The making process of my handcrafted ceramics

Each of the ceramics you will find on my store is entirely handcrafted in France by my hands. I need one to two weeks between the moment I start making a piece and the moment it is finished. It is a slow process that requires patience and give a unique aesthetic and a soul to my pieces.

Hand shaping

At this stage the clay is raw and malleable. I only work with black stoneware that I shape by hand, using various techniques such as pinching, slab building or coiling.

Trimming

I let the piece dry enough so I can turn it upside down and stamp it without altering its shape. The clay is called leather hard at that stage. This is when I am able to trim it with a special tool to get its final shape. This is also when the clay is leather hard that I can decorate it with a brush. Each piece must then dry completely before it can be fired for the first time. The drying time varies according to the size of the rooms as well as the weather. Drying will be much slower in winter, for example, because of the cold and humidity.

fabrication artisanale de vaisselle en céramique

Bisque firing

Once the piece is completely dry, it is time to put it in the kiln for its first firing , which is called bisque firing. During this firing, the kiln generally rises to 980 degrees. It takes about ten hours to reach this temperature, then about 24 hours to cool before I can open it again to take out the pieces.

Glazing

The next step is glazing. The clay is now solidified but still porous. I use glazes that I make myself, with a brush, using a pitcher or by dipping.

Glaze firing

The glazed pieces are then returned to the kiln for the second and last firing , this time at 1270 celsius degrees. This temperature can vary according to the ceramists and the types of clay. The glaze will behave like glass and melt, making the pieces non-porous . The kiln is again mobilized for 48 hours before I'm able to take out the finished pieces.

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  • parution d'Elea Lelimouzin dans le magazine Art&Décoration
  • parution d'Elea Lelimouzin dans le magazine Elle
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