What is Pottery?

Pottery is a ceramic material that has been molded and fired to create functional, decorative objects. It has been used throughout history to create utilitarian wares for storing, serving and eating food, and is considered one of the oldest art forms known to man.

The main ingredient in pottery is clay, which has unique properties. It is plastic enough to be molded and will retain the shape imposed upon it, but it can also be transformed by heating into a hard and durable, almost indestructible material that does not corrode metal or organic materials such as fruit, vegetables or meats. Firing changes the clay body into a ceramic, and prevents it from returning to its plastic state even after water has been introduced.

Once the clay has been shaped, it is usually decorated with underglazes and stains or painted with enamel (or porcelain enamel in U.S. English). These are then fired, or baked, in the kiln at high temperatures to set the color and enhance physical properties of the glazes and underglazes.

Pottery is an ancient craft that has continued to evolve along with civilization, and continues to be a popular hobby in many countries. Today’s potters often use advanced equipment, such as pottery wheels and kilns, to streamline the process of making ceramics. Other tools and supplies include brushes that are ideal for carrying water or slip to specific areas of the clay when molding, as well as for applying paints, underglazes and glazes. Wooden ribs are useful for smoothing out the base of a piece of pottery before firing, as are calipers for measuring the inner and outer dimensions of the pieces.

Auto Amazon Links: No products found. http_request_failed: A valid URL was not provided. URL: https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?SearchIndex=All&multipageStart=0&multipageCount=20&Operation=GetResults&Keywords=What+is+Pottery%3F|Pottery+Stuff&InstanceId=0&TemplateId=MobileSearchResults&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US Cache: AAL_cece0cca3cd8fef6ebcaf6a55db69642