Pottery Birds

These are some of the pottery birds that I have made.
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Nikon D70 ©

When we lived in Richards-bay, South-Africa, I was fortunate to take pottery lessons with a very creative lady. I enjoyed making birds as they use many of the basic techniques used in pottery. I gave each item a name, which made it easier to keep notes of the supplies used, firing temperatures, etc.  Because pottery has to be fired in a kiln, they have to be hollow and have vents for steam to escape.

Most of the birds were made starting with two pinched pots, which are joined together with slip. One sphere forms the head and the other the body, because they are hollow and contain air they can easily be rolled, formed and even paddled.
The parts are joined together, by scoring, after which slip is applied and then decorated.
The tail, beaks, etc. are supported on wet sponges, while drying. Once the clay is leather hard vents are made in each ball. These vents can be in the eyes, beak, or hidden on the bottom. Incise lines are also made at this stage. After further drying the birds were bisque fired in a kiln, glazed and fired again. Wax resist is applied to prevent glaze from certain areas and for decorating.

Most of these birds were stained and distressed using Iron oxides.

Blue Tit: P380 White Plainsman clay. Techniques: Wax resist
Gooney Birds: Vereeniging Earthenware clay, (which contains grog and White Edge-ware clay.
Hairy and bald Birds: Vereeniging Earthenware clay (which contains grog.) Glazed with Cirrus blue and details done with Iron Oxide
Pennington: Vereeniging Earthenware clay, (which contains grog)  Manganeze wax resist, rainforest glaze and Stoneware firing.
Seagull: P380 White Plainsman clay. Fired at 1255 degrees Celsius.

You can read more about Pottery at About.com.

Have you tried pottery yet?

Your Family Magazine August 1989
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Your Family Magazine August 1989
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More of my crafts

Handmade Vintage Clay Birds by Trumatter