What's the difference between pottery and ceramics?

Posted by Excerpts on 14th Aug 2015

This is a question that has plagued me often, maybe it has you too? One simple definition is that pottery or earthenware is generally fired at lower temperatures, while ceramics are fired hotter, but stoneware is somewhere in between! Here are more technical definitions.

From About.com:

What are pottery and ceramics? Is there a difference? Is everything that is made out of clay pottery? Are all ceramics made out of clay?

Pottery and ceramics have been an important part of human culture for thousands of years. From prehistoric storage jars to tiles on the space shuttles, pottery and ceramics have played a key role in innumerable human endeavors. But how do we define them?

What Are Ceramics?

Technically, ceramics are those things made from materials which are permanently changed when heated. For example, clay has chemically-bonded water in it which will cause it to slake down (disintegrate) when a dried clay object is put in water. Once heated (fired) to between 660⁰ and 1470⁰F (350⁰ and 800⁰C), the clay is converted to ceramic and will never dissolve again.

What Is Pottery?

Pottery is generally considered to be containers made from clay. "Pot" is a term used for any number of container forms. Both words derive from the Old English potian, "to push". When we consider how the potter pushes as they throw the clayon the wheel, it is easy to see how the process got its name. The term "pottery" may also be used as an adjective with some objects, such as small figurines.

In industrialized countries, modern pottery can be classified two ways. There is commercial pottery or ceramics which are produced in factories, and there is studio pottery which is produced by individual craftsmen. You may also hear of art pottery, which may be either produced commercially or by an individual craftsman.

Potter, Ceramic Artist, or What?

There is not a singular term for those who work with clay. Rather the opposite is true. Some of the most common terms are

potter: a general term for an individual craftsman working in clay
production potter: these folk make large numbers of functional pots as their main employment
studio potters: often those who create one-off pieces but may also do production pottery
ceramic artists: those who create clay artwork
clay artist: same as a ceramic artist, but may not fire their pieces (i.e. they are working as a designer for a commercial pottery)
ceramist: anyone who works with ceramic materials either industrially or as an individual, and
ceramic engineer: those who work (often in industry) with the chemistry and physics of ceramic materials

Hope that helps clear it up, and thanks to About.com/pottery

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