First Experience with Poured Ceramic Greenware

by: red46
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I remember my first experience with poured ceramics. I spent my childhood playing with clay I found in the river bed. At the age of 10, I could always be found in the backyard with clay and sticks, building little pueblo houses, complete with door and windows.

I later learned from the indian ladies, how to build pots.

This idea of clay poured into molds fascinated me. I was 40 years old before the opportunity presented itself. I just happened to be working in outside sales and found an opportunity to drop into a ceramic supply shop, for my first time.

The whole subject was alien to me, with the exception of one thing-clay. I had no time for classes and decided to learn on my own. I bought the Duncan catalog, which had some basic instructions and only by chance, picked up the right paints to use.

The catalog listed things like gloss glazes, underglazes, etc but I had no idea which was used for what.

As best I could figure out, by description and limited instructions, the underglaze was the proper thing to use on this unfired clay I held in my hands.

With no-one to guide me, I could only go by what I already knew and I used available tools to clean the seams, carve and clean the greenware. Then I followed the directions on the jar of color to apply the 3 solid coats of underglaze.

I spent a week of spare time, working on that piece and actually managed to get it back to the shop to be fired.

The day I returned to see what this new adaventure looked like, I was surprised to see it sitting in the center of a work table. Several ladies sat around the table working on individual ceramic pieces.

When I asked for my little prize, the ladies begged my forgiveness for borrowing my little figurine as an example of superb cleaning and painting.  My piece? I'd never touched the stuff before, in my life, and now they were using mine as an example? Wow.

Remembering this experience is what drew me into writing this article. Quite possibley there are others as clueless as I was. Maybe more so, if they never played with clay.

Here I am to help with the basics. The jars of colors and glazes you see in the shop, fall into categories. Stains, glazes and underglazes.

Stains are not meant to be fired. In fact, it's the same as any craft paint you see at the craft supply. Stains can be used on bisque(fired ceramics), wood, plaster, whatever.

Glazes are applied to already fired ceramics. It's like a final coat. Underglazes are used on greenware(unfired clay pieces), are applied in 3 even coats and then fired. This way the underglaze is bonded to the clay. Kind of like using colored clay to paint over uncolored clay.

Once fired, you can do anything you like. You can use a spray sealer to seal it in, a clear glaze and then refire or just leave it as is. The only thing is, unsealed underglaze can absorb oils and is impossible to wash out.

Glazes are clear or colored, gloss or matte. Some are grainy, some have crystals that melt, some are solid and some are translucent. Read the labels.

You can clean a piece of greenware and just have it fired before any painting, then use glazes for your colors or you can use underglazes to paint on the greenware then fire the piece then glaze and refire. You can actually use the bisque to paint with stains and then seal it in with a spray sealer.

When it comes right down to cleaning greenware, you have more freedom than most might tell you. You just have to remember the poured ceramics is only a shell of clay. No more pressure than you'd use on an empty eggshell.

Never pick up a vase by the lip. You'll snap off the edge faster than you can think it. Always wash your hands before handling greenware. Any oils on your hands, will ruin the piece, as the colors will not adhere but will run off that spot, in the firing.

You can use a damp sponge to smooth out the rough spots but don't rub it until it's dry. This will cause a hard spot and the colors won't adhere.

You can drill into the greenware, use sanding paper or a sharp knife to smooth out the seams. Just remember how thick the piece really is.

If, while you are sanding are scraping at the seams, you see what looks like a think layer of hard black stuff just under the surface, stop and return it to the shop. That black layer is called a hard spot and the piece wasn't poured right. Try another piece.

If you break a little piece off, like a hand or finger, don't try to just wet it and put it back together. You see, clay is larger in volume when it's wet. It shrinks as it's drying. So adding wet clay to dry won't work. The color makers like Duncan, make this stuff called Mender.

If you can't get hold of the Mender, try this. Pour a tiny bit of slip into a small cup. If you don't have slip, take the dust from your cleaning and put it into the cup. Add about the same amount of vinegar and let it boil up. Then add a 1/3 portion of clear glaze to the mix and mix it up. Use it like mender.

Just before applying any mender, dip just the broken edge into vinegar, then while it's still boiling, add the mender and hold the two pieces together while you trim away the excess. Hold it firmly, not letting it slide or slip.

Mender doesn't always do the job, it can still fall apart in the firing. I suggest you apply a little extra color to the section, in the hopes that the color itself will hold. Once broken, that section will remain a fragile spot. Your best bet is not to break anything.

I would suggest, for your first piece, get a 'cleaning tool' (a double ended tool, with what looks like an arrow head on one end and a narrow, cupped, curved knife end on the other end), a medium sanding pad, a fine sanding pad, a small cleaning sponge and a bowl of water. That's enough to start with.

Have fun experimenting and don't be afraid of the greenware. It's fragile but it's not suspended powder. If you break the edge of a vase, don't panic, just get creative.

Judy Sims

About the Author

I'm a 60 year old grandmother who used to drive a truck across the country, for a living.    
One thing ate at me, while I spent days/weeks/years just driving and that was that I was getting old and hated the idea of dying without leaving behind my knowledge.    

My talents and expertise are so diverse, it's hard to know where to start. Since I had already started a book on mold making for ceramics, back in the 90's, I decided that was a good place to start.     

Before long, I had written 3 instruction booklets with illustrations and plan to go on into all sorts of crafting subjects.    

The website belongs to my daughter and I and if I can get it to support us, I will stay home (not on the road) and write, instruct, share. That is my main purpose in life now but, of course, it has to be supported. So I write. If my efforts prove to be viable, I will continue to share my knowledge.    

You can help this old lady see her goals, simply by visiting the website and signing up on the forums. Come join us. I promise, the knowledge in this little head is worth the sharing.

 http://judysbookshop.com/judy.htm

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