The Making of Blue Pottery

The whole process of making Blue Pottery involves four main steps:

• Pottery Making
• Designing & Painting
• Glazing
• Firing

Part I: Pottery Making

(1) First the individual ingredients are crushed into small particles.

(2) The tiny particles are then ground with a traditional grinder called a “chakki.”

(3) The ingredients in powdered form:

(4) The powdered ingredients are weighted and fixed in proportions.

(5) Next, the dough is prepared from the powdered ingredients.

Kneading the ingredients with water. Mixture is kept in a plastic bag to retain moisture.

The dough ready for use.

(6) Then the dough is shaped.

The dough is made into a "chapatti."

Then the chapatti is flattened with a "thepai" (a traditional wooden tool).

(7) The chapatti is set into a mould.

The edges are trimmed with a knife.

(8) The pottery is removed from the mould.

The mould is filled with ash to prevent deformation.  After the mould sets, the ash is removed.

And the mould is lifted.

(9) Then the edges must be smoothed.

 Smoothing the edges

The final smoothing is done with sandpaper.

(10) Pottery is coated with a white paste.

                                                                                              Applying the paste.

Proceed to the next step: Designing & Painting.