by CCSA Admin | Jul 25, 2024 | Blog
Did you know that there are effective strategies for maintaining the quality of your pottery? Discover simple techniques suitable for all skill levels that can elevate your piece and ensure it remains attractive and well-crafted.
Understanding Bisque Pottery: A Foundation for PYOP Art Bisque pottery, fired once to a solid shape, serves as the canvas for your PYOP (Paint Your Own Pottery) creations. Once glazed and fired again, bisque pottery transforms into a permanent, shiny masterpiece, with kiln temperatures ranging from 2300 to 3600 degrees.
Sketching for Success: Preparing Your Design Sketching your ideas before glazing provides clarity and helps plan your painting approach. Avoid erasers, as smudging mistakes with your finger ensures a smooth glazing surface. Graphite burns off in the kiln, leaving your design intact.
Creative Glazing Techniques: Bringing Your Piece to Life Explore various glazing methods to enhance your pottery. Use sponges for unique shapes and ombre effects, employ tape for negative space designs, trace stencils for precision, dilute glazes for organic color flows, and add flair with paint splattering techniques.
Unlocking Pottery Secrets: Making Your Vision a Reality Discover the art of sgraffito, where scratching wet black paint reveals layers of color beneath. Your local studio may have additional techniques to explore, making each piece a unique expression of your creativity.
Find Your Pottery Studio Today! Embark on your pottery journey and unleash your artistic potential. Locate your nearest studio with our studio locator tool and start creating pottery that reflects your style and imagination.
by CCSA Admin | Jul 1, 2024 | Blog
Children are naturally creative on their own accord. But if their creativity isn’t fostered, they begin to lose it as they grow into adults. Pablo Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
One of the best ways to encourage a lifelong love of the arts is to enroll your kids in art classes. There is an ever-growing variety of art classes available for kids of all ages. If you’re thinking about enrolling your child in one, you’ll be surprised that these types of classes offer much more than an outlet for imagination and play. Here’s how kids art classes help prepare your child for success in life.
1. Art helps improve fine and gross motor skills.
One of the most basic benefits of art classes, particularly for toddlers, is the improvement of fine and gross motor skills. Because there are so many different types of art – from painting to sculpture to drawing – a variety of tools and techniques are required. For many small children, the struggle is real when it comes to using and developing their tiny muscles to hold and use objects correctly. Art classes teach children how to properly hold a paintbrush, pencils or markers and build hand muscles while playing with clay. Older students will benefit by learning proper painting or drawing techniques, and even build muscle when learning to create more physically-demanding forms of art like sculptures.
2. Creating means learning to make decisions.
During the creative process — whether it’s through visual art, writing, or other activities — we often go through a stream-of-consciousness period at the beginning of a project, then go back and strategically make decisions, revising our ideas until we are satisfied with the finished product. When young children create, they go through that same period of stream-of-consciousness and are often satisfied with the end result. As they get older, however, and their personalities develop, their ideas start to become more complicated. And so they revise, making decisions to try to match the ideas in their heads. Through this, they begin to learn the consequences of their decisions, and how those decisions affect the creative process. Art is equal parts innovation and problem-solving. Through continual art education, kids are instructed to be more strategic in their decision making, which they eventually carry over to the adult world of work, relationships and home life.
3. Art teaches children to be more aware of themselves and others.
Part of the creative process in kids art classes is learning about different artists and the variety of methods those artists use to create their art. This means your child will learn about different artistic styles originating from around the world. But art classes also help your child understand different perspectives, and what the artist was thinking when they created their piece. It helps kids appreciate the different modes of expression others may have, to form and value opinions, to appreciate the beauty around them and how others interpret it. Art feeds open-mindedness and diversity in thought and culture, helping your child to thrive in a diverse and culturally-rich world.
4. Creating art teaches focus and perseverance.
Making art is a process. As your child gets older, their creative visions will become more complicated, requiring more time, attention and technique to fulfill their artistic quest. They will no doubt get frustrated and want to quit at times. Art classes help develop your child’s craft and manage their expectations. They will learn that the creative process is something that’s developed over time, and that honing one’s skills and techniques doesn’t happen overnight! Your child will learn to see their ideas through to the end, which is an important lesson they will carry with themselves for the rest of their life.
5. Art helps children express their emotions in a positive way.
Perhaps more so than anything else, art helps children express emotion in a meaningful and honest way. According to a 2015 report by the National Endowment for the Arts, art activities help kids regulate their emotions so they learn how to control themselves when they are overwhelmed by anger and frustration. Kids gain a sense of confidence as they take the emotions they are feeling, acknowledge and process them into something visual.
There are plenty more benefits that you and your child will receive from art classes but we just covered the basics. If you want to enroll your child in a virtual art class, be sure to find the ones that will fit your schedule best.
Blog post shared from: https://www.hisawyer.com/explore
by CCSA Admin | Jun 4, 2024 | Blog
Amidst life’s challenges, prioritizing quality time with loved ones is essential for a fulfilling life. Discover the numerous benefits of spending time with family and friends, and explore engaging activities like painting pottery to strengthen your bonds and create lasting memories.
The Benefits of Family Time: A Comprehensive Guide
In today’s fast-paced world, carving out time for family activities has become more important than ever. Here’s why investing in family time is a cornerstone of well-being and happiness:
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Improves Mental Health: Face-to-face interactions within a close social network can significantly reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, providing crucial emotional support during tough times.
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Enhances Academic Performance: Children who spend quality time with their parents tend to excel academically, as they learn valuable communication skills and the importance of education.
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Lowers Risk of Behavioral Issues: Family bonding reduces the likelihood of behavioral problems in children, fostering positive behavior patterns and providing an outlet for emotional expression.
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Boosts Self-Confidence: Building strong family relationships nurtures self-esteem and confidence in both children and parents, fostering a sense of value and appreciation.
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Teaches Essential Life Skills: Family time is a platform for teaching conflict resolution, effective communication, and future caregiving skills, preparing children for adulthood.
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Reduces Stress: Healthy family relationships encourage healthy coping mechanisms for stress, promoting emotional well-being and overall physical health.
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Promotes Adaptability and Resilience: A strong family bond instills a sense of belonging and purpose, empowering individuals to navigate life’s challenges with resilience.
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Enhances Physical Health: Engaging in family activities like shared meals and outdoor pursuits contributes to improved physical fitness and overall well-being.
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Lengthens Life Expectancy: Research shows that maintaining healthy relationships can increase life expectancy significantly, highlighting the profound impact of family time on longevity and happiness.
Explore Family-Friendly Activities at Your Local PYOP Studio!
Ready to experience the transformative power of family time? Visit your local pottery studio (link: https://paintyourownpottery.com/) to discover exciting projects and create cherished memories with your loved ones. Embrace the joy of bonding through creativity and shared experiences. Start your family adventure today!
by CCSA Admin | Apr 22, 2024 | Blog
If you’re looking to get some new home decor in your exact style, paint-your-own-pottery can be a great solution! Make your version of a designer piece, paint with glazes that match your home’s
color scheme, or simply choose an item you need and paint it with no plan. This art can be fully functional, an investment in both a good experience and a lasting utility.
In your local studio, you will notice there are tons of options to choose from. Seasonal decor, kitchen essentials, bathroom accessories, anything you need. For small touches that bring life to a home,
like spong holders and olive oil bottles, PYOP is more personal than anything you can buy in a store or online. You can also completely customize the item to your style.
One very cute and special approach to decorating with PYOP is to paint an item with your loved ones. If you want to paint mugs with your partner, pick out colors that match your kitchen and surprise
each other with the design. Or, give your children a color palette and let them paint whatever items you need. Once they have smushed paint all over the item, use a thin brush with a dark color to add their name
and the date to the piece. This is a memory you’ll hold forever, and they will grow up using the item they decorated as a child.
To honor other special people in your life, use PYOP to pay homage. For example, a canister for your kitchen can have your grandmother’s recipe on the front, or a frame can have a quote from a loved
one. Your style can seamlessly blend with the things that warm your heart like being reminded of a loved one.
If choosing the right piece can be daunting, consider taking photos of your home before going to the studio. Take a look at the shelves, and the photos, and see where each item would go. Once you find
the perfect item, you’ll already have a reference for what colors to choose.
To get started with adding unique and personal touches to your home, check out your local studio. They may also offer classes for specific techniques or non-pottery crafts. Cheers to creating!
by CCSA Admin | Mar 25, 2024 | Blog
While wheel-throwing can only be learned through experience, it is helpful to understand the logistics of the practice before beginning. Using wet clay is a process that takes a long time and lot’s of
patience, but truly anyone can learn to master the skills.
Before throwing on a wheel, you first need to wedge the clay. Wedging is the term used for preparing the clay by compressing it, to get rid of any air bubbles. Wedging can be done on a table,
preferably a cork one, or in your hands by smacking the clay into a ball shape. Your approach to wedging will likely depend on how many pounds of clay you’re using. For beginners, we suggest starting with one
pound.
The first and most important step of wheel throwing is centering. This can be deceivingly difficult at first, but becomes muscle memory. Begin by securing your ball of clay to the dry bat, as close the to center as you can. Then, anchor your left arm to the edge of the wheel and cup your left hand firmly around the base of the clay. With your right hand, use the base of your palm to firmly press upward. This will make more sense when you can practice in person. Ultimately, you will squeeze the clay upward to a cone shape, then work it back down to a mound. The more you do this, the more centered the clay will become, and it will eliminate any lingering air bubbles.
The best way to practice throwing is by making a cylinder. Once you can throw a cylinder with even walls, you will have a very strong foundation for anything else. To learn how to throw a cylinder, consider trying a pottery class at your local studio.
After throwing, pieces need to dry. If you want to keep working with your piece, to add a handle or carve out designs, you want it to dry to leather hard. This means the pot will hold its form, but still has
enough moisture to be malleable. This is when you can trim the base of the piece. If you’ve ever turned over a mug and seen a nice round edge or design, that is called a foot and is made in the trimming
process. You trim off excess clay and leave a satisfying shape or design.
Next, pots need to dry to what we call bone dry to be fired. There cannot be any moisture in the clay when it heads to the kiln. It usually takes a few days for pieces to dry completely. After it is out
of the kiln, about 36 hours later, you can begin to glaze. After glazing, pieces need to dry completely again, and then do another kiln cycle. It certainly is a waiting game!
While this process can seem daunting, it is very rewarding. There are many steps, but once you learn foundational skills, you can easily create anything you like. So, begin your wheelthrowing journey now!
by CCSA Admin | Feb 29, 2024 | Blog
While many people are familiar with the concept of paint-your-own-pottery, a lot of folks don’t know what goes on behind the scenes after you leave the studio. Keep reading for the complete guide on
everything PYOP.
When you arrive at your local studio, you’re greeted with rows of unfinished pottery waiting to be painted. These pieces are bisque pottery, meaning they have been fired once and are ready to be glazed.
These pieces were made in molds, fired, and shipped to your studio. They are very dry and porous, so they absorb moisture quickly. You will notice this as you paint, and your glazes seem to dry almost
instantly on the first coat.
While glazing, it is important to keep in mind that glazes work best in layers. For an opaque color, three thin coats of glaze will work best. Too few layers will be sheer, and too many layers will force the glaze to resist away from the piece during firing. This is called crawling. After you paint your piece, you must leave it at the studio and pick it up another time. But why? Because the glazing processes are far from finished. The glazes you used are called underglaze. They will turn shiny and vibrant after firing, but only the painted areas will be sealed. So, studios let the underglazes dry for 24 hours. Then, each piece is dipped by hand in an overglaze. This functions similarly to a topcoat with nail polish; The whole piece will be shiny and sealed, making it food-safe and more
pleasant to touch. This overglaze needs another 24 hours to dry before it can go in the kiln.
Once all the glazing processes are complete, each item needs to be fired in the kiln. Glazes are made up of very fine pieces of glass, that will melt in the kiln and rebond shiny and hard. Each item needs
to be put on what we call stilts, little ceramic pieces with metal stakes, so they do not get fused to the kiln shelves. Kilns need to heat, fire, and cool down, a process which usually takes about 36 hours. After it is
complete, the kiln is emptied by hand, which takes some time. Then, a hand dremmel or bit of sandpaper is used to smooth out any bumps left from the stilts.
And finally, it is time to pick up your piece! A lot of work goes into making sure your piece is properly cared for, and that is why it often can take a week before you can pick it up. But then, you get a
lifetime to cherish it.
