Making Mini Teapot

This time I'll show you how to make the mini teapot. You will get the complete guideline to form the mini teapot. If you are a potter, it will easier for you to understand.

TOOLS



(click the picture for larger image)

Prepare these simple and easy to get tools: 1 water color paint brush, 1 satay stick, 1 toothpicks, 1 needle (or long iron needle), 1 shaping stick and of course water.

STEP SERIES #1 : Making the body of the mini teapot



1. Take a little bit of clay and shape it into small ball
2. Flatten the base and make it smaller for the upper part
3. If the step is right, you will get this shape (picture number 3)

STEP SERIES #2: Making the fake lid

The lid can not be open, that's why I called it 'fake' lid



1. Using the needle, make a single circle line at the upper part of the teapot body.
2. As usual, to stick the clay to another clay, you have to scratch the needed surface. This time I scratched the center because I want to make the 'fake' handle for the lid.
3. Applied a little bit of water before you stick with another clay.
4. Make a very tiny ball of clay, the size here is about 2mm in diameter.
5. Then stick the tiny ball to the body.
6. The lid is done.

STEP SERIES #3: Making the spout



1. Take a little bit of clay, form it into tiny 'horn' shape.
2. Scratch the teapot wall to stick the spout. Don't forget to applied a little bit of water.
3. Stick the spout to the teapot wall.
4. To make the spout looks like original, take the toothpick, and hole the tip of the spout.
5. Then the spout will look like original, as the water can come out.

STEP SERIES #4: Making the handle (part I)

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1. Take a little bit of clay, form it into tiny ball, then press it
2. Following the step 2-3 of the STEP SERIES 2, Stick the clay to the other part of the wall.
3. Hole it with the 'satay' stick.
4. If your step is right you will get the shape showed on the 4 picture.

STEP SERIES #5 : Making the handle part 2



1.If you flip the teapot, then you will see that the other part of the 'holed handle' is not neat, so you have to neat it.
2. Using satay stick or toothpick, flatten the 'untrimmed' handle.
3. Repeat step 3 of the STEP SERIES #4.

Now the teapot is done!!!



The teapot is very small. It is not easy to dip this mini teapot into the glaze. If you use 2 of your fingers to dip in, then it will messy. So I use a helping tool.



1. I use the thin wire and I bent it like a hook.
2. Then hang the mini teapot to the hook.
3. Dip it into the glaze.
4. The glaze liquid always block the handle, so you need to blow it to 'open' the block
5. Don't forget to wipe the bottom of the teapot unless it will stick to the shelve.

Ta daaaa..............this is the mini teapot after firing, and I use it as a necklace:-)

Various Kind of Clay

Clay is a material that elastic to form in damp condition and contains silica, aluminum, and water. It will change into ceramic after firing.
Based on firing finished products, there are three kinds of clay : earthenware, stoneware and porcelain.

Earthenware

Earthenware has maximum temperature for 900 Celcius degree and the fired products are pottery and terracotta. Pottery goes to pots, vessels and tableware, whereas terracotta goes to sculpture and relief. This clay mostly red in color after firing.

Stoneware

The temperature of stoneware clay can reach 1250 Celcius degree. The character of this clay after firing (become ceramics) is not easy for water to penetrate, that is why it is most use for industry. White and brown are the most common color.

Porcelain

Porcelain is not elastic and not easy to form, but the master can do it. It is white in color and translucent if the thickness is very thin. Porcelain has the highest in temperature, it can reach 1300 Celcius degree.


My jewelry beads mostly use porcelain and stoneware clay, and the combination of stoneware such as color clay and paper clay.