Man discovered pottery making tens of thousands of years ago. Man has also known how to make porcelain since about 618 to 906 CE, when the Tang Dynasty in China started fine porcelain dinnerware and porcelain dolls. Porcelain is actually a very fine and delicate form of pottery that is almost translucent in appearance. The other end of the pottery spectrum is stoneware, a heavy type of pottery that has is much thicker and chunkier feel and look than porcelain.
Making pottery is something that people do today for a hobby, although some of the pottery is made for commercial use and mass produced. Hand shaping pottery making is a craft that one has to learn and experiment with before they get really good at it. It involves taking soft wet coils of clay and pinching it and molding it with your hands into the desired shape. Think of all the clay pitchers, bowls and pots we see in stores for sale today. They make pottery pots for plants too. People can find clay for sale online. Making your own pottery objects can be a very rewarding and fun hobby to undertake.
People who make pottery can use pottery wheels and other pottery tools to help with their creations. All the pottery equipment needed to use in your craft is normally available in a local craft store. However, if you buy your pottery supplies on the internet, you have more of a selection and you will also find better pricing. Take pottery glazes for example. Pottery glazes are available on the internet at affordable pricing too. These glazes, used in the last steps of pottery making, give your object a finished look.
Once the potter is happy with the shape of their object, they fire the clay in a pottery kiln to a temperature ranging from about 1830 to 2190 degrees Fahrenheit. The kilns they use today work either by electricity or by gas. The clay object has finally reached pottery status, as it is now hardened and fixed. Then the pottery glazes are applied. Potters use pottery glazes today to add color to the clay. Pottery glazes also makes the objects you make more durable and water proof. More information about pottery making is available from vendors who sell pottery supplies on the internet today.