Terracotta Jewelry Baking Techniques

Unprocessed Clay will have dust and other particles in it. Filtration of the clay is recommended for jewelry making.
You can process 2 to 5Kg of clay at once and store it for up to a year.
We generally get wet or half wet clay in the market. Break them into small lumps and dry it under the sun for 48hours.
Add water with the clay, make it into a clay solution and leave it for some time. The clay will settle down at the bottom of the container and then you can remove the water. Repeat this process till you get a clean clay.
Transfer the clay to a flat tray and dry it. When the ideal clay is obtained, store the clay in a clean plastic cover and seal it.
Take required amount of clay on a flat surface and roll it to remove air gaps inside the clay. If the air gap is untreated before baking, it may cause cracks in baking process.

Before Baking

After Baking

Baking Methodologies

Materials Required: Two mud pots (wide-mouthed), charcoal, saw dust or husk, kerosene, stick, match box, plate and hand fan.

Add coal in a pot, add small quantity of kerosene to it and fire the coal.
Coal must turn red hot. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
In another mud pot spread the saw dust/husk as a base layer and arrange the jewelry to be baked on the layer.
Again, add another layer of saw dus on the jewelry and use forceps to pick red hot coal and arrange them on the top layer of saw dust. In this arrangement the jewelry can absorb heat.
Regulate the heat in regular intervals using a hand fan and close the pot with a plate.
After few hours you can see that the jewelry is turned black and baked well.
Take the jewelry out carefully and leave it to cool for few hours.
Now your jewelry is ready to paint.

Materials Required: Oven, tray, sand/salt and mitts.

(Note: You can reuse the sand/salt again)

Materials Required: Thick deep pan, stove and salt.

Add a cup of salt in the pan and turn the stove on.
On the layer of salt, arrange the jewelry to be processed. The salt will transfer heat uniformly for the jewelry to bake.
Stir them occasionally.
Keep baking till the jewelry turns black. (it will take at least 2 hours)
Take out the jewelry and let it cool for few hours.
Now your jewelry is ready to paint.

(Note: You can reuse the salt again)

Materials Required: Saw dust, kiln, stove.

Spread the saw dust/husk as a base layer and arrange the jewelry to be baked on it.
Advantage of kiln is you can add multiple layers in it. (separate multiple jewelries by saw dust layers)
Bake the jewelry in low flame for 45 minutes, medium flame for 30 minutes and high flame for 30 minutes.
Jewelry will be well baked and turns black.
Now your jewelry is ready to paint.

Checkout Aishwarya Creations for more blogs & tips

Author: Manasa Ravi

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