ceramic vases, pots, tea sets, candlesticks, plates, whistles and even musical instruments - all this can be created independently.

To learn how to make ceramics with your own hands, the main thing is desire. Before becoming a ceramist, try molding the simplest knickknack out of clay, and you will understand whether it is worth spending money on buying equipment for work. If something didn’t work out, it doesn’t matter, soak the marriage and make a new figure out of it, before baking, the product can be modified endlessly.

What is ceramics made of and where to get materials for work

Ceramics is fired clay, which is the main material in the work of a ceramist. Unlike, natural is of natural origin, it is mined from the bowels of the earth without subjecting it to chemical and other types of processing.

Experienced craftsmen, in order to save money, extract and prepare raw materials on their own. This process includes several stages and hardly deserves attention if you are just starting out and living in the city.

Clay for the manufacture of ceramics must be oily and free of pebbles and other debris, otherwise the craft will crack during the baking process. The finished mass is stored under certain humidity conditions.

Natural clay is different types:

White - the most common, initially has a grayish tint, and after heat treatment it acquires a pleasant shade of ivory.
Red - contains iron oxide, which gives the raw material a greenish tone. The main color of the raw material is brown, after firing the products become red. It lends itself well to modeling, does not crumble, ideal for sculptures and large items.
Porcelain is gray when raw and white when baked.
Blue - more often used in cosmetology and traditional medicine.
Black or dark brown ceramic body - the hardest clay, acquiring an ivory hue after kilning.

Also clays for ceramics classified by temperature processing into low-melting, medium-melting, refractory.

It is most convenient to buy ready-made pottery clay, focusing on the fraction size, color after firing at different temperatures, and other characteristics and quality indicators. The cost depends on the manufacturer, packaging, texture. There are ready-made masses with additives for investing in various tasks - modeling, molding, potter's wheel.

In addition to clay, glazes and enamels are needed to cover products, pigments to give hand-made ceramics the desired shade, special additives to improve properties and heat treatment.

Used to glue parts slip mass- a kind of glue made from diluted clay. If you simply connect the elements, they can fall off when heated. All this is sold in specialized stores for ceramists.

Methods for the manufacture of ceramic products

There are several ways to turn the clay mass into a beautiful ceramic product.

modeling- the most affordable way to make ceramic products with your own hands at home. Souvenirs, sculptures, dishes, toys or other crafts are molded by hand, as if from plasticine, helping themselves with special stacks or improvised devices.

Pottery requires a rotating circle. With the help of this ancient craft, even today they create vases, jugs, pots, plates, cups.

warm-up- the easiest option for making ceramics for beginners. In the work, a plaster mold is used, in which soft clay is laid out, and after hardening, a figured product is removed. Gypsum molds are attractive because they absorb excess moisture, helping the clay product to harden and dry.

Casting- here they also use forms, but of a different plan. Diluted clay is poured into molds, blanks are dried, removed and painted.

Clay crafts gain strength only after firing - processing in pottery kilns at a temperature of 900 to 1300 degrees. Finished souvenirs are covered with acrylic paints or special vitreous glaze for ceramics. In the case of glazes, another firing is required after staining.

If you want to get a natural shade, milking is used - an unpainted baked ceramic figurine is covered with milk in several layers and baked again at lower temperatures.

Pottery kiln - types and preferences

Previously, kilns for firing ceramics were forges dug in the ground and heated exclusively with firewood. Modern pottery kilns are gas, electric and wood-burning. The latter, as a rule, are made by hand, they are suitable for use in private households. In the conditions of an apartment, it is most convenient to work with electric furnaces; for large volumes, you can choose a gas furnace.

In the metal case of such furnaces, a refractory brick or other material is hidden that retains heat and is not afraid of heating. Ventilation holes are provided to remove moisture, the process of firing ceramics is controlled by a software controller. Electric pottery kilns are not cheap. The price depends on the manufacturer, volume, power.

On sale there are models with vertical and horizontal loading and hood. According to the type of location of the heating element, pottery kilns are divided into muffle and chamber. AT muffle it is located around a container made of refractory material (muffle). In chamber heaters, the heater is located inside, which reduces heat loss and makes the equipment more economical.

If you try a little, you can make a ceramic kiln at home with your own hands, taking refractory bricks as a basis and something for the case, for example, an old washing machine.

Baking is the most important process that does not forgive mistakes. Sometimes even experienced craftsmen see a worthless marriage instead of the expected masterpiece. Products are never taken out immediately, they must cool in the oven.

How to choose a potter's wheel

Pottery wheels are needed for sculpting round objects, so this tool is not necessary to buy right away. If you are just learning ceramics, start with sculpting or punching. Circles come with manual, foot and electric control.

Portal for the student. Self-training

Long periods under stress. Menstrual irregularities due to stress

How to work with polymer clay?

How to bake polymer clay crafts?

Polymer clay crafts for beginners step by step: master class

Easy crafts from polymer clay

Do-it-yourself polymer clay doll

DIY clay toys

DIY clay sculptures

Polymer clay cup

Polymer clay vase

DIY clay flowers

DIY clay tandoor

Polymer clay jewelry

Video: Magic polymer clay peonies

Video: Bunny polymer clay

Video: Unrealistic polymer clay sculpting

Reason 1: Uniqueness

Reason 2: environmental friendliness

Reason 3: Renewability

Reason 4: Quality

Reason 5: saving the family budget

Reason 6: solved issue with gifts

Reason 7: extra income

Where to make dishes with your own hands?

Features and Benefits of Pottery

How to properly use pottery

Clay preparation

Elutriation of clay

Making dishes

Drying dishes

Firing dishes in the oven

Burning dishes at the stake

What is ceramics made of and where to get materials for work

Methods for the manufacture of ceramic products

Pottery kiln - types and preferences

How to choose a potter's wheel

Portal for the student. Self-training

How to work with polymer clay?

How to bake polymer clay crafts?

Polymer clay crafts for beginners step by step: master class

Easy crafts from polymer clay

Do-it-yourself polymer clay doll

DIY clay toys

DIY clay sculptures

Polymer clay cup

Polymer clay vase

DIY clay flowers

DIY clay tandoor

Polymer clay jewelry

Video: Magic polymer clay peonies

Video: Bunny polymer clay

Video: Unrealistic polymer clay sculpting

Reason 1: Uniqueness

Reason 2: environmental friendliness

Reason 3: Renewability

Reason 4: Quality

Reason 5: saving the family budget

Reason 6: solved issue with gifts

Reason 7: extra income

Where to make dishes with your own hands?

Features and Benefits of Pottery

How to properly use pottery

Clay preparation

Elutriation of clay

Making dishes

Drying dishes

Firing dishes in the oven

Burning dishes at the stake

What is ceramics made of and where to get materials for work

Methods for the manufacture of ceramic products

Pottery kiln - types and preferences

How to choose a potter's wheel

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