SUN CITY FESTIVAL CERAMIC AND POTTERY CLUB BEGINNER CLASS

Transcription

1 SUN CITY FESTIVAL CERAMIC AND POTTERY CLUB BEGINNER CLASS 1

2 SUN CITY FESTIVAL CERAMIC AND POTTERY CLUB BEGINNER POTTERY CLASS TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome and Board of Directors and Committee Chairpersons Information about Our Studio Club Information / Paperwork and Office Procedures Equipment and Tools Kiln Information Classroom Skills Objectives / Projects and Expectations New Member Needs - Class Tool and Equipment List Glossary of Terms Introduction to Clay Bisque Firing Completing Bisque Firing Slips Glaze Information Completing Glaze Firing Slips Introduction to Ceramics Completing Ceramics Firing Slips Procedures for Making Purchases and Filling Out Sales Logs Project Instructions 2

3 WELCOME We would like to introduce you to the Sun City Festival Ceramic and Pottery Club. Our goal is to have fun, embody our talents, and expand friendships. We achieve our goals with equal commitment and respect. This notebook was put together for your basic needs. As of this date, these rules and guidelines are in effect until deemed a change in procedures. As your questions arise, our Instructors, Chair People, and Board will advise you to our best ability. A copy of the Club Rules and Regulations are posted in the studio office. Sun City Festival 2015 Board of Directors President: Caroline Robertson Vice President: Connie Lind Secretary: Marci Fereer Treasurer: Terry TK Kauzlarich 2015 Committee Chairpersons Kiln Chairperson: Chuck Lind Glaze Chairperson: Keith Nelson Display Case & Sales Chairperson: Social Chairperson: Jackie Raatz Safety & Equipment Chairperson: Jeffrey Feerer Education Chairperson: Inventory Chairperson: Media Communications Chairperson: 3

4 INFORMATION ABOUT OUR STUDIO Hours of Operation The Pottery Club is open Monday thru Saturday from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. The Arts and Crafts building doors are locked at 9:00 p.m. each evening. Door Entry Code The door entry code will be given to you upon receipt of your membership dues. Lights and Fan Switches The lights are on two push switches as you enter the studio to your left. Locking Up the Studio If you are the last to leave the studio, please turn off the lights, fans, and make sure the gate in the back has been locked and the back door to the kiln area is also turned to lock. The gate key is located on a hook under the desk. Exits There is only one exit out of the studio. To exit the building you turn right or left and follow exit signs. The bathrooms are across the main hallway. There is a local phone in the main hallway by the woodshop. Arts and Craft Building Amenities There is a refrigerator, coffee pot and microwave in a side hallway that are shared by all clubs. Members Responsibilities Cleaning is the responsibility of each member of our studio. This includes cleaning sinks, washing the table that you use, all equipment if you use them canvas cloths put away, wash any plastic of metal molds, and utensils. Make sure the glaze area and tools are clean. In other words, practice courtesy and respect for fellow members. Emergency and Safety Information You have been provided with the emergency and safety information in your training materials. Please become familiar with these. Sign in/sign out Log As you enter and leave our studio, you are asked to sign in and out. This assists in tracking the amount of time/number of people using the facility. The sign in/sign out log is located on the front counter. White Board Please read the white board on the wall next to the studio s entry doors. This board provides current club information club information. You will find the following information and paperwork in the backroom: Club calendar and Firing slips. Purchase Notebook, Payment drop box with envelopes, Clay 4

5 to purchase, Kiln reject area, Books and literature, Drying areas, Molds for clay projects, Shelves of completed Bisque items, and completed Glazed items EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS Equipment and Tools Provided by the Club at No Charge Our equipment is for all Pottery/Ceramics members use. These are some of the instruments used in ceramics and pottery: Electric potter s wheels, slab rollers, wedging tables, stamps and forms, hair dryers, electric kilns, wall extruder, etc. Stamps, forms, various hand tools and miscellaneous supplies are located either in the cupboards or in the back room. Examples of these are: Texturing tools/molds, wood stamps, rubber stamps, plaster molds/stamps/shapes, metal cut outs of various shapes, a variety of dishes in bins in the back room for making clay dishes, large square foam for making push plates, and sanding stones (used to sand the bottom of finished glazed pottery to ensure smooth bottom on the pottery so it will not scratch the surface of wherever it is placed). Supplies: Corn Starch (use on wood/clay/plaster/rubber stamps only) Pam Spray (use on dish molds to keep clay from sticking; do not use on plaster molds.) Wax Resist (used on bottom of pottery piece prior to dipping in glaze) KILN INFORMATION The five (5) electric kilns are outside. We have a trained kiln committee working very hard to achieve the finest finished product. We take pride in keeping our kilns and area around the kilns safe and clean. The kiln committee will expect you to observe the Closed for Loading sign on the back door while they are loading / unloading kilns. Please wait until the sign is changed before entering the kiln area. Our kilns run at cone 04 for bisque Our kilns run at cone 06 for bisque green ware Our kilns run at cone 5 for stoneware glazing about 1945 degrees C about 1828 degrees C about 2167 degrees C CLASSROOM SKILLS OBJECTIVES and PROJECTS The basic skills objectives you will learn will allow you to make the most common slab built pottery projects: 1. Learn to make an item that slumps inside a mold -- (platter) 2. Learn to make an item with mitered seams -- (cylinder) 3. Learn to attach two pieces of clay together with slip -- (platter handles) 5

6 4. Learn to make an item with the clay on the outside of a mold hump mold (Garlic pot) Once these basic skills objectives are mastered, you can go on to make a variety of hand built clay projects. CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS Timeliness Please be on time and ready to start your project. Follow the Instructor s Directions There may be times that there is more than one way to make a clay project. As you progress in expertise you will determine what works best for you. We always learn fun things from each other. However, during your beginner class, we ask that you follow only the instructor s directions and not follow other pottery member s advice. This is not to say that experienced members are not knowledgeable or proficient in what they make, but it is easier for the instructor and fellow class members if everyone learns the same methods during the class. Making Clay Slip Before you begin making a clay piece, you need to learn how to make slip. Slip is used whenever you make a project that requires adhering two pieces of clay together. Slip is simply dried out finely crushed clay that is dissolved by adding some water and either vinegar or Darvon. Never combine the Darvon and vinegar together, use either Darvon and water or vinegar and water in your slip. The amount of either Darvon or vinegar needed is a tablespoon per cup. The consistency of the slip should be similar to yogurt. The slip acts as a binding agent to keep the clay pieces together. Without slip, your clay pieces will not adhere to each other and will come apart either during drying or in the kiln. You will make and use the same slip in concert with the clay you are working with due to coloration in glazing and shrinkage. Example: Speckled Buff needs only Speckled Buff slip. During your orientation you will make slip. IDENTIFYING YOUR CLAY PIECE It is very important that you identify each piece you make in pottery carefully using a pencil to lightly carve your name or personal stamp on the bottom of your piece. This will ensure everyone knows which piece is yours. 6

7 NEW MEMBER NEEDS - CLASS TOOL AND EQUIPMENT LIST The tools made available to you for use only during the beginner class are the basic tools for creating pottery pieces. Upon completion of your class, if you decide you wish to become a full member, you will need to purchase basic tools. The following businesses are locations you can purchase these tools from: Marjon Ceramics Inc W. Earll Dr. Amazon.com Phoenix, AZ Phone: (602) Q - Crafts Ceramics 3943 W. Ocotillo Rd Phoenix, AZ Phone: (623) EBay Country Ceramics Dusty Duo Ceramics N. Coyote Road W. Grand Ave Ste 119 Queen Creek, AZ Surprise, AZ Phone: (480)

8 GLOSSARY OF POTTERY TERMS Bat Binders Bisque Bisque Fire Clay Cleaning Tool Coiling Crawling Crazing Dipping Dryfoot Fettling Knife Foot A disk on which pottery is formed. A plaster slab which clay can be wedged on to remove excess moisture. Materials such as gum arabic solution used to increase glaze adherence to a body of clay bisque. Use with dipping glazes if painting dipping glaze. Note: Do not add to dipping glazes that are in the dipping buckets. You only add the gum solution to the dipping glaze that you put into a small plastic cup. Do not pour back into the dipping glaze buckets. A clay pottery ware that has been fired but unglazed. Preliminary firing to harden the clay body prior to glazing and subsequent firing. A decomposed granite-type rock. To be classed as clay the decomposed rock must have fine particles so that it will be plastic. Clays should be free of vegetable matter, but often contain other impurities that effect color and firing temperature. A wood handled tool with a straight cutting edge and a curved edge. Used to clean up edges on the clay project and/or to cut the clay. A method of forming pottery by building up the walls with ropelike rolls/coils of clay and then smoothing over the joints. Separation of the glaze coating during firing, which exposes areas of unglazed clay caused by too heavy application. The glaze cracks upon drying or from uneven contraction rates between the glaze and body. Undesirable and excessive crackle in the glaze, which penetrates through the glaze to the clay body. Glazing pottery by immersing a bisque item into a large pail or vat of glaze. To clean the bottom of a glazed piece before firing. A narrow blade knife used to cut clay. The ring like base of a pottery piece. 8

9 Glaze Glazing Glaze Fire Greenware Gum Arabic Kiln Kiln Furniture Leather Hard Loop Tool Mat Glaze Metal Scraper Pin Tool Plasticity Rib Rubber Rib A liquid suspension of finely ground minerals that is applied by brushing, pouring, dipping, or spraying on the surface of bisque-fired pottery or ceramic ware. After the glaze is dried, the ware is fired to the temperature at which the glaze ingredients will melt together to form a glassy surface coating. The process of applying glaze. The firing cycle to the temperature the glaze materials will melt to Form a glass like surface coating. Pottery that has not been bisque fired. Natural gum used in glazes to promote better glaze adherence to the body. A furnace made of refractory clay materials for firing pottery and ceramic products. Refractory shelves and posts upon which pottery wares are placed while being fired in the kiln. The condition of the raw clay ware when most of the moisture has left the body but when it is still soft enough to be carved or burnished easily. This is covered in more depth in the chapter for introduction to clay. A tool utilized in trimming pottery on a potter s wheel. A dull-surface fired glaze with no gloss but pleasant to the touch. A tool that is kidney shaped made of thin metal used in hand building to smooth the clay surface or removed excess clay. Variations of the tool have serrated edges for scratching the clay surface. A sharp needle type metal tool used to cut, trim or pierce clay. The quality of clay that allows it to be manipulated and still maintain its shape without cracking or sagging. A tool of wood, bone, or metal that is held in the hand while throwing to assist in shaping the pot or to compact the clay. It is also used in hand building to smooth surfaces. A tool made of semi flexible plastic or rubber used to assist in shaping or smoothing clay while throwing or hand building. 9

10 Shrinkage Slab Building Slip Throwing Viscosity Vitreous Warping Wax Resist Wedging Wire Cutter Contraction of the clay in either drying or firing. This is covered in depth in the chapter for introduction to clay. Process of making pottery ware utilizing clay that has been rolled to a desired thickness and either pressed into, draped on to a mold, or attached to other slabs of clay of similar sizes. Clay in liquid suspension. It is used to adhere/bind pieces of clay to each other. Forming pottery of plastic clay on a potter s wheel. The non-running quality of a glaze, caused by glaze chemicals that resist the flowing action of the glaze fire. Pertaining to the hard, glassy, and non-absorbent quality of a body or glaze. Distortion of a pot in drying because of uneven wall thickness or a warm draft of air causing uneven drying, or in firing when a kiln does not heat uniformly. A wax material that is applied to bisques ware to prevent applied glaze from adhering to the body of other decorated areas. It can be used as a method of decoration. Kneading left over pieces of clay together with the fingers and heel of the hands in a rocking spiral motion, which forces out trapped air pockets and develops a uniform texture. A thin piece of wire that is attached at each end to wood handles. It is used to cut clay and to remove ware from a bat after throwing. Wire Scratching Tool A metal handle tool that is used to rough up the clay so slip can be applied and clay pieces can be bonded/adhered together. This too can also be used to make decorative texture on the clay. 10

11 INTRODUCTION TO CLAY Ancient people made their pots and clay figures by hand processes 1000 years before the pottery wheel was developed. Clay is formed through the decomposition of granite-type rock. To be classed as clay the decomposed rock must have fine particles so that it will be plastic. Clays should be free of vegetable matter, but often contain other impurities that effect color and firing temperature. A major component in clay is silica. Silica can be a major irritant to the lungs which is why you will be trained how to work safely to prevent clay dust from becoming air born. The most important process in making a clay item is your desire to create, your time and natural talent. Every one of us sees things differently - one person will see shapes and colors differently from another person. This means we will make different artwork. Your piece will be different it will be yours. You need to have a goal, a way that you want your piece to look. Keep a notebook and sketch ideas and list name of glaze used. It is important to know the difference between Functional and Nonfunctional pottery: Functional pottery Functional pottery is utilitarian- pieces we use in every day life. Examples are bowls, cups, plates, vases, etc. Nonfunctional pottery Nonfunctional pieces are decorative in nature such as sculptures, paperweights, wall hangings, etc. There are many methods to create clay pottery projects such as pinch, coil, slab and the potter s wheel. Pinching is working the clay with fingers from a single ball or from pinches of clay to mold and shape your project. Coiling involves building up walls with a series of long coil ropes. The Club has an Extruder that has different size and shape dyes for making coils. Slabs are rolled or thrown flat and luted (or slipped) together. Potter s Wheel referred to as throwing is achieved by centering a ball of clay on a potter s wheel, opening it up and gradually raising the sides up by applying even pressure with both hands. Choosing the Right Clay for your project: Clay comes in different colors, and different textures (rough and groggy, or smooth), and these factors can influence the look of your piece and the way your glaze reacts. Especially at higher temperatures (cone 8 and above) the materials in the clay, such as iron, start to interact with glazes and this often affects the final appearance. Some clay (such as porcelain, or B-mix stoneware s) are made from materials with smaller particles are more plastic (can be pulled and manipulated in wet form without cracking); the tradeoff is that these tend to shrink more than others. Clay Shrinkage: Each clay type shrinks and dries in a different time period. Never try to hurry the drying process. This causes cracking and warping. Clay has a memory and would like to return to its original shape. Your piece will start to learn its new shape after the initial formation. All clay shrinks, first as the moisture evaporates, then as it reaches maturity and 11

12 the materials melt together to become a cohesive solid. Manufactures sometimes give shrinkage numbers so you can compare this between clays. An example: stoneware will shrink from 5-7% from wet to bone dry, another 3-5% in bisques, and another 4-5% in glaze firing. Overall about 12-14% vs. up to 20% for porcelain (because it has smaller particle sizes and can pack denser). Wedging: When making your projects, you will have scraps of clay left over. These scraps can be wedged together to re-form into a larger solid piece of clay. Poorly wedged clay doesn t respond well. Each time you work clay, it must be returned to an even condition without trapped air, which can result in air bubbles. Air Bubbles: There may be times that after you have wedged your clay and rolled it into a slab it will have air bubbles. You can detect air bubbles because you will see small bulges in the slab of clay after you clean it. It is important to take out the air bubbles because air bubbles can cause your project to blow up in the kiln. To fix air bubbles in your rolled out slab of clay, simply use your pin tool to make small holes in the air bubble and then smooth / clean the slab of clay again. The bulges should no longer be there. Stages of Clay In hand building you will need to recognize the stages of clay to work with. Soft - is the stage where the clay is playable, but will hold shape. The surface is often tacky. Medium - is the stage when most surface tackiness is gone, the piece can be slightly distorted and surfaces can still be joined. Surface decoration can be done at this point such as, incising with a modeling tool. The displaced clay rises in attached ridges along the groove. Hard - is the stage called leather hard. Most of the moisture is gone. At this point only scraping or light sanding, minor carving and burnishing can be done to the surface. The piece feels cool when placed to the cheek, but not dry enough to be bisque fired. Avoid excess using water - Using excess water to smooth or finish a piece as you work on it, will soften the clay removing structural integrity and making it harder to work. (This will also cause cracking in the drying and firing process). Do not use water in place of slip when joining pieces, except with very soft clay. Cone 5 Clay Recommendations: (clay inventory changes periodically) Clay Type Color when Fired Throwing Hand building Coiling Notes White B-Mix White ideal Only smaller pieces Limited height Smooth, slippery - glaze moves more freely 12

13 Red Stone Red/brown X X X Speckled Buff Pinkish when bisque X X X WS - 5 Off white X X X Red has lots of oxide and will change colors of glaze. Gritty holds glazes;with speckles through the glaze. Good all around clay Dover White Off White X X Good all around clay When is Your Piece Ready to Fire - Is it Dry? When you are finished with your piece, and it has dried, carefully place the bottom (or the thickest part of your artwork) next to your cheek. It if feels cold, or damp or even cool, give the piece the benefit of an extra day or two to make sure the moisture has evaporated. The result of non- dry pieces in the kiln for firing is ~~~~~ they will blow-up. You will probably lose your piece and ruin other member s artwork too. PROCESS FOR BISQUE FIRING To make sure your piece is dry, place the bottom up against your cheek. If it feels very cool, there is still moisture in the clay and will need to dry longer. Once your clay piece dry and cleaned it is ready to be bisque fired. Fill out a Firing Slip (sample below). Place the pottery piece on the shelf in the kiln area. The shelf is labeled bisque. Each time you have your piece fired in the kiln, you will fill out a firing slip. Sample of Bisque Firing Slip FIRING SLIP (Bisque slips are white) BISQUE x GLAZE Name: Your Name Date: XXXX Item Description: Dish If Glazing, Check Box if you used your own or Club glazes Own - List Name of Glazes: Club - List Name of Glazes (Advise is running glazes) Special Instructions: GLAZE INFORMATION 13

14 Our studio has many products for glazing and treating the finish of your artwork. We have both high and low fire glazes. We will introduce you to test tiles, show you written information on different glazes. We will also help you understand the difference between stable and running glazes. In the glaze table area, the studio has provided a book on many glazes and their characteristics. Glazing will be the most involved step in pottery and ceramics. There are also test tile samples of how the glazes look on different types of clay. The clay test tile samples are located in containers under the dipping glazes, under the low tables and in the drawer of the red glaze cart. As you will note, there are many, many test tile samples of combining glazes and/or using just a single color glaze. Take time to peruse the test tile samples. They will give you great ideas. What is Glaze? The components of glaze are glass (silica), flux, binder, and colorants (minerals such as cobalt, iron, etc.) Plan Ahead Before You Glaze Are you going to use more than one glaze? What is the size and shape of your art piece? Will it fit into the Glaze bucket? What to hold it with (tongs, pour glaze or dip)? What do you have in place to set it on after you glaze it? Plan a space to put your wet piece down -bring a board and newspaper over to the glazing area. If using a stencil on your piece, never choose a running glaze because it will ruin the stencil. Always, refer to the notebook of glazes and the samples before you select the glaze you will use on your piece. Make notes on which glaze you used because you will need to list this on your firing slips. The importance of listing the name of your glaze and whether it is stable glaze or a running simply cannot be stressed enough. It also is important to know so you select a suitable glaze for your clay piece. Restrict running glazes to no closer than 2 up from bottom edge. Stoneware and porcelain pots need to be dry-footed. Methods and Steps of Application when Dipping -- Glazing Step 1: Measure your piece and fill out the white firing slip and check the glaze firing Box.. List the name of the glaze used. Attach the required number of red tickets for the glaze that was used from the club. If you used your own glazes, do not attach the Red tickets. Make sure you fill out the glaze used with all the glazes that have been applied to your piece. Step 2: Start with a bisque dust free piece - wipe with clean sponge or wash lightly the day of glazing. Step 3: The foot or bottom of the piece must be glaze free; mark the bottom or foot with a pencil at the 1/8 or 1/4". Apply wax resist up to the 1/8-1/4 pencil mark to prevent piece from adhering to shelf or chard. The wax resist keeps the glaze from adhering to the foot or bottom the piece and from the piece sticking to the kiln shelf. Always wait for one hour after applying wax resist or apply it the day before dipping your piece into the glaze. The wax resist must be totally dry before dipping the pottery piece into the glaze; otherwise it will 14

15 contaminate the glaze. Caution: If you hand paint and/or use an under glaze / velvet glaze you do not have to use wax resist. Do not touch the wax resist and then touch your pottery piece because this will make a spot that will resist the glaze. Note: Once you use a brush or sponge for wax resist you cannot use it for anything else; label it wax resist; do not use this same brush or sponge to paint glaze onto a piece because it will not allow the glaze to stick to the piece; and keep it separate from your other brushes and sponges. Step 4: Stir Glaze thoroughly - all the way to the bottom for 100 stirs. When you dip your piece into the glaze, you usually count to 3.1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand and then remove the piece. However, it is recommended that you test the glaze by dipping an unglazed test tile in the glaze. The thickness of the glaze should be about the thickness of a credit card. Wash the glaze off the test tile. - Or stick your finger into the glaze and if you can see the wrinkles on your knuckle, add another count to the dipping time. Step 5: Touch up tong marks, or/and dry rub finger marks, drips overlaps, bubbles. You can do this by dipping a clean paintbrush or your finger into the glaze. Step 6: If using more than one glaze -- sponge off and up to 1/8 to 1/4. Step 7: After dipping - Clean bottoms of your stoneware piece up to the 1/8 or 1/4 pencil line you marked. Use a damp sponge, being careful not to drip water onto the rest of the piece. The curved end of your cleaning tool works well for getting the last bit of glaze down to the pencil line. Remember to re-check to ensure the bottom of your pottery is clean. Place on the shelf with the white slip on the shelves marked Glaze Firing Cone 5 in the kiln area. Step 8: After your pottery piece has been glazed and is out of the kiln, sand the bottom of the piece with the sanding stone provided by the Club. Sanding the bottom of the piece will make it smooth so it will not scratch the surface of wherever you place it in your home. Methods and Steps of Application when Hand Painting -- Glazing Step 1: Measure your piece and fill out the white Glaze Firing Slip and check the glaze firing Box. Attach the required number of red tickets for the size of the piece. List the name of the glaze used. If you used your own glazes, do not attach the Red tickets. Make sure you list the name(s) of the glaze(s) used and specify if the glaze is stable, or a running glaze with all the glazes. List names of all glazes that have been applied to your piece. Remember to re-check to ensure the bottom of your pottery is clean. Place on the shelf with the white slip on the shelves marked Glaze Firing Cone 5 in the kiln area. Note: the kiln committee will reject your piece if you do not list the name of glaze used. Step 2: Start with a bisque dust free piece - wipe with clean sponge or rinse under the faucet the day of glazing. Step 3: The foot or bottom of the piece must be glaze free; mark the bottom or foot with a pencil at the 1/8 or 1/4". Do not paint glaze below this line. If you hand paint and/or use an under glaze / velvet glaze you do not have to use wax resist. Never put any glaze, including 15

16 clear glaze on the bottom of your piece. Step 4. Stir Glaze thoroughly - all the way to the bottom for 100 stirs (same process listed in step 3 under dipping) or if selecting one of the glazes from the small containers, shake well. Step 5: If you select a dipping glaze for hand painting, put some of the glaze in a plastic cup and add gum solution to the glaze in your plastic cup. (about ¼ tsp. gum solution ) You do not want to contaminate the glazes, so DO NOT pour the glaze back into the bucket or container. If you select one of the small containers of paint-on glaze you do not need to add the gum solution. If you are only painting one color, you can put unused amount of glaze back into the small paint-on glaze container. However, if painting more than one color, DO NOT pour the glaze back into the bucket or container. Step 6: Paint 3 coats (see bottle of glaze for number of recommended coats some glazes require more than 3 coats). Use long even strokes. Paint the first coat one direction, the second coat the opposite direction and the third coat yet another direction. This method will allow the glaze to go on smoothly and not show the brush strokes. The foot or bottom of the piece must be glaze free; mark the bottom or foot with a pencil at the 1/8 or 1/4". Step 7: After painting- make sure you do not have glaze on the bottom of your stoneware piece below the 1/8 or 1/4 pencil line you marked. If needed, use a damp sponge, being careful not to drip water onto the rest of the piece. The curved end of your cleaning tool works well for getting the last bit of glaze down to the pencil line. Step 8: Wash and dry the plastic cup and put it away. BISQUE GLAZE X Sample of Glaze Firing Slip FIRING SLIP (Glaze slips are white) Measure piece/attach Glaze tickets Name: Your Name Date: XXXX Item Description: Dish If Glazing, Check Box if you used your own or Club glazes Own -List Name of Glazes: X Club - List Name of Glazes (Advise is running glazes) Firebrick Red stable glaze Special Instructions: INTRODUCTION TO CERAMICS 16

17 Ceramics is an art that has been around a long time. A ceramic piece is made using molds made of Plaster of Paris. Clay is poured into the mold and left to stand for about 10 minutes depending on the size of the mold. The mold is then emptied and left to stand until the clay starts to pull away from the pour hole in the top of the mold. The ceramic piece is then placed on a shelf to dry. Ceramic green ware is fragile and should be handled with extreme care when cleaning. Do not saturate the ceramic piece with water, as it will collapse. A cleaning tool or stick scrubber is best cleaning / removing all seams from the piece. Ceramic greenware is fired to a 04 cone. Once the piece is fired, it is not so fragile. There are many choices for finishing ceramics, such as: Acrylic stains Under glazes Chalks Dry Brushing Low Fire Glazes - some of the glazes have large or small crystals; can be stable or running. The low fire glazes will fire to a 06 cone. Ceramic green ware requires at least one firing. Glazes and under glazes will require a second firing. Stain, dry brushing and chalks only require the first firing. The ceramic glazes are located on a shelf in the backroom of the Studio. When your Ceramic piece is ready for firing it, Next, fill out the Pink Ceramic Firing Slip. Place your ceramic piece on the ceramics shelf in the backroom do not place on shelves in kiln area. Note: Ceramics are fired at a different cone level and the pink slips designate for the Kiln committee that this is a ceramics piece and not a clay piece. SAMPLE OF CERAMIC FIRING SLIP FIRING SLIP (Ceramic slips are Pink) BISQUE GLAZE X Measure piece/glaze tickets Name: Your Name Date XXXX Item Description: Dish If Glazing, Check Box if you used your own or Club glazes Own - List Name of Glazes: X Club - List Name of Glazes (Advise is running glazes) List color of ceramic glaze Special Instructions: PROCUDURES FOR MAKING PURCHASES AND FILLING OUT THE SALES LOG 17

18 The Club accepts cash or checks (from USA banks only). If paying with a check, make the check payable to SCF Pottery Club. Procedures for Purchasing Clay, Firing Tickets The Sales Notebook is located in the studio office. There is a divider in the Sales Notebook with sale logs for the various items sold by the Club. The sales logs are used to record the purchase of clay and firing tickets. The Sales Notebook are necessary for the club to keep track of items purchased and for keeping accurate inventory records. Payment Procedures Locate the appropriate Sales Log in the Sales Notebook for the item you are purchasing and fill out the appropriate sales log as follows: Record your name, date, item purchased, and list the amount paid in the log. If you pay by check, put the check # on the log. There are envelopes and a metal drop box located on the wall by the desk. Place your money/check into the envelope with a listing on the outside of the envelope of the item(s) purchased and the corresponding log #, (see detailed envelope procedures below). Put the envelope/payment in the metal drop box. Please note: If paying by cash, you will need the exact $$ amount because we are not equipped to make change. Purchasing Clay Procedures Locate the appropriate Sales Log in the Sales Notebook for the item you are purchasing and fill out the appropriate sales log as follows: Record the clay you purchased by filling out the log for that type of clay. For example: there is a divider for Speckled Buff, WS 5, Redstone, or B Mix. Follow the payment procedures listed above. Follow the envelope procedures listed below. Purchasing Firing Tickets Procedures In the Sales Notebook, there are sections with blue and red firing tickets and the Sales Log for each. You need blue tickets for bisque firing and red and blue tickets for glaze firing (the red tickets are for using the club glazes). However, if you have your own glazes, your firing ticket will be marked Own Glazes and the red tickets will not need to be used. You will fill in the sales log, which is numbered, to the corresponding number on a batch of tickets. Please take the tickets in the order of the batch number. Follow the Payment procedures listed above. Completing the Payment Envelopes Procedures Fill in all spaces on the envelope. If you purchase more than one item, list the item purchased, amount of $ and corresponding sales log # for each item purchased. If you need more room to write on the envelope, simply write over and continue on the back of the envelope. The precise information is needed to allow the club treasurer to properly record the purchases and allows the club track the inventory for re-orders. BEGINNER POTTERY CLASS EVALUATION 18

19 Class Number 1. Based upon the skills objectives outlined in your class materials, did the class meet your needs? Yes No Comments 2. Did you like the class projects that were taught? Platter Yes No Cylinder Yes No Garlic Pot Yes No 3. What other class projects would you recommend making in the beginner class, if any? 4. Were the number of classroom days: Sufficient Too long Too short Other 5. Were the class time slots (4 hour sessions) Sufficient Too long Too short Other 6. Did you receive sufficient help during the class? Yes No Comments: 7. Would you recommend this class to others? Yes No 8. Was the Beginner Class Notebook Useful? Yes No Comments: 19

20 9. Other Feedback: 10. If you are going to become a member of SCF Pottery, please fill out the attached membership form and enclose it with your payment for the dues ($24.00) in a sales envelope located above the desk. If you have decided not to become a member, please share with us your reason why. Thank you for your interest in SCF Pottery. We hoped you enjoyed the class. 20