2008 Ceramic Workshop Handbook

2008
Ceramic
Workshop
Handbook
Pottery Tools and Studio Reference
Brought to you by the publishers of
1 www.ceramicartsdaily.org
2008
Workshop Handbook
Publisher:
Charles Spahr
Editors:
Bill Jones, Pottery Making Illustrated
Sherman Hall, Ceramics Monthly
Assistant Editors:
Brandy Agnew, Jessica Knapp
Production Editor:
Cynthia Conklin
Editorial Assistant:
Holly Goring
Advertising Manager:
Mona Thiel
Marketing Manager:
Steve Hecker
Online Editor:
Jennifer Poellot Harnetty
Editorial and Advertising Offices:

600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210,
Westerville, OH 43082 USA
2008 Workshop Handbook is published by the American

Ceramic Society, 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210, Wester-
ville, OH 43082.
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not necessarily reflect those of the editors or the American
Ceramic Society.
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Welcome Contents
Often, in addition to heaps of inspiration and new-found 6 Perfect Plaster by Vince Pitelka
motivation, what we take away from workshops are the little Whether you want to slip cast, press mold or just make a
drying bat, mixing plaster correctly will make the difference
tips or techniques we never considered. Sometimes just one between success and—well something less than success.
small improvement or one new idea we take away can be
enough to justify the entire experience. We have handouts 8 Clay Tools: Forming
Ingenious gadgets and techniques to make studio life easier
from instructor’s we keep around our studio sometimes for and maybe a little more interesting.
years, and we refer to them often.
14 Dividing Web by Sylvia Shirley
There is only so much a presenter can fit into a workshop, A popular time saver, this handy tool is indispensable for
and there is only so much information our brains can process sectioning the surface of a pot.
and retain in a short period of time. Since most workshops 16 Colorant Chart by Robin Hopper
span anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, the extended Unless you use no color whatsoever in your work, you’ll
want to keep this one handy on glaze testing day.
experimentation and exploration usually happens afterward,
in your own studio. It’s our hope that this publication serves 22 Clay Tools: Decoration
not only as a reminder of your intensive workshop experi- Simple items you can make that will let you spend less time
preparing and more time decorating your work.
ence, but also as a spark to ignite interest in other avenues
of exploration. 26 Kiln Firing Chart
What happens in a kiln, and when does it happen, and why
The tools and reference material offered here are acces- do you care? Look no further for the answers.
sible enough to be applicable to all kinds of work, regardless
of your current skill level or experience, and they’re refined 28 Using Cones by Tim Frederich
If you’re going to bother to spend the energy and hours
enough so that they may promote experimentation or discus- making your work, you should spend the energy to learn
sion at your current workshop. how to fire it properly.
Finding a new way of looking at what we do is part of 30 Clay Tools: Firing

why workshops can be so productive. Perhaps just a new There is always something we can do to improve our work
at every stage of making—and firing is no exception.
way of looking at a familiar process is what we need to kick
start our efforts in the studio. We hope that you’ll find some 32 Choosing a Clay
The most basic of our materials can sometimes be overlooked.
inspiration in these pages that opens your eyes, your mind
Be sure you are using the right clay for the right job.
and your hands to something new and exciting. Welcome to
your workshop! 34 Primary Functions of Raw Materials
So you need to reformulate a glaze recipe you haven’t
looked at in years. Here’s a handy guide to remind you of
Sherman Hall Bill Jones what does what.
36 Manufacturers and Suppliers

Don’t lose this list! It has anything and everything you need
to locate tools, equipment and supplies for the studio.
cover images:
2008 top: Participants at the Metchosin
International Summer School of Art
Ceramic in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Workshop middle (left to right): Processing
Handbook native clay for handbuilding at Mesa
Pottery Tools and Studio Reference
Verde National Park in Colorado;
a participant at Hummingbird in
Jacksonville, Oregon; Steven Hill
demonstrates slip application at
Springfield Museum of Art in Spring-
field, Ohio; Brian Taylor throwing at
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
in Deer Isle, Maine.
Brought to you by the publishers of bottom: Ted Saupe details a piece at
Santa Fe Clay in New Mexico.
Perfect Plaster by Vince Pitelka
W hether you need a drying bat, a simple hump

mold, or you’re making a complex slip mold, you’ll
need to mix plaster. Getting the plaster right requires a
Water to Plaster Mixing Chart
1 quart. . . . . . 2 lbs. 14 oz. (1,293 grams)
bit more than just “dumping and mixing.” Here are ten 1Z\x quarts . . . . 4 lbs. 4 oz. (1,937 grams)
2 quarts. . . . . 5 lbs. 11 oz. (2,585 grams)
ways to get the best results for your next plaster project.
2Z\x quarts . . . . 7 lbs. 2 oz. (3,230 grams)
Prepare Your Mold 3 quarts. . . . . . 8 lbs. 9 oz. (3,878 grams)
A common mistake of potters is to mix plaster only to 3Z\x quarts . . . . . . . 10 lbs. (4,522 grams)
1 gallon. . . . . 11 lbs. 6 oz. (5,171 grams)
realize everything’s not set up for pouring. Before casting,
1Z\x gallons. . . 17 lbs. 2 oz. (7,756 grams)
make sure your model is set, the mold boards or cottle 2 gallons. . . . 22 lbs. 13 oz. (10,337 grams)
are secure, and all the surfaces you’re pouring onto are 2Z\x gallons. . 28 lbs. 8 oz. (12,923 grams)
coated with a parting agent such as mold soap. 3 gallons . . . 34 lbs. 3 oz. (15,508 grams)
This table is based on USG® No. 1 Pottery Plaster mixed to a consistency of
Prepare Your Work Area 73 (73 parts plaster to 100 parts water) recommended for most studio appli-
cations. Excessive water yields a more porous but more brittle mold, and less
You will need a clean mixing container for the plaster, water means a very dense, hard mold that will not absorb water.
a scale for weighing the plaster, a measuring cup for
the water and a rinse bucket. Note: Plaster cannot be
permitted to go down the drain, because it will form a surrounded by water and it removes air from the mix.
rocklike mass. Even small amounts will accumulate over Small batches require less soaking than large batches.
time. Line a rinse bucket with a plastic garbage bag and If the soaking time is too short, it may contribute to
fill it with water for rinsing your hands and tools. Allow pinholes; and if it is too long, it will contribute to fast set
the plaster to settle for a day, then pour off the water times, early stiffening and gritty mold surfaces.
and discard the bag.
Mix The Plaster
Use Fresh Water Small batches of plaster can be mixed by hand. Use
The mixing water you use should be at room tempera- a constant motion with your hand and you will notice
ture or 70°F. If the water is too warm, the plaster will a change in consistency from watery to a thick cream.
set too fast and vice versa. Use only clean, drinkable tap Break down lumps with your fingers as you mix. Mix only
water or distilled water. Metallic salts, such as aluminum for a minute or two being very careful not to agitate the
sulfate, can accelerate the setting time, and soluble salts mixture so much that air bubbles are incorporated into
can cause efflorescence on the mold surface. the mix. Mixing time affects absorption rates—longer
mixing times produce tighter and less-absorptive molds.
Use Fresh Plaster
Plaster is calcined, meaning chemically bound water Pouring The Plaster
has been driven off through heating. If the plaster has After mixing, tap the bucket on a hard surface to
been sitting around in a damp environment, it will have release trapped air. Pour the plaster carefully. Wherever
lumps in it, in which case it is no longer usable. Pitch it. possible, pour plaster carefuly into the deepest area so
Use plaster that has been stored dry and is lump free. the slurry flows evenly across the surface of the mold.
Once the mold is poured, tap the table with a rubber
Weigh Out Materials mallet to vibrate the mold and release more air bubbles.
Do not guess about the amounts of plaster and water
you’ll need. Once you start the mixing process, you do Drying Plaster
not want to go back and adjust quantities. To deter- When plaster sets, it heats up because of a chemical
mine the amount you need, estimate the volume in reaction. When it has cooled, it is safe to remove the
cubic inches then divide by 231 for gallons, or by 58 for cottles or forms—about 45 minutes to an hour after
quarts. Deduct 20% to allow for the volume of plaster, pouring. Molds must be dry before use. Drying molds
then refer to the table. properly promotes good strength development, uni-
form absorption and reduced efflorescence. Dry molds
Add Plaster To Water evenly. Don’t set them near a kiln where one side is
Slowly sift the plaster onto the surface of the water. exposed to excessive heat or the relative humidity is
Do not dump the plaster or toss it in by handfuls. Adding near zero. Place them on racks in a relatively dry loca-
the plaster shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes. tion away from drafts.
Soak The Plaster Sources: United States Gypsum (USG) Company and Clay: A Studio
Allow the plaster to soak for 1–2 minutes maximum. Handbook, by Vince Pitelka, published by The American Ceramic
The soaking allows each plaster crystal to be completely Society, 2001.
Clay Tools: Forming
Squeeze and Score After the clay is removed, the shavings underneath dry out and are
With a little squeeze, this tool ready for the next batch. I use a clean canvas for each clay type, espe-
automatically supplies water to cially the white ones, to avoid contamination of color or texture. A note
the clay you are scoring to make indicating clay type is taped to each bucket, then moved with the clay
attachments. To make it, you will as it dries so I always know what clay I’m working with.
need an empty glue bottle and a I hose off the canvas outside over a bush or under a thirsty tree.
piece of coat hanger or heavy wire That keeps our plumbing free of clay. The wood shavings go on the
that is 1 inch longer than the height compost pile.
of the bottle and slightly larger in —Heather Bartmann, Fort Collins, Colorado
diameter than the hole in the cap.
Sharpen one end of the wire with a Don’t Sweat the Drying
file or grinder and insert it through I am a part-time teacher and ceramics artist, and part-time home-
the hole in the cap. You will need maker (or as I like to think, “domestic goddess”).
to cut off the stopper inside the Sometimes when I have the time to work and need to trim, but
cap first. Bend the blunt end of the my pots aren’t dry enough, I will set them on the sweater shelf of my
wire at a 90° angle so it rests against
the bottom of the bottle (this will
provide stability when scoring). Fill
the bottle with water and squeeze.
Drops of water will run down to the
tip of the wire wetting the clay that
you are scoring. If water does not
squeeze out, just move the wire left
and right to make the hole bigger
and try again.
—Paveen Chunhaswasdikul,
Gadsden, Alabama
Household Clay Drying

During my first year of pottery classes, I found myself trying a num-
ber of the available clays to learn of their traits and qualities. I saved my
scraps and kept them in separate buckets of water at home. I don’t have
a plaster surface to dry out the recycled clays, so I improvised.
Pictured is a plastic sweater storage box with wood shavings in the
bottom. To keep the shavings in place I use an old retired dish towel, or
pieces of old sheets. On top of that I have a piece of canvas to contain clothes dryer and allow the warm air to circulate around the pots until
the wet clay. That makes it very simple to lift the clay and roll it up when they are leather hard. This usually only takes 10–15 minutes and works
it’s ready to be bagged for future use. If the clay is getting ready to bag perfectly! It results in nice, even drying, and the only limitation is the
and I do not have time to deal with it just then, I simply put the lid on size of your dryer.
the box for a day or two. I’ve shared this tip with several potters and they all love it. Most
dryers now come with these shelves (mine is fifteen years old!). Hope
it helps others with home studios.
—Peggy Breidenbach, Indianapolis, Indiana
Quick-Change Artist
For throwing mugs and small bowls, I use a quick-change bat
system. To make one, you need one square plastic bat that attaches
to your wheel head with bat pins, PVC molding from the hardware
store, PVC cement, and some commercial 6-inch-square terra-
cotta tiles. Cut the PVC molding into two 5-inch lengths and two
4¼-inch lengths. Place one of the terra-cotta tiles in the center of
the plastic bat and dry-fit the PVC molding around it, leaving two
corners open to make it easy to remove the tiles. Glue down the
molding with the cement and let it dry. Remove the tile from the
assembly while it dries or you won’t get it out later. Once it’s dry,
mount the plastic bat on your bat pins, insert a terra-cotta tile and
throw your pot. You can quickly remove the tile and insert a fresh
Clay Tools: Forming
Sponge Brush
For making a sponge-
on-a-stick, I use one of
those 3-inch-diameter center section of sponge
round yellow sponges. I
cut off about 1 inch on
opposite edges and glue
an old paint brush into
the center of the remaining
sponge using Superglue.
This gives the sponge long,
sharp edges that reach all
the way into the corner of
a pot. The two pieces that
are cut away are excellent
for fettling excess glaze
from the bottoms of pots
and smoothing rims. Since
they are triangular at their
ends, they can easily get
into tight corners.
one for your next pot. A terra-cotta tile costs about 30 cents, so it
—Eugene Prial, Westfield, leftover sections
makes a really cheap bat.
New Jersey
—Sylvia Shirley, Pittsburg, Kansas
Height and Comfort Make a Name

for Yourself
The splash pan that came with my wonderful new wheel was a Having not yet come
little short for the thick bats I use for large platters. This created a up with a good, clean way
lot of problems with slip to sign my pots, I decided
and trimmings splash- to try to make a signature
ing everywhere. Out of stamp. Using a broad-
frustration came this an- tipped marker, I signed
swer to my problems: my name on plastic wrap,
I cut a piece of I-inch flipped the plastic wrap over to the reverse side and traced
foam pipe insulation the outside lines of my signature onto a pad of clay with
(the kind with a slit a needle tool. After letting the clay dry until just before leather hard, I
all the way down the carved away the excess clay with small tools and, voila, the signature ap-
length) and a piece of pears in relief. Create an embossed signature using the same plastic wrap
H-inch clear vinyl tub- but this time use a dull pencil to impress and don’t carve.
ing to fit the circumfer- vinyl pipe —Gini James, Silver Spring, Maryland
tubing insulation
ence of the splash pan. I
inserted the tubing into
the insulation foam and splash pan
placed it on top of the
splash pan rim, working
it down gently onto the
rim, making sure the
vinyl tubing stayed on
top of the rim. I taped
the two ends of the
foam insulation tightly
together with duct tape. This ring can be removed and replaced
when extra height is needed, and it also provides a good deal of
cushion for your arms when throwing.
—Ann Krestensen,
Bozman, Maryland
Clay Tools: Forming
Since then, I use the

Fun Factory for making
various shapes, small
handles as well as coils.
I purchased a flat plastic
Remove
this part. fluorescent light cover
from a local hardware
store and make my own
dies to fit into the Fun
Factory for additional
shapes and designs.
I use it with stoneware
and porcelain, and it handles each with ease. The tool has only two parts,
which snap apart for easy cleaning—much easier than using and cleaning
Extrude an extruder for a small task. You could donate the Play-Doh that comes
Anywhere with the item to your favorite tot and everyone wins!
In order to make an —Rick Erickson, Green Bay, Virginia
Add this part and extruder portable (those of
attach your extruder us who have limited studio
at the proper height. space need to make all sorts Sphere Perfection
of things portable), purchase To make a hollow clay ball perfectly smooth and spherical, it must be
an adjustable roller stand closed so the air can’t escape, but it does not have to look good at first.
and a piece of steel tubing After you pinch or throw the ball, rotate it on a table until it is reasonably
the same size in cross-section as the adjustable tube. Mine is 5 feet long, round. Now you need a rigid plastic hemisphere. I bought a clear plastic
and that seems to be plenty tall enough. Drill holes in this piece of steel sphere made of two halves that come apart (used to hold ornaments) at a
tube to correspond to your extruder’s mounting holes and attach it. crafts-supply store. You can also use a bowl, but it must be perfectly round
That’s really all there is to it! and smooth inside—no bottom. The diameter of the bowl should be at
The adjustable roller stand is designed to be used with woodworking least twice as much as the desired ball. Put your clay ball in the bowl and
equipment like a tablesaw or planer, so it can be found at most places swirl it around. In a few seconds, you will have a very smooth ball, perfect
that sell woodworking power tools. for creating all kinds of fruits and vegetables.
—Fujie Robesky, Fresno, California — Talli Barr, Nahalal, Israel
Temporary Template Rolling Away

I have found that rigid foam-core board, used by artists and fram- Use discarded casters or bed-frame
Drill a hole in the
ers, is a handy material for creating templates for repeated shapes to be rollers as clay rollers. Even new ones handle that is
thrown on the wheel. It can be will work, and they are not that expen- the same diameter
as the caster post.
easily cut with a single-edge sive. Drill a hole the same diameter as
blade or a mat knife, and it the caster stem into a piece of wooden
can be sanded smooth. Since dowel to create a handle. Caster posts
it is paper on both sides, it can be glued into this hole if they are
must be made waterproof, loose. The surface of some of the softer
and emulsion wax resist wheels can be carved with designs.
works great. Do not use an — Charley Farrero, Meacham,
acrylic spray, because it will Saskatchewan, Canada
melt the foam in the core.
I have used these templates The rolling surface of the
for as many as 25 duplicate forms. They can be used for interior as well wheels can be carved.
as exterior shapes.
—Robert Brown, Miami, Florida
Serious Play
A tool that has become an indispensable part of my studio, and
that of several friends, is a simple, economical childs toy. My wife was
watching me work in my studio while I was handbuilding a small piece,
attempting to roll out a small coil to caulk a clay joint. She mentioned
that I should use my daughter’s Play-Doh Fun Factory to form the coil.
How simple.
Dividing Web by Sylvia Shirley
This handy guide makes it easy to divide the surface of any round pot into as many as
twelve equal sections. Whether your decorating, darting, paddling or attaching handles
and spouts, you’ll want to keep a few of these around the studio.
Making the Web

Use a photocopier to enlarge this wheel to the desired size. Attach it to a wheel head-sized circle of cardboard.
Cover with plastic wrap or have it laminated at an office supply store.
Dividing Web
The Pointer
The pointer helps
you transfer marks
from the dividing
web to the pot. Make
sure the bottom of
the pointer is square
and the front side is
perpendicular.
Using the
Dividing Web
Center a pot on the
wheel. Draw circles
on the pot using a
red felt-tip pen. Align
the pointer with the
selected line and posi-
tion the Popsicle sticks
to to pot. Tighten the
wing nuts. Make a
tic mark at the end
of the Popsicle stick
using the red felt pen.
Move the pointer to
the next position and
repeat.
Ideas to Get
Started
Accurately marking
off divisions on your
form opens up a world
of potential design
work. Once the desired
number of marks are
made, decorate as
desired, using sgrafitto,
trailed slip, brushed
oxides, etc.
Colorant Chart
COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS
Dark Red
Copper Vary Red. 0.5%-5% Best in glazes containing less than 10% clay content,
and a high alkaline content. Needs good reduction.
In low temperatures it can be reduced during cool-
by Robin Hopper ing. Good reds as low as Cone 018.
Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Good in many glaze bases at all temperatures. Can
be improved with the addition of 2%-5% tin oxide.
T he potter’s palette can be just as broad as the

painter’s. Different techniques can be closely equated
to working in any of the two-dimensional media, such
Nickel
Burgundy
4-10 Ox. 5%-8% Use in barium-saturated glazes.
Iron See Dark Red, Iron.

as pencil, pen and ink, pastel, watercolor, oils, encaustics Copper See Dark Red, Copper. Owing to the unstable nature of copper, this colorant
or acrylics. We also have an advantage in that the fired can produce a wide range of results. Very controlled
reduction firing and cooling are important.
clay object is permanent, unless disposed of with a blunt
Maroon
instrument! Our works may live for thousands of years-a
Chrome-Tin Stains Vary Ox. 1%-5% Use in glazes with calcium. There should be no zinc
sobering thought. in the glaze.
Because a number of colors can only be achieved at Copper Vary Red. 0.5%-5% Best in high alkaline glazes.
low temperatures, you need a series of layering tech- Crimson
niques in order to have the fired strength of stoneware
Copper + Titanium 8-10 Red. 1%-5% Try various blends of copper (1%-5%) and titanium
or porcelain and the full palette range of the painter. To (2%-5%).
accomplish this, low-temperature glazes or overglazes Calcium- Selenium Stains 010-05 Ox. 0.5-5% Best with special frits.
are made to adhere to a higher-fired glazed surface, and Indian Red
can be superimposed over already existing decoration. Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Best in high calcium glazes; small amount of bone
To gain the full measure of color, one has to fire progres- ash helps. Tin addition up to 5% also helps. Also
works well in ash glazes.
sively down the temperature range so as not to burn out
Brick Red
heat-sensitive colors that can’t be achieved any other
Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Similar to Indian Red. Tin to 2% helps.
way. Usually the lowest and last firing is for precious met-
Orange-Brown
als: platinum, palladium and gold.
Iron + Rutile Vary Both 1%-10% Various mixtures (up to 8% iron and 2% rutile) in
Ceramists looking for difficult-to-achieve colors might most glaze bases.
want to consider prepared stains, particularly in the Iron + Tin Vary Both 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 4% iron and 1% tin) in most
yellow, violet and purple ranges. These colors are often glaze bases. Creamier than iron with rutile.
quite a problem with standard minerals, be they in the Orange-Red
form of oxides, carbonates, nitrates, sulfates, chlorides or Cadmium- 012-05 Ox. 1%-4% Best with special frits such as Ferro 3548 or 3278 or
Selenium Stains both. Helps to opacify with zirconium.
even the basic metal itself.
The chart should help pinpoint mineral choices for de- Orange
sired colors (note that the color bars are for guidance only Iron Vary Both 1%-5% Use in tin or titanium opacified glazes.
and not representative of the actual colors—Ed.). Colors Rutile Vary Both 5%-15% Many glaze types, particularly alkaline. More suc-
cessful in oxidation.
are listed with the minerals needed to obtain them, ap-
Copper 8-10 Both 1%-3% Use in high alumina or magnesia glazes. Addition of
proximate temperatures, atmosphere, saturation percent- up to 5% rutile sometimes helps.
age needed, and comments on enhancing/inhibiting Orange-Yellow
factors. Because of the widely variable nature of ceramic Iron Vary Both 2%-5% With tin or titanium opacified glazes.
color, there are many generalities here. Where the word Rutile Vary Ox. 1%-10% Best with alkaline glazes.
“vary” occurs in the column under Cone, it signifies that Yellow Ocher
the intended results could be expected most of the time Iron Vary Both 1%-10% Use in high barium, strontium or zinc glazes.
at various points up to Cone 10. Iron + Tin Vary Ox. 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 3.5% iron and 1.5% tin) in
many glaze bases.
Iron + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 2.5% iron and 2.5% rutile)
Red to Orange in many glaze bases.
For the hot side of the spectrum—red, orange, and Vanadium- Vary Ox. 5%-10%Various mixtures in many Zirconium Stain
Zirconian Stains
yellow—there are many commercial body and glaze glaze bases.
stains, in addition to the usual mineral colorants. Lemon Yellow
Minerals that give reds, oranges and yellows are cop- Praseodymium Stains Vary Both 1%-10% Good in most glazes. Best in oxidation.
per, iron, nickel, chromium, uranium, cadmium-selenium, Pale/Cream Yellow
rutile, antimony, vanadium, and praseodymium. Varia- Iron + Tin Vary Both 2%-5% Various mixtures (up to 3.5% iron and 1.5% tin)
in high barium, strontium or zinc glazes. Titanium
tions in glaze makeup, temperature and atmosphere opacification helps.
profoundly affect this particular color range. The only Vanadium Vary Both 2%-5% Use in tin-opacified glazes.
materials which produce red at high temperature are Rutile + Tin Vary Ox. 2%-5% Various mixtures (up to 2.5% iron and 2% tin) in
copper, iron and nickel—usually muted. Reds in the variety of glaze bases. Titanium opacification helps.
scarlet to vermilion range can only be achieved at low
temperatures. Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only, and do not represent actual colors.
Colorant Chart
Yellow-Green to Navy Blue

The cool side of the glaze spectrum (from yellow- The colorants known for creating cool hues are
green to navy blue) is considerably easier, both to copper, chromium, nickel, cobalt, iron and sometimes
produce and work with, than the warm. In the main, molybdenum. For variations, some are modified by
colorants that control this range create far fewer prob- titanium, rutile, manganese or black stains. The usual
lems than almost any of the red, orange and yellow three variables of glaze makeup, temperature and
range. Some are temperature and atmosphere sensi- atmosphere still control the outcome, though it is less
tive, but that’s nothing compared to the idiosyncrasies obvious in this range.
possible with warm colors.
COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS

Yellow Green Turquoise
Copper + Rutile Vary Both 2%-10% Various mixtures in a wide variety of glazes, particularly Copper Vary Ox. 1%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes. Bluish with no
those high in alkaline materials. Almost any yellow glaze clay content; tends toward greenish tint with added
to which copper is added will produce yellow green. clay.
Chromium Vary Both 0.5%-3% In yellow glazes without tin or zinc. Copper + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% In high alkaline and barium glazes.
Chromium 4-8 Ox. 0.25%-1% In saturated barium glazes. Copper + Tin Vary Ox. 1%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes; usually opaque.
Chromium 018-015 Ox. 0-2% In high alkaline glazes with no tin. Light Blue
Cobalt Vary Both 0-1% In any yellow glazes. Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-2% In high zinc or barium glazes.
Light Green Rutile Vary Red. 1%-5% In a wide range of glazes; best with low (10% or
less) clay content.
Copper Vary Ox. 0-2.5% In various glazes except those high in barium or mag-
nesium. Best in glazes opacified with tin or titanium. Cobalt Vary Both 0.25%-1% Use in most glazes, particularly those opacified with
tin. Also use mixed with small amounts of iron.
Cobalt Vary Both 0-2% In glazes opacified with titanium, or containing rutile.
Celadon Blue
Apple Green
Iron 6-10 Red. 0.25%-1% In high alkaline or calcium clear glazes. Black iron is
Chromium Vary Both 0-2% In various glazes without zinc or tin. Good in alkaline
generally preferable to red iron.
glazes with zirconium opacifiers. Also use potassium di-
chromate. Wedgewood Blue
Copper 1%-2% See Light Green; use in non-opacified glazes. Cobalt + Iron Vary Both 0.5%-2% In most glazes; small amounts of cobalt with iron,
manganese or nickel yield soft blues. Added tin gives
Celadon Green
pastel blue.
Iron Vary Red 0.5%-2% Best with high sodium, calcium or potassium glazes.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 0.5%-2%
Do not use with zinc glazes.
Cobalt + Nickel Vary Both 0.5%-2%
Copper Vary Ox. 0.5%-2% Good in a wide range of glazes.
Cobalt 4-10 Both 0.5%-3% In high zinc glazes.
Grass Green
Nickel 4-10 Ox. 1%-3% In high barium/zinc glazes; likely to be crystalline.
Copper 010-2 Ox. 1%-5% In high lead glazes; sometimes with boron.
Blue Gray
Chromium 018-04 Ox. 1%-2% In high alkaline glazes.
Nickel Vary Ox. 0.5%-5% In high barium/zinc glazes.
Olive Green
Rutile Vary Red. 2%-5% In a wide variety of glazes, particularly high alumina
Nickel Vary Both 1%-5% In high magnesia glazes; matt to shiny olive green.
or magnesia recipes.
Iron Vary Red. 3%-5% In high calcium and alkalines, usually clear glazes.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 0.5%-2% In most opaque glazes.
Hooker’s Green
Cobalt Vary Ox. 0.5%-5% In high zinc glazes.
Copper + Cobalt Vary Ox. 2%-5% In a wide variety of glaze bases.
Ultramarine
Cobalt + Vary Both 2%-5% In a wide variety of glaze Chromiumbases: no zinc or
Cobalt Vary Both 0.5%-5% In high barium, colemanite and calcium glazes; no
tin. Good opacified with zirconium or titanium.
zinc, magnesium or opacification.
Chrome Green
Cerulean Blue
Chromium 06-12 Both 2%-5% In most glazes; no zinc or tin.
Cobalt Vary Both 0.5%-5% In glazes containing cryolite of fluorspar.
Dark Green
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 2%-5% In most glazes except those containing zinc or tin.
Copper Vary Ox. 5%-10% Many glaze bases, particularly high barium, stron-
Prussian Blue
tium, zinc or alkaline with a minimum of 10% ka-
olin. Nickel 6-10 Ox. 5%-10% In high barium/zinc glazes.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 5%-10% Blends of these colorants will give a wide range of Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In most glaze bases.
dark greens.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes; for example, cobalt 2%, chromium
Cobalt + Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% Dark greens with blue overtones. 2% and manganese 2%.
Teal Blue Navy Blue
Cobalt + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% In a wide variety of glazes. Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes except those high in zinc, barium or
magnesium.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 1%-5% In most glazes without tin or zinc.
Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only, and do not represent actual colors.
COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS
Indigo
Colorant Chart Nickel Vary Ox. 8%-15% Use in high barium/zinc glazes. Also likely to crystal-
lize.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% Various mixtures in most glazes.
Indigo to Purple Cobalt + Black Stain Vary Both 5%-8% Various mixtures in most glazes.
The indigo-to-purple part of the color wheel is small Violet
but significant. The colorants that produce this range Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In high magnesium glazes.
are nickel, cobalt, manganese, umber, iron, chromium, Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-10% In some saturated-barium glazes.
rutile ilmenite, copper, iron chromate, and black stains. Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In high alkaline glazes.
In short, one could say that the colorants needed include
Copper Vary Ox. 8%-10% In some saturated-barium glazes.
just about the whole group that are used for all the
Purple
other colors in the spectrum. The only ones I haven’t
Copper 6-10 Both 8%-10% In high barium and barium/zinc glazes.
talked about previously in this articles series are umber,
Copper 8-10 Red. 1%-5% In copper red glazes opacified with titanium.
ilmenite, iron chromate and black stains.
Nickel Vary Ox. 5%-10% In some high barium glazes.
Black stains Formulated from a variable mixture of
Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In high magnesium glazes.
other colorants, black stains are usually rather expen-
Manganese 04-10 Ox. 5%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes.
sive due to their being saturations of colorant materials.
Iron 8-10 Red. 8%-10% In high calcium glazes; likely to crystallize.
Various companies produce black stains usually from a
combination of iron, cobalt, chromium, manganese, iron Copper + Cobalt Vary Red. 2%-8% Various mixtures in many glazes.
chromate and sometimes nickel mixed with fillers and Chrome + Tin + Cobalt Vary Ox. 2%-8% Various mixtures in many glazes.
fluxes such as clay, feldspar and silica. I use the following Mauve or Lilac
recipe: Cobalt Vary Both 1%-5% In high magnesium glazes.

Black Stain
Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-5% In some saturated-barium glazes.
Chromium Oxide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 %
Pink
Cobalt Carbonate or Oxide . . . . . . . . . 20
Manganese Dioxide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Cobalt Vary Ox. 1%-3% In high magnesium glazes opacified with tin. Also in
very low alumina content glazes.
Red Iron Oxide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Feldspar (any). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Copper Vary Red. 0.2%-2% In copper red glazes with titanium.
Kaolin (any). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Copper 6-10 Ox. 0.2%-3% In high magnesium or high alumina glazes.
Flint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Copper 8-10 Red. 5%-10% In copper red glazes opacified w/min. 5% titanium.
100 % Chromium Vary Ox. 1%-2% In calcium glazes opacified with 5%-10% tin.
This mixture is best ball-milled for a minimum of four Iron Vary Ox. 1%-5% In calcium glazes opacified with tin.
hours to limit its tendency toward cobalt specking, and Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% In high calcium and some ash glazes.
to make sure that the colorants are thoroughly mixed. Nickel 018-010 Ox. 1%-3% In high barium glazes with some zinc.
Because any black stain is a very concentrated mixture, Manganese Vary Both 1%-5% In alkaline glazes opacified with tin or titanium. Also
in high alumina glazes.
only small amounts are normally needed to cause a
Brown
strong effect. In a clear glaze, a maximum of 5% should
Iron Vary Both 3%-10% In most glazes.
produce an intense black. In opaque glazes, more stain
Manganese Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes.
than that may be needed. Black stains and white opaci-
fiers mixed together will produce a range of opaque Nickel Vary Both 2%-5% In high boron, calcium and lead glazes.
grays. Stains, like other ceramic materials, are subject to Chromium Vary Both 2%-5% In high zinc glazes.
the three variables of glaze makeup, temperature and Umber Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes.
atmosphere. Ilmenite Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes. High calcium may yield bluish tint.
Outside the color wheel one finds tones of brown, Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes; golden brown.
gray and black. These moderate other colors. A color Gray
wheel could, I suppose, include the range of opacifiers Iron Vary Red. 2%-4% In many glaze bases; gray brown.
since they also have a strong role in affecting color. Iron Chromate Vary Both 2%-5% In most glaze bases without zinc or tin.
The toning influence of brown, gray and black is just Nickel Vary Both 2%-5% In most glaze bases; gray brown.
as much opacifying in result as are the white opacifiers Copper 8-10 Both 3%-10% In high magnesium glazes. Warm gray in reduction;
such as tin, titanium and zirconium compounds such as cold gray in oxidation.
Zircopax, Opax, Superpax, and Ultrox. Slight additional Cobalt + Nickel Vary Both 1%-5% Blue gray in most glazes.
increments of any of these colors will render most glazes, Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 1%-5% Blue gray to purple gray in most glazes.
colored or not, progressively darker as they are added. Black Stain Vary Both 1%-5% Shades of gray in most opacified glazes.
Black
Excerpted from Glazes: Materials, Recipes and Techniques. For the
Iron Vary Both 8%-12% In high calcium glazes—the temmoku range.
full text and complete explanation of these colorant charts, refer to
Robin Hopper’s book, The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach Copper Vary Both 8%-10% In a wide range of glazes.
to Glaze and Color Development, Krause Publications, 2001. Cobalt Vary Both 8%-10% Blue black in most glazes except those high in zinc
and magnesium.
Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only, and do not represent actual colors. Black Stain Vary Both 3%-10% In most zinc-free, nonopacified glazes.
Clay Tools: Decoration
Pinning Parallel Lines This process has several advantages over wax. It is cleaner, safer
I became frustrated by not being able to draw parallel lines in curves and cheaper than waxing. It is reversible; if you screw up your glaze
or arcs on my work when it is leather hard. If I tried to draw the lines job, you simply let the piece dry out and in a few hours you can try
separately, it would never work, and even if I held two tools at once, again. It works better for heavy iron glazes. It is easier to wipe the
one would always wander. I found that a clothespin actually performs glaze off of saturated bisque than wax.
this task wonderfully. —Anthony Merino, San Marcos, Texas
I sharpen the ends you use as a handle (if you were actually using it
as a clothespin) and use these points to draw the lines. They are held at
Spray Masking
a consistent distance
I spray a lot of my glazes and stains, and I do a lot of masking. The
apart, and are infinitely
best thing I have found to keep this spray off a particular part of a
adjustable between
pot is open-cell foam. I use pieces that are slightly thicker than those
open and closed. To
that come in Or-ton cone boxes (although those work pretty well).
adjust the space be-
I hold the foam with my left hand and can get a straight or curved
tween the points, I
line. Also, the foam catches drips when I’m spraying up close. It can
put various small cy-
then be rinsed out and reused.
lindrical objects in the
—Diana Pittis, Daniels, West Virginia
groove of the “mouth”
of the pin (pen caps,
pencils, dowels). The Mini Blunger
larger the object in the I am pretty lazy
mouth, the closer the about blunging, and
lines become. This tool because of an arthritic
has become a staple in condition, stirring lit-
our studio. tle batches of cement-
—Ken Magee, hard slip becomes
Talahassee, Florida. quite wearisome very
quickly. I recently
found a wonderful
Fixing Finger Fatigue device to help me
I recently attended a
do this: an immer-
wonderful clay workshop
sion blender—one
focused on the sgraffito
of those handy-dandy
process of decoration.
drink mixers that has
Because this involves
a wee, tiny little blade very handy,
very controlled carving, very fast,
and generates a tre- very sharp!
at the end of the day ev-
mendous amount of
eryone was complaining
agitation while turn-
about finger strain and
ing fruit into puréed
calluses, especially as the
smoothies. It only
clay surfaces gradually
costs about $10. It’s easy to clean
dried, making it more
and thoroughly works over the most
difficult to carve.
gloppy, dried-out glazes and slips.
I have made a comfortable device that will ease finger fatigue and
Just add some water to the dried
calluses: I slip a 1H-inch plastic straw over a tool, with H inch of
slip or glaze and whiz away!
the blade sticking out. I then slip a pencil grip over the straw. The
The device draws quite a suction on the bottom of a container, so
straw supports the grip beyond the handle, so your fingers are closer
be advised that a sturdy container is necessary. And the tiny blades
to the working tip.
are very sharp, so be careful!
—Ellen Kong, Durham, North Carolina
To clean the device, simply place the stirring mechanism into a
container of clean water and whiz away! Any residual glaze or slip
can be wiped off with a damp sponge. What used to take me twenty
Turning Water into Wax minutes now takes about three minutes. Happy blunging!
Try using water instead of wax as a resist when glazing. Simply —Lisa Reiser, Greenwich, New Jersey
set out a tray with about G to H inch of water in it. Set your piece
in the water for at least two minutes. Glaze sticks to bisque primar-
Mini Tongs
ily because the water in the glaze gets absorbed into the piece. If the
bisque ware is already saturated with water, the glaze will not stick. When space is limited, a pair of staple removers make great
It can simply be wiped off with a wet sponge. miniature glaze-dipping tongs. They fit inside the palms of your
Clay Tools: Decoration
hands, so they can be more easily maneuvered in a glaze bucket than pipe), which pro-
regular-sized dipping tongs. Don’t forget to round off the sharp teeth vide a rigid back-
with a file so they won’t scratch your bisqueware. ing when applying
—Paveen Chunhaswasdikul, Gadsden, Alabama a texture to the
slabs. A piece of
newspaper placed
between the form
and the clay will
prevent sticking
when removing the
support. Stamps
also can be made
by throwing a cy-
lindrical or conical
form. The center spout is pulled up first, then the outer wall is then raised
to form the working surface of the stamp, which will be carved when leather
hard. Make sure that the outer
surface is perpendicular to the
wheel head. An extruder can
also produce tubular shapes
for rolling stamps. Just cap
the ends with slabs, leaving
Points have
been filed to
small holes in the center to
avoid scratching allow dowels to be used as
bisqueware handles. Interesting surfaces
can be obtained by cutting
the cylinders into sections
Pencil Pushing and reassembling the parts
When making beads, I use a pencil to push the hole in on one end into different positions.
until the point of the pencil comes just barely through the bead (1). I After bisque firing, simply
then remove the pencil and push it in through the small hole made by roll the stamps over the surface
the tip on the opposite end of the bead (2). This makes a nice, clean, of the clay with the palm of
finished hole. To glaze the bisque-fired bead, I simply insert the pencil the hand while varying the
pressure to correspond to the
width of the stamp. The roll-
2 ing stamp is ideal for quickly
decorating a platter rim. The stamp, held rigidly in a fixed position,
quickly prints out the repeated pattern as the wheel spins. Lifting at the
right moment can be tricky, but a little practice is all you need.
—William Shinn, Santa Maria, CA
3
1
glaze
into the hole again and dip it into the glaze (3). Since the angle of the
hole is the same as the pencil, friction keeps it from falling into the glaze.
You can also use small dowels or chopsticks for smaller beads instead of
a pencil; just sharpen them in your pencil sharpener.
—Kathy Sandberg, Plymouth, Michigan
Rolling Stamps
The simplest method of creating rolling stamps is to wrap a clay
slab around a tubular shape (a cardboard tube, wooden dowel or plastic
Kiln Firing Chart
Firing converts ceramic work from weak greenware into a strong, durable permanent form. As the temperature in a
kiln rises, many changes take place at different temperatures and understanding what happens during the firing can
help you avoid problems with a variety of clay and glaze faults related to firing.
Temperature Cone Incandescence Event

°C °F (approx.)
1400 2552 14 Brilliant white End of porcelain range.
13
12
11
1300 2372 10 White End of stoneware range.
9
8
7 Yellow-white
6
1200 2192 5 End of earthenware (red clay) range.
4
3 Yellow
2
01
02
1100 2012 03 Yellow-orange 1100–1200˚C: Mullite and cristobalite (two types of silica) form as clay
04 begins to convert to glass. Particles start melting together to form crystals,
05 Orange and materials shrink as they become more dense. Soaking (holding the
1000 1832 06 end temperature) increases the amount of fused material and the mount
07
08 of chemical action between the fluxes and the more refractory materials.
09 Red-orange
010
900 1652 011 800–900˚C: the beginning of sintering, the stage where clay particles begin
012
013 to cement themselves together to create a hard material called bisque.
014
015
Cherry red
800 1472 016 300–800˚C: Carbonaceous materials (impurities in the clay along with
017 paper, wax, etc.) burn out. The kiln requires ample air during this stage
018 Dull red since after 800˚C sintering begins and the clay surface begins to seal off,
700 1292 019 trapping unburned materials and sulfides, which can cause bloating and
020 black coring.
021 Dark red
600 1112 022
573˚C: Quartz inversion occurs where the quartz crystals change from an
Dull red glow alpha (a) structure to a beta (b) structure. The inversion is reversed on cool-
500 932 ing. This conversion creates stressses in the clay so temperature changes
must be slow to avoid cracking the work.
Black
400 752 Between 480–700ºC chemical water (“water smoke”) is driven off.
300 572
200 392 Upon cooling, cristobalite, a crystalline form of silica found in all clay bod-
ies, shrinks suddenly at 220ºC. Fast cooling at this temperature causes
ware to crack.
100 212
Water boils and converts to steam at 100ºC. Trapped water causes clay to
explode so keep the kiln below 100ºC until all water has evaporated.
Using Cones by Tim Frederich
P yrometric cones, often referred

to simply as “cones” (or more
formally as “witness cones”), are
• SSB cones are made to sit at the
correct mounting height and angle
without the need to mount them.
used in pottery making to indicate
the amount of “heat work” (or
Cone Placement
energy) needed during a kiln firing.
Cones are shaped like elongated
pyramids made of specified mix-
tures of ceramic materials, and A.
they come in a variety of standard
shapes. To get the best results from
cones, they must be used correctly. B.
Here are a few guidelines . . .
Cone Mounting Manual Kilns: Place small cone in
Three cones are typically used C. kiln sitter in offset position with small
when firing: a “warning cone” to end toward center or place next
indicate that the target firing temper- lower cone in kiln sitter.
ature is close; a “firing cone,” which Controller Kilns: Decrease small
indicates that temperature has been amounts of “hold” or “soak” time
reached; and a “guard cone,” which if this has been set, or lower your
indicates that the maturing tempera- end setpoint temperature in custom
ture has been exceeded. • Mount cones in a straight line programs.
• Large cones should be mounted (A), turned to an angle (B) or spaced
CAUTION
with the face at an 8° angle. diagonally (C). Diagonal placement Always use proper safety glasses when viewing
• Large cones can be mounted is handy when viewing SSB cones cones during firing.
at a height of 2 inches above the through a peephole.
plaque or conepack. If you mount at • Place cones at least 6 inches from “Hold” or “Soak” Time
the 1¾ inch height, you can use the the kiln’s inner wall to protect the When you “soak” a kiln, you hold
temperature for self-supporting base cones from the effects of drafts. the kiln at a certain temperature. As
(SSB) cones. shown here, you can see that it takes
Interpreting Cones
• The difference between 60° and a significant amount of soaking to
90° bending angles is usually a small cause the next cone to deform. Soak
amount in equivalent temperature. time can be used to equalize the
• If your firing cone deforms to a temperature distribution within the
lesser bending angle than desired, kiln and ware.
you may need to increase the firing
time.
Manual Kilns: Place small cone
in kiln sitter in offset position with
large end toward center or place
next higher cone in kiln sitter if firing
cone has hardly moved. (Note: You
cannot adjust a pyrometric bar by
moving it.)
Controller Kilns: Add small
amounts of “hold” or “soak” time
or raise your end setpoint tempera-
ture in custom programs.
• If your firing cone is deformed
to a greater bending angle than
desired, you may need to decrease
the firing time.
Clay Tools: Firing
Potlifter best, with minimal warping. When making and trimming plates,
Handling large pots may be awkward and can even be difficult, es- always make sure that the foot is the same size. The more variation
pecially after pieces are glazed. After glazing, the only surfaces one wants in size, the more warping you will have.
to touch are unsprayed or unseen areas. This can make pots difficult to —Linda C. Klaus, Sandy, Oregon
transport and load into the kiln.
When lifting these pots into the kiln, I use a piece of wood cut just
a bit shorter than the interior diameter of the pot shoulder. I place the In the Soda Zone
Inspired by Gail Nichols’ article “Soda, Clay and Fire” (Ceramics
Monthly, December 2006) and her book of the same title (American
Ceramic Society 2006), our firing group conducted an experiment
to introduce soda into one segment of a kiln rather than dedicating
an entire chamber to it.
We fire a small wood kiln with a 50-cubic-foot cross-draft
chamber. This chamber has an “in-chamber” firebox in the front
and one stoke hole in the middle that helps fire off the back half
of the kiln.
Two-foot-long pieces of 2-inch tree bark covered with a soda
paste were introduced in the rear stoke hole, beginning at Cone 8
and continuing every 15 minutes until Cone 10 was reached. The
draft carried soda vapor through the bottom and rear quarter of
A piece of wood, cut slightly shorter than the interior diameter of a pot’s shoulder,
acts as a handle for carrying and loading the large pot into a kiln.
wood into the pot vertically and, once inside, turn it horizontally and
lift the pot into the kiln. To remove the wood, I simply return it to the
vertical position and lift out. In a top-loading kiln like mine, the inside
of the pot is still accessible, so any unwanted marks left by the wood can
be touched up before closing the kiln.
—Rick Erickson, Green Bay, Virginia
Consistent Wadding
When wadding a stack of plates for wood firing, use a template
and pencil eraser to neatly facilitate glaze removal and stacking. Make
a triangular template
to mark a consistent
triangular template based on footring configuration for the
wads on the foot.
After a plate is glazed,
use this template and
a pencil to transfer
transferred marks with glaze removed
the markings to the
top of the plate. Re-
move a ½-inch area of
the dry glaze at each
wad mark with the
pencil eraser. Knock the kiln and then out of the chimney, not affecting the other parts
down the edge of the of the kiln. We call this area our “soda zone.” We gained effective
glaze around these distribution of soda in the zone with excellent traditional firing
areas with a damp results in the rest of the chamber.
sponge and proceed The placement of the soda-bearing wood must be done with
to wadding. caution as direct contact between the paste and a pot leaves a per-
Although I have manent scar. Soda does make a mess of the kiln floor and shelves,
stacked as many as six so we lay a bed of oyster shells in and around the zone floor, which
Wads should be placed directly above one small plates together, seems to help in clean up.
another to prevent warping.
three or four works —Mark Bollwinkel, Los Altos, California
Choosing a Clay
M ost potters use commercially prepared clays, and
ceramic suppliers have met their needs by offer-
ing a vast, though sometimes bewildering, selection of
The body color (as well as the glazes) changes based
on the type of firing atmosphere you have—reduction
(from fuel firing) or oxidation. Reduction firing deepens
clays to choose from. If you’re using the clay someone or darkens an otherwise neutral-colored clay body. Some
else just handed you, maybe it’s not the right one for clay companies have duplicated this effect by adding
the work you’re doing. Every clay body is formulated more colorants to their formulas making it possible to
for a specific use, and finding the right one for your achieve “reduction” colors from an electric kiln. Since
needs takes a bit of research and experimentation. the iron and other colorants in a body color affect glaze
There are several decisions to make when finding a color, you’ll need to test your glazes with each body.
clay body or bodies that meet your skill level, tech-
niques and aesthetic. Texture
Texture can range from smooth to rough. Smooth
Supplier bodies contain very small particles of clay, which tend to
Now why would you choose a supplier first? They shrink more. These are best suited for small, fine and/
work with amateurs, professionals, students, teachers, or detailed work. Adding grog (ground-up fired clay) or
sculptors, tile makers, etc., and have solved a wide vari- sand gives the body “tooth,” and the larger the particle
ety of problems. There are three types of suppliers: those size, the less water the piece will need (hence less shrink-
that manufacture their own clays, those that sell clay age). Manufacturers offer a range of bodies that incor-
from other manufacturers and those that do both. And, porate finer particles of grog and sand to get a texture
if you have problems a supplier can’t answer, either you between smooth and rough.
or the supplier can contact the manufacturer.
Buy Wisely
Application Buying prepared clay requires a little judgment. First,
Clay bodies are formulated for different applications. try to find a supplier that is nearby because shipping
Throwing tableware requires a clay body that is plas- costs can add up and sometimes equal or exceed the
tic (malleable) and smooth, while constructing a large cost of the clay body itself. Next, test a sample before
sculpture may require “toothier” (coarse-grained) clay. In purchasing a large quantity. If you’re buying several
many cases, a clay body may be used for several applica- types of clay bodies, suppliers will typically allow you to
tions, but some are highly specialized—raku or oven- combine the weights for a better discount. Finally, buy
ware, for example. Make a list of the things you want to only enough clay to last you a year maximum. Clay loses
do, and you may end up with several bodies to achieve moisture in storage and becomes stiffer, possibly even
the best results. unworkable. You can ask your supplier how long they
have stored the clay. A good supplier will only stock
Firing Range what they can sell within a reasonable amount of time.
Clays are formulated to fire at specific temperatures
within three general ranges: low (Cone 06–2), mid (Cone
3–7) and high (Cone 8–10). Within a range, the higher
Buyer Beware
All commercially prepared clay bodies are made from
you fire, the greater the shrinkage and the lower the
naturally occurring elements scooped from the earth for
absorbency of the fired clay. Low-fire clay bodies (earth-
industrial users. Studio potters do not purchase enough
enware) are easy to work with and fire, and there is a
materials to be a major user, so we have to make do
wide range of colorful glazes available. These clay bodies
with a small portion of what the industry uses (brick
are also used for raku and pit firing. Mid-range clays are
and tile manufacurers, china companies, steel indus-
more durable and include stoneware and some porcelain
try, paper mills, pharmaceuticals, etc.). Mother Nature
bodies, but color is more limited. This situation improves
did not use any quality control when she created clay
each year as glaze companies improve and expand their
deposits, so seams of clay vary from one spot to another.
offerings. High-fire clays are very durable and include
And a mammoth front loader is not a delicate material-
stoneware and porcelain. Color palettes vary depending
selection tool. The good news is that the industry often
on firing atmosphere (oxidation or reduction).
requires a degree of consistency in their raw materials,
Color so that clay mines make every effort possible to provide
Color in basic studio clay bodies results mostly from them with the very best product out there for an intend-
naturally occurring iron and/or iron that has been added. ed application. To make sure your clay meets your every
Porcelain contains no iron, light buff bodies have some needs and your own quality standards, always test each
iron and earthenware bodies may have over 10% iron. batch everytime.
Primary Functions of Raw Materials
CERAMIC MATERIAL GLAZE FUNCTION CLAYBODY FUNCTION CERAMIC MATERIAL GLAZE FUNCTION CLAYBODY FUNCTION
Albany Slip Clay Glaze Core Colorant Potash Spars Glaze Core (ST, P) Melter (ST, P)
Alberta Slip (s)
Custer G-200, K200 (s)
Jasper Slip (s)
G-200 Custer, K200 (s)
Ball Clay Alumina Plasticity
Opacity K200 Custer, G-200 (s)
Barnard Clay Glaze Core Color Redart Color Melter

Color (ST, P) Color
Core (E)
Bone Ash Opacifier Melter (4–6)
Rotten Stone Glaze Core Melter
Borax Melter (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E
(ST, P) Color (ST)
Glassmaker
Carbon Trap (ST, P)
Boric Acid Melter (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E) Soda Spars Glaze Core (ST, P) Melter (ST, P)
Glassmaker
Kona F-4 C–6 (s)
Boron Frits Glaze Core (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E)
Spodumene Lithium Glaze Core Melter
Melter
(ST, P) (FL)
Colemanite (s)
Gerstley Borate (s) Talc Melter Melter
Opacifier (E, 4–6, W)
Colemanite Glaze Core (5–6, E) Melter (4–6, E)
Melter Volcanic Ash Glaze Core (ST, P)
Gerstley Borate (s) Cornwall Stone (s)
Boron Frits (s)
Whiting Melter (ST, P) Melter (ST)
Cornwall Stone Glaze Core (ST, P) Melter (P) Opacifier
(Low melter, high SiO2) Wollastonite (s)
Dolomite (s)
Dolomite Melter (ST) Melter (ST)
Opacifier Wollastonite Melter (ST, P) Melter (ST, P)
Whiting (s) Opacifier
Whiting (s)
EPK Kaolin Alumina Core (P, W)
Dolomite (s)
Opacity (ST, P)
Wood Ash Glaze Core (ST, P)
Silica (Flint) Glassmaker Glassmaker
Melter (ST, P)
Glaze-fit
Colorant
Fluorspar Melter
Zinc Melter (ST, P)
Gerstley Borate Glaze Core (4–6, E) Melter (4–6, E) Opacifier (ST, P)
Melter
Colemanite (s)
Boron Frits (s) Key: (s)=substitute option
Goldart Clay Core (ST) (E)=earthenware claybody
Kentucky Ball Clay Core (ST) (ST)=stoneware claybody
Lepidolite Lithium Glaze Core Melter (FL) (P)=porcelain claybody
Magnesium Carbonate Melter (ST, P, W) Melter (FL)=flameware claybody, c/9-10

Opacifier
(W)=white-burning claybodies, c/4-10
Nepheline Syenite Glaze Core Melter (ST, P)
(low SiO2)
(high Na2O)
(high Al2O3)
This chart is excerpted from Out of the Earth, Into the
Petalite Lithium Glaze Core Melter (FL) Fire, 2nd Edition, by Mimi Obstler, published by The
(ST 9-10) American Ceramic Society, 2000.
Manufacturers and Suppliers
Quickly locating one of 335 ceramic businesses is easy with this locator. You’ll be able to easily find suppliers nearby and
all the suppliers offering various products and services. Companies are arranged alphabetically by state, then by city.
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ALABAMA
Mecca Pottery Tools (Florence) •
South Alabama Ceramic Supply (Montgomery) • • •
ARIZONA
Marjon Ceramics Inc. (Phoenix) • • • • • • • • • • www.marjonceramics.com
Dolan Tools (Scottsdale) • www.dolantools.net
Marjon Ceramics Inc. (Tucson) • • • • • • • • • • www.marjonceramics.com
ARKANSAS
Flat Rock Clay Supplies (Fayetteville) • • • • • • • • • • www.flatrockclay.com
CALIFORNIA
Phoenix Ceramic & Fire Supply (Arcata) • • • • • • • • • • www.phoenixceramic.com
W.P. Dawson Inc. (Brea) • www.kiln-sitter.com
Creative Paperclay Co. (Camarillo) • www.paperclay.com
Ceramic Services (Chino) • • • • • • www.ceramicservices.com
Kemper Tools (Chino) • www.kempertools.com
Laguna Clay Co. (City of Industry) • • • • • • • • • • www.lagunaclay.com
Graber’s Pottery Inc. (Claremont) • www.graberspottery.com
Gordon Brush Mfg. Co. Inc. (Commerce) • www.gordonbrush.com
Snyder Imports (Comptche) • www.donsynderimports.com
The Chinese Clay Art, USA (Cupertino) • • www.chineseclayart.com
Creative Industries (El Cajon) • • • www.creativewheels.com
Mud in Mind (El Cajon) • • • • • • www.mudinmind.com
Chris Henley Tools (Encinitas) • www.hominid.net/chris.htm
Duncan Enterprises (Fresno) • • • • • www.duncanceramics.com
B & W Tile Co. Inc. (Gardena) • www.bwtile.com
Geil Kilns Co. (Huntington Beach) • • www.kilns.com
Art Decal Corp. (Long Beach) www.artdecalcorp.com (decals)
Echo Ceramics (Los Angeles) • • • • • • • www.echoceramics.com
West Coast Kiln (Lucerne Valley) • www.westcoastkiln.com
Nasco Arts & Crafts (Modesta) • • • • • • • www.enasco.com
Olsen Kiln (Mountain Center) • www.olsenkilns.com
Freeform Clay & Supply (National City) • • • • • • • • • • www.freeformclay.com
Falcon Company (Olivenhain) • •
Keith Company (Pico Rivera) • www.keithcompany.com
Aftosa (Richmond) • • • • www.aftosa.com
Jiffy Mixer Co. Inc. (Riverside) • www.jiffymixer.com
Industrial Minerals Co. (Sacramento) • • • • • • • www.clayimco.com
HyperGlaze/Richard Burkett (San Diego) www.hyperglaze.com (software for glazes)
Ceramics & Crafts Supply Co. (San Francisco) • • www.ceramicssf.com
Japan Pottery Tools (San Francisco) • www.japanpotterytools.com
A&D Weighing (San Jose) • www.andweighing.com
Lily Pond Products (Sanger) • • www.lilypond.com
Aardvark Clay & Supplies (Santa Ana) • • • • • • • • • www.aardvarkclay.com
Miles Ceramic Color (Santa Ana) •
Clay Planet (Santa Clara) • • • • • • • • • • www.clay-planet.com
California Pot Tools (Santa Paula) •
Peter Pugger Mfg., Inc. (Ukiah) • • www.peterpugger.com
Ceramic ArtSpace (Van Nuys) • • • www.ceramicartspace.com
Pure & Simple Pottery Products (Willits) • www.pureandsimplepottery.com
COLORADO
Herring Designs, LLC (Breckenridge) • • www.herringdesigns.com
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Ceramic Design Group Ltd. (Denver) • • www.jonathankaplanceramics.ocm
Killam Gas Burner Co. (Denver) • • www.killamburner.com
Mile Hi Ceramics, Inc. (Denver) • • • • • • • • • • www.milehiceramics.com
Thomas Stuart Wheels (Denver) • • • www.thomasstuart.com
Bluebird Mfg. Inc. (Ft. Collins) • • • • www.bluebird-mfg.com
Rocky Mountain WoodMasters, Ltd. (Highland Ranch)
ARC (Lakewood) • • • •
BNZ Materials Inc. (Littleton) • www.bnzmaterials.com
Glyptic Modeling Tools (Loveland) • www.glyptic.com
CONNECTICUT
Rusty Kiln Ceramic Studio (North Windham) • • • • • • • • www.rustykiln.com
R.T. Vanderbilt Co. Inc. (Norwalk) • www.rtvanderbilt.com
Duralite Inc. (Riverton) • • www.duralite.com
DELAWARE
J. & J. Ceramic Studio (Dover) • • • • •
Nabertherm, Inc. (New Castle) • www.nabertherm.com
FLORIDA
Atlantic Pottery Supply Inc. (Atlantic Beach) • • • • • • • www.atlanticpotterysupply.com
Jepson Pottery & World Pottery Institute (Geneva) • • • • www.jepsonpottery.com
Jen-Ken Kilns (Lakeland) • www.jenkenkilns.com
Summit Kilns (Land O Lakes) • • • • www.swiftweb.com/summit
C and R Products, Inc. (Ocala) • • • • • www.candrproducts.com
Bennett Pottery Supply (Ocoee) • • • • • • • www.bennettpottery.com
Calcoworld Ceramic Decals (Orlando) www.calcoworld.com (decals)
Axner Co. Inc. (tradename of Laguna Clay Co.) (Oviedo) • • • • • • • • • • www.axner.com
Highwater Clays of Florida (St. Petersburg) • • • • • • • • • www.highwaterclays.com/hwcflorida.html
St. Petersburg Clay Company Inc. (St. Petersburg) • www.stpeteclay.com
The Arts Center (St. Petersburg) • www.theartscenter.org
OTT-LITE Technology (Tampa) • • www.ott-lite.com
GEORGIA
Davens Ceramic Center (Atlanta) • • • • • • • • • www.davensceramiccenter.com
Fort Pottery Co. (Augusta) • • • • • • • www.fortpottery.com
Creative Glazes (Duluth) • • www.creativeglazes.com
Olympic Kilns (Flowery Branch) • • • www.greatkilns.com
Larkin Refractory Solutions (Lithonia) • • www.larkinrefractory.com
Kickwheel Pottery Supply Inc. (Tucker) • • • • • • • • • • www.kickwheel.com
IDAHO
The Potter’s Center (Boise) • • • • • • • • www.potterscenter.com
Wendt Pottery (Lewiston) • • • • • • • • www.wendtpottery.com
ILLINOIS
U.S. Pigment Corp. (Bloomingdale) • •
Great Lakes Clay & Supply (Carpentersville) • • • • • • • • • • www.greatclay.com
Metomic Corporation (Chicago) www.metomic.com (lamp parts)
Paasche Airbrush Co. (Chicago) • www.paascheairbrush.com
Boothe Mold Company (Dupo) www.boothemold.com (molds)
Ceramic Supply Chicago (Evanston) • • • • • • • www.ceramicsupplychicago.com
Badger Air Brush Co. (Franklin Park) • • www.badgerairbrush.com
Dick Blick Art Materials (Galesburg) • • • • • • • • www.dickblick.com
Crystal Productions (Glenview) • www.crystalproductions.com
Shimpo Ceramics (Nidec-Shimpo America Corp.) (Itasca) • • • • www.shimpoceramics.com
Midwest Ceramics (Joliet) • • • • • • • • • www.midwestcas.net
International Decal Corp. (Northbrook) • • www.timrg.com
Art Clay World, USA (Oak Lawn) • • • • • • www.artclayworld.com
Debcor Inc. (South Holland) • www.debcor-inc.sbcontract.com
INDIANA
United Art & Education (Ft. Wayne) • • • • • • • www.unitednow.com
American Art Clay Co., Inc. (Amaco/Brent) (Indianapolis) • • • • • • • • www.amaco.com
Brickyard Ceramics & Crafts (Indianapolis) • • • • • • • • • • www.brickyardceramics.com
Sugar Creek Industry, Inc. (Linden) • • • www.sugarcreekind.com
Royal and Langnickel Brush Mfg. (Merrillville) • www.royalbrush.com
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IOWA
Johnson Gas Appliance Co. (Cedar Rapids) • • www.johnsongas.com
Bartlett Instrument Co. (Ft. Madison) • www.bartinst.com
Scotlin Ceramics (McGregor) • • • • • • • •
KANSAS
Creative Paradise (Goddard) • www.handbuilding.com
Easy Ceramic Decals, LLC (Kansas City) www.easyceramicdecals.com (decals)
Bracker’s Good Earth Clays (Lawrence) • • • • • • • • • • www.brackers.com
Soldner Clay Mixers by Muddy Elbow Mfg. (Newton) • www.soldnerequipment.com
ClayStamps.com (Olathe) • www.claystamps.com
Evans Ceramic Supply (Wichita) • • • • • • • • • • www.evansceramics.com
KENTUCKY
Old Hickory Clay Co. (Hickory) • • www.oldhickoryclay.com
Kentucky Mudworks LLC (Lexington) • • • • • • www.kentuckymudworks.com
Louisville Fire Brick Works (Louisville) • www.louisvillefirebrick.com
LOUISANA
Alligator Clay Company (Baton Rouge) • • • • • • • • www.alligatorclay.com
Southern Pottery Equipment & Supplies (Baton Rouge) • • • • • • • • • www.alligatorclay.com
Blue Diamond Kilns (Metarie) • www.bluediamondkiln.com
New Orleans Clay (New Orleans) • • • • www.noclay.com
MAINE
Portland Pottery Supply South (Braintree) • • • • • • • • • www.portlandpottery.com
Amherst Potters Supply (Hadley) • • • • • • • www.amherstpotters.com
MARYLAND
Baltimore Clayworks (Baltimore) • www.baltimoreclayworks.org
Buyers Market of American Craft (Baltimore) • • www.americancraft.com
Chesapeake Ceramics Supply (Baltimore) • • • • • • • • www.ceramicsupply.com
Clayworks Supplies, Inc. (Baltimore) • • • • • • • • • www.clayworkssupplies.com
Bear Creek Pottery (Bowie) • • • • www.bcpottery.com
PotteryTools.com (Sinkburg) • www.potterytools.com
MASSACHUSETTS
Gare Inc. (Harverhill) • • • • www.gare.com
The Potters Shop and School (Needham) •
Sheffield Pottery Inc. (Sheffield) • • • • • • • • • • www.sheffield-pottery.com
Ceramics Consulting Services (Southampton) • www.fixpots.com
Boston Kiln Sales & Service (Watertown) • • • • www.bostonkiln.com
Saint-Gobain Ceramics (Worcester) • www.refractories.saint-gobain.com
MICHIGAN
Pebble Press, Inc. (Ann Arbor) • •
Evenheat Kiln Inc. (Caseville) • www.evenheat-kiln.com
Runyan Pottery Supply Inc. (Clio) • • • • • • • • • • www.runyanpotterysupply.com
Gilmour Campbell Co. (Detroit) •
West Michigan Clay (Hamilton) • • • • • • • • • www.westmichiganclay.com
Crossroads Pottery & Clay Company (Jackson) • • • • • • • • • www.crossroadspottery.net
Manitou Arts (Leland) • www.manitouarts.net
Du-All Drafting & Art (Madison Hts.) • • • www.duall.com
Har-Bon Ceramics & Decals (Presque Isle) www.harbon.com (decals)
Rovin Ceramics (Taylor) • • • • • • • • • • www.rovinceramics.com
MINNESOTA
Minnesota Clay Co. USA (Edina) • • • • • • • • • • www.minnesotaclayusa.com
Master Kiln Builders (Farmington) • • www.kilnbuilders.com
Dunghanrach Clay Co. (Melrose) • • • • •
Brown Tool Co. (Minneapolis) • www.browntool.com
Continental Clay Co. (Minneapolis) • • • • • • • • • • www.continentalclay.com
Smith-Sharpe Fire Brick Supply (Minneapolis) • • www.kilnshelf.com
Triarco Arts & Crafts LLC (Plymouth) • • • • • • • • • • www.triarcoarts.com
MISSISSIPPI
Dogwood Ceramic Supply (Gulfport) • • • • • • • • • www.dogwoodceramics.com
Whistle Press (Petal) • www.whistlepress.com
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MISSOURI
Christy Minerals Co. (High Hill) • www.christyco.com
KC Metro Ceramic & Pottery Supplies (Kansas City) • • • • • • • • www.kcmetroceramic.com
L&R Specialties Inc (Nixa) • • • • • • • • • www.claydogs.com
Krueger Pottery, Inc. (St. Louis) • • • • • • • • • • www.kruegerpottery.com
MONTANA
Archie Bray Foundation (Helena) • • • • • • • • • • www.archiebray.org
NEVADA
Cress Mfg. Co. (Carson City) • www.cressmfg.com
Aardvark Clay & Supplies (Las Vegas) • • • • • • • • • www.aardvarkclay.com
Bison Studios (Las Vegas) • www.bisonstudios.com
BigCeramicStore.com (Sparks) • • • • • • • • www.bigceramicstore.com
Nevada Dan’s (Sparks) • • • www.potterywheel.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE
W.K. Hillquist, Inc. (Hudson) • www.retaildisplays.com
Midlantic Clay (Bellmawr) • • • • • • • • • www.midlanticclay.com
NEW JERSEY
Instar Beautiful Decals (E. Brunswick) www.instardecals.com (decals)
Curran Pfeiff Corp. (Edison) • • www.curranpfeiff.com
Hobby Colorobbia (Elmowwod Park) • • • • www.hobbycolorobbia.com
Hammill & Gillespie Inc. (Livingston) • www.hamgil.com
Ceramic Supply Inc. (Lodi) • • • • • • • • • • www.eceramicsupply.com
New Brunswick Lamp Shade Co. (North Brunswick) www.nbls.com (lamp shades)
L&L Kiln Mfg. Inc. (Swedesboro) • • • www.hotkilns.com
NEW MEXICO
Coyote Clay & Color (Albuquerque) • • www.coyoteclay.com
New Mexico Clay, Inc. (Albuquerque) • • • • • • • • • • www.nmclay.com
Taos Clay (El Prado) • www.taosclay.com
Santa Fe Clay (Santa Fe) • • • • • • • • • • www.santafeclay.com
NEW YORK
Charles A. Hones Inc. (Amityville) • www.charlesahones.com
East Valley Supply (Andover) www.evsupply.com (ceramics repair epoxy)
Studio Sales Pottery Supply (Avon) • • • • • • • • • • www.studiosalespottery.com
Teka Fine Line Brushes Inc. (Brooklyn) • www.tekabrush.com
The Mudpit (Brooklyn) • • • • • • • www.mudpitnyc.com
Vent-A-Kiln Corp. (Buffalo) • www.ventakiln.com
Ceramic Arts Library (Corning) • www.ceramicartslibrary.com
PCF Studios (Honeoye) • www.pcfstudios.com
Bailey Pottery Equipment (Kingston) • • • • • • • • • • www.baileypottery.com
American Craft Council (New York) • www.craftcouncil.org
Artfixtures (New York) www.artfixtures.com (display stands)
Artsystems, Ltd. (New York) • www.artsystems.com
Eagle Zinc Company (New York) •
Rockland Colloid Corp. (Piermont) • www.rockaloid.com
Clayscapes Pottery Inc. (Syracuse) • • • • • • • www.clayscapespottery.com
Oneida Air Systems, Inc. (Syracuse) • • www.oneida-air.com
Northeast Ceramic Supply (Troy) • • • • • • • •
Alpine Kilns and Equipment LLC (Warwick) • • www.alpinekilns.com
Doo-Woo Tools LLC (Warwick) • www.doowoo.com
Kiln-Ray Services (Warwick) • • • • • www.kilnray.com
Rochester Ceramics, Inc. (Webster) • • • • • • • • • www.rochesterceramics.com
NORTH CAROLINA
Highwater Clays, Inc. (Asheville) • • • • • • • • • www.highwaterclays.com
Lark Books (Asheville) • www.larkbooks.com
Carolina Clay Connection (Charlotte) • • • • • • • • • www.carolinaclay.com
Potterystamp.com (Charlotte) • www.potterystamp.com
Claymakers (Durham) • • • • • • • • www.claymakers.com
Resco Products Inc. (Greensboro) • www.rescoproducts.com
Mudtools (Hendersonville) • www.mudtools.com
Williams Supply (Star) • • • • • • www.williamssupplync.com
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Speedball Art Products Co. (Statesville) • www.speedballart.com
Fat Cat Pottery Inc. (Wilmington) • • • • • • • • www.fatcatpottery.com
OHIO
National Artcraft Co. (Aurora) • • • • • • www.nationalartcraft.com
A & K Clay Company LLC (Bethel)
Laguna Clay Co. (Byesville)) • • • • • • • • • • www.lagunaclay.com
Olympic Enterprises Inc. (Campbell) • • • www.olympicdecals.com
Vulcan Kilns (Centerville) • • • www.vulcankiln.com
Funke Fired Arts (Cincinnati) • • • • • • • • • www.funkefiredarts.com
Maxfield Ceramics Supply Inc (Cincinnati) • • • • • • • • • • www.maxfieldceramics.com
Aegean Sponge Co. (Cleveland) • www.aegeansponge.com
Bareclay (Columbus) • www.bareclay.com
Columbus Clay (Columbus) • • • • • • • • • www.columbusclay.com
Mudmats (Columbus) • • • www.mostlymud.com
RAM Products Inc. (Columbus) • www.ramprocess.com
Cornell Studio Supply (Dayton) • • • • • • • • • •
Wise Screenprint (Dayton) www.wisescreenprint.com (decals)
Innovative Ceramic Corp. (East Liverpool) www.innovativeceramic.com (inks/decals)
Mason Color Works Inc. (East Liverpool) • www.masoncolor.com
Mayco Colors (Hilliard) • • • www.maycocolors.com
Maryland Refractories Co. (Irondale) • www.mrcgrog.com
Ohio Ceramic Supply Inc. (Kent) • • • • • • • • • • www.ohioceramic.com
Handmade Lampshades (Maumee) (lampshades)
Cedar Heights Clay Operation (Oak Hill) • www.rescoproducts.com
Krumor Inc. (Valley View) (thermocouples and RTDs)
Orton Ceramic Foundation (Westerville) • • • www.ortonceramic.com
Olympia Enterprises, Inc. (Youngstown) • • www.olympiadecals.com
OREGON
The Kiln Elements Co. (Birkenfeld) • • www.kilnelements.com
Aim Kiln Mfg. (Corvallis) • • • • • www.aimkilns.com
Georgies Ceramic & Clay Co. Inc. (Eugene) • • • • • • • • • • www.georgies.com
Georgies Ceramic & Clay Co. Inc. (Portland) • • • • • • • • • • www.georgies.com
Mudshark (Portland) • www.mudsharkstudios.org
PotteryVideos.com (Portland) • www.potteryvideos.com
Skutt Ceramic Products (Portland) • www.skutt.com
Southern Oregon Pottery Supply (Talent) • • • • • • • • • www.southernoregonpottery.com
PENNSYLVANIA
Ceramic Services Inc. (Bensalem) • • www.kilnman.com
Insulating Firebrick, Inc. (Butler) www.insulatingfirebrick.com
The Clay Place (Carnegie) • • • • • • • • • • www.clayplace.com
M&M Pottery Supply (Corry) • • • • • • • • •
Del Val Potter’s Supply Co. (Glenside) • • • • • • • www.delvalpotters.com
Penn-Mo Fire Brick Co. (Harrisburg) • • • • • • • www.penn-mo.com
Nilfisk-Advance America Inc. (Malvern) www.pa.nilfisk-advance.com (vacuums)
Shenango Advanced Ceramics (New Castle) • www.shenangoceramics.com
Camp’s Clay Accessories (Philadelphia) • www.campsclayaccessories.com
The Ceramic Shop (Philadelphia) • • • • • • • • • www.theceramicshop.com
Standard Ceramic Supply Co. (Pittsburgh) • www.standardceramic.com
Frog Pond Pottery (Pocopson) • www.masteringglazes.com
Placid Ceramics (Washington) • • • • • • • www.placidceramics.com
Petro Mold Co (Waterford) • www.petromolds.com
RHODE ISLAND
Dew Claw Studios (Pawtucket) • • • • • www.dewclawstudios.com
SOUTH CAROLINA
Clay-King.com (Spartanburg) • • • • • • • • www.clay-king.com
eArtWorld.com (Spartanburg) • • • • • • • • www.eartworld.com
Coastal Ceramics (Summerville) • • • • • • www.coastalceramic.com
SOUTH DAKOTA
Pacer Corp. (Custer) • www.pacerminerals.com
Dakota Potters Supply (Sioux Falls) • • • • • • • • • www.dakotapotters.com
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TENNESSEE
Ward Burner Systems (Dandridge) • • • • • www.wardburner.com
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts (Gatlinburg) • • • www.arrowmont.org
The Clay Lady (Herdersonville) • • • • • • • • • www.theclaylady.com
Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Co. (Nashville) • www.ballclay.com
Mid-South Ceramic Supply Co. (Nashville) • • • • • • • • • • www.midsouthceramics.com
H.C. Spinks Clay Co. Inc. (Paris) • www.spinksclay.com
TEXAS
Armadillo Clay & Supplies (Austin) • • • • • • • • • • www.armadilloclay.com
Trinity Ceramic Supply Inc. (Dallas) • • • • • • • • www.trinityceramic.com
American Ceramic Supply Co. (Ft. Worth) • • • • • • • • • www.AmericanCeramics.com
Texas Pottery Supply & Clay Co. (Ft. Worth) • • • • • • • • • www.texaspottery.com
PMC Connection (Garland) • • • • www.pmcconnection.com
Ceramic Store Inc. (Houston) • • • • • • • • • www.ceramicstoreinc.com
Bella Bisque, Inc. (Kyle) • • www.bellabisque.com
Display Your Art by Glassica (Liberty Hill) • www.displayyourart.com
Paragon Industries, L.P. (Mesquite) • www.paragonweb.com
Old Farmhouse Pottery (Rusk) • www.farmpots.com
Clayworld Inc. (San Antonio) • • • • • • • • • www.clayworld.com
GSM Enterprises (San Antonio) • • • • • www.gsmkilns-sales-service.com
Etc., Etc., Etc. (Wichita Falls) • • • • • • • • • •
UTAH
Capital Ceramics Inc. (Salt Lake City) • • • • • • • • www.capitalceramics.com
VIRGINIA
Spun Earth Pottery (Forest) • • • • www.spunearth.com
The Kiln Doctor Inc. (Front Royal) • • • • www.thekilndoctor.com
Tin Barn Pottery Supply at Manassas Clay (Manassas) • • • • • • • • • • www.manassasclay.com
Campbell’s Ceramic Supply Inc. (Richmond) • • • • • • • www.claysupply.com
ClayPeople (Richmond) • • • • • • • • • www.claypeople.net
WASHINGTON
North Star Equipment Inc. (Cheney) • • www.northstarequipment.com
Giffin Tec Inc. (Lummi Island) • • www.giffingrip.com
Crucible Kilns (Seattle) • www.seattlepotterysupply.com
New Century Ceramic Arts Inc. (Seattle) • • • www.paperclayart.com
Seattle Pottery Supply (Seattle) • • • • • • • • • • www.seattlepotterysupply.com
Precision Terrefirma (Spokane) • www.precision-terrafirma.com
Rings & Things Wholesale (Spokane) • www.rings-things.com
Clay Art Center (Tacoma) • • • • • • • • • • www.clayartcenter.net
Scott Creek Pottery Inc. (Tacoma) • • www.scottcreekpottery.com
Clay In Motion (Walla Walla) • • www.clayinmotion.com
WISCONSIN
MKM Pottery Tools LLC (Appleton) • www.mkmpotterytools.com
Nasco Arts & Crafts (Ft. Atkinson) • • • • • • • www.enasco.com
Sax Arts & Crafts (New Berlin) • • • • • • • • www.saxarts.com
A.R.T. Studio Clay Co. Inc. (Sturtevant) • • • • • • • • • www.artclay.com
AUSTRALIA
Venco Products (Kelmscott WA ) • • www.venco.com
CANADA
Plainsman Clay Ltd. (Medicine Hat) • • • • • • • • • • www.plainsmanclays.com
Greenbarn Potters Supply Ltd. (Surrey) • • • • • • • • • www.greenbarn.com
Bamboo Tools (Hi Tech Marketing) (Surrey) • www.bambootools.com
Ceramic Arts & Crafts Supply (Burlington) • • • • • • www.ceramicarts.com
Euclids Kilns & Elements (Oakville) • • • • www.euclids.com
Euclid’s/The Pottery Supply House Ltd. (Oakville) • • • • • • • • • • www.pshcanada.com
Tucker’s Pottery Supplies Inc. (Richmond Hill) • • • • • • • • • • www.tuckerspottery.com
Spectrum Glazes (Toronto) • www.spectrumglazes.com
Mercedes Ceramic Supplies (Woodbridge) • • • • • • • •
Digitalfire Corp. (Cornwall) • • www.digitalfire.com
Edouard Bastarache Inc. (Sorel-Tracy) • www.sorel-tracy.qc.ca/~edouardb

2008 Ceramic Workshop Handbook

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2008

Brought to you by the publishers of

Editorial and Advertising Offices:

2008 Workshop Handbook is published by the American

Copyright © 2008 The American Ceramic Society

Finding a new way of looking at what we do is part of 30 Clay Tools: Firing

36 Manufacturers and Suppliers

W hether you need a drying bat, a simple hump

Household Clay Drying

Height and Comfort Make a Name

Since then, I use the

Temporary Template Rolling Away

Making the Web

T he potter’s palette can be just as broad as the

Iron See Dark Red, Iron.

stains, in addition to the usual mineral colorants. Lemon Yellow

Yellow-Green to Navy Blue

COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS

recipe: Cobalt Vary Both 1%-5% In high magnesium glazes.

Temperature Cone Incandescence Event

P yrometric cones, often referred

Barnard Clay Glaze Core Color Redart Color Melter

Goldart Clay Core (ST) (E)=earthenware claybody

Kentucky Ball Clay Core (ST) (ST)=stoneware claybody

Lepidolite Lithium Glaze Core Melter (FL) (P)=porcelain claybody

Magnesium Carbonate Melter (ST, P, W) Melter (FL)=flameware claybody, c/9-10

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