Pottery is one of the most fun and creative hobbies going, and there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved in your local area. Combining skill and craft with a manual dexterity, pottery is a truly rewarding pastime, and it’s highly addictive! Why not join a pottery class in your local area, and benefit from this fun and therapeutic hobby.
Pottery is a great activity, and the beauty of joining a local class is that you need very little to start up. Of course, you will probably be expected to contribute towards the materials, but this shouldn’t cost too much. If you were to start up at home, you would need to buy materials and tools to turn, style and finish your pottery, and that’s not even considering you won’t know where to start. A class will not only allow a substantial financial saving, but you’ll also benefit from expert tuition to get you going and making pots that you can truly cherish.
About Pottery – Pottery is not only rewarding in itself, but it can also be a very sociable pursuit. There are loads of women and men who attend classes, so chances are you’ll meet loads of new friends. What’s more, it can be a great place to have a laugh and enjoy some relaxed company, whilst also creating an attractive piece.
When making up your first pot, it’s more than likely that you’ll be guided towards a simple finish. Don’t be disheartened if you find it hard, or don’t see the results you’ve been looking for. Pottery, like anything, takes time and practice, and soon enough you’ll have the skills to complete your own project from scratch in a style you fully envisage and appreciate.
Sgraffito Pottery was once considered to be the vessels of kings. From the Byzantine emperors to the Russian czars, Sgraffito has been the earthenware for the “blue-bloods” of Europe’s finest houses. Sgraffito Pottery is defined by the intricate designs that have been actually scratched into the surface of the clay before firing. This sort of pottery is often made with bold colors and coated with a lighter liquid clay for contrast. It is at this point that the designs are scratched into the pottery showing the base color underneath.
This type of earth ware can be traced all the way back to the Sung Dynasty of China. There is a vase called the “T’zu-Chou vase that dates to the 11th to 12th century AD. That said Sgraffito can be found in many of the world’s ancient cultures. It became quite popular among the many courts of Renaissance Italy. It is a style of pottery that is fast becoming quite collectible and sought after.