The development of stoneware was seen when an artist named Josiah Wedgwood created black stoneware (basalts) and white stoneware also called Jasperware. At first, this pottery appeared in Germany in the 15th century and then in 17th century English artists started creating a salt-glazed form of stoneware. The first ever stoneware pottery was created in the era of the Shang Dynasty in China during 1400 BCE. This type of pottery is usually used for manufacturing commercial ware, and for fine art pieces by the likes of Bernard leach, Beate Kuhn and Grayson Perry to name but a few. The temperature for heating stoneware is around 1,000☌ to 13,00☌. Waterproof and naturally grey in colour, it turns brown after firing. One of the most famous and ancient types of pottery we’re familiar with are the Chinese clay warriors ‘The Terracotta Army’Īs the name indicates, the structure and character of stoneware pottery is dense, opaque and stone-like.
The iron content in the clay along with the oxygen that is present in the kiln during firing gives shades to the object cream, dark red, black or grey are common shades. The main composition of earthenware is 25% ball clay, 32% quartz, 28% kaolin clay and 15% feldspar.Įarthenware is the softest form of pottery because it is porous, can be scratched easily, and is heated at a very low temperature.Ī glaze can be applied to make it waterproof and then re-fired in a kiln. Then there are modern ceramics, all of which are classified as advanced engineering ceramics:Įarthenware is considered as the oldest form of pottery, dating back to the stone age.
Today the term ceramic has a far broader meaning. Fine art pottery focuses more on aesthetics and decoration of the product, and pottery refers to crafting of pots and figurines in a traditional way.
Both have the same processes of shaping, heating, glazing and then re-baking to harden the final product. Modern ceramics used in engineering, electronics and a multitude of other industries can be made from inorganic and non-metallic products.īoth ceramics and pottery are considered ‘visual arts’. Ceramic art has different forms such as earthenware, porcelain, maiolica, raku, celadon and stoneware, pottery, tableware, sculptures and tiles. Objects are created and crafted with clay and hardened through heating at high temperatures then decorated with glaze or painting.ĭue to the advancements in technology, 'ceramic' now covers a wider group of materials such as cement and glass, clay not being considered anymore as a key element. Also known as ‘plastic art’, the word “ceramic” is derived from a Greek word keramos which means “potter’s clay”.