The Real Time Behind the Ceramic Process — And Why It Affects the Price of Each Piece
When you buy a handmade ceramic piece, you’re getting much more than a beautiful object:
You’re buying time, attention, patience, and a part of the maker.
🟤 Clay preparation
Before shaping even begins, the clay has to be properly wedged and prepared. This ensures there are no air bubbles or impurities that could damage the piece later.
It’s a few minutes of physical work you don’t see—but they matter.
🟤 Creating the piece
This is the moment the piece is born. It may seem brief, but it takes years of experience to shape it with precision.
It doesn’t always work the first time—sometimes it needs to be redone, adjusted, or simply allowed to emerge slowly through the process itself.
🟤 Drying time
And now, the waiting begins. Each piece must dry slowly and gradually to avoid cracking.
Depending on the size, weather, and humidity, this can take several days. It’s a time for patience—and it can’t be rushed.
🟤 First firing (bisque)
Once dry, the piece goes into the kiln for its first firing. This takes several hours (usually 8 to 12), followed by another 12 to 24 hours of slow cooling inside the kiln.
🟤 Decoration and glazing
After the bisque firing, comes the decoration: with glazes or slips.
This requires focus, precision, and deep technical knowledge to achieve the intended finish.
It’s another delicate step that takes time and can’t be rushed.
🟤 Second firing (glaze firing)
Once decorated, the piece returns to the kiln. Again, many hours of intense heat (6 to 10), followed by a slow cooling process that protects the final result.
🟤 So, what are you really paying for?
High-quality materials
Time invested and energy used in every firing
Knowledge, technique, and experience
Patience and care at every stage of the process
A handmade ceramic piece isn’t just an object:
It’s the visible result of many invisible hours.
That’s why it holds the value it does—because it’s not just clay, it’s time turned into something you can touch, use, and admire.
Thank you for valuing and understanding what’s behind it.
