What does it entail to make ceramics like animals I mean how does one start?

Answer 1

first you need to find a ceramics shop in your area or look under pottery shop too, in your phone books yellow pages, if you actually find one go see them, you can purchase greenware, which is already cast figures or you might find a shop that lets you cast the greenware yourself, that entails picking out one of their molds to use, then pouring liquid slip in it, and waiting till it sets up a certian thickness then pouring the rest out, then you wait some more while the item sets up even farther, the molds are made from plaster so you need to know they are going to be fairly heavy and they also crack easily so you must follow all the instructions you are given to the letter. now when the item is what they call leather hard, you will take the rubber bands off the molds and carefully remove one side, sometimes you have to let it sit a while longer with one half of the item exposed so it can dry a little more, while you are waiting you can start cleaning the half of the mold you already removed and remove the excess hardened slip that will be at the pouring hole. then you can remove the item and set it up, finish cleaning the mold and reband it. now its best to let your poured piece sit over night, the next day you can take a cleaning tool and scrape off the mold flashing, very carefully, then using a special sanding pad you remove all the mold marks that you can see. at this point you have to decide how you want the item finished, you have the choice of stains or glaze, if you are going to stain it, you will have it fired first, this takes all night at 1800 degrees or so which is why you need a ceramics shop to do it, since a kiln costs a couple of thousand dollars. they will fire it for usually half the cost of the greenware item. then if you are going to stain it, they can give you instructions and sell you the paints and brushes or sometimes you can rent the use of their items and do it there. if you are painting something like an animal you will want it to look as natural as possible, and often they look best antiqued over the paint, that mutes the colors a bit and gives you some shading. If you want the item glazed, you will have to have it fired first, but if you want to put some detail on it you can do underglazes before its fired, then they will fire it, and then you can do the overglaze, which can be colored or clear. glazes are glass particles suspended in paint so it will be fired again. glazes can be reasonable or quite expensive according to what makes the colors, and some colors are not able to be used for dishes and stuff since it has lead in it, you have to ask about those colors that are not lead safe. Ive done ceramics for about 35 years, this really is just the very surface of doing ceramic work, but its a place to start. good luck, its addictive.

Answer 2

OK, Austin, I'm a gay atheist, so I certainly have the perspective to discuss this. As other people have said here, I don't like being compared to animals. The religious and homophobes already do it to us constantly, by wondering if people will soon be able to marry animals, should gay marriage be universally adopted. Let's stop comparing our behavior to that of animals. Secondly, you know darn well that the Bible says nothing at all about homosexual animals or those that act in a homosexual manner, so I don't see why you asked this question in that way. Perhaps you are wanting to rile up the Christians? Well, more power to you on that one! lol Thirdly, the science behind the genetics is NOT a proven theory, although for some reason people seem to think that it is so. Plus, you seem to forget that, genetics aside, people can choose to be any way they want to be because we are people. I know hundreds of gay men who have chosen to lead lives as straight men, getting married, having kids, the works, with WOMEN. Because that is what they want. Just because you may genetically predisposed to be gay doesn't mean that you have to be. That's what the higher brain power of a human being gets us. The power to do WHATEVER we want to do. I hope you understand. Feel free to contact me via email if you do not. Auntie Kookoo

Answer 3

Go to a ceramic shop or school, and pick out greenware. Greenware is the newly-molded piece. You paint it, and they fire it for you. Often, you would do this as part of a class, where the instructor would help you pick out the right paints, and help you with technique if you need it.