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Kilns and Other Pottery Tools

Without them we would not have any pottery or ceramics!

Clay is the most important material of pottery and kilns are the most important tool.
Kilns are the ovens by which clay is turned from a very fragile material into one that will last for centuries.
The history of the development of kilns is fascinating and I have tried to give a quick history of it, and if you click here it will take you to that page.

It is fun making your own pottery or pouring your own ceramic piece, but the fun doesn't stop there!
Firing the kiln is also a time of high excitement for a pottery or ceramic artist.
There are few things more fun than tending a kiln through its firing cycle and then, after impatiently waiting for it to cool, opening a kiln to see what the kiln gods have given you.
Haven't heard of kiln gods, huh?



Well, if you want to know what they are, click here.

Today pottery and ceramic artist primarily use gas fired or electric kilns with a few preferring oil or wood fired kilns.
There are advantages to each and every pottery or ceramic artist has fairly strong opinions on why what he or she uses is best.
Now, the simplest, easiest and cheapest is an electric kiln.
Most of the pottery and ceramic artist do their bisque firing in an electric kiln even if they prefer gas, oil or wood for glaze firing.
If a pottery or ceramic artist chooses to glaze fire in an oxidizing atmosphere, an electric kiln can also be an excellent choice for glaze firing.
But, if reduction firing or salt soda glazing is desired, then a gas, oil or wood fired kiln is the tool of choice, because it would ruin the electric kiln.
I guess I'm kinda lazy, but I have been able to get the effects I want with an electric kiln so I use that for both bisque and glaze firing, I can just set it and forget it!!.

I have found out through the years that whatever pottery or ceramic project that I might be working on will get done a lot faster and look a lot nicer if I do use the proper tools.
More time is spent looking for something that you think maybe can be used to do a certain procedure and nine times out of ten you have to resort to two or more other things that may help you to clean, trim or carve your project.
Just bite the bullet and get the correct tools to start off with, it will save you lots of time that you would spend lookin for something around the house that might do the job.
Good Luck and have fun!!

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Have you ever come up with a good idea while working with your pottery or ceramics and thought that you would like to share it with others? You have? Well, why not send it to us and we will add it to the tips page for all to see.

There are signs that pottery and ceramics are losing appeal for a younger generation. There are pottery and ceramic departments closing in teaching institutions throughout the country. The common understanding is that younger students are reluctant to commit themselves to the intensive study required to master pottery and ceramics. Why spend three years to learn just one art form when you can pick up PhotoShop in less than a week? Pottery wheels lie idle as students flock to the computer labs. With all the stressful actions in the world today, releasing that stress through pottery and ceramics would be very beneficial to ones well being.