kiln room 101

By: Danielle Kearns
     I am fairly new to the pottery world, so learning the ins and outs of the clay business was a total learning curve for me.  We get asked all the time, “Why does it take a week to get my pottery back?” I wouldn’t have really understood myself if I hadn’t just recently been trained in it.  So I figured I could give a little step-by-step tutorial of how it all works and the TLC each piece receives right here, in house, from our Studio Associates and Custom Artists.

Step One: You paint!
Obviously, each piece is painted to be uniquely your own.  When visiting us, you pick and paint your piece in our cozy studio.  Most people paint using our “Fun Strokes!” undercoat glazes. These are our solid colors, of which we have over 70!  We also offer specialty glazes, which will fire in the kiln differently from the Fun Strokes, and will create a more complex, multi-layered color scheme. Some folk choose to have extra details or wording added to their piece, which can only be done by our talented Custom Artists, so those will wait on special shelves for their expertise hands. 

Step Two:  Drying
Each piece painted gets organized on the back shelves by day. These items need to dry for a full 24 hours to allow the paint to dry fully and set.
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Step Three:  Glaze Prep
We glaze on an almost daily basis.  Each of our Studio Associates are trained in the process, which is an art form in and of itself.  We use a clear glaze, which is combined with distilled water in a large tub. The mixture is blended (thoroughly) with a power drill and the largest whisk you’ve ever seen.  The glaze’s viscosity is then tested using a special viscosity cup. At this point, we make sure our glaze is primed for the best results possible.

Step Four: Time to Glaze
The majority of our items are hand dipped into this mixture… twice!  We attempt to coat as much surface area as possible the first go around. The items are then shaken vigorously to allow the excess glaze to drip off and create a smooth layer.  We also use synthetic sponges and fan brushes to dab at the glaze to ensure it doesn’t pool or drip in any one area. It is a long process, and one that requires a lot of patience and focus to detail. After all of the shelves have been half dipped and partially dried, we go back to the beginning and do it all over again, this time dipping the other end of the piece and ensuring the names on each piece are preserved. This is so important to make sure you get your same piece back later.

Step Five: Spot Check
Now, everything should have a complete layer of glaze on it.  It almost looks like everything on the shelf is mummified and there is no more color visible. Everything has turned a chalky white color, and the original colors are now seemingly hidden.  At this point, we check each item to make sure there are no lumps, bumps, or imperfections. If we see any blemishes, like glaze drying in a funky way or drip marks, we go back and finger sand each item to make them as smooth as possible. Any items that were painted with speciality glaze are "tagged," as those are not glazed in the same way.

Step Six: More Drying
That’s right!  Even the glaze needs 24 hours to dry.  The shelves will be filled with these items that are prepped and awaiting the kiln, still organized by day, and now also organized by sizes to make the loading process more efficient.

Why Do We Glaze?
Think of glaze like the clear nail polish for your pottery.  It is the finishing touch to make everything shiny, special, and bright. It allows anything left unpainted to become a natural white. It is also the thing that makes your piece food-grade safe at the end of the day! One of our biggest sellers at the claypen is kitchenware. It would really be a shame if you made these awesome creations and couldn’t actually use them!  

Stay tuned for next week to learn a little more about how we load the kiln and bring these pieces to the finish line.  There's a lot more to it than just paint and pick up.