Ceramics from Start to Finish

Jingdezhen, China

The process starts with a pile of clay.

Clay and water are mixed together to create slurry. The slurry is created in pits dug into the ground.

The slurry is then pumped into a series of machines. The mixture fills up the areas between the blankets.

The extra water is then squeezed out and recycled back into the slurry mixing pits.

Stiff donuts like shapes of clay are created by the machines.

These clay shapes are then fed into an extruder machine. The machine makes the clay into spaghetti like cylinders.

The clay is then cut into large sections and then stored.

The clay is given to potters who throw forms on the wheel.

Sometimes pots have to be thrown in many sections and then assembled on the wheel.

Once assembled, the pots are set outside in the sun to dry.

Or sometimes they are stored on shelves to dry.

Once dry, the forms are given to artists to paint. Sometimes they paint small forms.

Sometimes the forms are very large.

For some pieces the designs are created through the use of stencils. These designs will be permanently attached to the

forms once they are fired.

Finally, the pots are loaded onto a cart…

…and then rolled into the kiln to be fired.