If you w/look at the options at the top of her website, under "art tile creations", she tells you how she makes her tiles. At first, I thought they were polymer clay, but she does make them w/clay, firing them, then coloring and firing again. Yes, you need a kiln, something I've avoided for years. It's another black hole for me to pour money down. Glazes glazes and more glazes. I know it w/be lots of fun to make my own tiles, but at this point, I'm still saying no to buying a kiln. Go for it - you are just starting out - it'll give you many years of joy, I'm sure.

Yes, I did read that, Slow, but I want details! lol! I know there are different kinds of clay... high fire, low fire, there's all these issues about rolling clay, warping and then what kind of kiln. Perhaps these things wouldn't matter about smaller items like these, but I want to make sure I invest in the right supplies. Perhaps just good ceramics book/tile book would give me that info...

Also google some tutorials. I remember when I was contemplating buying a kiln, I was advised to get a digitally controlled one, and one that high-fires, cuz if you start out w/a lesser one, you'll end up spending more in the long run to upgrade. Only experience I had was one yr. in PV, the teacher let us fuse some dichroic glass, and it REALLY whet my appetite for one, but I resisted the urge again. My present student in the armature instructions is a ceramicist, and has offered to let me roll out some tiles and put in her kiln, as she always has room to spare. I just don't know what to start with, since most of my stuff is for exterior use, and hers doesn't high fire. Yep, buy a book and look for tutorials on-line.

Hey Slow... I really appreciate all you responses! Thank you!

I lurk on the mosaicartistorg yahoo group and found an interesting post that led me to a book "Handmade Tiles, Designing, Making, Decorating by Frank Giorgini. I ordered that one and a few more. One thing I learned from that post is that if I want these to survive freezing winters I probably would need to focus on porcelain tiles and related glazes and a high fire kiln. The book sounds like it will be pretty informative. I'm thinking that I perhaps shouldn't be focusing on freezing temps and just bring it in for the winter... but I wonder about the weight once all is said and done, however, I would have to be able to move it to maintain the pump. Hmmm... Am I getting anal about all of this? I am such a details geek! Sheeeeesh! :)))

The bees look like porcelain and the details are painted on the piece that has been fired once (bisque) with a glaze that works like paint, then the clear is applied over that and it's all fired together. It's not hard to do if you have access to the materials and kiln. There's still a lot of trial and error even for experts.

Try to find a local ceramics shop that can fire them for you. Check out the community college or adult classes in your area too.

That's the good thing about this forum - everyone is free to share their experiences. No, you're not being anal - you want it to last. That's the reason I said "high-fire" - temperatures enough to make porcelain. Don't know where you live, but in East TX, where I live, I don't worry too much about this. I've had three problems mosaicing on low-fire terra cotta the cedar post and hand painted plates I used to make the floppy hat birdbath. Also a couple places on the red bathroom tiles I got from Lowes. In making the garden sculptures from the lath and concrete, I'm no longer worried about it falling apart, but I w/be careful in not using hand painted plates on things that hold water. No way am I bringing in things for winter. Hard enough to bring in half dozen plants. It appears that you're doing the proper research, and ordering just the right info. Can't wait to see some results. I can tell you're gonna be GOOD.

Thanks for the info, Rock! I've been doing my homework today... I had no idea there were so many clays and so much to learn! And all I want to do is make cute little art tiles! When I come up with what I think I'm going to be buying I'll check with you to see if I'm on the right track.

Thank you too, Slow! I sure do appreciate your encouragement! Soon you'll have to get a cattle prod out to get me to DO something instead of analyzing it! lol!

I'm at about.com now... some good info on clay and glazes.

If you can use a cookie cutter and a knife or roll a pie crust you can make your own tiles. It's that simple. I took a couple of classes at a community college a while back. Sign up for the "slab" class and not the "throwing" class if you want to learn to make tiles.

Yeah, ROCK - in the beginning when I was contemplating buying a kiln, I was into polymer clay. I had a whole bunch of stamps that I was planning to use for designs and texture. Oh good grief - y'all have awakened my dormant desire for a kiln - waaaaaaaaaaah.

Me too, slow! As I was writing that I thought about all the possibilities and that I haven't worked with clay in way too long.

Does polymer hold up outside? In Texas summers? And then there is the freeze-thaw winter too. That might be the best way to get back into working with clay.

There's a ceramic studio here where they rent studio space and have both low and high fire kilns so I might look into that.

No, polymer clay doesn't hold up outside here - tried it on a little cross on the miniature church I made from concrete several yrs. ago. It's in my album, along w/a little house. They're both covered w/weeds right now.

Too bad we all live so far apart... we could share a kiln!

I did just talk to a lady who gives ceramic classes. It's funny because my mother and I used to take ceramics way back in the mid 60's when I was a young girl. When I mentioned this to the teacher she knew the teacher we went to. She has since passed away and the lady who'll be teaching is 83! She really teaches figurative ceramics like I used to take, but she said she'd start saving clay for me and show me how to roll and dry and everything that can go wrong... I doubt if it's the actual clay I need, but it's a start. I was thinking that this might be a good clay for what I want to do... and I'm wondering if she uses underglazes. Is that what you were thinking, Rock? She did tell me that she uses cone5-6 fireclay. I did check into the local college here, but I'll have to wait to see what they offer this fall. They had a few, but I don't think I want an acredited course.

Rock, Slow... any ideas about a kiln? There so many! Meg said she has an electric Skutt kiln, but there are so many models.

Anyway I'm making a little progress. :)

I'm getting there

I am told that the Paragon is the best. I live about two hrs. from the factory in Mesquit, TX. I visited w/FLAGTRUCK a few yrs. ago, and they were too expensive for my stinginess, but now I'm thinking "why didn't I buy when I wanted one so bad?" FLAG said sometimes you can get their seconds. Also, there have been several in my area for sale at yard sales, word of mouth, etc. I'm gonna live through your prospective experience. Oh, BTW - SILVAMAE has acquired one recently. Haven't seen her post recently. Send her an e-mail inquiry. Also, KLINGER has one. She should be posting soon - I sent her an e-mail, and she's been on a camping trip, and is very busy, but promises to post some pictures soon.

Sounds like you've found a great contact to get you started on the process. College classes really don't flex to your interests the way a private instructor would and you can probably learn as much. Art profs generally discourage making cute little critters for class assignments.

Regular clay is good to learn on and work your way up to porcelain which is harder to work with and more expensive. For the details on little figures you want an underglaze that doesn't flow. The one I used is called "One Stroke."

I'd really have to do research on a kiln because it's been so long. I did check Craigslist and there are a lot of them around here including some really small ones for sale. It seems I could get a pretty good one for $300 or so.

I'm just now working on my first mosaic since I was a kid with those tiny tile kits (remember those?) so I need to take one step at a time. I did invest in the wheeled nippers today so I'm pretty excited to try those next.

In researching this, I've found several clays that fire to a nice white and you don't need to use porcelain. You can get that look with regular clay.

I do remember those, Rock! I remember making trivets and little dishes. I think they were made of brass. I loved doing those... wish I still had them. I wish they still made bases like that!

I've seen some white mid fire clays, but I think I'm just going to wait until I meet with this ceramics teacher. Seems like the minimum is always 50lbs. and I hate to get spend that much and have it be wrong. Which ones were you thinking about. Meg said the important things are the firing properties and smoothness.

I did find one kiln on my local Craigslist that I thought would be great, but I haven't heard anything back :( Perhaps it's already sold, but I asked for them to let me know either way... Oh well... I really need to get back on track and focus on my sphere fountain. :)

Yes, yes, yes - anxious to see the sphere fountain come alive.

Best to work with Meg's recommendation since she'll do the firing. I'm just researching like you at this point so no particular clay in mind. The last time I worked with clay we didn't have the internet to research so all the white clay was a surprise. I just wanted to correct the earlier assumption that the little bees had to be porcelain because that was based on outdated info.

Many local art centers have kiln & basic glazes you can use for a fee or as part of an open studio class. That what I do, rather than buy a kiln especially with the cost of electricity.

there are glaze "pen" tip applicators that give that tiny detail line.

I got a lead on another ceramics store not too far away. They're closed now, but I'm going to call tomorrow to ask about clay, glazes, and kiln use.