Pottery is the art of making pots from clay, using some medieval as well as modern devices. Potter is supposed to be one of the more difficult skills and hobbies, and not everyone can either get it right the first time, or even be as successful in their pottery products as they would like to be. However, one can increase their pottery skills, and learn what pottery is all about in some ways. Here are some simple ways in which one can increase their pottery skills.

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You can sign up for pottery classes – which should be available at your college or university as an arts class or even an extracurricular activity. This is the best way to increase your pottery skills, because you get to know how to make pots and enhance your current product in real time. You could even opt for one on one classes with the pottery class teachers, so that you get the exact idea of how to make your pots come out better.

If you do not have many pottery classes in your area, you could look for such information online. Several websites cater to either the pottery hobby or hobbies in general. These websites could even have the necessary videos and manuals that would tell you how to make better pots and therefore increase your pottery skills.

Another rather rare and quaint way of increasing your pottery skills is making a point to visit the places where pottery is still a profession the next time you decide on a tour. Countries like India and other Asian countries have several villages where professional potters run their houses with their pottery skills. You could always visit them and make friends with them. If you intend to stay in the place for a long time, you could actually pay them and learn some pottery skills from them.  While this seems a bit weird, you would have top notch skills when you return home.

What gives Bizen ware is character is it’s reddish brown color showing through its soil traits. It is left unglazed so the essence of the soil remains. The soil used for bizen has a very high iron content. The surface of Bizen ware is entirely dependent on the combination yohen, or “kiln effects.”  It is the world of “ Wabi Sabi”. This has allowed Bizen ware to catch and maintain the attention and deep admiration of the masters of the tea ceremony since the Muromachi period.

Japan’s skill with ceramics began when the technology was brought to the shores of the island country from Korea in the fifth century. A potter’s wheel was used initially to make “Sueki”. All six of the ancient kilns from Japan’s middles age  “Bizen-Yaki”, “Tanba-Yaki”, “Echizeen-Yaki”, “Seto-Yaki”, “Tokoname-Yaki” and “Shigaraki-Yaki” began by making “Sueki”. Over time, other styles have changed to glazed ware for its use in decorating with patterns and its waterproof  qualities, and only Bizen ware has been left unglazed. Generally, the reason is because the clay in Bizen (especially clay from the Imbe area) is of a very high quality, and so glazing is unnecessary. Clay in Imbe is made more  waterproof and durable through slow firing over a prolonged period of time, usually ten days to two weeks.

The high iron content and large amount of organic matter creates beautifully simple patterns.  In fact, it is said that the clay doesn’t match with glaze well because it is too sticky, not waterproof enough, shrinks easily and is too high in iron. However, that incompatibility is what lead us to the wonderful and beautiful “Bizen ware of today”, which combines the character of clay and natural fusion.

Bizen ware is fired with specially selected red pine wood in a special kiln. The surface treatments of Bizen ware is entirely dependent on kiln conditions.

Goma

When pine ashes melt in high heat, they create an ash glaze on the surface. It looks as if it were covered with sesame seeds.

Sangiri

When a piece gets buried in the ashes at the bottom of the kiln, it gets only indirect fire and poor air circulation, causing oxidation-reduced firing. It creates colors of gray, dark gray and blue.

Hidasuki

Placing rice straws between pieces and wrapping a piece with them makes this effect. White or light brown pieces with red lines results.

Botan-mochi

When a small piece of clay is placed in a bowl during firing, the small spot leaves an unfired red spot.

Ao-Bizen

When a piece is placed in a rice straw sack in a certain part of the kiln, it turns blue gray.

Fuseyaki

When a piece is covered with another piece on top, it creates two different colors at the top and bottom.