Paper clay

Key takeaways

Paper clay belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Paper clay to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Paper clay from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Paper clay (sometimes referred to as fiberclay) is any clay body to which processed cellulose fiber (paper being the most common) has been added.

Properties and techniques Earthenware, terra cotta, stoneware, porcelain and bone china clay bodies can be made into paper clay. The more fiber added to the clay body, the stronger the unfired dry paper clay, but the weaker the fired body. The less fiber added to the clay body, the weaker the unfired dry paper clay, but the stronger the fired body. Conventional soft clay building techniques can be used with soft paper clay. This is because there is no physical difference between soft clay and the same clay as a soft paper clay, except the addition of a small percentage of tiny inert cellulose fibers. However, using less fiber in paper clay on the potter's wheel is recommended, particularly if the leather hard work is to be trimmed on the wheel. Paper clay can be made from left over throwing slip from wheel throwing. It is widely used by potters to repair cracks in dry, conventional clay, as well as dry paper clay. Thinner and taller work can be built with partially dry or completely dry paper clay. Re-wetting paper clay is faster than re-wetting pure clay, as the paper fibres pull water more quickly into the clay body. The damp sections can then be joined. Accelerated drying of paper clay work is possible, and results in less warping and cracking, compared with drying conventional clay. The more fiber in the paper clay, the more rapid the drying with less warping and cracking, and the quicker dry-to-dry joins can be made. Nonconventional clay techniques are now possible after adding processed cellulose fiber to any clay: First, joining dry-to-dry paper clay and dry-to-soft paper clay are the most radical new techniques. Secondly, metal supports and ceramic material may be used within paper clay, with less cracking than conventional clay. A new aesthetic has also emerged from combining paper and clay art traditions. For example, dry paper clay is stronger than the same clay without the fiber, so work can be made thinner and more delicate. Using paper clay requires less technical skill than conventional clay, so beginners can focus more on the creative expression of their ideas. For example, handles of soft paper clay can be added to a completely dry paper clay pot without distorting the form. Other forms built with coils no longer need to be correctly joined before drying, instead, after drying the form, paper clay slip may be applied to join the coils and fill any gaps. Breaks and cracks in both dry and fired paper clay work can be repaired with paper clay slip.

Firing The firing process for paper clay is similar to the firing of conventional clay. The clay still needs to be completely dry before firing so the change of water into steam does not cause the clay to explode. Maximum firing temperatures, firing schedules and types of glaze to use for paper clay are the same as those used for the specific clay used in the paper clay. Some recommend slightly higher firing temperatures. Because dry paper clay is more porous and has greater tensile strength than dry clay, single glaze firing is possible. Due to its higher dry tensile strength, there are fewer breakages during handling and kiln loading. Replacing some of the clay with fiber will reduce the thermal mass of clay, in turn reducing further the energy required to fire the work. Changing to paper clay from conventional clay offers considerable energy, financial and time savings when firing ceramics in educational institutions.

Notes

References

Further reading Farrow, C., (1987) "Paper/Clay", "Artists Newsletter", United Kingdom, April, p. 20-1 Juvonen, L., (1997) "Using paper fibre as a substitute in ceramic clays", 8th CIMTEC World Ceramics Congress, Finenze, Italy June 1997 Table 1 p. 3, Table 3, p. 5. Campbell-Allen, B., (1997)" Where There's Smoke... Paperclay in the Anagama - a new technology in an old setting.", Pottery in Australia, (36), 1, 16-18 Hay, G. (2006) "A Paperclay Update", Ceramics Technical, 22, 39-40 Mau, L., (1997), "Paperclay and Steel", "Ceramics Monthly Magazine", May, 45, 5 Gault, R., (1999) "Paper clay A Primer", "Pottery Making Illustrated Handbook", Fall, 87, 25-30 Gault, Rosette (1993), Paper Clay for Ceramic Sculptors: A Studio Companion, Seattle: Clear Light Books. Gault, Rosette (1998), Paper/Clay and Method of Preparation, United States Patent no. 5,726,111, USPTO. Tardio-Brise, Liliane (2022), Complete Guide to Paper Clay, Stackpole Books (US).

External links

Ceramic paper clay sculpture information A good overview Combining paper clay and metal A paper clay website

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Paper clay

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Paper clay claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Paper clay before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Paper clay ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Paper clay

In research: Paper clay appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Paper clay in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Paper clay is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Ceramic materials, Clay, Decorative arts, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Paper clay outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Paper clay in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Paper clay means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Paper clay out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Paper clay in simple terms?

Paper clay (sometimes referred to as fiberclay) is any clay body to which processed cellulose fiber (paper being the most common) has been added. Properties and techniques Earthenware, terra cotta, stoneware, porcelain and bone china clay bodies can be made into paper clay.

Why does Paper clay matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Paper clay?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Paper clay.