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Ceramics 1 Class Final Project Yixing Inspired Teapots


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I am brand new to ceramics (and loving it so far only four weeks into my first class in it). Our final project is to be a Yiking style teapot. I've been home sick all day researching yixing teapots from bed via my iPad. I love tea, in fact in living on hot tea right now with this chest cold. I love the idea of a teapot designated to just one tea developing a patina and flavor over time. I also understand a true Yixing teapot is made with Yixing clay. I seriously doubt we are going to import yixing clay for novices to try making their first ever teapots with. That said I work hard on my ceramics projects and love tea and would love to have a decent teapot after all my hard work. I would love to know what clay you all would recommend? It must be cone 6. The class is using red rock but I really don't like red rock and the professor ok'd me to use other clays as long as it's cone 6.

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There are some videos, and some books out there with demos of xing type tea pots. Personally, being new to ceramics, I think you are letting your aesthetic wishes get ahead of your abilities. This project takes quite a bit of work, and good ones years of effort.

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Even though my knowledge of the form is lacking, I would think that a strong colored clay in the mid range would be what you are looking for. Possibly something like Standards Hazelnut-211, or even the darker 266 Dark Brown, or the grogged 710. It really depends on where you live, and what your suppliers carry. I would look for a clay that has strong color, handbuilding workability and fires with in the 11 to 13% range, with moderate absorption at 2-3%.  All in all, if you are going to be using the pounding techniques to work the form you will probably be using stiffer bodies, but it will take some experimentation to find the right clay consistency.  Good luck.

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Guest JBaymore

Here is an actual Yixing clay source....... while not true Zisha........ close.

 

http://www.chineseclayart.com/chineseclayart/store_materials.asp

 

 

If you want a great video.... see here:  Title starts with "the world center of teapot making".......

 

http://www.chineseclayart.com/chineseclayart/store_books.asp

 

(BTW...... I'm in the book listed just above that video ;) )

 

 

best,

 

...............john

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Nice! Congrats on being in the book (listed above the video) very exciting! Hav you ever used that clay? If so which color? I bounced it is sold in 1 pound increments, I've watched many you tube videos and the teapots look small, like they fit in the palm of your hand. Is 1 pound of clay enough? If I ordered it should I order 2 or 3 pounds? Do you have any experience with how long it takes to arrive? We are supposed to start our teapots on Tuesday October 21.

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didn't someone new to clay do this within the last year or so?  it should be findable in the archives or whatever it takes/

You just type Yixing into the search bar at the top and hit the green mungifying glass to the right.

 

http://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/3998-im-trying-to-making-yixing-teapots/?hl=yixing

 

http://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/4174-yixing-teapot-process-from-an-amateur-round-two/?hl=yixing

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Guest JBaymore

Nice! Congrats on being in the book (listed above the video) very exciting! Hav you ever used that clay? If so which color? I bounced it is sold in 1 pound increments, I've watched many you tube videos and the teapots look small, like they fit in the palm of your hand. Is 1 pound of clay enough? If I ordered it should I order 2 or 3 pounds? Do you have any experience with how long it takes to arrive? We are supposed to start our teapots on Tuesday October 21.

 

 

They are quite fast to process orders. But contact them to see how to get it by when you need it. You should have enough time..... 3 weeks-ish.

 

Yes, the teapots are diminutive. With skill, you won't need much clay.... but since you are new to clay.... to be safe... I'd order 3 pounds. That should be plenty. Get the basic brown stuff.....the colors are for doing accents, in general.

 

If you haven't yet ....... look up the work of Richard Notkin for more contemporary interpretations.

 

Some Yixing teapot images mixed in here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3965636678684.1073741825.1813411552&type=1&l=45730b0b73

 

best,

 

............................john

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John,

Thank you so much for the clay source info. I brought it up in class tonight and the instructor (Danny Crocco) was very supportive of the idea. That's probably my absolute favorite thing about him, he is very supportive of his students challenging themselves and really encourages creativity and pushing the envelope. Two of my classmates and myself went in on an order of clay tonight. Hopefully it will arrive in time! I also looked up the artist you mentioned those are really interesting teapots! A little dark, but interesting. The facebook page didn't want to cooperate. Thanks so much for the great info and positive encouragement on the subject! The three of us are looking forward to the challenge! In the meanwhile I must focus myself on the task of making a hollow figure sculpture with extruded pieces and slabs. I have been a pastry chef for the last 20 years, sculpting in chocolate, sugar, pastillage and cake and icing :-) it will be fun to make a sculpture that's not going to be eaten and actually will stay around! I made a pretty cool dragon out of Rice Krispie treats and fondant that I airbrushed with food color once. Thinking I'll try my hand at a clay dragon. :-)

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