Tea ceremony bowls have special requirements. For many years, or rather centuries, their production was the privilege of a few masters. Such mastery was passed down from generation to generation.
We have prepared a slightly different story. But we believe that it’s quite inspiring.
In the Czech Republic it wasnt common to have knowledge about chanoyu. Let alone the secret of making bowls intended for it.
However, the discovery of a historical scroll in Japanese antique shops and the passion of enthusiastic potters set things in motion. It took several years, but the results are fantastic.
Don't be afraid to try the impossible.
Read about how a group of ceramic friends managed to unravel centuries-old secrets.
Photo documentation:
tea ceremony
geology, materials and application techniques
furnaces, their construction and firing curves
creating a bowl and its essentials
evaluation and verification of experience
An event beyond local significance: Festiwal Wysokich Temperatur
And together with them we have produced and marketed a respirator with a valid licence. In addition to being a very effective and pleasant tool for glazing and sanding in ceramic workshops, it also served as a support and protective equipment against respiratory problems during the viral pandemic.
Tomas, our potter, loved the respirator so much thanks to its precise shaping to the face that he uses it much often than expensive masks.
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We have also made thematic moulds for Three Sisters music band.
You can buy cheese with their logo at one of their events.
We stacked the templates on the structure and wrapped them.
We gradually applied clay to the prepared template.
While the template kept slowly rotating, the shape started to form between the inner structure and the outside profile.
We progressed from the top and bottom to the centre.
We kept a close eye on the wall thickness of the vessel.
We kept drying the container continuously.
The outside profile helped us to clean the shape and the surface.
After the pot dried to leather-hard condition, we decorated the container with Relyef stamps and traditional wave decor using Relyef rollers and other motives.
Thanks to this method, the resulting containers were indeed exactly 50 litres.
Back to Inspiration.
Then let the fin reach the leather stage while resting on the cardboard template.
The walls of the fin must be thick enough to withstand the intended procedures.
Usually, we would have to cut the leather hard vessel to be able to take out the cardboard template. But we decided to have fun and push boundaries and we burned the cardboard out.
(Please, if you try this, make sure you are safe, these actions were performed by professionals.)
After partial drying and cutting, we reattached the parts together.
We specially modified the kiln for this object.
We sprayed the dry object with an engobe.
For which we had expert supervision 😀
Getting the container into the kiln required not only space but also strength.
We filled the remaining space in the kiln with other ceramics to help us render the surface of our object.
After reaching the desired temperature, we started the charcoal reduction process.
We uncovered the chamber and poured in the coal at exactly 1250°C.
(This is a dangerous task! Before attempting to perform charcoal reduction yourself, seek professional experience with those who do it regularly - never underestimate fire!)
After the kiln had cooled down, we cleaned and preserved the container so that it would last a long time in the garden.
In any case, we had fun!
Back to inspiration.
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Altering and hand-building can have either functional or decorative purposes. An example of the functional one is a handle.
An example of decorative is our "ants" described here.
The decoration is achieved partially by coiling and partially by stamping. Apply vertically a coil of the same clay you used to make the vessel and half smooth back to the surface.
If done precisely and with care, you will achieve the look of the second layer of clay on the container that seems to be unfinished and sort of "cracked". We recommend applying it on all parts of the container as it will appear believable as an existing second layer.
We can already anticipate our future vision of the container and create a partition between the individual surfaces, which we can further separate during glazing. That will add final dynamics to the container.
For example, ants can crawl through the outside and the inside layers of the container.
When we use the same motive for different types of containers, it can act as a unifying element.
The same goes for individual parts of containers that consist of several parts, which helps with their orientation.
Or it can form only a solitary detail.
Back to Inspiration
Tiles can have different colors and structures.
Characters that fit together do not have to be only 2, there can be matching pairs of 3 or 4 - as in the game below.
Stamp decoration can take many forms.
Memory game of matching pairs
We will create a game of matching pairs from clay. This one is designed to match the animal's footprint to its silhouette, its name in the native (in this case Czech) language, and the selected foreign language.
Players of the game then will have to remember and collect all 4 pieces, not just 2, as is the case with most games of matching pairs. This game practices not only memory but also language skills, recognizing animals, and matching tracks.
What we will need:
Tools
Relyef stamps
Instructions
Most of the work is done on a sturdy workbench with good lighting. It is a good idea to wedge clay thoroughly before making the slab.
Roll out slab on the fabric or other absorbent mats. This is to prevent the clay from sticking to the work table.
We can roll one large slab on the Slab roller or smaller slabs using a regular roller. If working with children each can create one set of 4 tiles for one animal.
Smooth the slab out with a plastic rib before you start drawing your cutting pattern.
Slab from clay.
When planning the size of the tiles we need to take into account the size of the stamps and the length of the inscriptions.
Using an Angle ruler and a ruler, we cut out squares or rectangles. Measuring when creating the grid is crucial so that all the pieces are the same size. If we let children do this part, we choose a blunt knife or another suitable tool that can be used to make precise cuts. We can also use a cookie cutter just to mark a space for stamping and cut the tiles for them after stamping is done.
Draw the pattern on the slab.
Here comes the part where we will apply the stamps. To learn more about how to prepare clay before this procedure, see our article How to correctly prepare clay for stamping.
We plan stamps so that we have sets of footprints, a picture of the relevant animal, and its name in the native language and the chosen foreign language (we can prepare inscriptions for children by fixing the stamps together using adhesive tape so that they are in a straight line). The footprints can be stamped once or multiple times to imitate real prints animals leave in nature.
Take care stamping precisely.
After all of the tiles are stamped, we cut the plate into individual pieces. If we let children do this part, we choose a blunt knife or another suitable tool that can be used to make precise cuts.
Cut the tiles using a ruler or angle ruler.
Let all tiles dry. It is good to dry it slowly and between the Ytong bricks or gips boards so that the pieces do not warp as the clay shrinks during the drying process. Bisque all tiles. Then we can glaze and fire them to the glaze temperature.
Let them dry individually on an absorbent pad.
Use a sponge to clean the edges.
Bisque fire the tiles.
Glaze and fire to the glaze temperature.
Fun before and after.
And in addition, we get a quality educational tool.
How much did Game of pairs help you in your education?
And have you tried a variation with more parts?
Share your process with us.
Game of pairs can have many faces and descriptions.
Back to inspiration.
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If you wish for detailed stamp impressions, you need fine clay, without additives and larger particles. Coarse clay may produce a less detailed imprint.
On top of learning the right stage of drying to start your stamping process, you need to take the volume changes of the clay that happens once the clay is stamped into account. The mass gets compressed in one place, and consequently, it will gain mass around the stamp. For this reason, it is wise to plan your overall design layout on the vessel. When planning the pattern you can also incorporate your previous findings about the right time for each stamp and proceed with stamping one stamp in a less dry stage and then wait a bit and proceed with another stamp in dryness close to the leather-hard stage.
This feature needs to be taken into account. Otherwise, the expression will be distorted or shifted.
Slab work is excellent for learning to work with stamps. Slab work can be stamped and then assembled into the shape of a specific object. In addition, slabs, unlike wheel-thrown vessels have the same thickness overall.
In the case of the wheel-thrown vessel with different wall thickness, thinner, weaker areas need to be covered. Sometimes additionally moistened. Note, however, that not all types of clays are suitable for such a procedure. In ceramics, there are a lot of steps that work only with some clay and can lead to damage in others. It is difficult to give general advice that would work with all clay types. Perhaps just: test everything first.
If you moisturize, it is good to do that with anticipation. After moistening a specific area for the given decor, we found it helpful to cover the container with plastic for a while. This softens the transition between the drier and wetter parts of the object. Then cracks in the transition layer do not occur so often.
On the contrary, sometimes the opposite is needed. If we want to enliven more detailed, delicate, or complex decor then the decorated surface needs to be dried. It could be dried locally, but it requires quite a bit of experience. Separation with some levelling agent is also possible. For example, baby powder, talc, or flour worked for us.
At first, it is good to learn to work with one type of clay and only later proceed to others as each may behave differently.
1) Extruder preparation
Choose the most suitable Relyef Extruder Hollow Die.
Place the chosen Relyef Extruder Hollow Die into the opening of either the Standard SHIMPO white adapter sold with the extruder (the one with a hole 63mm (2,5inch) in diameter) or Relyef metal adapter with a hole 100mm in diameter (for some you need to also use our Reduction)
Tighten the base plate into the extruder with two screws using a round flange. For reliable operation of the device, proper fit and support are needed. With a properly assembled device, a minimal amount of mass escapes through leaks.
2) Clay preparation for extruding
The clay used for extruding should be on the soft side, softer than the clay you use for throwing on the wheel. The clay needs to be well wedged, free of air. If you are unsure, extrude the test tile and then adjust.
Note:
Dirt, hardened pieces of clay, or air create defects in the product. However, they can be incorporated intentionally and create a certain kind of decoration.
3) Extruding using Relyef Extruder Hollow Die
Insert a lump of clay around 2-3 kg (4-6 pounds) into the extruder.
The mass should pass through the press evenly at the normal pressure exerted by the force of a medium-strength woman. If not, the mass is probably too hard.
Note:
The dies are made to withstand the pressure of approximately 35-40kg, so use only the handle that comes as a standard with the extruder, any extension of the handle might result in the dies breaking.
The softer clay has a higher tendency to collapse and deform, so it is necessary to work gently and with care. Use your hand to guide the clay as it comes out of the extruder.
Cut the tile with a string and transfer the settled semi-finished product from the extruder onto a suitable pad placed on the table.
It is also possible to let the tile dry in the press for a while before you cut it, providing it is not too long that it will tear off by gravity. (You can also use a heat gun to speed up the process.)
The final precise cuts are done on the table after it dries to the leather hard stage.
4) Possibilities for working with the leather hard semi-finished product from the extruder
Various products can be made from the semi-finished product obtained from the Relyef adapter for the Shimpo extruder. Let yourself be guided by your imagination.
Bisque firing, Glazing, and Firing to the clay+glaze temperature need to follow.
1. Handbuild vessel
2. Wheel-thrown vessel
3. An extruded vessel using the Rélyéf Extruder Hollow Dies for the Nidec Shimpo EX 115 press.
Once the container is at the leather-hard stage handle can be attached.
It is wise to choose a suitable Rélyéf Handle Form with the ruler in your hand as the Handle form represents the inside shape of the finished handle.
There are several ways to make your glaze test tiles:
This tutorial focuses on the third option - Extruding test tiles.
Select a Relyef extruder die test tile profile. It is wise to select the one most similar to the decoration style you regularly use in your work.
If you use stamps, you can decorate the clear side of each test tile on the leather-hard clay.
Extrude the strips.
To get the most information about the glaze, use the clay you plan to use for your final work. Most glazes tend to look differently on each clay.
The differences can be significant, especially between light porcelain-type bodies and clays rich in iron (or other oxides).
Insert a lump of clay around 2-3 kg (4-6 pounds) into the extruder.
The mass should pass through the press evenly at the standard pressure exerted by the force of a medium-strength woman. If not, the clay is probably too hard.
The softer clay has a higher tendency to collapse and deform, so it is necessary to work gently and with care. As the strip emerges from the extruder, it can warp slightly. It helps to guide the strip by hand while extruding.
Cut the strip with a string and transfer the settled semi-finished product onto a suitable pad placed on the table. After it reaches the leather-hard stage, cut the test tiles (3-5cm/1,2-2inch wide). The test tiles can be cut by a knife for ceramics or by a string. At this stage, you can also decorate by stamps.
You can use Relyef alphabet stamps to mark each test tile from the bottom side. Stamp all the necessary information you will need after firing to identify the clay, glaze, and firing schedule used.
Let the tiles dry, clean them with a damp sponge, and bisque fire them.
If you use slips or engobes for your work, do not forget to apply those before bisque firing.
Glaze your test tile in the same way you would your final work. The way glaze is applied is very important, because the appearance of fired glaze can be significantly influenced by the thickness or application of the glaze. So whenever you use brushing, spraying, dipping, or pouring on your final work, use the same process on the test tiles.
]]>Remember to keep an eye on the size of the stamps as some of them are likely to be too large for silver, but I found the 1 inch ones perfect for pendants and bracelet links. Use a good amount of CoolSlip or olive oil to lubricate the stamps before use. A dark patina really makes the pattern stand out.
I did try the roller too, but it was really hard to get a good impression. Metal clay is expensive, so it is rolled out to a thickness of 1-1.5 mm before being textured and then shaped to a ring or pendant. This means you have to be very careful not to press your texturing tool deeper than .75 mm or your clay will fall apart. I never managed it – maybe the roller was too big for this.
Plus the best result left a very ragged edge on one side of the impression – I’ll add a photo here so you can see.
]]>So instead of presenting Relyef stamps at trade shows in Canada and the USA, we are sitting behind sewing machines sewing masks against Covid-19. Well, we’re not the ones sewing, but we are helping by printing holders for seamstresses. Although some members of our team have joined the volunteering and are sewing the masks too.
After working on the holders for seamstresses, we dusted off the development of a respirator for glazes, which we thought could also be suitable against the virus. But such speedy implementations usually do not bring the desired result. And so, after a few prototypes, we took on the VUT project and completed the components for the respirator, unfortunately the resulting respirator is not suitable against the virus. However, if you are interested in its use in glazing, you can buy the components from us.
We strive to be beneficial to both our customers and society as a whole. So we got involved in the production of protective shields with all our production capacity. And, we donated part of the production to the hospital in Kroměříž and to the Oáza bistro free of charge.
That completed our part in the charity work. We believe that helping is necessary, but only within certain limits. Self-employed persons cannot replace the obligation of the state from an economic point of view, nor ethical. And in the sequence of events, we will again have to rely on ourselves and the laws of nature, including the market.
Thanks to the function of our media, we have approached a few other entities who send part of our production to those in need. Everything works based on the enthusiasm and awareness of individuals. Unfortunately, not thanks to the country’s system.
So we've moved further on. We created a set of stamps for joy. We supported the activity of the lecturers who founded the Czech FB group “Tvořte s hlínou doma” and we tried to spread the good mood. The teachers shared instructions on how to work with clay and stamps. How to have fun, but also to learn. Thus we partially supplemented not only the teaching of children, but also psychotherapy, in the form of art therapy. Mental health is as important as physical health in this situation. In addition, helping parents to keep their children busy will be invaluable in the coming days.
And because it's all about people, we'll share one more experience in the close. It is in times of need that people’s character truly shows. We believe that it is necessary to support local companies now, so we have supported the vegan and vegetarian bistro Oáza, which we love and which, despite the adversity, is trying to fight by opening up a streetfood window. Not only did we eat well and tasty with the feeling that it would help good things. In addition, we exchanged the food for the safety of the protective shield.
In any case, we recommend a healthy diet to everyone. Because a healthy organism is more resistant!
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For making the decorations your will need the following:
You will also need:
In a pan, mix 2 parts baking soda and 1 part cornstarch. Add 1 part of water, in which you can dissolve the food coloring, if you want the decorations to be colored.
Start to heat the mixture. At first it will be quite stiff, but then it will start to liquefy and cook. After boiling for about half a minute, the mass will begin to clump together until it forms a small ball. Roll in the pan for a while and then take it off the heat. Allow the mass to cool slightly so that you don’t get burned.
Note: If you want to store the substance until the next day, wrap it in the stretch foil so that it does not harden.
Roll out the material into 4 mm thickness (if the thickness was smaller unwanted cracking or twisting could occur during hardening). When it’s properly prepared, it shouldn't stick to the roller. Cut out ornaments of any shape, put them on baking paper and decorate with Rélyéf stamps.
Snowflakes stamps 15 and 30 mm
Let the decorations harden on the baking paper until the next day.
The next day you can already use the decorations for further creation or you can paint them with oil colors. Do not dip the brush in water, and if you need to clean it, dry it on a napkin before using it on the decorations, because they dissolve in water.
So here you go, you’re done! :-)
You can make a hole in the decorations and hang them on a tree, you can make original name tags for Christmas presents or you can stick them on Advent wreaths with a hot air gun...you will definitely come up with a lot more ideas.
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