Choosing Ceramic Pottery as a Hobby

By: Mitch Johnson

Every human being is unique so as the hobby. Pottery is one of the most unique and special hobby which very less people have. For a people having a good sense of creativity, pottery can be considered to be the best in developing their creative ability. Go through this article and learn more about this fascinating creative art.

In the cold, concise language of Webster's Dictionary, clay is "an earthy substance used in making pottery, bricks, etc". To the ceramist this definition seems much too objective and academic like saying the Hope Diamond is nothing more than a chunk of carbon which has undergone immense subterranean pressure and heat. Surely this flawless gem is worthy of a more full-flavored description.

So it is with clay. It can be shaped, colored and fired into myriad marvels of esthetic and utilitarian beauty. It has "life" and is capable of playing strange tricks under the influence of fire. Colors, too, are often capricious. Even under the strictest control they may affect results which are, to say the least, unexpected.

Every time you open the kiln, it is like Christmas. For you can never be certain about exactly what you will get. These surprise endings only add an extra dash of spice to an already absorbing hobby.

When you have started to work with ceramics, you will find that the more you know, the more there is to learn about this fascinating creative art. As with any worthwhile accomplishment, you will not become an expert potter merely by reading a book. You will have to taste your share of joys and disappointments during your trial-and-error apprenticeship. But don't be too easily discouraged if at first your trials turn out to be mostly errors.

Most educators agree that lessons learned by trial and error are lessons best remembered. With ceramics, moreover, all mistakes are not for the worst. On the contrary, many of a potter's errors result in his most attractive and original works. Usually these are the pieces which can never be duplicated.

Very popular in the ceramist's lexicon of phrases are the words "let us see what happens". The thrill of experimentation is not lacking in this hobby. For example, you could glaze a tray and toss on a few pieces of copper, just to "see what happens". After firing it, you may find the copper completely burned away, leaving a scrumptious splotch of green from the copper oxide. On the other hand, the copper might scale over the glaze and ruin the tray. You won't know until you remove it from the kiln and the suspense, as any ceramics enthusiast knows, can be unbearable.

Since the end of World War II, ceramics has mushroomed in popularity until today it is one of the nation's favorite pastimes. Its enthusiastic adherents are outnumbered, according to latest estimates, only by those of bowling, fishing and stamp collecting. As for creative hobbies, there are more ceramists in the country than any other breed of amateur artist.

Actually, it is difficult to put your finger on the reason for this sudden spurt in popularity. Perhaps it can be attributed to the war itself. Existing conditions then made it impossible to import pottery from abroad. Stores were eager to sell locally made merchandise. Critical shortages existed in metals and other materials that normally go into gift ware. But there has always been an abundance of raw material for the manufacture of pottery: clay. And the metallic oxides and carbonates that are used for pottery colors were likewise available throughout the war years.

No one can become an expert potter by just reading books, he has to gone through a long way of trail and error. Those who keep in going without feeling discourage can only be called an expert potter.

Article Source: http://www.bigfreearticles.com

About the Author:
Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for http://www.curtains-n-drapes.com/ , http://www.myceramicshub.info/ , http://www.myceramicsresource.info/

Tags: ceramic, clay, pottery, porcelain

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