We are building a business: our own pottery workshop. How to open a pottery workshop What you need for pottery

Many of us have our own hobbies. Usually these activities bring only moral satisfaction. But who said that a hobby cannot be profitable? Pottery art can be classified as such a profitable activity. How much will it cost to open a small pottery workshop? And how much can you earn by turning a pottery wheel?

Main material the potter works with is clay. It comes in different varieties and is selected depending on the product being manufactured.

Technological processes of pottery production – this is kneading, modeling and firing. In the future, the finished product can be coated with glaze.

Making one ceramic pot can take about two hours. In this case, 20-30 minutes will be spent on kneading and modeling clay, and the rest of the time on drying and firing.

Every job has its own nuances. In pottery, the total percentage of defects reaches 20-30%, and at first it can amount to half of all clay pots. The degree of suitability of raw materials, clay modeling, the level of dryness before firing - all this affects the quality of the finished product. If you intend to rotate the pottery wheel yourself, then you will have to master all the processes and delve into all the technological details. Also, to make pottery or souvenirs, you must have artistic taste and imagination.

Composition of pottery workshop equipment includes
- muffle furnace - preferably 3-4 pieces. The price is about 100 thousand rubles;
- potter's wheel - the quantity depends on the number of hired workers. The price is 30-50 thousand rubles. But there are ways to make a pottery wheel with your own hands;
— clay mixing machine – price about 30 thousand rubles;
— scales – price about 6 thousand rubles;
- molds for products - quantity as required.

The composition of the premises of the pottery workshop consists of a production area and a warehouse. It is better to carry out the glazing process in a separate room with good ventilation. The glaze contains lead and other chemical elements, so you must take your own safety precautions.

Room area selected depending on the volume of production and the number of workers. Minimum industrial volumes require at least 50 sq.m. production space, with about 20 sq.m. allocated for storage. The rent for such premises will be about 30-40 thousand rubles. per month.

Pottery activity workshop falls under OKVED code 26.21 “Production of household and decorative ceramic products.” This category includes the production of dishes, household items made of ceramics, as well as figurines and other decorative items. However, the production of toys is not included in this group. If you plan to produce such products, then during registration you must add OKVED code 36.50 “Other production”. The number of registered types of economic activity should be maximum and include all possible production.

When registering an activity, it is better to choose an individual entrepreneur under the simplified taxation system as an organizational and legal form. This will reduce tax payments and insurance premiums.

Number of workshop staff directly depends on sales volumes. As a rule, pottery is practiced by people who are in love with their craft. And there are not many of them. In addition, pottery and souvenirs are exclusive works of authorship. Finding customers and organizing sales is a very labor-intensive process. Typically, craftsmen export their products to places with a large flow of foreign tourists, to various festivals and exhibitions, closer to Europe. Where clay pots and hand-made jars are in demand. Therefore, the staff in a small pottery workshop consists of 1-2 people.

Sales establishment - the most crucial moment in the entire pottery business. Despite the fact that sales volumes of souvenirs have increased significantly in recent years, 90% of all products are produced outside of Russia. In any case, traders import their goods from Southeast Asia. This means that this market is still free for domestic producers.

According to wholesalers, Russian manufacturers are very unreliable in terms of timing and quality of their products. For a large souvenir chain, the minimum batch of products of one name must be at least 1000 pieces. Therefore, when concluding a contract with such a customer, there are very large risks for the supplier.
Arrangements with small souvenir shops are more attractive for a small pottery studio. The volumes are smaller, but the income is correspondingly smaller.

One of the implementation options is the production of custom-made products. For example, when designing interiors, many people look for special vases, clay pots or reliefs, tiles or frames. Fridge magnets, small stationery stands, clay figurines, and beer mugs work well as promotional souvenirs.

Pottery business development In addition to selling finished products, it also involves establishing a program for teaching pottery. Organizing master classes or training courses can be a good income stream. There has always been an interest in this type of art. Rotating a pottery wheel and watching a piece of clay transform into a slender vase or jug is truly a pleasure. Therefore, there are quite a few people willing to try it. In addition, recently pottery therapy has become very popular. By the way, master classes can be held at the customer’s home. And, as customers, elite schools and kindergartens can act here.

Advertising of products and services – this is an element of promoting any business, including pottery. In order to be noticed and appreciated, you will have to spend heavily on advertising. But, as they say, the end justifies the means.

Cost of clay products ranges from 100 to 1000 rubles. per piece. The price depends on the volume, shape, design, complexity of the work. Souvenirs and magnets range in price from 40 to 100 rubles.

Tuition fees can vary from 300 to 1000 rubles per hour. It all depends on the professionalism of the master and the availability of those willing to pay a certain amount.

To summarize all of the above, we can characterize the business model of an ideal pottery workshop, which works in three directions at once: 1) production of clay products for large wholesalers; 2) a separate small workshop for the production of custom works; 3) a school for teaching pottery. At the head of this enterprise is the individual entrepreneur himself and exercises direct control over the quality of the products produced and delivery times.

As for the initial investment, as you can see, it is small. Opening a workshop and promotion will cost no more than 10 thousand dollars. But the payback period and the amount of profit will depend on the creativity and organizational abilities of the entrepreneur himself.

You can build a profitable business in the manufacture of ceramic products, both in large-scale wholesale and full-scale production, and as part of opening a small pottery workshop. The latter option, as experience shows, is even more cost-effective.

Basically, this line of activity is chosen by entrepreneurs who already have some experience and are familiar with the specifics of pottery.

In this case, it will be possible to implement a business idea faster and much more efficiently, but, on the other hand, the lack of experience is a fixable matter, and anyone would be willing to learn the nuances of making ceramic products. Moreover, such products are now in great demand, which is growing every year.

Room

To accommodate a pottery workshop, you will need a room with an area of about 70-80 sq.m., which should be divided into a production area, a warehouse for raw materials and finished products, a staff room with a shower and a bathroom.

It is recommended to separately equip a room for glazing products, since the glaze contains substances that are harmful and hazardous to health, for example, lead; working with such a composition requires the use of respirators, a professional ventilation system, and also requires a water supply and electricity supply.

As for the location of the pottery workshop, large ceramics manufacturers, if possible, locate their workshops closer to suppliers of raw materials or clay deposits. A small pottery workshop can be located within the city, but not necessarily in the center, this will help reduce rental costs.

Equipment

Necessary equipment for a pottery workshop - direct production units (potter's wheel, clay kneading machine, oven, glaze mill, scales and ready-made stencils for small products), improvised tools (pottery knives, spatulas, threads, files, compasses, spoons and other pottery tools), furniture for craftsmen (tables, chairs), equipment for storage and storage of raw materials (containers, racks, shelves).

Approximate cost calculation at this stage:

Potter's wheel - from 900 to 1500 dollars;
Clay kneading machine – 950 USD;
Libra – from $180;
Tools – from $150 and above.

Firing of ceramic products is carried out in muffle furnaces. The average cost of one stove is 2-2.5 thousand dollars.

Some pottery specialists, in order to save on the purchase of a muffle kiln, manage to convert electric stoves for firing needs.

Raw materials

The cost of purchasing the first batch of raw materials (clay, enamels, paints, glazes) will be 1500-1600 USD. Clay is imported mainly from Ukraine. One ton can be purchased at a price of 100 USD. and higher.

Staff

Usually in small pottery workshops with an area of up to 50 sq.m. 2-3 masters work. The salary of such workers is 400-450 dollars per month, it all depends on the fullness of employment and the level of qualifications of specialists.

Where can I get money to start my own business? This is exactly the problem that 95% of new entrepreneurs face! In the article, we revealed the most relevant ways to obtain start-up capital for an entrepreneur. We also recommend that you carefully study the results of our experiment in exchange earnings:

An accountant is also needed, the functions of a manager for the procurement of raw materials and sales are often taken over by the owner of the workshop, a visiting or in-house designer or graphic designer is involved in developing the appearance of products. The model range and success of the products produced will depend on the imagination and creative flight of thoughts of this specialist.

Specifics of activity

It is most profitable to start such a business in resort areas and cities with high tourist traffic, then ceramic products - original and authentic - will definitely be in demand. Of course, it is important to take into account the presence of competitors or suppliers of a similar group of goods.

Many believe that it is difficult for local pottery manufacturers to compete with cheap Chinese products. But it is worth remembering that a mass product is not as interesting as an individual development, and besides, although Chinese products are cheap, they are not of high quality.

When creating products, it is important to remember that each region of the country has its own history and traditions, which are reflected in ceramic souvenirs and paintings. And the clay, which has been mined for centuries and the method of its processing, is a kind of calling card of the area, so, for example, Slavic, Gaivaretskaya, Cherry ceramics and others appeared, which Chinese manufacturers certainly cannot repeat.

In the first stages, you should not engage in the production of a huge assortment of ceramic products at once. The most popular items are dishes, decorative plates, mugs, magnets, and vases.

The sources of income for a pottery workshop are profits from the sale of products directly, as well as the recently popular services of conducting master classes in pottery, courses and renting out the workshop and equipment.

Prices for such services: cost of a master class per person – from 10 dollars, workshop rental – from 35 USD. per hour

Markets and sales mechanisms

The main markets are retail chains, small firms, flower and gift shops, souvenir shops, wholesale markets, small boutiques of gifts and souvenirs in large shopping and entertainment centers.

It is effective to advertise services and sell via the Internet, your own website, the presence of an online store, promotion of goods through social networks, electronic bulletin boards. In such electronic and printed sources it is convenient to post information with a price list about products, as well as prices for pottery training services.

Investments and profits

The starting price for selling a simple clay product (using the example of a magnet made by stamping) is 1.5-1.8 dollars.

At a cost of 0.7-0.9 USD.

To summarize, we note that the total investment to start a business will be $7800-8000.

The payback period for a business project with intensive advertising promotion, active sales and search for potential customers, high quality products, unique design and the creative imagination of the artist does not exceed 12 months.

Video: pottery workshop from the inside

Pottery has always been and will be at the peak of popularity. They appeared back in the days of Ancient Egypt (around 1500 BC). For those who don't know, we'll explain. Pottery or ceramic objects are made from various types of clay by softening it with water, then sculpting it and firing it. This technology has not changed for three and a half millennia. Some processes have been automated, but in general, the creation of modern ceramics involves the same steps that ancient masters took.

It must be said that even the emergence of new materials, such as metal, glass and even plastic, had virtually no effect on the popularity of pottery. Demand for them, like many centuries ago, still exceeds supply. This means that this is a very promising direction for opening an interesting, non-standard and very rare business.

It would seem that everything is simple, you just need to start making money. But not everything is as easy as you might think. After all, in order to succeed in this difficult task, first of all, you need to become a master of pottery art. This is an important point, regardless of whether you intend to participate in the process of making ceramic products, or prefer to manage the business from a managerial position. Knowledge of the production process is very important. Therefore, first of all, you must master at least the basics of pottery.

There are several ways to do this. The first is to enter the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after V.I. Surikov, where for six years you will study and learn a new promising profession (faculty of sculpture). Of course, with such a wealth of knowledge you will not be afraid of anything, and you are guaranteed to take your place in this field. But, most likely, you do not want to spend six years of your life studying at a university.

Luckily, there are other ways to learn pottery. The fastest and most effective way is to hire a tutor. Master's lessons are very expensive. From 1000 rubles per hour lesson. But, if you dream of making ceramic products yourself, this is one of the best and fastest ways to learn. If you are just planning to run a pottery workshop and want to understand the production process, short-term courses are ideal. The cost of such training will cost you 10-15 thousand rubles for 2 months of classes (twice a week for 3-4 hours). It is unlikely that after such courses you will become a master, but you will understand the process of making ceramics.

So, let's assume that you have learned the basics of ceramic art and are ready to open your own pottery workshop. What's next? And then you need to go through several mandatory steps. First of all, you should know that organizing this business will require investments in the amount of three hundred thousand rubles and more. The “ceiling” depends on the planned scale of production, the number of employees and the level of purchased equipment.

Location and premises for a pottery workshop

The room required is small - from 50 square meters. This is quite enough to organize the production of ceramic products. In addition, you will need a warehouse space - from 15 square meters. Here, as you already understood, finished products will be stored.

The requirements for the premises are as simple as possible. It should be located on the first or basement floor of the building (after all, this is a production workshop). Communications necessary for operation include electrical network, water and sewerage. In addition, you need to take care of the ventilation and air conditioning system.

Equipment for a pottery workshop

To produce handmade pottery, you will need a potter's wheel. In addition, you need accurate scales for dosing clay, a machine for mixing the clay mass and, of course, a special oven for the final firing of the finished product. Additionally, various shapes can be useful for creating some kind of figures, frames or refrigerator magnets. And one more thing - for many ceramic products (for example, figurines) you will need paints and brushes.

Pottery workshop staff

If you wish and have some persistence, you can handle all production processes yourself. But you won’t be able to achieve success quickly this way. It is much more effective to use the division of labor (which was invented by the great Henry Ford). Let one person knead the clay, a second person shape it, a third person does the firing, and a fourth person paints the finished pottery product. And at this moment you will deal with organizational issues, look for suppliers and sales channels.

Pottery production technology

The entire production process looks something like this: First, a clay mixture is created. To do this, the clay is mixed with water and stirred until the desired consistency is formed. You should know that there are many types of clay. And each product, be it dishes or a photo frame, requires its own type of clay.

If it is tableware, then the mixture is sent to the pottery wheel, where the master creates the necessary shape. A pottery table or special molds can also be used.

At the last stage, the ceramics are fired in a kiln. This is the longest process, taking up to 80 percent of the production time. The better the product is fired, the stronger and more durable it will be.

The final touch is to give the product a finished look by painting, varnishing and packaging (if necessary).

Sales channels for finished products

Firstly, you can organize your own retail outlet to sell your products. Secondly, you can open an online store, which will save you from many monthly expenses, such as the cost of renting a visit. Thirdly, you can enter into agreements for the supply of your products with gift and souvenir shops. There are many options. You just need to choose the one that is most suitable for you.

And one more thing. You can earn money not only by making and selling ceramic products, but also by teaching pottery to everyone. You can open a school or courses directly in production. Considering the cost of such classes, teaching potters can be a great source of extra income for you. We wish you good business!

Do you want to open your own business, but do not have serious funds to invest? It doesn’t matter - you can always find a niche where you don’t need serious start-up capital, but at the same time the business brings good profits. One of these niches iswhich we will talk about in this article. Its organization does not require anything supernatural or complicated - anyone can open it.

Introduction

Clay products are still popular, despite the fact that more practical and reliable materials are available on sale. Today, pottery is used mainly as souvenirs - in any store you can find plates, vases, cups, toys, tablets, frames and other clay products. They are very popular among buyers and demand, as a rule, greatly exceeds supply.

A pottery workshop is a good business for beginners

Why do you need a workshop if you can produce products in an apartment? In principle, at the initial stage you can easily organize production in a garage or office, but if we are talking about business, then you should still think about legalization and a separate room. You will need equipment, tables for drying, you will be able to organize excursions for children, conduct master classes, which will significantly expand the number of your clients and will be a good tool for marketing.

How to get started

Before starting any type of business, you must:

Study the market. Go around the souvenir shops in your city, see what they offer and at what price. Try to find manufacturers and ask them for their selling prices.
Create a buyer profile. Your clients will be tourists aged from 22 to 50 years old, as well as teenagers aged from 8 to 14 years old who will attend master classes.
Study manufacturing technology. There is nothing complicated about this - on YouTube you will find hundreds of videos on how to make certain types of pottery.
Find a place. Let's say right away - the apartment is not suitable. In principle, if you have your own home, you can equip a barn or garage for this, but keep in mind that groups of people will come to you. Usually the equipment is installed in the yard.
Create a business plan. Many new entrepreneurs skip this step. We do not recommend doing this - firstly, you will be able to collect all your thoughts and ideas into one whole, and secondly, it will be like a reminder for you about where you wanted to move and what to achieve.
Register with the tax authorities. Registration is an important stage of legalization. If you want to provide services and sell products, then don't miss it.
Start working. Once the premises are found, you purchase equipment and raw materials, and then get down to business. We recommend that you first focus on souvenirs to get a constant flow of money, and then organize excursions.

As you can see, there is nothing supernatural in this regard - with the proper desire and desire, you can open a workshop in a couple of weeks.

How to register

To register, you need to contact the tax office at your place of residence. You can choose a work system - individual entrepreneur or limited liability company. For a potter, the first option is quite sufficient.

Attention:Forming an individual entrepreneur is much easier and cheaper than registering an LLC. Reporting for an individual entrepreneur is also simpler, so we recommend choosing him.

When registering, you should select OKVED codes:

2, section C - manufacturing.
23 - production of non-metallic products.
23.4 - manufacture of other ceramic products.
23.41 - production of decorative and household items from ceramics.

In principle, the above is quite enough for work, but if necessary, you can indicate both retail trade and the provision of consulting services. In principle, the number of OKVED codes is unlimited, so enter them without fear. But if you want to do something that is not included in the codes during registration, you will have to contact the tax office again, so it is better to indicate them in advance.

There is nothing complicated about pottery art

Since your business is guaranteed to employ less than 5 people, you can choose a simplified work system, which will allow you to refuse to fill out tax returns and do accounting.

Selection of premises

For work you need a room of 50 m2. This is quite enough to accommodate equipment for pottery workshop and a small warehouse (at least 15 m2 is recommended).

Attention:choose a room on the ground floor to make it easier for you to take out finished products and bring in raw materials. Also keep in mind that you will have visitors.

Where to choose a room? You don’t need central streets with hypermarkets, where rent is very expensive; a residential area or even the outskirts of the city near a transport interchange are quite suitable for you. The requirements for the premises are simple: sufficient volume, water supply, electricity and heating. It is advisable that there is ventilation in it (since the room will be damp), but in extreme cases, regular ventilation can be organized. There is no need for special renovations in the room - just plaster the walls or leave the brick - it looks good in the interiors.

We select equipment

So, we have already decided on the main issues. Next, let's look at what equipment you will need for work:

High quality pottery wheel. They are available with a foot drive and a motor. We recommend purchasing modern motor options so as not to be distracted while working.
Scales for weighing raw materials and finished products. Usually you need two scales - one measuring in grams (from 1 to 3000 grams) and the second, measuring in hundreds of grams.
A machine that allows you to knead clay. Of course, this can be done manually, but this will require spending time and effort, and it will not be possible to knead large volumes of quality by hand.
A special kiln for firing, with the help of which the products are dried and brought to condition. A classic oven will not work - you need a special temperature regime.
Various molds for making figurines and other things.
A set of brushes and special paints for ceramics.

At 2018 prices, you will spend about 300 thousand rubles on purchasing equipment and processing all documents. This is quite an affordable amount to start your own business.

Attention:if you are limited in funds, you can always purchase used equipment - this will reduce costs by about 30%.

Organizational issues

You need to immediately decide who exactly will work in the workshop. In principle, for starters, you can do this yourself to master the process and learn all its tricks. But then we recommend hiring people, since making souvenirs will take as much time as possible. You will need at least two people - one to mix and shape the clay, and the other to do the artistic painting. You can take on the responsibilities of a manager, selling goods and organizing various events.

By conducting master classes, you will attract new clients

The manufacturing technology is quite simple:

The required amount of clay is poured with a certain amount of water, the solution is kneaded in a machine until a homogeneous mass is obtained. It is very important to achieve uniformity and the absence of lumps so that the product does not have defects.
Giving the clay the required shape. Some of the clay is placed in molds, and some is sent to the potter's wheel for processing. The resulting product is dried so that it can be transferred to the oven.
Firing of finished products. It is placed in the oven and kept at a certain temperature. During the firing process, the clay crystallizes and turns into ceramics - a dense and durable material that is not afraid of moisture.
After the product has cooled, it is sent to the artist’s table. He colors it, giving it unique features. In some cases, special paints are used that must be baked to obtain a glazed surface.

How much can you earn

Next, we move on to the most interesting part - financial issues. You already know what is needed to organize a workshop, what equipment is needed, what exactly is produced and how ceramics are made. Now let’s look at how quickly the investment will pay off.

It is best to sell your goods in bulk, handing them over to souvenir shops. They usually work as a network, so you need to contact the owner and interest him by offering favorable conditions. Keep in mind that networks require a large number of products - they sell tens and hundreds of products per day.

The second source of profit is training courses and master classes. Most parents will be happy to enroll their child in pottery workshop for children for creative courses, and regular visits from groups bring good profits. You need to think in advance about how exactly you will work, because working with children requires a special person, so you will either have to do this yourself or expand your staff.

Don’t forget about large companies that often order souvenirs for the entire team - by receiving contracts for such deals, you can provide yourself with work for several weeks. In this article we will not give exact numbers, since they simply do not exist - it all depends on your desire, location, products and correct organization. Let's just name general business figures - on average, a workshop working one shift brings in at least 3 thousand rubles of net profit per day, minus the costs of raw materials, rent and salaries. You will earn about 90 thousand per month, recouping your investments in 4-5 months (it should be borne in mind that you are unlikely to reach this amount right away). Practice shows that six months after opening, workshops are firmly on their feet and expanding, launching new product lines, organizing various courses and clubs, attracting visitors to master classes and lessons.

Pottery art initially developed as a craft that served for the manufacture of containers for meals or vessels in which bulk and liquid materials were stored. Today, it involves processing by molding on a specially designed pottery wheel, after which glaze is applied to the dried product, followed by the obligatory process. In this way, objects are made that are used in any field: household items, construction, decorations, jewelry, souvenirs. These products are called pottery ceramics, they can be found in every corner of our planet.

There are three main classes of production in pottery technology:

production of building bricks;
making clay or stone utensils;
production of more refined earthenware or porcelain objects.

Based on production technology, all classes of pottery art are similar to each other, however, there are a number of nuances that affect the final result. The main difference is the types of clay that form the basis of the product.

Story

As stated earlier, the art of pottery originated from a craft that served solely to make vessels for storing materials and food. Over time, it developed, became enriched, and today appears before us no longer in the same form as our distant ancestors saw it. Thanks to technological discoveries, new crafts began to appear, they led to the appearance of such items as fire bricks, stoneware, tiles, tiles, drainage pipes, architectural decorations and other numerous products.

Due to the fact that society began to decorate and decorate familiar clay products, pottery moved from the category of craft to the category of art. Making clay pots was popular in ancient times, ever since humanity became acquainted with the material common on the planet - clay and its properties.

The Old Testament contains several references to the profession of a potter and his products. The oldest clay vessels, even in prehistoric times, were finished by human hands and, accordingly, were irregular in shape. A little later, round and oval products are found, apparently made using a potter's wheel. History has not preserved information about the exact appearance of this circle, but mentions of it have been going on since antiquity.

It is known that the first porcelain products appeared in Asia two thousand years ago. This indicates that the pottery industry in China developed much more rapidly than throughout the world.

Each nation had its own traditions associated with this craft, which turned into art. So in African countries at the beginning of the twentieth century, pots were made by hand, the clay was dried in the sun, and the product was fired using a bunch of straw and fire.

As for Europe, here until the eighth century pottery was in complete decline. Only the Spanish Moors gave it an impetus; around the same time, products that were covered with glaze appeared.

Pottery made its heyday around the thirteenth century. The most striking splash occurred in Italy, where majolica was invented - a type of ceramics made from baked clay. Florence gave the world such a master of pottery as Luca della Robbia; his sculptures and other works are considered the pride of the nation in our time.

Using the technologies of the sculptor Robbia, Tuscan factories took another step forward - earthenware products. They were first fired with fire, then they were covered with white glaze, on which drawings were made, after which the product was subjected to a second firing, stronger than the first. Not only architectural decorations, but also flowerpots and figurines began to be made from majolica.

After the decline of pottery in Italy, France took over the baton. It was here that the clay kiln was invented.

In the Middle Ages, pottery was created and used only by the poor; the upper classes used tin, silver, and gold. Pottery art was also widely used in church decoration. Here it was used to create jugs. Churches of Novgorod, as well as temples of the Romanov times, are decorated with similar products.

At the end of the eighteenth century, entire factories began to appear around the world that were engaged in pottery making.

Ceramic products

The main difference between the types of ceramics is the composition of the mass, as well as the type of glaze from which they are made. There are two types of pottery: dense and porous.

Dense are those products that, when fired due to high temperature, merge into a homogeneous solid mass. When broken, this product resembles glass. It is translucent and does not absorb liquid, and when it hits the steel it produces sparks. An example of dense pottery is porcelain.

Porous ones, on the contrary, break easily and allow liquid to pass through. Among such products is faience.

There may be products that do not belong to either type, but are something transitional between these two types.

Dense

Hard porcelain. The mass is fused, translucent, fine-grained, elastic, homogeneous, hard, it will not yield to the action of a knife. This porcelain contains kaolin, chalk, quartz and feldspar. It is fired twice: first weakly for glazing, then strong after glazing.
Soft porcelain. It is also called French. Its content is an almost transparent lead glaze. Here, double firing is also necessary, only very strong at first, and weaker at the end.
Unglazed porcelain, or bisque. It has the usual porcelain mass.
Pariyan. It is close in mass to soft porcelain, has a yellowish tint, and is difficult to melt.
Carrara. White, translucent. Its mass is a cross between stone products and pariyan.
Stone products. They are characterized by a dense, fine-grained mass. There are ordinary and delicate products, mostly white.

Porous

Delicate faience. It is a mixture of refractory clay and silica. It is covered with a transparent glaze. The mass is opaque, ringing.
Ordinary faience, or majolica. This is a red-yellow mass, which, after firing, is covered with an opaque tin glaze.
Products made from ordinary and fire-resistant clay. This includes bricks, tiles, drainage pipes, etc.
Burnt stone mass, or, as it is also called, terracotta. Its composition is purified clay and ground fragments of finished products. It is used to decorate vases and other items.
Ordinary pottery. The mass is made from clay, clay marl, and also from opaque lead glaze.

Materials for pottery

To make brick, porcelain, earthenware, you need to do the following work: make a clay mass, shape it, dry it, fire it and cover it with glaze. The main material for making products is clay. Potters prefer to use pottery clay, which has the necessary viscosity and its temperature resistance is ideal for creating products. Despite the fact that the clay itself has a high level of plasticity, it is necessary to add auxiliary materials due to the fact that during firing it undergoes rapid and uneven compression, which turns the product into an awkward thing. To make the simplest product, you also need sand, ash, and sawdust; for products of better quality, you need fireclay - a powder that is obtained from crushed products.

To produce conventional pottery, previously mined clay must be left in air or water for one to two years. After that, it is kneaded in wooden boxes; this is done in factories and factories by special machines. This action is necessary in order to clear the clay of stones or debris. After the clay is taken out of the boxes, it is placed in piles, which are cut into thin slices with a knife. They are again placed in the boxes and kneaded again, clearing them of impurities that could remain on it. Higher grades of products, especially colorless ones, require components that must be perfectly cleaned. The basic rule of a good-quality clay mass is its uniformity. For the purpose of high-quality cleaning, the clay is divided into small pieces, which are watered and, after a day of “soaking,” thrown into kneading machines. The teeth of this machine, when rotating rapidly, cut the clay, and a stream of water passing through this chamber carries very small pieces into a special pool, while large ones remain at the bottom. The pool is designed for the next level of cleaning, where coarse particles are deposited, after which another jet carries them into the second pool. In it, the clay is completely eliminated. This technology uses only warm water because it better separates clay pieces, and the cleaning process is noticeably accelerated due to the optimal temperature.

The proportions of the components are determined for each type of product separately. Mixing of products also occurs in different ways: dry, with knives or with jets of water. When this homogeneous mass is obtained, a large number of unwanted bubbles still remain in it. This problem can be eliminated either with special equipment or with the help of feet, with which the clay is simply trampled until the required consistency is obtained.

Burning

In a narrow sense, ceramics is the same clay, but fired. Accordingly, when they say “ceramics,” they mean products made from inorganic materials (often clay), as well as their mixtures with various additives, which are produced under the influence of high temperatures and subsequent cooling.

The firing process initiates irreversible changes, after which the material turns into ceramics. Under the influence of high temperature, small particles fuse in those places where they come into contact.

When producing porcelain, technologies undergo significant changes. This is due to differences in materials, required temperatures and different properties of the components. Each source material has its own proportions, as well as a certain temperature regime:

The technology of roasting products is carried out using various methods. Nevertheless, the kiln firing process is a centuries-old, unchanging tradition. Depending on the temperature and duration of the process, products of varying quality are obtained. Therefore, the maximum temperature in furnaces in production does not change until the production of an entire batch of products is completed.

Moreover, the appearance of the finished product also depends on the composition of the atmosphere in the firing furnace. One or another degree of air oxidation can be caused. Using specially set parameters, you can even make pottery clay change color from brown to green.

Applying glaze

Some pottery works are not glazed at all. These include bricks, tiles, terracotta, pots. The so-called glazing is carried out in order to protect clay products from excess moisture. The same result was achieved in ancient times by milk firing - a method of giving products a beautiful appearance and water resistance.

Not the most expensive clay products are glazed in their raw form simultaneously with firing. This is called antsing. The essence of this action is that during firing, salt is thrown into the oven, which turns into vapor and settles on the product. In the place where it lands, a fusible compound called murava is formed.

Another coating method is to sprinkle the product with glaze, crushed into a fine powder. Often these are crude products: pots, unfired pipes, etc. Before applying the coating, the product is coated with flour paste and fired.

The essence of the third method is that the product is doused with glaze, which has the consistency of cream. This method is used to coat solid products that practically do not absorb liquid. For example, some types of porcelain and earthenware.

And the last method is that porcelain and earthenware are placed in a container with glaze. This method is intended for those products that are lightly fired and initially absorb liquid. The glaze is ground into a fine powder and mixed with water. A product is placed in this liquid, which resembles milk in consistency, to absorb this mixture. It is possible to make a drawing on this glaze.

Art therapy

In the modern rhythm, everyone finds their own way to relax. One of the most beautiful and unusual methods is to take up pottery. There are two ways to try yourself in this art. The first is to buy a pottery wheel and the necessary materials to practice on your own. A pottery workshop in your own home is not only stylish and fashionable, but also incredibly exciting for you, your family and friends. In this case, you can feel like a free artist, try different forms, relying on video tutorials.

The second way is a pottery school. In a class of beginners like yourself, you will have the opportunity to try on the role of a creator of beauty, an artist and a sculpture.

Psychologists say that pottery is a great way to cope with stress, become more balanced and attentive. Art therapy, according to experts, is one of the best methods of combating depression and other nervous disorders. Spending time at the pottery wheel helps to organize thoughts, distract from minor everyday troubles and find a way out of a difficult life situation. “Complete dedication to your work will not solve your problems, but it will definitely help you find ways to solve them,” doctors say unanimously.

DIY products

Every home contains clay, ceramic or porcelain products. In conditions of mass production, it is difficult to surprise someone with factory-made dishes or a flower vase.

Pottery making is an incredibly fun and exciting activity for the whole family. You can have fun, learn a new job, develop skills and dexterity.

After attending your first pottery master class, you will be able to make your own pot. Attentive teachers usually treat beginners with patience, guiding them and helping them in everything. Pottery art helps to cope with minor stress and distracts from the everyday hustle and bustle. And the products that you make yourself will be a reason to be proud of your next victory over yourself. In addition, after you work in a circle and make your own pot, you will have the opportunity to paint it with your own hands. Here you can show all your imagination. This product will be a wonderful gift for a loved one.

Parties, birthdays and corporate events spent in such an unusual activity are popular. This is a good opportunity to communicate, get to know each other better and see the creative potential of your friends. In addition, such a holiday will certainly be remembered for its unusualness and originality, and products made independently at the pottery wheel will be an excellent gift in memory of a wonderful day. And someone, perhaps, will discover their talent and take this business seriously in order to open their own museum of pottery art in the future. Children will especially enjoy this activity. If they are good at sculpting from plasticine, then you should try sending them to a pottery school. This will help develop hand motor skills, have a beneficial effect on the baby’s mood, and will also open up the child’s creative potential. An interesting and exciting hobby develops attention, imagination and thinking.

Hobby or business?

In the modern world, pottery is very popular. They belong to the category of products that are always in demand and relevant. Each house has dishes, vases, pots, various figurines and souvenirs. It has been developing into art for many centuries and is popular and in demand. Therefore, the passion for pottery is increasingly developing into a real business. Having your own pottery workshop is a very profitable business, because the main raw material is clay - a free material that literally lies just under our feet. Beautiful, original, designer products can bring good income to the manufacturer. A pottery master is a profession for the soul. You can diversify the world around you, get a unique hobby that will bring you profit, and also reveal your creative potential.

Pottery art is popular all over the world. Despite the fact that it is several decades old, it will never go out of fashion.