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.

Women Broch #1

Ceramic stoneware, wire, fresh water pearl, dried leaves, dried husk, coconut fiber.

Fired Beads#3

These are series of mini objects. They can be anything: teapots, bottles, cups, houses, snowman, ................................anything...

Fired Beads #2

These are newest design of fired beads and will be ceramic jewelry after arrangement. This time I combined them with wires and fresh water pearl. I'll show you how it looks after combining them with cord, ribbons, pin, and other supporting materials.

Raw Beads #3

Newest design. These range of beads will be contemporary look after firing and beads arrangement.

Basic Color Clay Application

Experiment with clay is very exiting. Here I share to you the step by step to have fun with clay.

As my previous tutorial is 'how to make color clay', here I show you the easiest technique to get color clay effect. In nature, there are some types of clay, here as example I used brown stoneware clay and white stoneware clay, so you don't have to add stain or pigment into the clay, the natural color gives it's own beauty.

Step 1

Take a little bit brown clay and white clay. Cut into pieces like the picture on the left.










Step 2

Pile up the clay orderly (or as you wish): white clay-brown clay-white clay-brown clay......








Step 3

Press it delicately, so the clay will stick together properly.








Step 4

Lay it down








Step5
Press again, this time a bit harder, until you get the desired thickness. In this example, I made it about 3 mm thick.








Step 6
Here is the result of step 5









Step 7

Cut into neat square as shown in the picture on the left. Arrange them orderly upside down (or as you wish) so you will get the checkered pattern.
In this step, better you layer clay paste into each side of the clay strip (look at the white arrow). The purpose of the clay paste, is to make the clay stick each other properly.




Step 8

Roll it again delicately









Step 9
Ta daaa!!!....you get the pattern....
Create your wild imagination!
You can use this pattern into anything

I'm sure you have wild imagination and creation....
This pattern is an example only.
You are free to create your own patter.




You will find the complete tutorial in my first book about 'working with clay'. The book will be launch soon this August - November by PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama as the publisher.

Ceramic Jewelry using casting slip

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/handbuilding-techniques/creating-colorful-ceramic-jewelry-using-a-carved-plaster-slab-and-casting-slip/