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Which Clay For Small Ceramic Pieces?


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I haven't made anything with clay since college, and I want to make sure I'm getting the right kind before I invest any money into it. I'm trying to achieve a very particular look. I've attached a photo - small ceramic pieces that are bright white and glossy. I also want to be able to paint little spots with a bright gold luster. I've done a lot of researching but almost all of the ceramic clays I've found have a more earthy look. I found Amaco Lowfire Plastic Earthenware Versa clay and that seems to be the closest to what I'm looking for. Does anyone know what the best clay would be for something like this?

post-77496-0-28065500-1464029388_thumb.jpg

post-77496-0-28065500-1464029388_thumb.jpg

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the reason your question will not be answered with a simple "buy this kind of clay" is the newbie part of the question.

 

please ask yourself a few questions and then formulate a question for us.  what kind of kiln will transform the clay to ceramic?  what temperature will you be using for this process?  do you own this kiln or are you in a classroom situation with no control over the process?  "small" is not a specific description of the finished product.  do you know that adding gold luster is a whole other kind of process?  what are you planning, operating a business selling these products, making a few for friends, etc.?   do you intend to buy a white clay and glaze it with clear?  

 

you are not being criticized.  you have to know what you want before you can get to it.

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Thanks, I am clueless - I just assumed if I bought a white ceramic clay (or certain type of clay) and fired at the firing instructions for the color I want; for example for Amaco No. 20 Moist White Versa Clay, it says: Bisque is bright white at Cone 05. I'm not sure what type of kiln is being used, there is a studio where I live that lets you fire for a fee. It has options for bisque and lowfire at 04 & 05 and for stoneware firing up to cone 06. But yes, ultimately wouldn't have control over the process except to choose one of these options. I didn't know that adding a gold luster was a whole other type of process. It also says I can fire these at cone 4-6 on a bisque fired surface. (I realize the difference between these temps will make different results but didn't know it was a different process.) I really just want to start this as a hobby. I was really into ceramics all through high school and college but lost touch with it when I had no place to fire my art.

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you do not identify the kind of studio that will fire for a fee so i am making an assumption that it is a Paint your Own pottery studio.  if so, and since you have no current exposure to an instructor, i suggest your local library and SOME videos.  there are lots of books with basic info in them.  lots of the thin, new books are about only a fraction of the info you need, try one of the older standards.  look for the ones by robin hopper if you can find them.  look at the glossary in any book you find and try to learn the use of cones in firing and the differences in clays.

 

you do not say where you are in the world, i assume the USA because of the amaco reference. 

 

the history of one of our members might help you.  look at the content by Pugaboo.  she started out knowing almost nothing about clay a few years ago and today she is a star.  :)

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The clay in the image you supplied looks like some kind of porcelain, or porcelaineous stoneware. It has a glasslike quality that makes me think it's not earthenware, but some of that could be photography. Many manufacturers make a version of a vitreous stoneware or cone 6 porcelain like this. Ask at your supplier for recommendations. If you're making tiny pieces like this only, one box will go a very long way.

 

The gold lustre is usually done in a third firing, after the glaze.

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 It has options for bisque and lowfire at 04 & 05 and for stoneware firing up to cone 06. .........

 

 gold luster was a whole other type of process. It also says I can fire these at cone 4-6 on a bisque fired surface.

 

Stoneware firing would be to (cone) ^6 not ^06.

 

And it is highly unlikely that luster would be fired as high as ^06, let alone to ^6.

 

As suggested above, you need to do a bit more research on what firings are available in your area.  Many kiln owners/operators are also unknowledged about what their kilns can do.  The tutor at the centre I go to only knew how to run a "bisque" or "glaze" firing.  She was taking "luster" stuff to some-one else for firing and told me that she couldn't fire "stoneware".  In fact the kiln is fully programmable and will fire up to ^8 if needed.  The current tutor knows nothing about the kiln, which has now become "my job" to deal with.

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Yes I was wrong, the flyer I was given for pricing at the ceramic store here says stoneware firing would be to cone 6. I've searched the internet trying to research (I don't really want to buy a book, like old lady suggested, and hunt for the specific information only to risk not finding what I need, when it really should be on the internet somewhere) But perhaps I'm not phrasing my search queries correctly. I feel like I've tried everything. I guess I really wanted a recommendation on which porcelain to buy, and then I will take my chances firing to cone 6, and see what happens. Because I've signed up to this website and scoured the internet, and watched videos, in attempt to do the "research" that is being suggested, but still can't seem to find anyone who knows which type of clay to buy to make small porcelain (or porcelain-looking) figurines. The best suggestion has been from Diesel Clay, who said it might be a cone 6 porcelain.

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sorry if it seemed that you had to BUY a book.  i meant use your local library.  many of us have done this.  there are references here to which books are good.

 

it would be unfair for me to just say, "go out and buy 25 pounds of xyz clay."  if you cannot possibly fire it.

 

there is a great deal of information on this website.  if you go to the first page and look for "clay body", there are probably dozens of references.

 

clay knowledge is vast.  your question is not one with a simple answer.  tiny figures can be made with any kind of clay by a person who knows how to use that clay.

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Thank you, I do appreciate the help. I've searched clay body and cannot find anything close to what I'm looking for. I even went back to an email from 2008 that I wrote to my college ceramics instructor and asked him which type of clay to get for small porcelain-looking jewelry items and this was his response "The clay is easy. You can buy it from me, Austin, or Houston. You are looking for a low fire clay. I am sure they will have a white/porcelain." Very simple and straight forward. I am not able to fire to cone 9 or 10, because of the lack of services that do this, so I know I obviously would need a low fire clay but would like one that at least has the appearance of white porcelain, if I can't get actual porcelain. I feel like I'm asking in some alien language, with all these advanced experts who don't know what I'm trying to ask :) I really do appreciate the advice though. 

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Yes I was wrong, the flyer I was given for pricing at the ceramic store here says stoneware firing would be to cone 6. I've searched the internet trying to research (I don't really want to buy a book, like old lady suggested, and hunt for the specific information only to risk not finding what I need, when it really should be on the internet somewhere) But perhaps I'm not phrasing my search queries correctly. I feel like I've tried everything. I guess I really wanted a recommendation on which porcelain to buy, and then I will take my chances firing to cone 6, and see what happens. Because I've signed up to this website and scoured the internet, and watched videos, in attempt to do the "research" that is being suggested, but still can't seem to find anyone who knows which type of clay to buy to make small porcelain (or porcelain-looking) figurines. The best suggestion has been from Diesel Clay, who said it might be a cone 6 porcelain.

 

As a hobby potter who has been dabbling with clay for 12 years, at evening and day centres, I learned very quickly that there is no "answer" to any question except "try it and see".

 

It seems that all clays and glazes have a range of firing temperatures and schedules that work for one person, but not another.  Clay is an art not a science.

 

I have read every book that I can get from the library and have had them order new or old books specially.

 

When we answer your question with another question, we are not being awkward, it really (really) is that there is no set answer.  Even the professional, full-time production potters here can't always answer our questions, or know why something happened.

 

Good luck in your quest.

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And I understand that - it seems the answer really is just try it and see. Which is totally fine. I will buy a low fire white clay, ask the instructors or sales people there, and just see what happens! I'll post a photo update once I try it :)

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