| ||
| ||
|
||
|
|
|
The ABCs of Ceramics
Ceramics can be delicate and decorative or unrefined and utilitarian. Bone china, porcelain, stoneware and earthenware - this month we'll review them all. How Ceramics are Made. Different kinds of stone are ground into a fine powder, mixed with water resulting in a paste. It is fired in a kiln (an oven) at very high temperatures until the particles of stone melt and fuse together to create a strong substance. Bone China. It is shiny and smooth non-porous pottery made with bone ash, china stone and fine kaolin (china clay). Bone china is light weight and thin and fired at a high temperature. Patterns are usually formal. Despite bone china's delicate appearance, it does not chip easily. It is the finest and most expensive dishware available. Porcelain. It is a non-porous pottery made from fine kaolin that is fired above 1250 degrees Celsius. Porcelain is translucent, thin and light weight. Originating in China, this delicate looking dishware is stronger than stoneware. Porcelain is less expensive than bone china and is available in casual and formal patterns. Stoneware. A dense kaolin is fired between 1200 -1450 degrees Celsius to create this porous ceramic. Neither translucent nor heavy, stoneware chips more easily than porcelain or bone china. It has a casual appearance and is generally glazed in muted earth tones. It can have fine detail or be rough and grainy. Stoneware is more affordable than porcelain or bone china. Earthenware. It is a coarse porous pottery and fired at a low temperature between 800-1000 degrees Celsius. Earthenware chips quite easily and has a casual appearance. It is often glazed in bright colours and formed by hand. Care. You should always follow the manufacturer's instructions for care. Keep in mind that direct heat sources can cause rapid changes in temperature causing cracking. Never put an antique or any fine ceramic in the dishwasher. Fine gilding wears off easily, so keep this in mind when handling antique pieces. Damage or chips greatly reduce the value of any ceramic. Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium located in Toronto, Canada. He has appeared on a variety of television programs; does furniture restoration; caning and rushing repairs; appraisals and has taught courses on antiques at the Learning Annex. Martin can be reached at http://www.takeaboo.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Crafts-Hobbies - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Jewelry Making: Measuring for Bracelets Without a Tape Your cousin's friend in Saskatchewan has asked you to design a custom bracelet for her. You have all the beads, materials, and tools, but you're stumped about the length. Pagan Crafts Greetings to all Crafty Pagans,Witches and those who want to learn Pagan crafts.The purpose of this is to provide doable crafts and to create crafts and tools that will have your positve energies that will enrich your power while performing rituals or spellworks and in your every day life. Fun with Origami! Storing origamiThis is a great question. Many people want to hold on to their special crafts for years to come. Collectibles: Searching for those Hard-to-Find Diecast Models For collectors of any kind, there are always those items that are much sought after, but nearly impossible to find. If they're lucky enough to finally locate them, the price is often exorbitant or there are some other restrictions which inhibit their ability to secure them. How to Make a Childs Handprint on a Ceramic Tile This is a fun craft to do with a group of moms and their kids, one child per adult works the best. Each mom will need:---One soft brush, any size but 1/2" works the best---One jar of "One-Stroke Ceramic underglaze", either Duncan E-Z Stroke or Gare One-Stroke. Rubber Stamps : 10 Great Tips For Making Multiple Cards You know the feeling. The kids have tons of demands, vacation is just around the corner, that big project at work is eating all of your free time. Printing on Canvas Given the progress in inkjet and media technology, demand for printing photographs and art on canvas is growing exponentially. Whether you have a good inkjet printer or you prefer to have your work done by a professional outfit, it is worth to explore this option for any type of image. Use Newspaper Clippings, Graphics, Kids Art, and Clipart to Enhance Your Scrapbook A popular addition to scrapbook pages is newspaper clippings. Newspaper clippings of birth announcements, team photographs, or favorite celebrities add a personal touch to scrapbook pages. Wax Pencils, Stickers, and Rubber Stamping in Your Scrapbooks Another important writing implement for scrapbooking is a wax pencil. Wax pencils are soft pencils designed to write on glass, plastic and photographs. Friendship Albums My 12-year-old daughter was mad at me when I refused to pay $25 for a school yearbook last year. Who are they trying to kid?In an attempt to appease my daughter, I suggested buying a little notebook that her friends could write messages in for her. Scrapbooking Ideas for Kids Many times at auctions, or estate sales, a box of books will turn up a real treasure, like a scrapbook that was kept by someone in their youth and sometimes through their adulthood. The book could be 50 or 60 years old, and a source of great fun to look at the pictures, news clippings, and personal mementoes. Woodworking Beginners: Secret Tips To Start Right Woodworking: Where To Start - Tips From Experienced WoodworkersWoodworking encompasses a broad area of skills, specialties, and applications. Some beginners take on too much too soon or blow their savings on expensive woodworking tools and machines that they don't know how to use and might not ever need. Candle Maintenance Many people don't know that you can actually improve the quality of the flame you get from your candles. Some people think that if a flame is too large or you are getting excess soot that it is the makers fault. Gemstone Collecting Personally, I have become fascinated with gemstones (precious and semi-precious stones). I am amazed at the array of colors and properties of these little treasures found in the earth. Handmade Quilts are Made with Love and Make Great Family Heirlooms! Today's handmade quilts are more like a work of art than a bed cover. With all the wonderfully artistic quilt patterns available to quilters today, we are beginning to see some absolutely breathtaking quilts glowing with character and personality. Woodworking Tools: Right Selection And Care Will Save You Money, Part 4 Woodworking: Tools Of The Trade, Part 4 - Tools For ShapingA civilization's maturity and intelligence is judged, in part, by the diversity and sophistication of its tools. When it comes to woodworking, the human race is quite advanced. Gold Jewelry Hallmarking Secrets Revealed We should be familiar with the BASIC hallmarks mentioned on the website. It might pay you to read them again, just to bring you up to speed and ensure you have grasped the principles. Spruce Up Your Pages with Scrapbooking Embellishments Having this nagging doubt that you may upstage your precious photos or clutter your pages with scrapbooking embellishments?One moment you're just so tempted to paste the embellishment onto your page, and the next moment you're questioning yourself, "Should I? Should I not?" You even wonder if you're just trying to force that simply irresistible page accent onto your page to satisfy your craving for? more embellishments.Well, you're in good company. Making Your Own Bird Feeder There is estimated to be over 100 billion individual wild birds on earth, and each one needs to eat certain amounts of food on a daily basis in order to survive. That's where we come in! Birdfeeders are fun to make and are essential in order for birds to live. Preserving Thanksgiving Memories for Scrapbooking Last year our family tried out a new way to preserve Thanksgiving memories, and the result was truly a treasured keepsake.A day or two before Thanksgiving, my daughter and I used a turkey rubber stamp to make place cards for all of our family members.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
