2. Lesson 1: Narratives on Clay
● Ancient Greek Ceramics:
– Grain and oil were stored in large jars called
pithoi. These were built using coil-building.
– Greek potters created several types of urns,
like oil flasks (amphorae), wine bowls (kylix),
and pitchers (oinochoe).
– The Greeks were the first to paint stories on
pots.
3. Ancient Greek Ceramics
● The Greeks painted scenes featuring the human
figure as early as 2900 B.C.
– Art that represents the human figure is called
figurative.
● They decorated their forms with monsters, heroes,
and mythological figures – mostly in profile view.
● In early work, they painted black figures onto red
clay.
● In later work, they used black slip to paint their
background. Then they carved out the figures.
6. Moche Pottery
● About 500 years after the Greeks first
developed black-figure technique
● The Moche (50 – 800 A.D.) were located in
northern Peru
● Recorded their beliefs and their history on their
pots
7. Moche Pottery
● They had no writing system
● Scholars consider their ceramics a library of
information because they recorded such detail
on their work
● The Moche applied fine lines of slip to create
their imagery (slip painting).
● They always portrayed figures in profile.
● They are also known for their stirrup vessels.
9. Mayan Ceramics
● Located north of the Moche, in modern-day
Belize, Guatemala, and southern Mexico
● The Mayan Classical Period (250 – 850 A.D.)
● Their multicoloured ceramics were built using
coil and slab techniques.
10. Mayan Ceramics
● They also used slip painting.
● They portrayed religious themes, rituals, and
history.
● Like the Moche, their figures were always in
profile.
● In contrast to the Greeks and the Moche, the
Maya developed several colours for their slip.
12. Lesson 2: Jomon Ceramics
● The first people to settle on Japan's chain of
islands
● Although little is known about them, it is thought
that they thrived with plenty of food and low risk
of invasion from 9,000 – 300 B.C.
● “jomon” - cord patterned
13. Jomon Ceramics
● The Jomon created storage pots which they
elaborately decorated with surface coils.
● Many Jomon designs also included impressions,
incising, and subtle animal imagery.
● Jomon pottery stands out because the Jomon people
were hunter-gatherers. Historically, storage vessels
weren't produced until the people settled into a
farming lifestyle.
● With ample food and a peaceful lifestyle, perhaps they
were simply enjoying the luxury of creating artistic
objects.
14.
15. Lesson 3: Kilns & Firing
● Kiln – a structure designed to fire clay
● Electric kilns – fuelled by electricity.
– Has evenly spaced heating elements/coils that
surround the firing chamber.
– Walls are made of soft, insulating brick wrapped
in a metal casing
– Safer and cleaner than most other firing
methods
16. Kilns & Firing
● Gas Kilns – fuelled by natural gas;
– it is either connected to municipal utilities or
tanks (like propane tanks for a barbeque)
– Same basic construction: soft bricks to insulte +
metal casing
17. Kilns & Firing
DURING A FIRING:
● Adequate ventilation is always necessary.
Unhealthy gases such as sulfur and carbon
monoxide are released during firings.
● Work must never touch the kiln elements, as
the coils can be damaged.
18. Stages of Firing
1) Bisque Firing- the first time clay is fired
– Bisque firing changes the chemical structure of
greenware so it becomes permanent
– Temperature is low enough to allow the clay to
stay porous (able to absorb liquid, like glaze)
19. Stages of Firing
2) Glaze Firing – after the piece has been
bisque fired and glaze has been applied
– This goes to a higher temperature than the
bisque in order to melt the oxides,
underglazes, and glazes
– Because melting occurs, pieces cannot touch
each other, the kiln walls, or kiln furniture.
– Kiln Wash – a protective substance that is put
on the kiln shelves before every glaze firing
20. Variables in Firing
1) Atmosphere (the mixture of gases in the
kiln)
– Oxidizing atmosphere – when oxygen is
present in the firing chamber; electric kilns
usually have this atmosphere
– Reduction atmosphere – when oxygen is
removed from the firing chamber; this
changes the resultant colours; wood or gas
kilns are usually used for reduction firing.
21. Variables in Firing
2) Temperature – measured by a pyrometer inside
the kiln
SUPER LOW
TEMPERATURE
Dehydration
begins.
Cone
022
Cone
021
...
Cone
09
Bisque firing
1730 F/ 943 C
Cone
08
Cone
07
LOW:
Earthenware
glaze firing
1823 F/ 995 C
Cone
06
Cone 04
Cone 03
Cone 02
Cone 01
Cone 1
Cone 2
.... ....
MID: Stoneware glaze
firing (2225 F/ 1218 C)
Cone 6
... ...
Cone 10
HOTTEST:
Porcelain glaze firing
2359 F/ 1292 C
Cone 11
The higher you fire, the more stress is put on the clay.
22. Additional Firing Techniques
Group Ambassador Activity:
● 6 groups (6 different firing techniques)
● Each group will receive information about one
firing technique.
● Your group will send all but one member to visit
other groups to get their information.
● After your ambassadors have gotten
information, you will reform your original groups
and combine all your facts.
23. Additional Firing Techniques
1) Bonfire - the most ancient firing system. This is a fast
process, which can cause the greenware to break. Using grog,
sand, or other additives can help to strengthen the clay against
thermal shock. The pots are warmed by burning straw inside
them. Then the work is left to dry even further on the embers of a
wood fire. Lastly, the work is piled on a bed of sticks, and covered
with shards of broken pottery and more firewood. The work that
emerges from the firing is black from the carbon in the smoke.
Bonfire kilns generally reach earthenware temperatures around
1290 F/700 C.
24. Additional Firing Techniques
2) Pit Firing - similar to bonfiring, but the pots are put in a pit that
is covered with a metal lid. Because the earth walls of the pit
insulate the firing chamber, the kiln temperature is more even,
higher temperatures can be achieved, and the kiln cools down
more slowly. Therefore, there is less breakage.
3) Sawdust Firing - sawdust can be used as fuel in pit firing or in
a metal trash can. If firing in a trash can, holes must be drilled in
the bottom, sides, and lid of the can to provide enough air flow.
Newspaper is used as additional fuel.
25. Additional Firing Techniques
4) Wood Firing - there are many specially designed chambers for
wood firing. Eastern designs build multi-chambered kilns into hillsides.
Western designs usually have a single chamber with a chimney to draw
the heat upwards. The wood is burned in a space below the chamber, so
the work is protected from direct contact with the flames. This is a
demanding firing technique, as the potter must constantly watch the fire
for at least a day.
5) Saggar Firing - a saggar is a fire-resistant container. It can be
made of brick, a large pot, or other fireproof material. This technique was
originally developed by the Chinese during the Song dynasty (960 - 1279
A.D.) to shield porcelain from the ashes in wood firing. Today, potters
use saggars for the opposite purpose. They put combustibles (like plant
matter, wire, and paper) in the saggars with their work in order to achieve
different effects.
26. Additional Firing Techniques
6) Raku - previously bisqued and glazed pieces are fired quickly
to a low heat that is enough to melt the glaze. Once the glaze
matures to a glassy surface, the potter uses special equipment to
pull the piece from the hot kiln, and places it in a container full of
organic materials (like leaves, paper, wood shavings). The potter
places a lid on the container to smother any flames and create a
reduction atmosphere. The carbon from the smoke permanently
colours the clay black. Special glaze effects can be achieved with
this method, like crackling and metallic flashes.
27. Reflection: Unit 2
1) Do you think you were successful in using
coil-building? Explain.
2) Do you think you were successful in
decorating your vessel? Explain.
3) What did you like or dislike about this project?
