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The Paperclay Revolution

by Graham Hay

An international clay revolution has been building for the last 20 years. Currently over a third of all clay used in Australian studios and classrooms is paperclay. (1). While paperclay use started in Australia and the USA about the same time, the current USA use is well below this percentage. However USA volumes have consistantly been doubling annually, for the last decade (2). While there have been differences between counties, what is consistent is a steady increase in paperclay use, and its spread across all ceramic techniques and all types of clays(3).

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Different Types of Pottery Clay

by Robert Playoll

Pottery clay is the clay used to make the three categories of pottery: earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. Clay is baked in a kiln under intense heat, a process known as firing, and becomes solid. Firing is used both to harden the clay and to adhere glaze to it or color it. In this article, I will give a brief introduction as to the different types of clay available for pottery.

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Featured Art Books

500 Animals in Clay

Contemporary Expressions of the Animal Form

No other volume has ever presented such a diverse and captivating collection of contemporary animal-themed ceramics. This magnificent gallery includes pieces from an international group of artists; the beautifully crafted works range from the representational to the abstract, from artful realism to provocative surrealism (including animal-human hybrids). Ann Marais' image of a waterfowl painted onto a porcelain dish has a restrained, Asian quality. Sharkus' painted and smoke-fired stoneware turtle could easily be mistaken for the living creature.

Warm Glass

A Complete Guide to Kiln-forming Techniques - Fusing, Slumping, Casting

An authoritative, extensively illustrated guide to making glass objects in a kiln. Provides detailed information on the history and traditional techniques of using a kiln in glasswork, along with instructions and examples designed to help you understand all the steps each technique requires.

500 Figures in Clay

Ceramic Artists Celebrate the Humane Form

Presents some of the best figurative studies created by more than 250 contemporary ceramists from around the world, spanning a multitude of artistic styles, from realistic to abstract, representational to surreal, and starkly minimalist to flamboyantly narrative.