What are ceramic products made from? How to make ceramic tiles at home: do-it-yourself manufacturing technology

Let’s say a situation arises where you are left alone with nature, civilization is either somewhere far away or no longer exists at all (the plot is not so important, the need is important). And so you decide to make the simplest dishes from clay! How to do this in survival conditions?!

If you are not an experienced potter, and you don’t have a potter’s wheel at hand (perhaps yet), try making a simple vessel. In ancient times, our ancestors simply scraped them out of a whole piece of clay or sculpted them by hand. And even in our time in Central Asia, in some villages, the manual method of sculpting vessels is still preserved.

Before sculpting pottery, you should find the material to make it! Look for clay along the banks of ravines and rivers, near streams and springs. There are many clay deposits in swampy areas where there is a low level of soil water. In this case, clay is usually located under other rocks. Therefore, before extracting clay, you need to remove their layer.

Also keep in mind that the extracted clay may contain impurities (small pebbles, sand); it would be good to get rid of them; if possible, fill the clay with water and let it settle. Impurities should settle to the bottom, and clean clay should be taken out and dried in the sun, after which you can begin to sculpt. Clay and water are all we need.

To sculpt a vessel by hand, first sculpt the bottom into a round plate. Then small pieces of clay should be rolled into flagella of approximately the same thickness. Now we make the walls of our vessel: the flagella should be laid one on top of the other, in rings, starting from the bottom, giving the shape we need (see picture). When laying flagella, simultaneously rub the gaps between them and smooth out any irregularities.

Afterwards, the resulting vessel should be burned, since apparently we do not have a stove (perhaps for now) we will use a fire.

Remember turning clay into ceramics is happening at temperature 500-900 °C. The lower the temperature, the longer the firing should take. Experiments have shown that in a fire it is possible to reach temperatures of up to 750 °C. It should be noted that Burning in the fires has not outlived its usefulness in our time. It is preserved in Central Asia, Africa and America. Shortest firing time in a fire from 8 to 12 hours, but sometimes it lasts several days. As you remember, Robinson burned all my dishes in one night.

You can also benefit from centuries of experience. Do this: lay pieces of bricks on a flat area (in theory, flat stones will also work). Place the vessel on the stones. If there are a lot of items, large items are placed on them first, then medium-sized items and capsules (a fireproof box for firing, such as a tin can) with small items (Fig. 2). The resulting pyramid of clay products is carefully surrounded with firewood and the fire is lit. It should burn for at least 8 hours. Although, as already mentioned, the longer the firing lasts, the stronger our ceramics.

Small items, if there is a need for such, can be fired in capsules in another way (Fig. 1). Dig a shallow hole at the bottom of which, lay a grate of firewood and place capsules from cans. Fill the hole with charcoal left over from an old fire. When the coal completely covers the jars, it is sprinkled with a thin layer of earth and a fire is lit on top, on which you can cook food or use it for any other needs: the firing will proceed as if automatically. If the fire is stopped burning late in the evening, it is extinguished, covered with earth and left until the morning. In the morning, the capsules are dug out of the ash and the fired products are taken out of them.

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Recently, it has become very fashionable to make dishes and various interior items from clay with your own hands. We at the How to Green editorial office decided to figure out the reasons for the popularity of handmade ceramics, and turned to ceramic artistElena Subbotina . She named as many as 7 reasons (in addition to the obvious - creative self-realization and acquiring new craft knowledge) why it is worth making dishes for the home and various small items for the interior with your own hands.

Reason 1: uniqueness

Obviously, you can make a 100% unique set or 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 will fit perfectly into your interior or will be suitable as a gift for a loved one. And not only the design you need, but also the size you like. So it’s up to you to decide whether you’ll drink tea at home from huge cups and saucers, like in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, or from delicate tiny ones, like Kirsten Dunst’s heroine in the movie Marie Antoinette. By the way, making dishes for the home with your own hands is also convenient because, by creating, say, a service in the same style, you won’t have to overpay for soup or dessert plates that 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 will use.

Reason 2: environmental friendliness

Did you know that some factories still use hazardous materials, including lead and cadmium, when making 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 using this glaze is strictly prohibited. It is not recommended to even store dry food in such containers, let alone pour hot soup into a bowl of lead. In some countries there is a law that prohibits the use of lead in foodware in any quantity. However, in Russia, China, Africa, and the countries of the Southeast region, there is often no strict control over manufacturers who neglect the issue of ethics and consumer health, since purchasing 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 creating your own pottery, you can control which materials and glazes you use to create 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 even ordinary light types have a beautiful natural color. In order for the products to be functional and not allow water to pass through, they must be covered with colorless or white glaze, but you can completely refuse colored glaze or choose safe, proven options.

Reason 3: replenishment

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 a new addition to 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, you just fall in love with them, but taking them with you from a trip is difficult and too troublesome. And why? It’s enough to take a couple of photos on your smartphone and, upon returning from vacation, make copies of your favorite interior items or dishes, but in your own style and to suit your tastes and needs.

Photo: ceramics studio Ceramic Forest

Reason 4: quality

A fairly common story: you bought beautiful dishes from 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. When producing your own dishes, especially in a ceramic workshop under the supervision of a master, such excesses are excluded. First of all, you will be taught how to handle clay correctly and will be explained the sequence of the technological process that will make your dishes high-quality and practical. So you can put it in the microwave and wash it in the dishwasher without any problems. There is no risk of cracks or peeling paint.

Reason 5: saving the family budget

If you haven’t decided to produce a whole set, but just for the sake of interest, you took an introductory course on ceramics and made a couple of mugs, then even this knowledge will be enough for you to begin to understand tableware, types of clay and glazes, and the artist’s skill. If suddenly in a store a saleswoman begins to assure you that a pair of coffee costs 20,000 rubles because it is rare blue clay, then you can safely clarify whether it is natural or just an artificial color (a pigment mixed into ordinary white clay)? Dyed clay carries no value and you are paying solely for the brand. Expensive ceramics stores also 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. It’s another matter if you see on a market somewhere in the mountains of Andalusia a designer jug made of expensive materials, unique in shape and painted. You will immediately understand how much work the master has put into 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: the issue with gifts has been resolved

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

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

Photo: ceramics studio Ceramic Forest

Reason 7: additional income

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

Where to make your own dishes?

You can make your own cookware at home. To do this, you will need the necessary materials - clay, stacks, glaze, and so on. You can fire 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 kilns in ceramic workshops. They usually accept items not made by them for firing without any problems and for a very reasonable fee. Before purchasing materials for your home, we would recommend that you take an introductory course on working with clay from a specialist. Typically, 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 haven’t yet decided what exactly you want to make from ceramics, it makes sense to purchase a subscription to the workshop and attend master classes that interest you. It will be easier and cheaper than immediately taking long, expensive courses. Typically, such master classes are held for several people at once, so you have an original option for spending 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...

Do-it-yourself tiles are a feasible task for anyone who has the necessary equipment for production technology and the desire to create. And, although it will not be possible to make high-quality tiles the first time, sometimes the idea is worth the effort. So, you will create unique samples of cladding both for personal use and for sale.

Handmade tiles

Selection of materials

First, let's look at the manufacturing technology. So how are ceramic tiles made? The basis is a plastic clay mass, from which a tile of the desired configuration is formed, and then subjected to further processing.

The technology for producing ceramic tiles is as follows:

Preparation of raw materials. Selecting the appropriate type of clay, mixing in additional mixture and keeping the mass wet.
Raw production. This is the name for a workpiece made from unprocessed clay. To proceed to the next stage, it is dried.
Biscuit firing. At high temperatures, mineral particles fuse together, forming a durable ceramic product called terracotta.
Decoration. Here either varnish or enamel is applied to the primed surface, or glaze is applied with further firing to obtain glossy majolica.

To make good tiles with your own hands, we will consider each stage of the process in more detail.

They start with the selection of raw materials. The main component is, of course, clay. At the same time, they take into account that there are many varieties.

When choosing, consider the degree of ductility of the material. The most plastic fatty clay that can be molded into any shape. Skinny is a non-plastic, fragile sample that breaks under a certain impact on it. It is best to choose the medium type.

Use greasy material and dilute it with sand, fireclay or pumice. This makes the clay less refractory and prevents it from tearing during firing.

Main component of tiles

Let us note these types of clayey rocks:

Kaolin . It is distinguished by its white color and is used in the manufacture of earthenware and porcelain. Also used in paper production and cosmetology.
Cement. For the production of cement.
Brick . Differs in fusibility.
Fireproof. Withstands temperatures up to 1580 degrees.
Acid resistant . Do not interact with most chemical compounds. Raw materials for the production of chemical-resistant tableware.
Molding . Plastic refractory grade, used in the metallurgical industry.
Bentonite. A characteristic difference is its whitening properties.

The facing tile must be strong, so reinforcing mesh is sometimes used for additional strengthening. To give a shade to terracotta, natural pigments, which are mineral oxides, are used. Some types of clay already contain them in their composition, as evidenced by their characteristic shade.

This is the first stage. After you have decided on the composition and mixed all the components in the required proportions, wrap the mass in a plastic bag and block the air supply. In this form, the clay must infuse enough so that every particle of the porous material absorbs moisture. The presence of air chambers will worsen the strength properties of the product.

Further production involves molding the tiles. It is better to use polyurethane matrices. With their help, smooth products with identical external parameters are created. It is important to thoroughly compact the clay and level it according to the shape to achieve uniform thickness over the entire area of the sample.

The first stage of tile production

Next, the tile blank, the so-called raw material, is left to dry. The completion of the stage is indicated by the brightening of the tile and its hardening. Be careful, because the raw material is very fragile. But in case of failure, the molding and drying process is repeated, soaking the workpiece.

Primary firing

The next step in making real tiles with your own hands. At this stage, the mineral materials used in the manufacture of ceramics are exposed to high temperatures and fused together to form a glass-like mass. At the same time, the strength of the tile becomes many times higher.

Kiln firing imparts strength

According to traditional technology, the clay baking temperature is 1000-1300 degrees Celsius. Since it is rarely possible to achieve such values at home, the temperature is reduced to 850-900 degrees.

To avoid affecting the quality of the product, pumice should be added to the raw material mass in advance. It is due to this that it is possible to reduce the baking temperature. However, please note that a large amount (more than 40%) will affect the plasticity of the clay and reduce its strength.

During biscuit firing, the raw material shrinks due to the evaporation of moisture from the mass. This is taken into account when calculating the final dimensions of the product. They also take into account the fact that at this stage the structure of the tile becomes more porous. With auxiliary pressure, it is possible to reduce the number of voids, but this is only possible in production conditions.

Decorating the product

There are also advantages to the fact that tiles have a porous structure. This will be useful in further decorative processing. It is the voids that absorb part of the outer coating and prevent it from spreading.

To make the facing tiles glossy, they make a special glaze with their own hands. It consists of the following components:

glass;
kaolin;
tripolephosphate.

The resulting dusty powder is mixed with clean water. Other minerals are also added to the mass, the total list of which includes about 30 items. Apply the glaze to the tiles using a sprayer or brush. The pouring method is also used.

In order to harden and bond with terracotta, the product is subjected to a second firing. It is important not to increase the temperature of the bottom layer to a critical level, otherwise the tile will melt. Using glazes of different compositions, unique compositions are made on majolica. If creating a glass-like coating is not suitable, a glossy sheen is achieved with enamel or varnish.

Decoration

Now you know how to make ceramic tiles yourself at home. Before commencing volume production, experiment with shrinkage, composition and design of sample pieces.

03.08.2018

Pottery is one of the most unique and practical inventions of mankind. The environmentally friendly material from which original utensils were created and are still being created makes them especially valuable. According to ancient belief, clay products have the ability to absorb negative energy. For this reason, before you start making an original item, you should be in a positive mood.

It is very important to stretch the canvas very tightly and stitch it on the underside of the plywood. After some time, the canvas can stretch and should be stretched at the table. This is a very practical workbench and a great surface for preparing clay or any other work you might need to do other than glazing. You don't want the glaze to mix with your clay or stain your countertop. Ideally, you should have a separate table for glazing. Once your pieces are done, you will need a storage shelf to hold them until you are ready to shoot or iron them.

According to historians, the first clay products appeared around 10,000-18,000 BC. Initially, dishes were used only for storing food. But over time, our ancestors came to the conclusion that fired products are particularly durable and impenetrable. Since then, they began to burn it on fire, thereby increasing the term of its exploitation.

Drill 1 hole in two 2 x 4s and attach them to the wall. Cut the dowels, cut them into 12 pieces and tap them into the 2" x 4" holes. You can place them on pegs and store your pots on them. It's really helpful to have a place where you can store wet pieces that still need to be finished. Old refrigerator with shelves, still works well. Another option is a metal or wooden shelf that has a plastic clamp cover on it so that it is completely enclosed. Another option would be a small three-story green house with plastic on the bottom shelf.

The emergence of the potter's wheel during the Bronze Age greatly facilitated the work of pottery masters. This event allowed us to expand the range of products - jugs, pots, bowls, teapots, saucepans, cups. Food cooked in clay utensils has an extraordinary aroma and taste. Since the walls of the cookware retain heat well, this allows the dish to “simmer” rather than boil.

The goal is to have a completely enclosed area that will support wet pots. There are many electric ovens, but not all ovens are created equal. Interest in pottery has been growing over the past few years, and many people have created homes for hobbyists. Many of them bought the cheapest stoves, used them for several years and stored them until they decided to sell their equipment. Many of these stoves are easily available, but they are not good. They are well built, very well calibrated and reliable.

Preparing clay for work

Do-it-yourself dishes are always a spiritually created product that retains the special energy of the master. Having mastered some skills and patience, you can create a truly unique thing that will decorate your interior or become a wonderful gift for loved ones.

To do this you need to know something about the properties of clay:

Modeling, finishing, casting

These stoves are expensive, but they are worth the price! One has a computerized controller and the other is manual. Computerized kilns are excellent for controlled glaze firing cycles. They are also useful for low-end bisque shooting. Hand ovens are just as good, but require a lot more attention.

I was on the topanka..."

Most manual stoves are equipped with a device called a "stove setter" that will turn the stove off at the appropriate temperature. No matter what type of stove it is, stoves should not be left unattended while firing. Whether you make your own glazes or buy pre-made powders and mix them yourself, you'll need a designated area in your studio to hold your glazes and iron your pots. Five gallon buckets with lids work well for storing mixed glazes.

The most important step is to clean the clay from various sandy impurities, since this directly affects the quality of the product.
In order for the product to be of high quality, the clay must be plastic, without foreign additives and air bubbles.
To increase strength, lime or gypsum is added to the raw material.
Shortly before creating clay products, the clay should be thoroughly kneaded and left to “rest” for 7-10 days.

Working on a pottery wheel

The emergence of the potter's wheel had a huge impact on the improvement and variety of pottery.

You want to set the buckets on the table so they are at a comfortable level for working. Setting them on the floor will be very heavy on your back, and the table level too high will make it difficult for you to glaze your pots. In the glazing area, you also need to have a work table. This table can be any size as long as it can hold the pots you are currently glassing and you still have enough room to work with.

Clay scald

A central location to keep your bats and tools is important. A mobile cart with a shelf on top is ideal, but any type of shelf with horizontal slats to hold bats and a shelf on top to store tool containers will work. Indeed, you can make or buy any size shelf to suit your needs.

During the rotation of a small disk, which is driven by a flywheel rotated by the master’s foot, a clay product is formed. Using your hands, the clay lump should be placed in the center of the disk and, grabbing the workpiece, press it against the circle. Rotational movements of the circle will make it possible to move the workpiece to the sides. This process is called warming up.

You just don't want to take up valuable desk space. A good place to store bulk clay would be under your desk. A simple shelf raised a few inches off the floor is important to go under the clay, as any sweeping or chopping will allow dust or water to collect under your boxes or bags. Cleanliness is important in your studio. Dust obtained from dry clay contains silica and should not be inhaled. One of the best ways to avoid excessive dust is to not leave clay waste sitting around to dry and clean up later.

To determine the width of the future dishes, it is necessary to determine the center by pressing on it with the thumb of your left hand. To further deepen the workpiece, support the raw material with your left hand; touch the bottom with the finger of your right hand.

Creating the walls of the product consists of pulling them out using the index and middle fingers, which should be located on the inside of the workpiece. While supporting the work with your other hand, you should control the thickness of the walls.

Water left on the floor around the clay will create mold, in addition to being a slip hazard. Good hygiene practices and keeping your studio clean and safe! Tools can be purchased from mud houses or by hand. We use them because they are inexpensive and good enough, but there are many other brands on the market that are just as good. Here's a list of the basic tools you'll need to get started.

A tip on how to make your wire tool last longer: keep it taut as you remove clay from it, don't step over it as you cut. They perform several different functions. They are colored to differentiate between hardness levels. They get progressively tougher in this order: red, yellow, green and blue.

After separating the dishes from the circle using a special string, you need to trim the outer walls. To avoid damage, the clay creation must be carefully removed. Hands must be dry.

The next stage in the production of pottery is drying in several stages. A characteristic ringing sound when lightly tapped indicates that the utensil is ready for firing.

We have found these ribs to be invaluable tools in the shop. Glazing pliers: Used to hold your pieces while glazing. Turntable: Used for glazing, small hand work, or anywhere else that requires a turning surface.

Glazing Brushes: The 1-inch glazing brush is one of the best glazing brushes. There are a few other tools that are good, but not essential to get you started. Simple Carving Tools: Carving designs into your clay is very satisfying, and there are many different carving tools available. The best thing to do if you want to get into carving is to buy some that look like they will do what you want and keep trying them until you find the best one for you.

Techniques for working with clay by hand

This master class discusses the method of modeling clay without using a potter's wheel. In the process, the oldest techniques will be used with the help of some available means. There are three most famous sculpting techniques without a pottery wheel or professional tools. They will be used further.

Throwing stick: Useful when you need to shape a piece that your hand won't fit. Calipers: These are very useful for creating lids! One end of the caliper measures the bot; the other end measures the lid. The camper also works well, but only measures one direction. This is a basic list of tools and equipment you will need to get started. As your work grows, there are many other things you can gain once you get a feel for what the basic tools do.

Natural clay can be purchased at any pottery or pottery store. Idols made from natural clay decompose within a day or two as compared to other materials. The paint used to make the idol was water-soluble non-toxic paint. This means that after the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, the idol worshiper of Ganeshji was immersed in a bucket and when everything was dissolved, the same water was used to supply water to indoor plants. Sorry for the poor image quality.

How to make a dish or plate out of clay with your own hands

Preparing for the sculpting process

We will need: kneaded clay, a glass of water, a rolling pin, a flat surface for rolling out clay, a wooden spatula and a sheet of paper.

Water - enough to knead the dough. A toothpick to make marks on the idol. Flatten the dough and make 3 large balls, 2 medium balls and 5 small balls. The size depends on how big you want your idol to be. 3 large balls will be used for the base, body and head. 2 medium sized balls will be reduced in size to make eyes, tusks and other things. 5 small balls will be used to make the ears and head. Flatten one ball and place another large ball on top of the flattened one.

They form 2 legs, an arm and a chest. As shown in the picture below, use 2 long rolls to create the legs. Roll them out and smooth the ends outward. Use another long roll to wrap around the body and make it look like arms. Throw the dough up and spread it out - hands in blessing mode. Use some dough to make a palm in your other hand.

First you need to knead the clay until it becomes an elastic dough so that it does not stick to your hands. Then start sculpting.

Method one:

Roll the clay into a ball with a diameter of 7–8 cm.
Make a depression in the center of the ball.
Using gentle movements, slowly turning the ball counterclockwise, press the indentation with your thumbs, and with each movement try to stretch (increase) it. Thus, it should look like a bowl. Using the same movements, you can give this bowl any desired shape. For convenience, you need to place a sheet of paper under the product, which can be rotated during operation.
After the product has reached its optimal shape, it is necessary to form smooth edges. To do this, take a wooden spatula, place it perpendicular to the edge, and rotate the sheet of paper in a circle to give the dish a neat appearance. If there is no spatula, the same can be done with a finger moistened with water.
The next step is to make the inner surface of the bowl smooth. To do this, you need to wet your fingers with water, and with light movements (from top to bottom), smooth the product step by step.

Method two:

Place the third large ball above the body - this is the head. Continue working with the clay and smooth it out. Use the last long roll to make a trunk. Press the top of the trunk and flatten. Use 2 small balls to make the ears.

Press and smooth the ears. Use the other 3 small balls to make the head crown. Use a toothpick to make some marks on the idol. Let's start with the fun part. Use your imagination and decorate your idol. And he placed Ganesha in this water. The idol was dissolved in water after two days and this water was used to wash our house plants.

Take a small piece of clay and roll it out into a rope (sausage) with a diameter of 0.7 - 1 cm. You will need several such ropes.
Roll the tourniquet into a snail shape as tightly as possible. And so wind the snail to the desired size. Thus, the bottom of the future plate is formed.
When the desired size is reached, the resulting snail should be smoothed out. As described above, wet your fingers in water and smooth the surface with light movements (from edge to middle).
Next, the sides of the future plate are formed from the same sausages. A clay rope is taken and wound along the edge of the bottom to the desired height. To make a plate of a classic shape, you need to wind the strands, slightly moving them towards the edge of the previous one.
Then you need to align the inner (in this technique also the outer) side of the product again. Smooth the surface with wet fingers.

How to make a clay mug with your own hands

The principle of making a mug from clay is the same as the technology of making a plate or dish. These techniques can be used to sculpt any product. But there is another option for making dishes with your own hands. It will require a mold, food paper, a rolling pin, a knife and a stencil. A glass bottle or any other narrow vessel is suitable for the form.

Our daughter Emilia, 6, is the creator. Art is all over the house, haphazardly tagged in closets, tacked to kitchen walls, chalked on the ground in the backyard. We're eating at our dining room table, but instead of crumbs you'll find leaves, feathers, pine cones and glitter embedded in it. As she has gotten older, her ambition has evolved from drawn and built forms to functional objects such as cups and bowls, and she becomes increasingly fascinated by how the physical material she creates can interact with technology.

Method three:

Roll out the clay into a layer 0.5 - 0.7 cm thick.
Using a stencil (if not, you can do without it), cut out a strip of clay 5–10 cm wide and a circle with a diameter equal to the diameter of the bottom of the mold.
Turn the pan upside down and wrap it in cling paper.
Then place the cut strip of clay around the circle of the mold so that part of the strip extends beyond the bottom. It should be noted that the length of the strip should be such that when applying it to the mold there is no excess clay left. And the strip was connected end to end.
Next, you need to crush the part of the strip that extends beyond the border to the bottom of the mold. And then put the cut circle on the bottom.
All parts must be well secured to each other and smoothed with wet fingers.
The next step is to carefully turn the product over and carefully remove the mold and cling paper.
At this stage, the final processes of preparing the product for drying take place. You should align the edges and give the desired shape to the future mug. All that remains is to form a handle from a thin rope and attach it to the product, making two small indentations parallel to each other.

Drying and firing the product in an oven

After the product has acquired the desired shape, it must be left to dry for a day. The next step is firing the product in a kiln. The approximate time required for firing until the product is completely ready is 8 hours. The temperature in the oven must be increased gradually so that the product does not crack. Approximately 100 - 200 degrees every hour. The maximum firing temperature should reach 900 degrees.

After doing some research, he found a simple way to make gypsum mold. I didn’t want anything complicated, too much time,” Brian explains. Eventually we could use it to make multiples of our original reusable plaster molds.

This project works best in warm weather and is particularly patient and subtle. Here's how to create any vessel from computer to clay to completion. He used plaster to create the mold and liquid clay for the mold. Step 2: Make a plywood box slightly larger than the final mold that can be filled with liquid clay.

If you do not have a special oven, then the product can be fired over a fire. To do this, you need to carefully surround the vessel with small firewood and set it on fire. This firing time is also 8 hours. This method requires great vigilance and caution.

Clay dishes are an excellent solution for every home. This type of cookware will last for quite a long time. She is not painstaking in her care and has her own unique style. And besides, such dishes will be a good gift for any occasion.

Techniques for working with clay by hand

“This clay block was then shaped, shaved and polished to our best possible symmetry,” he explains. Using paper templates, then quarter-inch veneered curved templates with cutouts to size the sanded mold, they achieved their Master Mold shape.

How to make a clay mug with your own hands

The plaster master is lightly coated with wax remover and then placed in the simple plywood box created in step 2, centering the plaster mold upside down. The box will be slightly taller than the form itself. Step 3: Pour plaster over one of the solid molds into the plywood box.

There was a period in the history of our country when harsh reality forced us to do something with our own hands, namely the lack of the necessary product in the retail chain, and the only opportunity to become the owner of this or that item was to make it from something at home.

The main component for ceramic tiles is clay

Now modern industry and trade provides consumers with any range of goods, including satisfying the needs of buyers in the finishing materials market. Ceramic tiles are presented in all imaginable and inconceivable types, sizes and colors.

It would seem that it would be simpler: come, choose, buy, install, but this option does not suit everyone; in our rapid age of standardization and standard solutions, we want to highlight our individuality, at least in the decoration of a particular room. And this raises the question: is it possible to make ceramic tiles at home with your own hands, realizing your own ideas for decorating the interior space of a bathroom or kitchen. We won't languish. We answer. Yes, you can, but subject to some simple conditions, which are discussed below.

What is needed to organize ceramic production

First of all, you must have great desire, patience and confidence in a positive result, as well as have the necessary materials, tools, devices and equipment available. You may not succeed in everything right away, but the effort spent will ultimately give you the opportunity to be proud of yourself, showing your friends and acquaintances such a rather technologically advanced product as ceramic tiles made from clay with your own hands.

Handmade clay ceramic tiles

Selection of raw materials

Everyone probably knows what any ceramics is made from; the main component is clay. Here's a look at what types of clay exist, their properties and the possibility of using them to make ceramic tiles with your own hands. Based on their composition, properties and application, clays are divided into four groups:

Rough ceramic. They contain a large amount of impurities in the form of pebbles and sand, as well as gypsum and lime inclusions. Used to make bricks, tiles, dishes and expanded clay.
Fireproof and refractory. They have a high alumina content, good ductility and a high degree of fire resistance. They are used in the manufacture of refractory bricks and various ceramics.
Kaolin. Low-plasticity clays are used in paper and rubber production and as an additive for the manufacture of earthenware.
Montmorillonite. The main feature is their high plasticity; it is used as drilling fluid in metallurgy and the food industry.

Plasticity is the ability of clay to take on any shape and retain it as it dries.

Clays are also divided into “fat” and “lean”. The former are plastic and products from them can be given any shape, but to make ceramics with your own hands at home, it is necessary to prepare the clay, for which the starting material is diluted to the required composition with sand, chamotte or ground pumice.

You should not take too “oily” clay, preferably medium plastic

Selection of tools and materials

If you decide to make tiled or regular ceramic tiles with your own hands, you will need:

raw materials: clay, filler for dilution, if the clay is oily, water;
mold for the production of future tiles;
cliche for forming an imprint of a design or bas-relief on the front side of the product;
spatula, scoop, trowel;
mesh for reinforcing the product.

Stages of making ceramics

The technology for producing ceramic tiles with your own hands consists of the following steps:

Clay of medium plasticity is taken, poured into a container and filled with water. After several days of soaking, the clay is mixed and kneaded. Then, through a fine sieve, the material is ground into another container, after which the mass is distributed onto old newspapers or a rag in a layer of 10-15 mm. Once the clay reaches the desired thickness, it is mixed and placed in a plastic bag.
The material prepared in this way is placed into molds and compacted; this must be done so that the level of the molding mass coincides with the edges of the mold, for which excess material is cut off with a knife or cutter.

The highest quality molds are made from polyurethane; the products are quite smooth with the same parameters.

Next, the technology for making ceramic tiles with your own hands goes into the pre-drying stage. It lasts until the mass acquires a lighter shade and this period depends on the ambient temperature and humidity. The result is a raw tile. If something went wrong for you, then at this stage you can still correct the situation, for which the spoiled semi-finished product is soaked in water, and the molding procedure begins again.
The process of firing raw tiles is the most technologically advanced stage, because the semi-finished product must be exposed to high temperatures of about 1000-1200 degrees, which requires special equipment. To make ceramic tiles with your own hands, you can limit yourself to a temperature of 850-900 degrees, which is achieved in an electric muffle furnace. The production technology allows this, provided that the clay mass contains pumice, which is sintered at the specified temperature. This primary firing is called biscuit firing for some similarity in the resulting finely porous structure of the workpiece, after evaporating the water from it. The ceramic workpiece has already acquired the necessary hardness and strength. This product is called terracotta.

Stages of technology: making raw materials, firing ceramics and applying a decorative layer

If you want to make majolica with your own hands, that is, fired ceramics, with the front side covered with glaze, or, more simply, tiles, then the production technology does not end there. It is necessary to do another firing, but with glaze, for which a multicomponent mixture is prepared, the main components of which are glass, kaolin and tripolephosphate in powder form. All components are mixed and diluted with water. The resulting mixture, with a brush or by pouring the workpiece, is distributed over the product, and a second firing is performed.

Particular attention should be paid to controlling the process temperature; it should not be higher than the primary firing temperature. Otherwise, the glazed surface may be damaged or the terracotta workpiece may sinter.

This tile manufacturing technology allows you to create unique compositions on the glossy surface of the product, for which different glaze compositions are used. If glazing with firing is not suitable for you for some reason, you can create an attractive, smooth and shiny surface with your own hands by treating the workpiece with enamel or varnish.

And so, if you read the article to the end, and the difficulties of making ceramic tiles from clay with your own hands, reflected in this manual, did not frighten you, then honor and praise to you. After all, knowing what and how to make such a unique finishing material, the originality and individuality of the cladding, as well as the delight of your friends and acquaintances, are guaranteed to you.

How to properly prepare the clay and prepare the mass for modeling?
The washed, dried clay is broken into small pieces with a hammer, soaked in hot water in 2-3 portions in an enamel bowl 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 through a sieve several times 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 becomes even more compact. After 3-4 hours, the clay can be selected from the trays. The result will be a dough that comes off well from your hand and has no air bubbles (if there are any, you need to knead the clay). Fold the clay into layers and cover with plastic wrap.
Before use, thinning additives (quartz sand, ground shards, crushed chamotte) are added to the clay to reduce shrinkage and fluxing additives (feldspars, pegmatite, chalk, limestone and others) are added to reduce the firing temperature, ensure sintering of the shards, increase thermal stability and translucency.

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

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

Profi-Max pottery wheel S-4631 is suitable for individual artists, studios and small workshops. Disc diameter is 200 mm, weight with packaging is approximately 65 kg. Price - 29,502 rubles.
Potter's wheel S-4802 produced by Fo. Me., Italy is suitable for working at home, in studios and workshops. Can be installed on a table or on a low stand. Disc diameter is 300 mm, weight with packaging is about 19 kg. Price - 39,176 rubles.
There are also more expensive models: the S-4640 pottery wheel (Fome 3412) can be purchased for 44,014 rubles, the S-4860 (RK-Whisper) wheel costs 59,472 rubles, and the S-4861 (VL-Whisper) wheel costs 66,316 rubles .
The tabletop pottery wheel S-4879 (RK-5T) is intended for home use (for hobbies). Manufacturer: NidecShimpo Corporation, Japan.
The maximum weight of clay is 10 kg. The weight of the circle is 13 kg. Its price in the company: 21,948 rubles.
Potter's wheel S-4880 (RK-55) (manufacturer: Nidec-Shimpo Corporation, Japan) is perfect for schools, studios, and hobbies. The speed is adjusted by an external pedal from 0 to 250 rpm, the direction of rotation can be selected clockwise or counterclockwise. The maximum weight of clay is 14 kg. The circle itself weighs 27 kg. Its price: 35,046 rubles.
Potter's wheel S-4822 (Armavir) with friction drive and pedal is very easy to use. The drive flywheel is always at hand - you can turn the product a little for work. On both sides of the table there are retractable cups for tools. The weight of the circle is approximately 25 kg. Price of the circle: 18,172 rubles.
From the company you can purchase a furnace for firing products (prices for gas furnaces: from 70 to 900 thousand rubles, for electric ones: 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 TM "Golden Hands"
offers an electric pottery wheel PROFI-MAX (MINI version - the most lightweight version of the wheel supply, cost - 30 thousand rubles) and a forming attachment for it, SUPER-PROFI pottery wheels (cost - 40 thousand rubles)) and a pottery wheel for beginners " Gosha" (cost - 12 thousand rubles).
The PROFI-MAX wheel is supplied with: a pottery wheel, a user manual, a speed change pedal, a plastic basin, two foam sponges, a string with handles, a soft stack, an educational film on DVD (42 min.), a sample of pottery clay (2.5 kg), kit for assembling a cabinet drawer (description, plywood parts, screws, key). The molding attachment allows you to mold, for example, a decorative plate in a plaster mold rotating on the faceplate of a pottery wheel in one minute. 15-20 minutes after molding, when the clay dries and shrinks, the plate is easily removed from the mold.
You can mold a decorative plate with any bas-relief on the bottom, while only the insert pattern changes, and the plaster form remains the same. Then you can start decorating by cutting, scratching, making molded elements or embossing. stamp drawing. By using various gypsum molds, you can easily expand the range of ceramics produced.
Using a vacuum table (optional), you can grind finished products (for example, bottoms), make layering, and polish. It is very easy to make a plaster mold using a plaster modeling machine. Methods of molding ceramic products :
The molding of ceramic products can be carried out in several ways: free modeling, free molding on a potter's wheel, plastic molding with a hand impression in a mold, plastic molding in a rotating plaster mold using a molding template, slip casting in plaster molds.
With free modeling, various figures, whistles or large pots are sculpted by hand from prepared clay dough. A piece of clay is molded into the desired shape. Then, using a spatula, make a depression in it and select clay, gradually thinning the walls of the vessel. The final processing and smoothing of the internal surfaces is carried out using a loop stack. The prepared hollow form is placed on a board and the edge of the vessel is processed, attaching a neck to it - a rolled out strip of clay.
Free forming is done on a potter's wheel. Place a clay blank in the shape of a ball exactly in the center of the potter's wheel. By pressing with your thumbs, a cylindrical depression is made in the middle of the ball and gradually expanded to the required size. Then the cylinder is pulled out to the desired height. First, they mold the base, then, by gently pressing on the walls of the cylinder from the inside, they expand it to obtain the desired product.
Plastic molding by hand is carried out using plaster molds. Open molds are used for molding flat products, split molds are used for the manufacture of products of complex shapes (vessels, sculptures). The mold 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 gypsum 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 transition from a liquid state to a plastic dough state when humidity decreases).
When making ceramic products with complex configurations, molding methods are often combined. The combination of the plastic molding method 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 earthenware products consisting of a body and attached parts. Smoked ceramics are produced by combining slip casting with plastic molding. Toy manufacturing technology :
Technology for making toys (popular modern souvenirs). A viscous dough is kneaded from red, gray or white clay with finely sifted sand and water, from which toys are made. After drying well in the wind, after a few days they are fired and then decorated with colored glazes or painting. After drying and calcining in an oven, Dymkovo craftsmen whiten the toys with chalk diluted in skim milk, and then paint them with gouache ground in egg yolk.
To decorate ceramics, you can use reliefs, counter-reliefs or figured decorations, openwork indentation or carving with special stamps, inlays, and sgraffito.
The simplest relief can be obtained by placing a comb on the rotating surface of the vessel; you will get smooth lines, lines with sharp and blunt peaks, and zigzag lines. Stamps with figured images made of plaster, wood, metal (gears, nuts) are used to apply an ornament, frills are made with fingers, and carvings are made with a knife. Sgraffito is carried out by scratching a slightly dried product coated 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 are spread with a stick or wire), staining with iron oxides, smoke ( During firing, steaming pitch, oil or rags soaked in them are added to the oven). An interesting pattern can be obtained by placing a hot product in sawdust, chopped straw, or dipping it in flour.
Ceramics treated with solutions of silver, gold, platinum or finished with luster (the thinnest transparent film applied to the glaze, shimmering in different colors depending on the type of metal oxides that make up the base) acquire an elegant appearance. A variety of decorative plant or thematic compositions on ceramics can be obtained using pictorial decoration, which is done manually or mechanically with multi-colored heat-resistant paints (engobe).
Firing ceramics :
Firing ceramics. Clay products are fired in a conventional oven, a Dutch oven or a muffle oven. It is best to purchase a small muffle furnace, but you can make one yourself. It heats up to +900°C. The first firing (disposal) is done after the product covered with engobes has dried. 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 ceramics after firing . Terracotta is easily processed with sandpaper, sharp steel tools, and sanding tools. It can be tinted with tempera paints or watercolors diluted in milk, but most often it is 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 curved end: it is lowered into the crucible and quickly removed. If a glassy thread without knots follows it, it means 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 crumbles into small pieces, which are then ground.
The easiest (folk) way to prepare glaze is to heat a bottle glass over a fire and then throw it into water. The glass will become covered with small cracks and will easily crumble. Grind it into powder in a mortar and add 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, aluminum oxides, titanium oxides, oxides of alkali and alkaline earth metals, lead, zinc).

An interesting decoration can be made 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). The 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.