Ceramics : Mastering the Craft

by Zakin, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780801979910
• ISBN10: 0801979919
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1990-10-01
• Publisher: F&W-PUB

Summary

In Ceramics: Mastering the Craft, Richard Zakin has written a comprehensive handbook for everyone interested in working in ceramics. He offers practical advice on buying and formulating clays, choosing and applying glazes, firing clay bodies, and setting up a ceramics studio.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. 8
Introduction	p. 10
Understanding Ceramic Materials	p. 11
The Basic Building Blocks	p. 12
Elements Found in Ceramic Materials	p. 12
Compounds Used in Ceramics	p. 12
Clays	p. 14
Feldspars	p. 14
Frits	p. 14
Gound Silica (Flint)	p. 15
Silica/Melter Materials	p. 15
Glaze and Body Stains	p. 15
Toxic Materials	p. 15
Eutectics	p. 15
Purchasing Ceramic Materials	p. 15
Ceramic Recipes	p. 16
Ceramic Color	p. 17
The Physics of Ceramic Color	p. 17
Colorants Found in Nature	p. 17
Ceramic Stains	p. 17
Colors Found in Stains	p. 20
Using Stains in Ceramic Recipes	p. 20
A Note on Toxicity	p. 21
Clay Bodies: Making and Buying	p. 23
Important Attributes of Clay Bodies	p. 23
Plasticity	p. 23
Working Strength	p. 23
Clay Body Color	p. 24
Maturity	p. 24
Clay Body Absorption	p. 24
Clay Body Texture	p. 24
Resistance to Warping	p. 24
Intended Use	p. 24
Materials Used in Clay Bodies	p. 24
Clays	p. 24
Nonclay Materials	p. 24
Silica	p. 24
Silicates	p. 24
Feldspars	p. 25
Frits	p. 25
Fluxing Materials	p. 25
Fillers	p. 25
Types of Silica and Their Effect on Clay Bodies	p. 26
Materials in Clay Body Recipes	p. 26
Clays	p. 26
Nonclay Materials	p. 26
Clay Body Types	p. 26
Clay Body Types in Common Use	p. 27
Earthenware Bodies	p. 27
Stoneware Bodies	p. 30
High-Fire Sculpture Bodies	p. 30
Porcelain Bodies	p. 32
Porcelainous Bodies	p. 33
Unconventional Clay Bodies	p. 34
Self-Glazing Clay Bodies	p. 34
Low-Clay Content Bodies	p. 34
Colored Clay Bodies	p. 34
Low-Clay Content Colored Clay Bodies	p. 36
Highly Active Fluxes in Clay Bodies	p. 36
Colored Grog in Clay Bodies	p. 38
Making, Purchasing, and Testing Clay Bodies	p. 38
Purchasing Clay Bodies	p. 39
Making a Teapot in Colored Clay	p. 40
Making Clay Bodies	p. 42
Material Substitutions in Clay Bodies	p. 42
Testing Clay Bodies	p. 43
Testing for Working Strength	p. 43
Testing for Plasticity	p. 43
Testing for Shrinkage	p. 43
Testing for Warping	p. 43
Testing Clay Body Absorption	p. 44
Ceramic Forms: Vessels, Sculpture, and Wall Pieces	p. 45
Vessel Forms	p. 45
Utilitarian Vessels	p. 45
Nonutilitarian Vessels	p. 49
Sculpture	p. 50
Imagery	p. 52
Ceramic Wall Pieces	p. 62
Ceramic Slab Construction	p. 68
Robert Harrison	p. 70
Creating Form in Clay	p. 72
Preparing the Clay for Work	p. 72
Seasoning the Clay Body	p. 72
Wedging	p. 72
Cutting	p. 73
Ceramic Forming Methods	p. 73
Pinch Forming	p. 73
Building a Small Pinch Form	p. 74
Building a Large Pinch Form	p. 74
Solid Forming	p. 74
Piercing a Solid Form	p. 76
Hollowing a Solid Block of Clay	p. 76
Slab Forming	p. 76
Making a Ceramic Cylindrical Form	p. 77
Joins	p. 78
Working With the Cylinder	p. 78
Making a Three-Sided Form	p. 79
Coil Building	p. 81
Coil Forming	p. 81
Throwing on the Potter's Wheel	p. 81
The Process	p. 82
Throwing on the Wheel	p. 84
Centering	p. 86
Opening Up the Form	p. 86
Pulling	p. 86
Thrown and Altered Forms	p. 86
"Ovalizing" a Thrown Clylinder	p. 87
Matrix Forming	p. 88
Drape Forming	p. 88
Hand Forming in a Press Mold	p. 90
Creating a Mold-Formed Vessel	p. 92
Using a Plywood Drape Form to Create a Plate	p. 94
Forming a U-Shaped Pot	p. 94
Extruder Forming	p. 94
Mold Forming	p. 95
Press Mold Forming	p. 95
Slipcast Forming	p. 95
Ram Press Forming	p. 95
Slip Forming	p. 95
Making the Mold	p. 96
Mixing Plaster	p. 96
Making a Simple One-Piece Mold	p. 96
Making a Simple Two-Piece Mold	p. 96
Casting Slip	p. 98
Using the Mold to Make a Piece	p. 98
Experiments in Form Creation	p. 99
Modular Forms	p. 101
Mixed Media	p. 101
Combining Metal and Clay in the Fire	p. 101
Using Melting to Create Form	p. 101
Clay Imagery	p. 102
Sprigged Imagery	p. 102
Applying Sprigged Imagery	p. 102
Carved and Engraved Imagery	p. 106
Carving an Image in a Ceramic Form	p. 106
Stamped or Pressed Imagery	p. 108
Using Stamped Imagery on a Slab Form	p. 108
Press Molded Imagery	p. 108
Making an Applied Press Mold Element	p. 108
Sandblasting	p. 108
Slip Trailing	p. 108
Using a Flexible Slip Trailer	p. 108
Ceramic Surfaces	p. 110
Introduction	p. 110
Clay Surfaces	p. 110
Applied Surfaces	p. 110
Nonvitreous Surfaces	p. 112
Washes	p. 112
Finishing a Piece With Glazes and Washes	p. 112
Slip and Engobes	p. 113
Applying Glazes Over Nonvitreous Surfaces	p. 115
Finishing a Piece Using Engraved Slip Imagery Covered by a Clear Glaze	p. 115
Vitreous Engobes	p. 117
Vitreous Engobe Recipes: Cones 04/03	p. 117
Problems Posed by Slips and Engobes	p. 117
Vitreous Engobes	p. 120
Gritty Slips and Engobes	p. 122
Terra Sigillatas	p. 122
Deflocculant Amounts	p. 122
Terra Sigillatas	p. 123
Application	p. 124
Using Glazes and Terra Sigillatas on the Same Piece	p. 124
Using Terra Sigillatas as Underglazes	p. 124
Glazes	p. 125
Introduction	p. 125
The Influence of Firing Temperature	p. 125
Cone 04	p. 126
Mixing Cone 04 in the Studio	p. 126
What to Look for in Cone 04 Recipes	p. 128
Cone 02	p. 128
What to Look for in Cone 02 Recipes	p. 128
Cone 3	p. 128
What to Look for in Cone 3 Recipes	p. 130
Cone 6	p. 130
What to Look for in Cone 6 Recipes	p. 130
Commercially Prepared Cone 6 Glazes	p. 130
Cone 9	p. 130
What to Look for in Cone 9 Recipes	p. 130
Cone 9 Glaze Types	p. 130
Glaze Recipe Types	p. 131
Glazes Classified by the Amount of Silica, Alumina, or Modifiers in the Recipe	p. 131
Balanced Recipes	p. 131
High-Silica Recipes	p. 131
High-Alumina Recipes	p. 131
Recipes High in Modifying Materials	p. 131
Glazes Identified by the Influence of a Material	p. 131
Wood Ash	p. 131
Sources of Wood Ash	p. 132
Appropriate Work Strategies for Wood Ash	p. 134
A Wood Ash Testing Program	p. 134
Recipes That Contain Dark Clays	p. 134
A Comparison of a Dark and a White Clay	p. 134
Sodium and Potassium Glazes	p. 135
Boron Glazes	p. 135
Titanium Glazes	p. 135
High Titanium Flowing Mat Glazes	p. 135
Glazes Containing Opacifiers	p. 135
High-Clay Recipes	p. 136
Spodumene Glazes	p. 136
Zinc Glazes	p. 136
Lead Glazes	p. 136
Substitution Strategies for Lead in Glazes	p. 136
Barium Glazes	p. 136
Dangers for the Potter	p. 136
Substitution Strategies for Barium Glazes	p. 136
Calcium/Magnesium Glazes	p. 137
Copper Reds	p. 138
Strontium Glazes	p. 138
High Zirconium Glazes	p. 138
Glazes Classified by Appearance	p. 139
Transparent Glazes	p. 139
Transparent Mat Glazes	p. 139
Majolica	p. 139
Luster Glazes	p. 142
Visually Textured Glazes	p. 142
Dry, Highly Textured Glaze Surfaces	p. 144
Industrial (Smooth Surfaced) Glazes	p. 144
Low Viscosity Glazes	p. 144
Glazes Classified by Intended Use or Purpose	p. 146
Utilitarian Glazes	p. 146
Glazes for Outdoor Use	p. 146
Glazes for Porcelain Bodies	p. 147
Glaze/Firing Combinations	p. 148
Crystal Glazes	p. 148
Raku	p. 148
Safety/Toxicity Problems Associated With Raku	p. 150
How I Work With Raku	p. 151
Glaze Making and Testing	p. 154
Glaze Making	p. 154
Glaze Testing	p. 155
Glaze Application	p. 156
Application Methods	p. 156
Dipping	p. 156
Splash and Pour	p. 157
Spraying	p. 157
Brushing	p. 157
Complex Application Strategies	p. 157
Intaglio Glazing	p. 157
Painted Imagery	p. 159
Using a Brush to Apply a Textured Surface	p. 159
A Multiple-Layer Glaze Strategy	p. 160
Combining Stamped, Sprigged, or Carved Imagery and Glazes	p. 160
"Tzu Chou" Imagery	p. 163
Combining Engraving and Glazing	p. 163
A Sample Strategy for Combining Carving and Glazing	p. 165
Combining Terra Sigillata and Glaze Applications	p. 168
Firing at Multiple Temperatures	p. 169
Testing a Glaze Application Strategy	p. 169
For Hand-Built Work	p. 170
For Wheel-Formed Work	p. 172
Kilns and Kiln Designs	p. 173
Kiln Atmosphere	p. 173
Reduction Firing	p. 173
Flashing	p. 174
Low-Fire Reduction	p. 174
A Sawdust Firing	p. 175
Making a Sawdust Kiln	p. 176
Firing a Piece in the Sawdust Fire	p. 176
The Pottery of African Village Potters	p. 176
Oxidation Firing	p. 176
Fuel-Burning Kilns	p. 176
The Wood Kiln	p. 177
Oil and Gas as Fuels	p. 180
Oil and Gas Kiln Design	p. 180
The Salt Kiln	p. 180
Toxic Side Effects of the Salt Fire	p. 181
Soda Firing	p. 181
Electric Kilns	p. 183
Purchasing a Commercially Made Electric Kiln	p. 184
Small Test Kilns	p. 185
Kiln Loading	p. 187
Kiln Furniture - Kiln Shelves and Posts	p. 187
Loading	p. 187
Cones	p. 188
Cone Numbering	p. 188
Cone Chart	p. 188
Charting the Gap Between Commonly Used Firing Temperatures	p. 189
Sighting the Cone	p. 189
Placing the Cone in an Electric Kiln	p. 189
Placing the Cone in a Fuel-Burning Kiln	p. 189
Kiln Sitters	p. 189
Pyrometers	p. 189
Computer-Aided Firing	p. 189
Kiln Firing	p. 190
The Pace of Firing	p. 190
Cooling the Kiln	p. 190
The Bisque Firing	p. 190
A Day-Long Bisque Firing	p. 191
A Two-Day Bisque Firing	p. 191
The Final Fire	p. 191
A Day-Long Final Firing	p. 191
A Two-Day Glaze Firing	p. 192
Cooling an Electric Kiln	p. 192
Cooling an Electric Kiln With a Kiln Sitter	p. 192
Opening the Kiln	p. 192
Controlling the Atmosphere Inside a Fuel-Burning Kiln	p. 192
Flashing	p. 192
A Typical Gas Kiln Cone 9 Reduction Final Firing	p. 193
Controlling Cooling in a Gas-Fired Reducing Kiln	p. 193
Multiple Firings	p. 193
The Kiln in the Imagination of the Ceramist	p. 193
Sculpturkiln - The House of Wales	p. 194
Louis Katz	p. 196
An Overview of Ceramic History	p. 199
Asia	p. 199
China	p. 199
Japan	p. 202
Korea	p. 204
The Middle East	p. 205
Europe	p. 205
Ceramics in the Roman Empire	p. 206
The Development of Porcelain in Europe	p. 206
England	p. 208
Roman and Medieval Pottery in England	p. 208
Staffordshire Ware	p. 209
Africa	p. 209
Pre-Columbian America	p. 210
The American Southwest	p. 212
Anasazi Pottery	p. 212
North America Since Columbus	p. 213
Contemporary Ceramics in the U.S. and Canada	p. 214
Analysis in Ceramics	p. 218
Analyzing the Oxides in Ceramic Recipes	p. 218
The Analysis Format	p. 218
Glaze Oxides Categorized by Oxide Structure	p. 219
Percent by Weight Analysis	p. 219
New Developments	p. 220
Interpreting and Using Molecular Analysis Figures	p. 220
Glaze Building Recommendations	p. 221
For Molecular Analysis Systems	p. 221
Limit Formulas for Percentage Systems	p. 221
Materials-Based Creation and Evaluation of Ceramic Recipes	p. 222
General Guidelines for Glazes of Any Firing Temperature	p. 222
Clays Useful in Glazes	p. 222
Feldspars	p. 223
Frits	p. 223
Talc and Wollastonite	p. 223
Ground Silica or Flint	p. 223
Materials That Contain No Silica or Alumina	p. 223
Guidelines for Specific Firing Temperatures	p. 223
Cone 04	p. 223
Cone 02	p. 223
Cone 3	p. 224
Cone 6	p. 224
Cone 9	p. 224
How the System is Used	p. 224
Interpreting a Glaze Recipe	p. 224
Adapting a Glaze - Materials Substitutions	p. 225
Developing a New Glaze Recipe	p. 225
Combining Materials-Based and Molecular Analysis Approaches	p. 225
Other Analysis Strategies	p. 225
Using Database Tools to Analyze the Impact of Materials and Oxides in Recipes	p. 226
Sorting Recipe Data	p. 226
Filtering	p. 226
Image Creation Analysis	p. 226
Visual Material: The Image Creation Diagram	p. 227
Metric and U.S. Customary Systems of Measurement	p. 227
Conversion Charts	p. 228
In the Studio	p. 229
The Work Space	p. 229
Studio Equipment	p. 229
Basic Tools and Furnishings	p. 229
Economy Class - An Inexpensive Studio	p. 229
Small Tools for General Use	p. 229
Useful Small Tools for the Hand Builder	p. 230
Tools for Throwing	p. 230
Tools for Glaze Formulation and Application	p. 230
Tools for Testing Ceramic Formulations	p. 230
The Potter's Wheel	p. 230
Slab Rollers	p. 231
Ceramic Scales	p. 231
Sprayers	p. 231
External Mix Sprayers	p. 232
Internal Mix Sprayers	p. 232
Compressors	p. 232
Atomizer Sprayers	p. 232
Safe Practice for the Ceramist	p. 233
Toxicity	p. 233
Substitutes for Toxic Materials	p. 233
Silica-Containing Materials	p. 233
Cleaning Strategies	p. 234
Safety Equipment	p. 234
Respirators	p. 234
Disposable Safety Garments	p. 234
Procedures for Safely Preparing Ceramic Recipes	p. 234
Preparing and Forming Clay Bodies	p. 234
Preparing and Applying Glazes	p. 235
Bench Grinders	p. 235
Procedures for Safe Kiln Firing	p. 235
Viewing the Kiln Interior During Firing	p. 235
Procedures for Insuring That Fired Pieces Are Safe to Use	p. 235
Ceramic Recipes	p. 236
Cone 04 Recipes	p. 236
Clay Bodies	p. 236
Glazes	p. 236
Cone 02 Recipes	p. 237
Clay Bodies	p. 237
Glazes	p. 238
Cone 3 Recipes	p. 239
Clay Bodies	p. 239
Glazes	p. 239
Cone 6 Recipes	p. 240
Clay Bodies	p. 240
Glazes	p. 240
Cone 9 Recipes	p. 242
Clay Bodies	p. 242
Glazes	p. 243
Glossary	p. 244
Annotated Bibliography	p. 249
Index	p. 251
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.