Pottery and terracotta designs for you

Pottery is the art of making earthenware from clay. This is just one of the numerous ways you can define pottery.Greek pottery dates back to almost 1050BC in ancient Greece. Pottery was also a skilled art form in ancient India and China. Pottery as a hobby can be very fascinating.

Types of pottery

There are a variety of types of pottery available. Some of them are listed below:

• Agate
• Bisque
• Basalt
• Earthenware
• Porcelain
• Marble
• Jasper
• Pearl ware
• Stoneware
• Tortoise shell

Basic pottery making techniqueThe basic wheel pottery making technique is as follows:

• Clay is the main ingredient in pottery making. Select proper clay consistency which is not very soft or very hard but just right to mould. Make sure you do not trap air bubbles while kneading it. Make a cone shape out of the clay which is devoid of any lines or cracks.
• A wheel head is essential to get the cone into shape. Place the clay cone in the centre of the wheel.
• Wet the clay and start spinning the wheel. Make sure you hold the clay with both hands, pressing it inward and downward. Occasionally wet the clay.
• Once the clay is being shaped keep your hands cupped to the clay and with your thumb or fore fingers make a ditch in the centre of the clay. This way a hole is made that is ¼“ from the bottom. Check the depth of the floor by poking through hole once in a while.
• Make sure that you make the inside space of the pot wider than desired, since you have to keep shrinkage in mind.
• An upward movement of fingers or knuckles should be done now with equal pressure when the wheel is rotating. This starts to give height to your pot.
• With the proper hand pressure and movements the shape of the pot is achieved. This involves a lot of practice. So never be disappointed with the initial results.

Fascinating old pottery around the world

Each country and people of particular time frames had their own unique style of pottery that reflected their culture and heritage. The following are some of the fascinating pottery arts around the world:

Indian pottery and terracota

Pottery in India dates back to the Indus valley civilization .The form of glazed pottery can be dated back to 12th century AD which had the influence of the Mughal invasions during those times. The terracotta form of pottery art is popular even to this day. It involves making pots on the wheel and then burning them in an open oven and polishing them when wet. It gives the pottery an amazing burnt brick color. Different varieties of terracotta pottery and art are available in India. They not only decorative art but hold a spiritual significance in India. Blue pottery of Rajasthan is equally popular.

Hull pottery

This kind of pottery first came into existence in 1905 AD by a company called the A.E.Hull pottery company. It made a range of decorative pottery that was delivered by florists around the country. But its popularity rose with the range of red riding hood cookie jars it made.

Terracota in indonesia

The art of terracotta flourished in Indonesia. The art is inspired by the philosophies of Hinduism and Buddhism.Terracota is earthenware that is fired. The art is made from the elements of water earth and fire. This aspect holds a spiritual significance to it. Various terracotta art forms have been excavated all over Indonesia and are exhibited even to this day in the National museum, Jakarta.

Native american pottery

The southwestern Indian pottery of native America is famous for its “black on black” firing. It is unique in its designs and decorative art. Native American pottery was made by the Cherokee, Iroquois, Cheyenne and Shoshoni natives.

Chinese pottery

Chinese pottery goes back to almost 7000 years ag.Painted pottery was made famous during the Yangshoa culture. Glazed pottery was famous during the Tang dynasty. Chinese porcelain is the most famous even to this day. It is made by combining china clay and porcelain stone. Beautiful ceramic art has evolved from China. Even to this day the porcelain tea wares and vases adorn many homes all over the world.

Handmade pottery tips

The following tips would give you the very basic in hand made pottery:

• Take proper consistency clay dough and make it into a rope of 12”.make many ropes like that and cover them in a wet cloth.
• The bottom of the pot is first made by taking a clay rope and making a spiral out of it, just like a snake coil and then attaching the end by pressing against the clay surface. The same process is repeated by turning the clay coil around.
• Keep building the height of the clay by adding clay coils and pressing them inside and out.
• To make a curve shape varies the sizes of the clay coils accordingly.
• Once you are done with the shape, smoothen it inside out and you can decorate it if you wish.

Pottery as a hobby can be very entertaining and rewarding to you. Pottery making kits for children are readily available in the market or online. You can cultivate this hobby and also encourage your children too. So start making your pot today!