Making ceramics with your own hands is a hobby for sophisticated natures. pottery

Firing clay products - this is their heat treatment, during which clay loses up to 35% of water, and its components are tightly bound to each other. The process is completely similar to tempering glass, when heating binds molecules, but clay products do not require such complex technology.
The firing of clay products takes place in a specially equipped furnace, which is a temperature chamber. divided into two different stages : watered and warm firing. The only difference is that poured firing takes place without flame contact with the products, while warm firing does the opposite. Therefore, all pottery kilns are equipped with at least four tiers, two of which involve flame contact with the product, and the other two do not. Hot firing is required for products weighing more than a kilogram (belong to the category of heavy ones), and solid firing is required for light and small-sized products. Also, clay objects should be placed on the firing shelf, the moisture content of which after drying does not exceed 4%.

Place products in the oven as stable as possible. and also take care of the circulation of gases in and around them. If glazeless firing is required, objects may come into contact with each other, they may be placed on top of each other, leaving openings for the circulation of gases.

The firing of clay products begins with an inspection of each item, revealing damage, cracks. They need to be corrected, repaired before firing, while the clay is plastic enough. The material on which objects are placed must have fire-resistant properties. It is necessary to ensure free circulation of gases in the furnace in order to prevent the possibility of insufficient or excessive firing of clay products, which will negatively affect their quality, as well as the final marketable condition. Also, in order to avoid overburning or deformation, objects are placed on minimum distance 5 centimeters from the walls of the furnace.

The firing process must be carried out with extreme caution.. The temperature is raised slowly, observing the time intervals. Within two hours, the temperature should be brought to 300 degrees Celsius and gradually increased to 500 degrees. Half a thousand degrees is a very dangerous moment for products, when even well-dried products can crack, therefore phased heating is very important, which does not allow sudden temperature fluctuations. average speed heating chamber should not exceed 100 degrees per hour. The maximum temperature to be reached is approximately 960 degrees Celsius. It is allowed to exceed this temperature by 10 degrees, but no more. The firing process is carried out with closed viewing holes, which will prevent cold air from being sucked into the chamber.

The firing of clay products is a long process, the length of which varies from 72 to 96 hours. depending on the consumable, the concentration of water in it, as well as properties that can be identified in practice. When firing is to be completed, the kiln temperature is lowered slowly. Speed should not exceed 60 degrees per hour. In the first hours, the cooling rate should be given particular attention, as this can deform the fired products. When the temperature drops to 400 degrees Celsius, the process can be slightly accelerated.

It is allowed to get clay products at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius, and glazed products are taken out only at 40 degrees. Unloading of finished products should be carried out on special dishes. It is impossible to allow the release of burnt products that have a dark, uneven color, as well as unburnt ones, which, upon impact, make a dull sound.

Maria Kolosovskaya, 26, Moscow

"I creative person, graduated from the Moscow Architectural Institute, I always wanted to create something beautiful. About four years ago, I came across a photograph of Lucy Rea, a London ceramist. I was fascinated by her image and the work that she did. When I realized that clay and glazes have a wide range of possibilities, it literally captured me. The exhibition at the Pushkin Museum, dedicated to Japanese ceramics raku, struck me with its aesthetics and resonated with me.

At first, there was no goal, I just liked to touch the clay, to observe how the glazes interact with each other. Now I work in the raku technique, but I have not fixed a specific direction for myself, I like a lot of techniques, I like to combine them with each other - I love experiments.

The ceramics course at Stroganovka with the artist Anna Kapyrina taught me the freedom to deal with clay and glazes. I also studied at art school in Italy, took separate courses in Stroganovka and, of course, studied on her own.

Ceramic education is expensive, materials too. Especially when you have not yet decided on your direction, you want to try everything: different types clay, various glazes. Two weeks in an Italian school cost a thousand dollars, training in Stroganovka for two months cost 40,000 rubles. One lesson in private workshops used to cost from 800 to 2700 rubles for three hours; a kilogram of clay on average from 40 to 1000 rubles; Glaze prices can vary greatly. One potter's wheel cost me 75 thousand rubles, the other - 35 thousand. The kiln for firing was built by a master for 120 thousand rubles. Now available for rent workplace and a furnace in the workshop, it is very convenient for those who know what they want, have an idea about the material and are not afraid to search on their own.

I had difficulties with the organization of my workshop. It was very important for me to find a pleasant space, and a lot of time was spent on finding a room and arranging it so that I liked being in it and that it was pleasant and comfortable to work. My partner made all the furniture himself: shelves of the right size, professional tables. It took a lot of money and time.

The most fascinating thing about ceramics is the magic of the process. I like that the end result is impossible to predict, like any interaction of the elements with a person. Clay needs a special approach, it cannot be reined in, it is very self-willed, it is necessary to negotiate with it. Working with materials teaches humility, patience, gives you the opportunity to know yourself better. It also teaches you not to be attached to the result: it happens that you put your whole soul and a lot of time into a product, and after firing it either comes out of the oven broken, or it turns out not at all what was expected, or it simply falls out of hands not yet completed and shatters . Although in some cases the cracks on my products are very appropriate, give life to the object, give a certain charm, sometimes I am not against them.

I would advise those who are interested in ceramics to be free, not to be afraid to do something technologically wrong, to experiment. If at first it doesn’t work out, come up with something of your own, be inspired by other masters, now you can easily find them on Instagram. If possible, go abroad, they can give a quality experience there. Each country charges with its own color, offers various techniques. Create the conditions for yourself to be inspired by this process, and then everything will turn out and be a joy.”

Olya Bystrova, 31 years old, Petersburg

“I work remotely and travel a lot. New to ceramics. Six months ago I took a short course in ceramics in Berlin, where I was taught the basic techniques of hand-sculpting and working with glazes. As a child, like many, I sculpted, and I remember very warm and good feelings from this.

My goal in the beginning was to try ceramics as an adult. I’m great at making things, but I still didn’t get to the studio and classes. And so I decided it was time to do it.

Classes in brsg cost about 200 euros. The result was the first ceramic objects made by me from beginning to end, it was a super pleasant experience. After that, I had a chance to live in Bali for two months. There I went to the Gaya studio. A potter's wheel lesson in a group cost 400,000 rupees (about 1,800 rubles). I took a subscription for 10 visits for 1,500,000 rupees (6800 rubles), which included unlimited clay and studio tools. The firing of products had to be paid separately. So far this is the most spacious studio I've ever been in there. amazing light and I had a very good time there.

I am now in the process of researching techniques, for me all this is a mental practice, during which I see many of my internal blocks, learn to manage emotions, let go of the brain and logic and act intuitively, going beyond the usual boundaries. There were a lot of discoveries that I started to apply in different aspects of my life - in general, for me it turned out to be some important tactile exercise, through which I understand some abstract concepts like concentration, stability, letting go of control and the like.

The difficulty at the moment has become not to follow the standard obvious techniques and try to do something unexpected and unplanned. It is also difficult for me to do simple things, I immediately want to start doing something "special". But in fact, it turned out to be a thrill to stay in the format of a very simple cup for a while and try to make different variations, burn them, glaze them and then drink coffee from them. So I was able to feel how small, barely noticeable tactility works, like the character of the chamfer on the edge of the cup. This is one example.

Next, I'm interested in experimenting with firing. As an experienced ceramist whose work I like told me, you have to know how to cook clay to make it delicious.

For those who want to try, I would advise you to take the time and try, this is an important step. Take a couple of lessons - hand modeling, potter's wheel, then buy a subscription and try to practice without a teacher, this is an interesting independent experience. The main thing is not to be afraid, it is available to everyone.”

Masha Egorova, 26, Moscow

“I have been doing ceramics for about three years, but I first thought about it as a teenager when I decided to make a service for myself. Soon I dismissed this idea as something unrealizable. And when I was 22 years old, I just decided to look at courses in ceramics - and so I got to a lesson in the Terletsky forest park with my first teacher.

This coincided with studying at. Therefore, ceramics no longer interested me solely as a craft. Intuitively, I wanted it to somehow connect with contemporary art.

I came to study in a circle, but after the second lesson I realized that I wanted to work more, so I switched to hand modeling, rolled clay layers, glued large pieces.

I studied a little, immediately began to do something at home myself. Later, I went to fire my objects in a workshop in the center of Moscow, where I met a good master, who gave me a couple of lessons on glazes and their chemical compounds. Now they often write to me that they would like to come to me to sculpt / paint, so I have thoughts about opening my own studio, but this is a separate conversation. I have an idea that needs to be worked out in order not to become another classical workshop, of which there are a lot in Moscow (thank you!) now.

Last year I bought an electric kiln small size. It cost about 100 thousand rubles, it was my contribution from the tax refund for the purchase of an apartment. I am not trying to count how much I spend on materials yet, I just try to spend the money that I receive for the sale of my vases only in business. The purchase of a kiln was necessary because of the difficulty of transporting unfired products. The fact is that most of the time I work as a designer, so, unfortunately, I can’t spend time in a separate workshop. I always work at home on an equipped loggia. Without an oven, there were endless boxes, newspapers, broken pieces, stress and frustration at hand.

I was very pleased when I started getting feedback on my work. I almost immediately made a website, and they began to write to me or in the company they said: "Oh, I know you, you make ceramic sculptures!" In general, when there is a backlash, it inspires new things.

Ceramics and modern Art I always have one way or another in common. Now my sculptures often interact with fashion photography. For the first time, sculptures were taken from me for shooting jewelry in the Afisha magazine, then in Blueprint, and recently there was a story with Sicky. I probably like this non-obvious solution for the interaction of ceramics and other visual cultures. I would like to develop it.

I have always made not very utilitarian items, so it was difficult to find understanding in classical workshops. Now I want to develop towards a more conceptual approach to ceramics, go not only in an intuitive way, but also think through the history of my sculpture before starting to work on it. I want to try working with other mediums (music, poetry, science fiction, fashion) – I don’t know yet in what form: as part of the ceramic object itself or simply as inspiration through other spheres.

Now ceramics is such a fashionable craft. I have many acquaintances who have recently started doing ceramics, but after half a year they quit. So much already exists, the internet is full of beautiful pottery. I am not very knowledgeable about ceramics as dishes, but it seems to me that the main thing here is observation and meaningfulness in the question of why you are doing this. The latter is what I myself am working on now. Without watchfulness, there are two ways - the absence of taste and secondariness. I perceive modern design and art as a science that studies the context, the audience, implies a certain study. This is also why a certain artistic sensitivity seems to me the most important.

Anna Russova, 43, Moscow

“I am a contemporary artist, I make sculptures and objects. I took up ceramics about 10 years ago. For a long time I was looking for a material that, on the one hand, would be easy to work with, on the other hand, it would be strong enough to withstand, for example, being outdoors.

Before ceramics, she worked with packaging materials, wood, paper, polystyrene, made mosaics, cast sculptures from epoxy resin - in general, with everything that you can work with at home, without a workshop.

One day, my relatives gave me a pottery stove, very antediluvian and with such intricate instructions for use that none of my relatives could figure it out. I twirled around this furnace and went for advice to Verkhnaya Maslovka, to a ceramist's shop. Previously, such a well-known stern uncle worked there, I asked him if he was selling any books on how to properly burn clay. He looked at me like that through his glasses and said: "Wouldn't you go, girl, to study ceramics?" Well, I went. I really felt like a ceramist when I bought my own oven, but I never managed to cope with that one.

Ceramics is such a multifaceted thing, such a variety of techniques that it is simply unrealistic to be an expert in everything. I immediately focused on hand modeling in training, all these plaster molds, casting is not at all mine. And as soon as I understood how to make ceramic sculpture, I switched to this material.

I sculpt my objects from ordinary white clay, paint with engobes, cover with transparent glaze - everything is quite simple. I also teach ceramics to children, and this is a separate pleasure.

If you really delve into the past, then I encountered ceramics right after school, while preparing for an art university. I was looking for a place to earn some money, and got a job in an office where they made ceramics under Gzhel. There I was taught how to paint with cobalt and at the same time got acquainted with the full cycle of ceramic production. Then there was a crafts center on Verkhnyaya Maslovka, then another course with Alexander Poverin, a famous Russian potter. Now I work in the KOM clay workshop, where I continue to learn from my more experienced colleagues.

On the one hand, ceramics is quite a budgetary thing, especially when compared with the same painters: clay is everywhere, you can make paints yourself or do without them at all (the same story with glazes), you can burn the whole thing in a fire. On the other hand, if you want to work with special glazes, high-temperature clay masses, then you need a good expensive oven. I've been saving money for my oven for two years. The potter's wheel and other equipment for ceramic workshops are also not the cheapest. True, in order to start, you don’t need anything at all: when you go to study, all the materials will be provided to you, the firing of works, as a rule, is also included in the training. Today in Moscow, education costs an average of about 20 thousand rubles.

It is impossible to learn all the ceramic wisdom: in addition to colossal historical traditions, a huge number of different schools and trends, there is also modern technologies. It is such a sea of information that it is easy to drown in. For me, the most difficult thing is to accept: I studied so much, but still I know and can do so little. And there is also this unpredictability of the result. You can do the same type of work every day, the same clay, the same decor - and still you don’t know for sure what will happen after firing. Everything that you have done before putting the work into the furnace is your skill, and what happens in the furnace is magic. It is not for nothing that Japanese and Chinese ceramists consider the kiln a sacred place and read prayers during firing.

But no matter how hard your day is, it is worth taking the clay in your hands - and that's it, you relax. Maybe it's true that God created man from clay: it feels like such a native material. And the pliability of clay in work is incredibly captivating to me. Sometimes it seems that I am not just sculpting a thing, but creating something alive. It turns out that it's so nice to "be God": there are endless possibilities in front of you, there is practically nothing that cannot be molded from clay!

Now my task is to make such objects that will combine ceramics and, for example, wood or fabric. And another new hobby and great love - street art. I don’t know how it is in other places, but in Moscow it’s difficult for an artist to agree on exhibitions, but here you don’t have to negotiate with anyone, the whole city is yours, what’s the city - the whole world! For me this is very promising direction, I think then smoothly migrate to land art. Well, and another mini-task - still master the potter's wheel.

I was very drawn to the topic of clay modeling and pottery. I began to immerse myself in the study of this topic: what is made of ceramics, what is the firing process and processing. Thus was born my own project Ceramic bu Ava to create ceramic jewelry.

I experimented with Stoneware Special Clay. This material impressed me with its versatility, you could do anything with it. But he was not strong enough. And then I spent about six months in Madrid, where I accidentally stumbled upon small shop with porcelain. I bought three large 10 kg briquettes, brought them to Bali, tried them and realized that porcelain was exactly what I had been looking for for so long.

I began to put into practice all the knowledge that I acquired at the academy. Independently engaged in jewelry design, modeling, production, printing, website development, packaging. From the very beginning I wanted to do everything qualitatively and beautifully.

At first, I made jewelry with large porcelain elements. I was very impressed with massive rings. But the problem is that such rings, firstly, are not for every day, and secondly, they are difficult to combine with anything. As a result, I completely revised the concept of my jewelry. I chose simple and concise models that you want to wear in any situation. This is how jewelry collections turned out. geometric shapes with small porcelain inlays that go with different styles of clothing.

Three years after the move, learning to mastery went harmoniously in my free time and did not require a lot of money. After 2016, when I completely switched to my project, it required some investments. The most costly part own production jewelry: 3D models, master models, rubber bands for making samples, the work of a silversmith who finishes each piece. The production of the first batch took about 600 thousand rubles.

The main tools I use are - wooden plank and sharp knives, with which I cut porcelain inserts for jewelry. They say that every chef has his own knife, which is perfectly sharpened and fits exactly in his hand. The process of making models for the workpiece occurs through the use of a 3D printer, then I cast a plaster mold using the resulting models. It turns out like a mold for a chocolate bar, only instead of squares it has geometric patterns. After that, I pour porcelain into the mold. And then I give the resulting inserts, along with sketches, to silversmiths, who complete the work on the jewelry.

I think that ceramics will give everyone what they need.”

The very first stage from which production begins is the procurement and processing of raw materials.. Harvesting usually takes place along the banks of rivers and flooded sand pits. The extracted clay is crushed, excess impurities are removed from it, and also brought to a uniform, colloidal state, which will help to avoid cracks and defects during firing. The cleaning and preparation technology is the same for yellow, red and white clay.
Modern technologies have made it possible to fresh ideas into pottery, making it easier and faster.

Today, at pottery enterprises, one can increasingly find not a potter's wheel, but a method of casting clay. For this, ready-made, sealed forms are used, as well as a specially prepared suspension, the water concentration in which varies from 30 to 40 percent. Forms filled with clay mortar dry in special room, after which the forms are opened. Then, the masters of the workshop bring the blanks to perfection. Among their tools there are especially sharp blades, brushes, warm water solution. With the help of these devices and materials, they cut off casting channels, an extra layer of clay, as well as marks at the junction of forms, which is final. In addition, a special erosion method provides a smooth surface for future products. To do this, use a special brush and an aqueous solution that levels the surface.

Then comes the most main stage – , during which the structure of the future product is formed, excess water is evaporated, elements are fixed, and some excess impurities are removed that could not be removed during the processing of raw materials. Modern pasty suspensions avoid various impurities, therefore, in modern pottery workshops, the clay does not change its color after firing, which would indicate that the clay contains a lot of mineral deposits.
Firing future ceramic products occurs at temperatures from 900 to 1450 degrees Celsius. The temperature depends on the type of clay, on its density and viscosity, as well as on the desired result. For example, a temperature of 900 degrees is the maximum for products that are particularly fragile, and porcelain objects are fired at a temperature of 1450 degrees. highest quality, so you will not find such technology in ordinary pottery workshops.
The firing process of the product sets the strength, as well as many other parameters.. Incorrect design of the furnace, as well as uneven distribution of gases in the chamber, can lead to deformation of products, the appearance of cracks, or burns.
The process of firing ceramics is very long, so the company operates up to 15 furnaces at the same time. The production capacity of such an enterprise can produce up to 100 tons of clay products per year. The main rule of pottery masters is no haste, otherwise the result may be unsatisfactory. Clay spoiled during the firing process cannot be reused, so the only way is to dispose of it as a slag deposit. Since high-quality clay rocks are extremely rare in nature, such a mistake can be very expensive.

Glaze decoration is produced in a separate workshop. has almost nothing in common with ordinary paint, however, chemical reagents designed to ensure the chemical neutrality of the glaze, as well as fast drying, turn the glaze into a water-based solution, similar in its properties to paint. The pottery is dipped into a special glaze bath several times so that the glaze penetrates into the smallest holes. After that, a stream of air blows off excess glaze from the product before drying. Drying takes about 20 hours, giving any ceramic product a finished, marketable condition . This is how the production of ceramic products is arranged, which combines not only ancient art pottery, but also modern innovations.

How to properly prepare the clay and prepare the mass for modeling?
The washed dried clay is broken with a hammer into small pieces, soaked hot water in 2-3 doses enamelware until the surface of the clay is covered with water by 4-5 cm. For 10-12 hours, the mixture is periodically stirred by adding water. Then the mass is rubbed several times through a sieve and again allowed to settle for 1-2 days until it thickens. The remaining water is scooped out, the mass is poured into gypsum trays (gypsum absorbs water well), the clay will compact even more. After 3-4 hours, the clay can be selected from the trays. You will get a dough that is well behind the hand, which does not have air bubbles (if any, it is necessary to wash the clay). Fold the clay in layers and cover with plastic wrap.
Before use, leaning additives (quartz sand, ground shard, crushed chamotte) are introduced into the clay to reduce shrinkage and fluxing additives (feldspars, pegmatite, chalk, limestone, and others) to reduce the firing temperature, ensure sintering of the shard, increase thermal stability and translucency.

Equipment for ceramic products :
Stacks and rings are used for the manufacture of ceramic products. You can make an electric potter's wheel yourself by adapting a table or a carpentry workbench and an electric motor from sewing machine with a pedal to control the speed of rotation.
A working circle with a diameter of 25-30 cm can be machined from bronze, aluminum, plastic or thick plywood soaked in hot drying oil. The ratio of the diameters of the pulleys of the electric motor and the circle is calculated so that the circle rotates with maximum speed- 300 rpm. (counterclock-wise).

Equipment manufacturers prices :
LLC "HORSS" offers a range of electric potter's wheels of foreign and domestic manufacturers: from professional to small, suitable for schools, studios, hobbies, as well as all necessary materials to open his own small workshop.

Profi-Max potter's wheel S-4631 is suitable for individual artists, studios and small workshops. Disc diameter - 200 mm, weight with packaging - approximately 65 kg. The price is 29,502 rubles.
Potter's wheel S-4802 manufactured by Fo. Me., Italy is suitable for work at home, in studios and workshops. Can be placed on a table or on a low stand. Disc diameter - 300 mm, weight with packaging - about 19 kg. The price is 39,176 rubles.
There are also more expensive models: the potter's wheel S-4640 (Fome 3412) can be purchased for 44,014 rubles, the circle S-4860 (RK-Visper) costs 59,472 rubles, and the circle S-4861 (VL-Visper) - 66,316 rubles .
Table potter's wheel S-4879 (RK-5T) is designed for home use(for a hobby). Manufacturer: NidecShimpo Corporation, Japan.
The maximum clay weight is 10 kg. The weight of the circle is 13 kg. Its price in the company: 21,948 rubles.
Pottery wheel S-4880 (PK-55) (manufacturer: Nidec-Shimpo Corporation, Japan) is perfect for schools, studios, hobbies. The speed control is carried out by a remote pedal from 0 to 250 rpm, the choice of the direction of rotation is clockwise or counterclockwise. The maximum clay weight is 14 kg. The circle itself weighs 27 kg. Its price: 35’046 rubles.
The potter's wheel S-4822 (Armavir) with a friction drive and a pedal is very easy to use. The drive flywheel is always at hand - you can turn the product a little to work. On both sides of the table - retractable cups for tools. The weight of the circle is approximately 25 kg. Circle price: 18,172 rubles.
The company can purchase a kiln for firing products (prices for gas ovens: from 70 to 900 thousand rubles, for electric: from 60 thousand to over 1 million rubles), as well as the necessary materials (ceramic masses, glazes, engobes, luster paints, pigments, salts, oxides, overglaze and universal paints), books for learning. Company ТМ «Golden Hands»
offers an electric potter's wheel PROFI-MAX (MINI equipment - the most lightweight option for supplying a wheel, the cost is 30 thousand rubles) and a forming attachment for it, SUPER-PROFI pottery wheels (cost - 40 thousand rubles)) and a potter's wheel for beginners " Gosh "(cost - 12 thousand rubles).
The PROFI-MAX wheel package includes: potter's wheel, user's manual, speed change pedal, plastic bowl, two foam rubber sponges, string with handles, soft stack, instructional film on DVD (42 min.), potter's clay sample (2.5 kg), kit for assembling a drawer cabinet (description, plywood parts, self-tapping screws, key). The molding attachment makes it possible to mold, for example, a decorative plate in a plaster mold, rotating on the faceplate of the potter's wheel, in one minute. After 15-20 minutes after molding, when the clay dries and shrinks, the plate is easily removed from the mold.
It is possible to form a decorative plate with any bas-relief on the bottom, while only the inset pattern changes, and the plaster mold remains the same. Then you can start decorating, cut through, scratch, make stucco elements or embossing. stamp drawing. By using various plaster molds, you can easily expand the range of ceramics produced.
With the help of a vacuum table (supplied on request) it is possible to grind finished goods(for example, bottoms), do layering, burnish. It is very easy to make a plaster mold on a plaster model machine. Methods for Forming Ceramic Products :
The molding of ceramic products can be carried out in several ways: free molding, free molding on a potter's wheel, plastic molding by hand impression in a mold, plastic molding in a rotating plaster mold using a mold, slip casting into plaster molds.
In free modeling, various figurines, whistles or pots of large volumes are manually molded from prepared clay dough. A mold is molded from a piece of clay desired shape. Then, with a stacked spatula, a recess is made in it and clay is selected, gradually thinning the walls of the vessel. Finishing and smoothing internal surfaces perform a stack-loop. The prepared hollow form is placed on a board and the edge of the vessel is processed, sticking a neck to it - a rolled strip of clay.
Free molding is done on a potter's wheel. Place a piece of clay in the shape of a ball exactly in the center of the potter's wheel. By pressing with your thumbs, a cylindrical recess is made in the middle of the ball and gradually expands it to the required size. Then pull the cylinder to the desired height. First, the base is molded, then, gently pressing on the walls of the cylinder with inside, expand it to obtain the desired product.
Plastic molding by hand imprint is carried out using plaster molds. Open molds are used for molding flat products, detachable molds are used in the manufacture of products. complex shapes(vessels, sculptures). The form is filled with clay dough and kneaded from the center to the edges.
In addition to these methods, there is also plastic molding in a rotating plaster mold using a template and molding by slip casting into plaster molds (based on the property of gypsum to absorb moisture and the ability of clay to move from liquid state into a plastic test state).
In the manufacture of ceramic products of complex configuration, molding methods are often combined. The combination of plastic molding in a rotating plaster mold with a metal template with slip casting is widely used in the manufacture of teapots, cups, jugs and other porcelain and faience products consisting of a body and attached parts. Smoky ceramics are produced by a combination of slip casting with plastic molding. Toy manufacturing technology :
Technology of making toys (popular modern souvenirs). From red, gray or white clay with finely sifted sand and water, a viscous dough is kneaded, from which toys are molded. Having dried well in the wind, after a few days they are fired, and then decorated with colored glazes or paintings. Dymkovo craftsmen, after drying and calcining in an oven, whitewash the toys with chalk diluted in skimmed milk, and then paint with gouache ground on egg yolk.
Ceramics can be decorated with reliefs, counter-reliefs or figured decorations, openwork indentation or carving with special stamps, inlay, sgraffito.
The simplest relief can be obtained by attaching a comb to the rotating surface of the vessel, smooth lines, lines with sharp and blunt tops, zigzag lines will be obtained. Stamps with figured images made of plaster, wood, metal (gears, nuts) are applied with an ornament, frills are made with fingers, and a carving is made with a knife. Sgraffito is carried out by scratching a slightly dried product covered with a layer of engobe (heat-resistant paint) to the lower, darker layer of clay.
In addition, there is textured decoration - polishing ceramics to a shine with smooth objects - leather, wood, prints of fabric or mesh, applying wax before glazing, marbling (drops of paint spread over the surface themselves or they are diluted with a stick, wire), staining with iron oxides, smoke ( smoking pitch, oil or rags impregnated with them are added to the kiln during firing). An interesting pattern can be obtained by putting a red-hot product in sawdust, chopped straw or dipping it in a flour mash.
An elegant appearance is acquired by ceramics treated with solutions of silver, gold, platinum or finished with a chandelier (the thinnest transparent film applied to the glaze, shimmering in different colors depending on the type of metal oxides that make up the base). A variety of decorative floral or thematic compositions on ceramics can be obtained using picturesque decoration, which is done in multi-colored heat-resistant paints(engobe) manually or mechanically.
Ceramic firing :
Firing ceramics. Clay products are fired in a conventional oven, in a Dutch or muffle oven. It is best to purchase a small muffle furnace, but you can make your own. It heats up to +900°С. The first firing (utility) is done after the product covered with engobes dries. It lasts from 2.5 to 7 hours. In this way, terracotta is obtained, the color of which depends on the clay, temperature and firing mode.

Processing of ceramics after firing . Terracotta is easily processed with sandpaper, sharp steel tools, and grooves. It can be tinted with tempera paints or watercolours, diluted with milk, but most often covered with glazes, which are then fixed with a second firing.
Glaze, suitable for any shard, is obtained by fusing the following mixture (in parts by weight): potassium nitrate - 30; borax - 114.5; boric acid- 49.5; marble -40; kaolin - 207.2; quartz sand 228. The components are placed in a refractory crucible and placed in a muffle furnace. The readiness of the alloy is determined using a long metal rod with a bent end: it is lowered into the crucible and quickly removed. If a vitreous thread without knots stretches behind it, it means that the alloy is ready; the crucible is removed with tongs and its contents are poured into a metal vessel with cold water, where the mass will crumble into small pieces, which are then ground.
The easiest (folk) way to make glaze is to heat bottle glass over a fire and then throw it into water. The glass will be covered with small cracks and easily crumble. Grind it in a mortar into powder and add a paste. The product is watered with this composition, allowed to dry and placed in an oven, where it is kept for about 3 hours.
Coating ceramics with enamels , specially prepared in a muffle furnace from certain components (silicon dioxide, boric anhydrite, oxides of aluminum, titanium, oxides of alkali and alkaline earth metals, lead, zinc).

An interesting decoration can be obtained from small colored pieces of glass. They are applied to certain places on the surface of the product, then it is fired again (for the third time). Glass melts and spreads over the surface. This gives the product even more shine.
You can create amazingly beautiful things from clay, painting them with a wide variety of colors, you can apply one paint to another to get a new combination, new shades.

Clay products are always relevant. Some people cannot imagine their kitchen without ceramic dishes - they cook in it, decorate their interior with various decorative pots made of this plastic material. Yes, and souvenirs - magnets, photo frames, cups, vases, which we always get when we relax at the resort, most often clay ones. All this suggests that the pottery business is one of the most profitable destinations entrepreneurial activity. In this article, we will introduce pottery for beginners, so that anyone who is seriously considering leaving the main job for the sake of development own business, was able to realize himself in this direction.

Features of the pottery business

The first potters were the ancient Greeks. It was they who began to make unique products from clay - vases and amphorae, which conquered the whole world of that time. We treat them as ordinary, without attaching special value. But one has only to think about how many home life things made of clay - plates, cups, cauldrons, bowls and much more. This means that pottery as a business will never lose its relevance and will bring a stable and high income to those who decide to start pottery at home. If you are among the people who want to start DIY pottery at home, then you need to know the main features of this entrepreneurial activity:

Ceramic products are best sold in large resort towns, where there are always many tourists coming from far abroad. These people are the target audience, as they will probably buy various souvenirs for their relatives and buy something beautiful for themselves as a memento of their vacation;
Those who have been engaged in pottery at home for more than a year have well mastered the peculiarity of this business, which we mentioned in the paragraph above. Therefore, this line of business has high level competition. A beginner will have to devote a lot of time to studying the market in the area where he decided to open pottery;
Remember that your pottery must be exclusive in order for people to buy it. It will be necessary to develop an author's technique for the manufacture and decoration of ceramic products so that they emphasize your personal unique design style. People really like to buy author's gizmos - it's fashionable and meets the requirements of the time;
Keep in mind that those pottery products in the resort town that reflect the flavor of the local culture will be in special demand. People are more willing to acquire something that emphasizes the traditions and customs of the place where they have been;
The beginning of pottery should be marked by the release of a narrow range of products. It should be one thing - or dishes, or souvenirs, or pots, or vases. Over time, when your customer base expands, you can think about making several types of ceramic products at the same time;
Before starting pottery, it is necessary to register a private enterprise. If you will only be engaged in the manufacture of household goods (dishes, for example), then you need to register your activity under the OKVED code 26.21. If your interests also include children's toys, then you need to choose OKVED 36.50 and a simplified taxation system in order to insurance premiums and other expenses were not very great;
Having mastered the above features of the ceramic business, you can become a wealthy person almost from scratch. Of course, start-up capital will be needed in any case, but it will not be so large and will quickly pay off. We will talk about this in more detail in the corresponding section of our article.

Selection and arrangement of premises for the workshop

How to start pottery after registering a business? It is important to pay due attention to the room where your workshop will constantly function. After all, the selected space must meet certain mandatory requirements:

It must be two rooms. You equip one of the rooms for a workshop (this room should be larger in area than the second), and the other for a warehouse of finished ceramic products (a room area of 15 m² will be enough);
By area, the room should not be less than 50 m²;
It is advisable to choose an apartment for a workshop on the ground floor;
It is very important that the room has all the necessary communications (we are talking about sewerage, air conditioning, ventilation, electricity and plumbing);
Be sure to carefully consider the choice of equipment for the pottery workshop. This should be done under the guidance of an experienced craftsman who is well versed not only in pottery technology, but also understands the equipment necessary for work. By the way, many potters can make equipment for pottery on their own.

Production technology

Scheme of production of ceramic products

For several decades in a row, the production of ceramic products has been carried out using the same technology, but in different ways. If you are making souvenirs (doing free modeling), then you only need to choose the right raw materials, knead it and sculpt it. In this case, it is important to use a potter's wheel, a modeling board or special prints - so the shapes of your products will be more accurately processed.

In fact, the process of making pottery includes several main steps:

Acquisition of raw materials - you can either buy it or extract it yourself. If you are just thinking about how to start pottery, you can try the second option. To do this, you need to find deposits of clay in your personal plot and check it for suitability for hand sculpting. It is necessary to roll a small tourniquet from clay and roll it into a bagel. If there are practically no cracks, then this is an excellent raw material for work;
Form the necessary product from clay using the tools you have;
Dry your ceramic creation and then fire it;
When the product hardens well, it needs to be given an elegant look. To do this, clay is treated with special solutions, and then painted, decorated and varnished.

If you neglect at least one of the above points, then your work may be done in vain, because improperly mixed and then processed raw materials will simply begin to crumble, break, which means that you will not be able to sell it.

Necessary equipment for work

Let's get back to what equipment you need to purchase if you decide that the pottery business is exactly the one you want to implement:

Potter's wheel;
Scales;
A machine on which clay is kneaded for modeling;
The furnace in which you will burn the finished products;
Forms for modeling various clay figurines;
Decorative materials for decorating your products (paints, glass, brushes, etc.).

Note that at first you do not need to purchase professional new equipment. At first, it will be possible to use used devices. They can really be found on various sites of free ads, on the Internet. Do not worry that the technique that other masters of pottery managed to use is no longer suitable or will quickly break down. As a rule, the equipment is always sold in excellent condition. If you are unsure that you can handle it on your own, invite an experienced craftsman who will give you useful advice when buying and with his expert eye, he will determine whether you are offered quality equipment for the workshop or not.

Pottery wheel diagram

What can you earn?

Ceramic products have a fairly large sales market. Therefore, if you doubt whether pottery is profitable in modern society, then you can discard all negative thoughts. Ceramic products are a great way, with minimal starting capital. The main thing for you to decide. Be sure to consider the needs of a wide range of people in the area in which you decide to do this business.

If you decide that there is nothing better for you than to open your own pottery and souvenir business, then you can find wholesalers who will buy goods from you. But organizing this whole process is quite difficult. After all, large supermarkets acquire a batch of souvenirs, in which at least 1000 pieces of products. Numerous problems and questions immediately arise. initial stage development of your business will only prevent you from focusing and learning manufacturing techniques. Of course, if you hire in your workshop experienced craftsmen, then you can quickly deal with orders;
Having gained experience, you will be able to organize paid pottery workshops for children and adults. Today it is a very fashionable direction of artistic activity. Who is not interested in molding something with their own hands, and then hanging a product made by themselves in their room? Over time, when high earnings from pottery appear, you will have the opportunity to organize large-scale exhibitions and even competitions among your students;
Some companies and firms prefer to use different ceramic souvenirs as advertising. They can be made to order.

In fact, the market for the sale of ceramic products is very wide. You just need to constantly develop, look for new consumers, offer your services to a wide audience, and then profitable offers will always appear.

Financial investments

Having decided, you need to draw up a pottery business plan in order to make sure for yourself that the chosen decision is correct and dispel all doubts about whether it is profitable to engage in pottery in our time.

The minimum amount of money that you need to have before doing the pottery itself should be 500,000 rubles. This amount will go towards the following costs:

It will take about 10,000 rubles to register an IP;
Renting a room for arranging a workshop - 40,000 rubles (the same amount will have to be spent monthly);
Purchase necessary equipment- 300,000 rubles;
Kiln for firing - 100 thousand rubles;
Several potter's wheels - 50,000 rubles;
Scales - 6 thousand rubles;
Modeling molds - 50,000 rubles;
Clay different varieties- 20,000 rubles;
Marriage and breakage of products (from 15,000);
Employee salaries. You will need at least two masters at first, an advertising manager and a person who will keep track of finances (you can assign this responsibility to yourself). All this requires at least 70,000 rubles;
To pay taxes and contributions, you will need about 70 thousand rubles a year, but this figure can vary significantly, depending on which form of production you choose;
You will have to spend at least 10,000 rubles a month on advertising your business.

Where can I sell the finished product and at what price?

Now let's take a closer look at how much money you can earn for the implementation finished products from clay.

If you find regular wholesale buyers who will purchase goods from you in a batch, where there are 1000 units, then you can get from 10,000 to 100,000 rubles. Revenue will depend on what kind of products you sell:

If these are fridge magnets, then for a batch you can get 6,000 - 12,000 rubles (if they are made for a designer order, then the price doubles);
If these are photo frames, then for a batch you will receive from 12,000 to 24,000 rubles (the situation here is the same as with magnets);
If these are ceramic pots, then for a batch you can get from 75,000 to 200,000 rubles;
If you rent pottery equipment to other workshops, you can earn from 2,000 rubles a day;
If you conduct pottery training for children and adults, then in one hour of classes you can earn from 500 to 1000 rubles.

Video: How we made a pottery school from scratch

Before you start exercising entrepreneurial activity related to ceramic products, you should definitely study as much information as possible about this type of business. There are a lot of sources on the Internet. It can be difficult to read a useful article, but also watch a free video pottery for beginners.

We recommend that you, in addition to self-education in matters related to starting a business with ceramic products, take pottery training from a qualified specialist. He will explain to you not only the theory of working with clay, but also demonstrate everything in practice. Of course, you will have to spend money on courses - approximately 15,000 rubles, provided that you attend pottery master classes for two months. Keep in mind that even if you learn pottery lessons for beginners well from the master you went to study with, you will still be far from professional level. In the process of work, with experience, you will achieve the desired result and become a fairly wealthy person who will do what he loves.
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