Three Art Clay Firing Methods
There are many forms of art in the world, and each one has its own techniques and specialties. Painting, for example, has dozens, if not hundreds of different styles of painting on top of every unique style as presented by any individual. No two people paint the same, even if they use the same painting technique. In this same sense, many artistic mediums have the same unlimited potential. Even something as simple as sculpting art clay can be done in an infinite variety of ways. However when it comes to something like art clay, there is a difference; the number of different techniques is much more limited.
With art clay the sculpting and moulding is where the real myriad of techniques presides. Outside of this there are three basic techniques used to finish a piece. Regardless of which of the three is chosen, they all have the same basic premise: superheat the art clay so that it hardens, dries out and solidifies. This also creates a more stone-like or glass-like effect depending on the type of art clay that was used in the first place, allowing for a variety of different effects. Unlike painting there are limited techniques, but between them all there are still dozens of unique ways to sculpt.
The first and most common way to fire art clay is called kiln firing, and the concept is pretty simple. The art clay pieces are placed on a tray and placed into a kiln, which is a massive blast furnace with adjustable temperature designed just for such things. The benefit to this style of firing, however, is that the piece can feature more than just the art clay. Gemstones, for example, can be embedded into the clay and put through a kiln without fear of them getting damaged due to the method of heating.
A much more manual style of firing is with a blow torch. This is a very risky technique and should only be done if you know what you are doing, since blow torches can be dangerous and you don't want to overexpose the piece. Basically the clay is set on a fireproof pedestal and blasted with the flame from a blow torch all over until it reaches a certain level of heat. There are specific angles and temperatures by which you're supposed to do everything, so make sure to get someone to show you how it's done before you attempt this one.
Finally, the third way to fire your art clay is by using a hob, or a portable camping stove. These are designed to quickly heat up food to preserve energy and time, but this sudden increase in temperature is perfect for firing art clay. The only problem with this method is that you cannot have anything embedded into the clay, lest it get damaged, melt or otherwise prevent the piece from finishing or setting properly. You can get away with smaller gemstones, smaller than five millimetres, but it's still not recommended.
With art clay the sculpting and moulding is where the real myriad of techniques presides. Outside of this there are three basic techniques used to finish a piece. Regardless of which of the three is chosen, they all have the same basic premise: superheat the art clay so that it hardens, dries out and solidifies. This also creates a more stone-like or glass-like effect depending on the type of art clay that was used in the first place, allowing for a variety of different effects. Unlike painting there are limited techniques, but between them all there are still dozens of unique ways to sculpt.
The first and most common way to fire art clay is called kiln firing, and the concept is pretty simple. The art clay pieces are placed on a tray and placed into a kiln, which is a massive blast furnace with adjustable temperature designed just for such things. The benefit to this style of firing, however, is that the piece can feature more than just the art clay. Gemstones, for example, can be embedded into the clay and put through a kiln without fear of them getting damaged due to the method of heating.
A much more manual style of firing is with a blow torch. This is a very risky technique and should only be done if you know what you are doing, since blow torches can be dangerous and you don't want to overexpose the piece. Basically the clay is set on a fireproof pedestal and blasted with the flame from a blow torch all over until it reaches a certain level of heat. There are specific angles and temperatures by which you're supposed to do everything, so make sure to get someone to show you how it's done before you attempt this one.
Finally, the third way to fire your art clay is by using a hob, or a portable camping stove. These are designed to quickly heat up food to preserve energy and time, but this sudden increase in temperature is perfect for firing art clay. The only problem with this method is that you cannot have anything embedded into the clay, lest it get damaged, melt or otherwise prevent the piece from finishing or setting properly. You can get away with smaller gemstones, smaller than five millimetres, but it's still not recommended.
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