Ceramic Covered Jar Challenges

Series Summary

Ceramics are art works made out of clay bodies that harden with the application of heat. Originating in Chinese, Cretan, Greek, Roman, and Mayan cultures, ceramics have a long history that dates back to the third millennium BC. Pottery was used to create food and water jars, decorative bowls, sacred urns, and religious idols. Potters most traditionally use their hands, but several tools have been developed to aid in the ceramic making process, including the potter's wheel. Ceramics range from functional vessels to decorative sculptures, and remain both a long loved craft as well as a fine art. As an intermediate ceramics project, try making a ceramic jar with a lid. In this free ceramics video series, a master potter will demonstrate exactly how it is done. Learn how to throw a jar on the potter's wheel, form a ceramic lid, and add decorative details. Find out how important it is to measure precisely the width of the jar opening and the lid interior. If you're looking for pottery challenge, start with this ceramic covered jar.

Video Transcript

"Making a covered jar, on the potter's wheel, represents two basic challenges. One is to throw the form, so they're stable in their drying and bisque firing and glaze firing condition and the second one, is taking a correct measurement of the jar and the lid, for the jar, itself. We will be using calipers to achieve that goal. It's very important that the clay be the same moisture content, at the beginning of the operation, so it shrinks at the same rate in the drying stage and the firing stage. There are a lot of different covered jars. Today we'll be using a flange type covered jar lid. Also, at some point, we'll be demonstrating trimming the jar, after it has dried to the leather hard consistency. This involves using trim tools and it is taking off excess clay, off from the top of the jar itself. In some instances, the right time to trim it is critical, in that, if it's too soft, the piece will deform and if it's too hard, the trimming will not come away successfully."