Handmade Stoneware

Material

• Stoneware is made from clay. Soft clay is shaped and sculpted into plates, bowls, cups and other forms. Then, the molded clay is heated to make it hard and functional. Items that are handmade are sometimes made using generic clay produced by clay manufacturing companies. Some specialist shops that produce handmade stoneware also harvest and create their own clay which partially defines the character of the pieces.

Wheel

• Most handmade stoneware is crafted on a potters wheel. A ball of solid clay is placed on a spinning wheel and then shaped by hand as the wheel rotates the piece. This allows an experienced potter to create bowls, mugs, plates and more. The personal technique used by the potter is part of what makes handmade stoneware made by different craftsmen distinctive.

Firing

• Stoneware is similar to other clay-based products such as earthenware. Part of what differentiates the two is the process used for firing the pottery. Stoneware is fired at a temperature that is lower than earthenware during the initial firing and then at least a few hundred degrees hotter for the second. This firing process is what makes it tough enough for practical use instead of being a merely decorative piece. The other difference in the firing process is that the bottom of a stoneware piece is not glazed before the second firing if glaze is applied to the piece.

Glaze

• After the stoneware has been turned and fired for the first time, it is often glazed. The product after the initial firing is a darker color than earthenware, and some potters prefer to leave it that color. Other times, glazes are applied. Everything from a simple single color to elaborately painted designs are applied to stoneware before the pieces are fired again. Clear coats of glaze help preserve the finish of the pieces.