Different Carving Techniques for Ceramics
Ceramics is an age-old human art form. Archaeologists uncover and study pottery made by civilizations before recorded history. Cultures from every continent have contributed to ceramic techniques used in modern times, and pottery still gets a lot of use. Ceramics techniques are used to make fine art, industrial materials such as tiles, and tableware for everyday eating and drinking. All ceramics involve shaping, then heating clay until it hardens. Materials mixed with the clay, the maximum heat used and the cooling process are defining characteristics of different ceramic techniques.
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Raku
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The Raku pottery technique, whose origins are in ancient Japan, has become increasingly popular. Raku offers a distinct visual appeal, with dark-colored ceramics splashed with layers of brighter metallic colors. The splash effect is made by glazes that use metallic oxides like copper carbonate. Heating Raku pieces produces toxic fumes, so the technique is best suited for outdoor pottery. Raku works are pulled from a baking kiln when the glaze is molten, then placed on a bed of leaves on the ground. The hot clay ignites the leaves, then the piece is sealed in a fireproof container. Because of the relatively low heat used, Raku is less sturdy and better suited for ceramic art than functional pieces like tableware.
Faience
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Faience is regarded as the earliest glazed ceramic technique in history, though the technique matured during the height of the ancient Egyptian era. For this reason it is often referred to as Egyptian faience. Faience technique involves mixing clay with sodium-based compounds. These compounds help form a glaze during the drying process. A compound commonly used in faience is copper oxide and soda ash, which results in an attractive tin glaze of turquoise colors. Faience has a weak structure because of a low baking temperature but is suitable for smaller tableware.
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Porcelain
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Ceramic techniques that use more heat result in stronger, more durable pottery. The more heat used, the more expensive the process becomes. This is a key reason authentic porcelain is more expensive than other forms of pottery. Porcelain requires temperatures over 2,000 degrees to produce. The look of porcelain also contributes to its premium quality, often regarded as "fine" because of its brilliance and color. The heat with which the clay is baked helps form glass, hence the form's shiny translucence. Porcelain is also known as "china" because the country is regarded as the birthplace of this ceramic technique.
Slipcasting
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Slipcasting uses a plaster mold to help shape the clay into a variety of shapes and objects. The technique is ideal for quickly replicating the same object numerous times, because the plaster can be reused. In slipcasting, clay is either surrounded by plaster on all sides and removed when the pottery is hardened, or poured around a plaster mold and then separated after it has been formed, for air drying. Pottery made with this process can be hardened at a variety of temperatures, depending on the potter's design.
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References
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