Whenever we see terracotta jewellery, a very common question pops in mind that which clay is used for terracotta jewellery? Terracotta jewellery is the beautiful art of making amazing jewelry using natural clay. Terracotta jewellery is around many many decades and it falls under traditional jewellery. You can pair them with any outfit, it looks fabulous with cotton saris, cotton Kurtis, and other kinds of ethnic wear.
So, which clay is used for terracotta jewellery? Well, terracotta literally means baked mud, it is made from natural earthen clay which is reddish – brownish in color. This clay is very fine which works great for making fine pieces of jewellery. Terracotta is a low fire earthen secondary form of clay. Terracotta clay modeling is easy and simpler generally with a limited pair of tools. It is exciting art as one just need natural clay and very few tools with basic techniques. The clay is shaped and molded in various creative designs. This art form is pocket friendly with less budget.
Terracotta jewellery making requires fewer supplies and good creativity. You can create your own jewellery of your choice and also you can paint this jewellery as per your choice matching your outfit. You can also try some abstract design using terracotta clay and give your jewellery a modern and trendy touch.
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Which clay is used for terracotta jewellery? Let’s find out
Terracotta in Italian means baked earth. There are many types of clay to make jewellery but for terracotta jewellery, we use natural earthen mud which is of reddish-brown in color. Terracotta is a kind of clay and the pottery or ceramics fired from it. It is a secondary form of low fire clay. Basically secondary means a clay that has transported from its origin through water and laid down in layers. It collects the minerals on its way and contains a high amount of iron which gives the reddish color to it. This terracotta clay turns hard after baking.
Terracotta, terra cotta or terra-cotta a type of earthenware, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic, where the fired body is porous. Read more on Wikipedia…
What is terracotta clay made out of?
Terracotta is natural earthenware clay and its a name of low fire reddish clay. The word Terracotta comes from a Latin word which means baked or cooked earth. It is called “Terracotta” due to its reddish color which the clay gets during the process of firing oxidization due to the high content of iron in it.
Terracotta clay is secondary clay which means the clay has traveled from its origin through rainwater/wind collecting different minerals on its way. This clay gets deposited near lakes and gets dried during summer. This clay undergoes various tests to check the plasticity, shrinkage, and color of clay.
Where to get terracotta clay?
You can get ready to use packets of terracotta clay in stores or from a local potter. Also, you can get dried clay which can be used after adding water to it. But if you want to try to make clay of your own then you can collect the soil from the side of lakes or ponds. There are many different types of soils and to check how much clay is present in the soil you need to do simple tests.
How to make terracotta clay at home?
Preparing clay is important to step and for this collection and broke the soil into small pieces. Terracotta clay should be free from dust and other particles and for this dried clay is soaked in water. Allow the clay to rest for some time so that clay particles can settle down at the bottom.
Once the particle is settled to the bottom you can remove the access water from the top with the help of a sponge. Once the clay is free from unwanted particles you can allow the clay to rest till the clay is ready to work. When the clay is leather hard means like thick dough, smooth and soft, you need to knead the clay well to make sure that air bubbles are not trapped in the clay. Knead the clay properly for some time and you are ready to make your art piece.
How to store terracotta clay?
Storing clay is important as if the clay is not stored correctly it can cause dryness. If the clay is dried it will reduce its efficiency to work as a smooth and crack-free clay. It is better to store hydrated clay in glass, stoneware, ceramic, opaque, or non-metallic airtight containers. Keep the container away from direct sunlight and place it in cool room temperature.
How to stop clay from drying?
Place the clay in a plastic bag, take a spray bottle, and spray little water on it. Place this plastic bag inside an airtight container and keep this container away from sunlight. Before storing the clay if we spray water on it, then this will keep the clay hydrated and it will be ready to use for next time.
How to soften hard terracotta clay?
If the clay is stiff and needs to make it hydrated and workable again, take the clay and poke lots of holes in it with something like brush handle or pen then place the clay in the plastic bag. Now pour water on the clay and allow the water to settle into the holes this will help the clay to absorb water faster and evenly. Now squeeze out extra air from the plastic bag and tie the top of the bag. Place this bag in the airtight container and keep it in a cool place.
After 1 or 2 days take the clay out and knead it properly to release air bubbles and air pockets. If you think the clay is not leather hard then again poke the holes and pour water on the clay. This is an easy way to dehydrate the dried clay, this technique works amazingly and your clay will never dry out.
How to dry terracotta clay?
Let suppose you have slip clay or a lump of clay which is not leather hard or little watery clay then you can place the clay on the wooden board and spread the clay over it. Poke the clay with fingers and keep it open for some time. This will help you to dry access water from the clay. Keep on checking the clay from time to time. Placing the clay on a wooden surface is good as wood will also help to absorb excess water from the clay. Once the clay is leather hard you need to knead the clay properly, as mentioned earlier that clay must be kneaded properly to release trapped air bubbles in it.
Poking the clay creates lots of air pockets in clay and these air bubbles need to be removed with kneading. You will also notice that while kneading to clay will become a little more hard or stiff this is because of the warmth of your hands. So don’t knead it for a long time as this can cause the clay to harden more and more. Once you are done with kneading wrap the clay with a damp cloth or pack the clay in a plastic bag and keep it in an airtight container.
Thus clay will be always ready to use and without wasting your time you can directly start working on your clay jewellery.
Once the jewellery is ready, place it aside at room temperature and allow it dry. Generally drying of the piece of jewellery will take 5-7 days (totally depends on the climatic condition). When the clay is dried it will change it color, it will be lighter in shade and you can feel the absences of water the clay, it is no longer cool to touch. Allow the clay to dry for more 1-2 days for a safer side.
Once the clay is dried, fire the clay and then you can paint the clay jewellery with colors. You can check out “What paint to use for terracotta jewellery?”.
