Hand Painted Pottery
Pottery is made by forming a clay body into objects of a required shape. Hand painted pottery is a popular form of pottery for people of all ages. There are wide regional variations in the properties of clays used by potters which helps to produce wares that are unique in character. It is common for clays and other minerals to be mixed to produce clay bodies suited to specific purposes. Terra cotta flower-pots and earthenware are types of pottery that remain slighty porous after firing. These types of clay bodies are great for hand painted pottery.
Air trapped within the clay body needs to be removed before the shaping process. This can be accomplished by a machine called a vacuum pug. Wedging can also help to ensure an even moisture content throughout the body. It is then and only then where they can be shaped by a variety of techniques. There are a number of stages in the drying process such as leather-hard, trimming and handle attachment, and bone-dry. A potter’s most useful tool is their hands. But if your hands are not enough, there are other tools such as the potter’s wheel and turntable, shaping tools, rolling tools, cutting tools, and finishing tools. Handbuilding is the earliest and the most individualized and direct forming method. It is much slower than other methods but it offers the potter much more control. So no matter which tools you use or how much time it takes, hand painted pottery is a calming and relaxing experience.