Zizio Shoud, S (2013) Paperclay techniques between form and color., Masters Thesis, Alexandria university, Egypt
Research summary
The research reviews in its introduction the importance of ceramic art and the extent of its oldness and how much it is connected and linked to the human life in general throughout the eras, also we illustrate the evolution of this art from being an applied art that the only target was limited to follow utilitarian function to become an art that includes all tendencies and trends of all pottery artists.
Afterwards we digress to the essence of the (Paper Clay), which is known as a clay body containing cellulosic sources such as (Paper Mache) (a natural material containing cellulosic fibers), and it is the most commonly used in this type of clays, for that it is called paper clay.
Also, we will go through the stages and steps required for the preparation of the paper clay theoretically, while the practical side will among the applications of the researcher.
And we will discover that the paper clay is characterized with some special and unique advantages during and after forming, and also during the drying stages, as its characteristics differ from the regular clay, as we notice its composition contains cellulosic fibers found in paper rather than other kinds of fibers such as (nylon, glass and sawdust), and its fine volume enable water absorption, its consistency is coherent throughout the work stages till the stage of leather hard and dryness, and it can reach the minimum thickness of the formation in case of using the right proportions of paper pulp and clay type suitable for this type of artwork with thin walls.
Whilst the paper that going amid the composition of paper clay, is prepared from the cellulosic fibers which are found in all walls of the plant cells. When a mixture of water and fibers is filtered through a fine strainer, the fibers are tangled together composing a thin sheet of paper. After drying the chemical bonds arise between the molecules in the cellulose fibers giving the paper its strength.
And the fibers required for paper industry are obtained from various plant sources including cotton, bamboo, grass weed, hemp, jute, sugar cane sticks and stalks of wheat, rice and a variety of other wood kinds. And the wood is considered as the main source of paper industry.
Also, the paper clay accepts all forming techniques of ordinary clays, such as:
1- Direct forming (Coiling and Sheets)
2- Forming on wheel, that spins by foot or electricity
3- Rotary machines and compressors forming (in factories and large workshops)
4- Gypsum molds forming, using the pinching or slip casting techniques.
We will see that the paper clay had opened a new field for the artist to innovate new forming techniques, that we will review some of them through the research.
The handling of paper clays is possible in the colors treatments, as we can handle the ordinary clays, except that paper clays show a great flexible capability in color additions, where more than one kind of clay may be mixed in one project, only in case that the burning grade of all kinds is be the same, in order to enrich the color and material of the art work.
Also, the color forming techniques are easily applied in most of the stages of forming the art work, by mixing the clays with each other, either dry with wet or both dry clays, by using liquid paper clay without causing segregation, carks nor failure of the parts of the art work. And it is possible to fill the voids in any art work shaped in some particular art forms using liquid or somewhat coherent paper clay, even with different color and also even after total dryness of the voided art peace.
Research contents
First chapter: The paper clay objects (Identifications, components, kinds and characteristics):
In this chapter we will head first to the identification of paper clays and its components, and a quick display of the clays in general and their most important characteristics, and so to identify the most effective component of the paper clay which is the paper with an illustrative historical and industrial review of the paper and to mention its kinds along with the characteristics.
And we take an inside look at the main component of paper which is the cellulosic fibers, and their most important sources, and ending by showing how the paper clay is prepared, and finally illustrating the most important advantages of paper clays and their characteristics contradicting with the ordinary clays.
Second chapter: The forming mechanisms using paper clays:
This chapter illustrates the forming and construction using paper clays and its techniques, whether the traditional or innovated techniques, depending on the nature of the clay material and the kind of paper used as a source of cellulosic fibers. Also, we will recognize the forming techniques of paper clays and how much they are related to the different proportions of paper pulp added to them, and the ability of paper clays for workability in comparison of the ordinary clays, and ending with the difficulties that may face the artist during the formation of the three-dimensional works and the protruded sculptures and how they can be resolved.
Three chapter: Carving and repairing of the works executed using paper clay during the stages of formation and settlement
The paper clays give a utilitarian extension during the drying stages and even during the settlement stage, so we will head to this point with the probability of the restoration some clay and ceramic works both alike, with giving some examples for clay and ceramic models and the methods of restoration. Then we will review the used tools in carving and forming the paper clays works, along with the carving and formation of the works burned to the first degree, the fixation and restoration of the burned works to the first degree (biscuit burning), and finally a narrative of the kinds and how to weld and merge during these different stages.
Fourth chapter: Drying and settlement of paper clays:
This chapter begins with the dryness of the executed art works using paper clay in order to prepare them for the burning stage and settlement next mentioned, where we declare the early stages of paper clay burning, along with a demonstration of the traditional burning plan for the paper clay.
Fifth chapter: The colored element for the clays containing cellulosic materials:
In this chapter we can identify the color and the effect of the application of the colored treatments on the executed objects using paper clay, with verbosity in explaining the color pigments with their both types (natural and laboratory prepared), along with explanation of the general characteristics that extinguish some colored oxides, and the methods of the pigments preparation and to take the required precautions during this stage, to arrange first before preparation.
Following are the effective factors on the result of using pigments, and we declare this through an explanation of merging techniques of the liquid colored clays with an explanation of the kinds of undercoats and the methods of applying them on the clay surfaces.
And as we go, we should talk first about making colored textures using liquid clay, and then to mention the different usages of the liquid paper clays and finally but not last the merging techniques of the colored clays.
Sixth chapter: The practical applications and the analytical results:
In the sixth chapter, we make some preparatory procedures for the paper clay with a declaration of the consistency and the proper kind of the paper to be compatible with the clay that will be added to, with a display of some technical experiments using different types of paper and execute a restoration application on a ceramic previously settled piece and illustrating the range of success or failure of this experiment and its causes.
In addition to the above we will show in this chapter the art works executed using paper clays, either it was three-dimensioned or reliefs and utilitarian solutions and visible textures, with a declaration of the shrinkage ratio of the paper clay used in the experiment and how the art work loose a part of its weight after settlement.
/al shaimaa abdelaziz abou elshohoud
Alexandria University
EGYPT, 20013
Email: [email protected]
The research reviews in its introduction the importance of ceramic art and the extent of its oldness and how much it is connected and linked to the human life in general throughout the eras, also we illustrate the evolution of this art from being an applied art that the only target was limited to follow utilitarian function to become an art that includes all tendencies and trends of all pottery artists.
Afterwards we digress to the essence of the (Paper Clay), which is known as a clay body containing cellulosic sources such as (Paper Mache) (a natural material containing cellulosic fibers), and it is the most commonly used in this type of clays, for that it is called paper clay.
Also, we will go through the stages and steps required for the preparation of the paper clay theoretically, while the practical side will among the applications of the researcher.
And we will discover that the paper clay is characterized with some special and unique advantages during and after forming, and also during the drying stages, as its characteristics differ from the regular clay, as we notice its composition contains cellulosic fibers found in paper rather than other kinds of fibers such as (nylon, glass and sawdust), and its fine volume enable water absorption, its consistency is coherent throughout the work stages till the stage of leather hard and dryness, and it can reach the minimum thickness of the formation in case of using the right proportions of paper pulp and clay type suitable for this type of artwork with thin walls.
Whilst the paper that going amid the composition of paper clay, is prepared from the cellulosic fibers which are found in all walls of the plant cells. When a mixture of water and fibers is filtered through a fine strainer, the fibers are tangled together composing a thin sheet of paper. After drying the chemical bonds arise between the molecules in the cellulose fibers giving the paper its strength.
And the fibers required for paper industry are obtained from various plant sources including cotton, bamboo, grass weed, hemp, jute, sugar cane sticks and stalks of wheat, rice and a variety of other wood kinds. And the wood is considered as the main source of paper industry.
Also, the paper clay accepts all forming techniques of ordinary clays, such as:
1- Direct forming (Coiling and Sheets)
2- Forming on wheel, that spins by foot or electricity
3- Rotary machines and compressors forming (in factories and large workshops)
4- Gypsum molds forming, using the pinching or slip casting techniques.
We will see that the paper clay had opened a new field for the artist to innovate new forming techniques, that we will review some of them through the research.
The handling of paper clays is possible in the colors treatments, as we can handle the ordinary clays, except that paper clays show a great flexible capability in color additions, where more than one kind of clay may be mixed in one project, only in case that the burning grade of all kinds is be the same, in order to enrich the color and material of the art work.
Also, the color forming techniques are easily applied in most of the stages of forming the art work, by mixing the clays with each other, either dry with wet or both dry clays, by using liquid paper clay without causing segregation, carks nor failure of the parts of the art work. And it is possible to fill the voids in any art work shaped in some particular art forms using liquid or somewhat coherent paper clay, even with different color and also even after total dryness of the voided art peace.
Research contents
First chapter: The paper clay objects (Identifications, components, kinds and characteristics):
In this chapter we will head first to the identification of paper clays and its components, and a quick display of the clays in general and their most important characteristics, and so to identify the most effective component of the paper clay which is the paper with an illustrative historical and industrial review of the paper and to mention its kinds along with the characteristics.
And we take an inside look at the main component of paper which is the cellulosic fibers, and their most important sources, and ending by showing how the paper clay is prepared, and finally illustrating the most important advantages of paper clays and their characteristics contradicting with the ordinary clays.
Second chapter: The forming mechanisms using paper clays:
This chapter illustrates the forming and construction using paper clays and its techniques, whether the traditional or innovated techniques, depending on the nature of the clay material and the kind of paper used as a source of cellulosic fibers. Also, we will recognize the forming techniques of paper clays and how much they are related to the different proportions of paper pulp added to them, and the ability of paper clays for workability in comparison of the ordinary clays, and ending with the difficulties that may face the artist during the formation of the three-dimensional works and the protruded sculptures and how they can be resolved.
Three chapter: Carving and repairing of the works executed using paper clay during the stages of formation and settlement
The paper clays give a utilitarian extension during the drying stages and even during the settlement stage, so we will head to this point with the probability of the restoration some clay and ceramic works both alike, with giving some examples for clay and ceramic models and the methods of restoration. Then we will review the used tools in carving and forming the paper clays works, along with the carving and formation of the works burned to the first degree, the fixation and restoration of the burned works to the first degree (biscuit burning), and finally a narrative of the kinds and how to weld and merge during these different stages.
Fourth chapter: Drying and settlement of paper clays:
This chapter begins with the dryness of the executed art works using paper clay in order to prepare them for the burning stage and settlement next mentioned, where we declare the early stages of paper clay burning, along with a demonstration of the traditional burning plan for the paper clay.
Fifth chapter: The colored element for the clays containing cellulosic materials:
In this chapter we can identify the color and the effect of the application of the colored treatments on the executed objects using paper clay, with verbosity in explaining the color pigments with their both types (natural and laboratory prepared), along with explanation of the general characteristics that extinguish some colored oxides, and the methods of the pigments preparation and to take the required precautions during this stage, to arrange first before preparation.
Following are the effective factors on the result of using pigments, and we declare this through an explanation of merging techniques of the liquid colored clays with an explanation of the kinds of undercoats and the methods of applying them on the clay surfaces.
And as we go, we should talk first about making colored textures using liquid clay, and then to mention the different usages of the liquid paper clays and finally but not last the merging techniques of the colored clays.
Sixth chapter: The practical applications and the analytical results:
In the sixth chapter, we make some preparatory procedures for the paper clay with a declaration of the consistency and the proper kind of the paper to be compatible with the clay that will be added to, with a display of some technical experiments using different types of paper and execute a restoration application on a ceramic previously settled piece and illustrating the range of success or failure of this experiment and its causes.
In addition to the above we will show in this chapter the art works executed using paper clays, either it was three-dimensioned or reliefs and utilitarian solutions and visible textures, with a declaration of the shrinkage ratio of the paper clay used in the experiment and how the art work loose a part of its weight after settlement.
/al shaimaa abdelaziz abou elshohoud
Alexandria University
EGYPT, 20013
Email: [email protected]