Ceramics 101 What is a kiln? By Miss Day Elephant Effigy Bowl produced by student at Price of Peace School, Dallas, Texas.

Kiln  A kiln is a special oven or furnace that can reach very high temperatures and is used to bake, or fire clay. Kilns may be electric, gas, or wood- fired. The one pictured here is an electric model. fire clayfire clay

Electric Kiln  Here is the kiln with the greenware sitting on top waiting to be fired. The next picture shows the inside of the kiln. The last picture is the kiln after I loaded it with work.

Firing the Clay  I fired the clay to a cone that is 2008 degrees Fahrenheit.  A cone 04 is called a bisque fire.  I looked in a small vented peep hole in the side of the kiln and everything looked orange.

There are many types of kilns  Gas KilnGas Car Kiln, Pit Fire Kiln  Examples of kilns of three kinds: an electric kiln, a gas car kiln, and a traditional Hopi wood bonfire kiln. ( ) Examples of kilns of three kinds: an electric kiln, a gas car kiln, and a traditional Hopi wood bonfire kilnhttp:// Examples of kilns of three kinds: an electric kiln, a gas car kiln, and a traditional Hopi wood bonfire kilnhttp://  To see a raku pit fire on the beach:

Wood Burning Kiln

Potter’s Wheel

Jobs for Potters Pottery, Mosaics, Tiles, Bricks, Murals, Dinnerware, Dishes, Lavatory Fixtures, Statues, Garden items, Porcelain Dolls, and Pipes for ground

What is Glazing?  glaze - A term used in ceramics to describe a thin coating of minerals which produces a glassy transparent or colored coating on bisque ware. Typically applied either by brushing, dipping, or spraying, it is fixed by firing the bisque ware in a kiln. This makes the surface smooth, shiny, and waterproof. ceramicsdescribetransparentcoloredbisquewarebrushingfixed firingkilnsurfacewaterproofceramicsdescribetransparentcoloredbisquewarebrushingfixed firingkilnsurfacewaterproof

To Paint or to Glaze – that is the question.  Many glazes are hazardous or poisonous due to lead content and a special clear glaze must be used to make them food safe.  Glazing bisque ware requires firing the clay a second time. * Watercolor paint on white clay is a beautiful choice!

Today:  The clay is breakable! If you drop it -- it will break! It is ceramic, just like dishes at home.  We are going to paint our bisque ware (clay fired once). We will use glazes set up at stations.  You must not mix the paint brushes or you will contaminate the glaze.  Only 2 people at a station at a time.  Brush the glaze on the pot, but NOT ON THE BOTTOM of the pot.  The glaze is like glue and it will stick to the kiln if there is clay on the bottom of the pots!

Resources  Callas/CallasMain.htm Callas/CallasMain.htm Callas/CallasMain.htm  ics.htm ics.htm ics.htm   &%20entertaining.htm &%20entertaining.htm &%20entertaining.htm  alking_rocks/halves.html alking_rocks/halves.html alking_rocks/halves.html  mas/ceramics_eggcups_goblets_page.htm mas/ceramics_eggcups_goblets_page.htm mas/ceramics_eggcups_goblets_page.htm  _art.htm great examples of middle school work _art.htm _art.htm