Blue Pottery

BLUE
POTTERY

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FIRED MATERIAL DEPARTMENT
6TH SEMESTER

CRAFT CULTURE - BLUE POTTERY
SUBMITTERD TO: MR. RAVINDER KUMAR CHANDOLIYA

SUBMITTED BY: ANANYA AGRAWAL

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 13 Blue pottery 5
ABOUT BLUE POTTERY 14
HISTORY 15
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION 16
CLUSTER PROFILE 17
ABOUT CRAFT VILLAGE- KOT JEWAR 18
CLUSTER INFORMATION & DETAIL 19
ARTISAN- JAIPUR 22
RAW MATERIAL 23
TOOLS & MACHINE 26
PROCESS 28
PRODUCTS 40
DESIGN BRIEF 47
MARKET SURVEY 51
MARKET SENARIO 52
MARKET ANALYSIS 53
PRESENT MARKETING MIX 54
PRICING 55
FINAL BRIEF 56
CLIENT BOARD 57
MOOD BOARD 58
IDEATION 60
LIGHTING & EXPERIMENT 64
MOCKUP 65
SELECTIVE TECHNICAL SHEET 67
PROTOTYPE 69
MOTIFS 71
SURFACE DECORATION 72
RENDERING 73
SWOT 75

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PREFACE

Blue pottery is not just a craft, it is a way of life for the artisan as well as its connoisseurs
and aficioados all around the world. It involves the whole family in various stages of
the process. This craft is practised by the people of Kot Jewar, Sanganer and Jaipur. The
technique used today reamin the same that has been passed on for generations. The
artisans of this craft enjoy simple living and are happy to share their knowlege with
visitors.
The following is a documantation on the craft, the products and the innovation of new
idea by contemporary artist, and thier history toward me during my research. The
cluster of blue pottery artisans like the ones in Kot Jewar had an edge. Their products
were finer and more exquiste than the rest.
The use of oxide colors on glazed colors on glazed pottery is the USP of this pottery.
through there is a fear that this craft might not survive for long, some younger
generations are duty picking up the trade while other seek higher eduction and work
in large cities. We can only hope that this mesmerizing craft survives and continues to
give us joy in the years to come.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As per of our Craft Documantation for our 6th semester in IICD, I would like to express
my sincere gratitute to my supervisors Mr. Ravinder kumar chandoliya who gave
me this oppertunity to work on this project and providing support and guidance in
completing this project. I would like to express my gratitute to Miss. Garima chowdhary
for thier valuable suggetion and guidance throughout my project.
I got to learn a lot during this project, which will be very helpful for me.
I would also like to thanks my course co-ordinater, Mr. Mangesh Afre who allowedme
to work on this project.
I would like to express my gratitute to the artisan of cluster who share thier information
with me and for showing their their work process. It was possible only with their help,
that I was able to understand the cluster.
I would like to extend my thanks to my friend for the immense support and help
during this project.’

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ABOUT IICD Blue pottery 11

Indian Institute of Crafts & Design was setup as an autonomous Institute by the
government of Rajasthan in 1995 to act as a catalyst of change in the craft sector. In
October 2007, the Institute was taken over, to be managed and funded, by Ambuja
Educational Institute (AEI) as a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative. As its mandate
notes: “The main objective of IICD is to generate knowledge, upgrade skills and foster
attitudes in order to develop highly motivated change agents in the craft sector.” IICD
has come a long way since its inception, establishing itself as the leading institution in
the area of craft education and in shaping a new generation of craft professionals. It has
not only grown in terms of activities, programmes and number of students, but also has
created footprints in the wider craft community through various outreach programmes.

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INTRODUCTION

Blue Pottery is commonly acknowledged as an exceptional craft of Jaipur(Rajasthan). The
name ‘Blue Pottery’ comes from the attention-grabbing blue dye used to color the pottery.
Blue Pottery is made mixing quartz stone powder, powdered glass, Fuller’s Earth, borax,
gum and water. Motif is floral based.
The name Blue Pottery comes from the Persian blue color dye which is specifically used for
adoring the products, and every single piece is hand-painted. This significant art of blue
pottery making comprises of Egyptian dough and pasta. There is no usage of clay and is
glazed on the low fire temperature and hence becomes very brittle and fragile. The magic
of blue pottery is featured by a semi-transparent character which is decorated with motifs
of floral and is also used in making of products like coasters, small bowls, vases, boxes for
jewelry and ashtrays, although at first it was used to make pots, urns and jar.
Once, this beautiful talent was initiated and simultaneously Mughals started to employ.
This concept slowly came into the existence in Kashmir too. Later on, it entered in Delhi
and finally was adopted by the artisan of jaipur forever. Blue pottery pattern become one
of the precious moment and hub for the pink city and till, this traditional is up-to the mark.

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ABOUT BLUE POTTERY

The Blue Pottery or Blue Glaze Pottery is an ancient and unique craft
practiced in india from time immemorial. it was once a native craft of Perisia
that was brought to India by Mughals and later got patronized by Indian
ruler. Historically Jaipur city has evolved as the main center for producing
the famous Blue pottery articles. Blue pottery as the name suggests is
mainly made in blue color. But, with the changing time and avaiability of
new colors, artisan are working using other color too. the art derived its
name from the eye-catching Persian blue color used in it.
The distinguishing factor which makes the craft of Blue Pottery different
from any other pottery techniques being practlced around the world
is that it is the only pottery technique that does not use day. This blue
pottery technique is an Imported one.

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HISTORY

The history of the art of pottery is as old as the history of mankind, with the
glazing techniques travelling to India from Central Asia and Middle East
through several Islamic invasions while the Chinese porcelain continued to
be imported to the Indian courts. Founded in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh I,
the historic city of Jaipur was well established as a thriving art centre. Blue
Pottery took an interesting route in finding its home in Jaipur.
Ram Singh II attended a kite flying session and watched two brothers name
Churaman and Kaluram from Achnera (Agra) bring down the royal kites
of his kite masters. Intrigued, he found the secret they were potters by
profession and had coated their strings with the same blue green glass that
they used for their pots. Sawai Ram Singh II was impressed so he invited
the brothers to stay in Jaipur and teach this unique form of glazed pottery
at his new art school.

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Geographical Location of
Blue Pottery Cluster

They can be broadly
divided into three
Clusters
1• Jaipur
2• Kot Jewar
3• Neota

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CLUSTER PROFILE

Many of people of different communities are engaged
in this crafts. Muslims, Rajput, Natts, Kumhars,
Kalbelia and Regar communities are involved in the
manufacturing of blue pottery. At present about 300
people gain employment by exporting blue pottery.
Out of 200-250 artisan of these communities are
involved directly in manufacturing blue pottery. Earlier
there are around 40 to 45 unit involved in this craft.
But from the last three to five years there is decrease
in the number of people who are continuing this craft
approx more than 100 artisan In house 30 artisan.
The Production units of blue pottery are concentarted
in Jaipur and its surronding area:
• Jaipur City
• Kot jewer (Dudu Tehsil)
• Mahala
• Neota
• Muhana
• Sanganer
• Ramgarh (Amer Tehsil)
• Jamdoli
There areas can broadly divide into three main
clusters-
• Jaipur
• Kot Jewar
• Neota

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ABOUT THE CRAFT KOT JEWAR
VILLAGE

Blue pottery 18 Kot Jewar is situated about 46 kilometres from Jaipur. Kot Jewar is in Dudu
Tehsil in Jaipur District of Rajasthan. It comes under Kot Jewar Panchayath.
It belongs to Jaipur Division . It is located 43 KM towards west from District
head quarters Jaipur. From the main road vanishes about 8 kilometres
from the highway and then reaching the village just a primary school and
before the advent of Blue Pottery in the village, just a few households. The
Languages spoken are Hindi and Rajasthani.
A lot of artists and people not having a creative background joined to
learn blue pottery. Therefore, there is no specific community involved and
practicing this craft. Though, a majority of these artisans belong to Kumbhar
(potters) family, who have stopped working on red clay and involve on to
practice Blue Pottery on a large scale. There are around 200 families in Kot
Jewar practicing this craft and around 20-25 families practicing in Jaipur.
These families basically belong to Kumawat and Prajapati caste which are
supposed to practice pottery.

CLUSTER INFORMATION AND DETAIL

RAM NARAYAN VIMAL PRAJAPATI TARA CHAND TAJ
AGE: 23 years
PRASAD Address: Kot jewar, post AGE: 43
boraj, Dist. jaipur, Rajesthan.
AGE: 51 Contact no. 7737904171 Address: Kot jewar,
Experience: 18 years
Address: Kot jewar, Profession: Product making post boraj, Dist.

post boraj, Dist. jaipur, Rajesthan.

jaipur, Rajesthan. Contact no.

Contact no. Experience: 30 years

9928043992 Profession: Drawing

Experience: 40 years

Profession: Glazing &

Firing the product.

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VIJENDRA KUMAWAT NAND KISHOR MANGAl CHAND
AGE: 22 AGE: 56
Address: Kot jewar, post Address: Kot jewar, post KUMAWAT
boraj, Dist. jaipur, boraj, Dist. jaipur,
Rajesthan. Rajesthan. AGE: 48
Contact no. Contact no.
Experience: 8 years Experience: 10 years Address: Kot jewar, post
Profession: Painitng Profession: Sanding
(ghisai) boraj, Dist. jaipur,

Rajesthan.

Contact no.

Experience: 22 years

Profession: Painitng

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RAMESH PRAJAPTI SUNITA BERUA KAUSHALYA BERUA

AGE: 37 AGE: 35 AGE: 35

Address: Kot jewar, Address: Kot jewar, Address: Kot jewar,

post boraj, Dist. post boraj, Dist. post boraj, Dist.

jaipur, Rajesthan. jaipur, Rajesthan. jaipur, Rajesthan.

Contact no. Contact no. Contact no.

Experience: 25 years Experience: 10 Experience: 10 years

Profession: Painitng Profession: Painitng Profession: Painitng

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ARTISAN JAIPUR

Sanjay Prajapati is a blue pottery artisan from Jaipur. Blue pottery
was started by his grandfather in has family. Blue pottery is an
ancestral tradition for him and he has been practising the craft for
over 35years now. He has been really supportive of the intiative.

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RAW MATERIAL

While Jaipur’s Blue Pottery is practiced in the
heart of the city, the Raw materials often travel
miles to endup in the mixture.
The recipe calls for same every distict
ingredientand practise quantites. From
Kaanch (glass), Multani mitti (fuller’s earth),
Rakh (burnt wood dust), to Ferrous and oxide
color, these material are of crucial important
into craft of blue pottery.
The vibrant color of craft is what makes it so
eye- cathing and pleasing two type of color
are used in blue pottery-
1. Oxide color
2. Ferrous color

The main color used in are-

• Light blue - Copper oxide

• Dark blue - Cobalt oxide

• Green - Chrome oxide

• Bright Yellow - Candium oxide

• Brown - Obtained from ferror

color

RECIPE -
40 kg (Quatz)_ 1 kg (Katira)_ 1/2 kg (Saji)_ 1 kg (Bentonite)_ 6 kg (Glass powder)

Sprinkle a little water on all and leave overnight. Next morning, knead it like dough.

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Blue pottery 24 GROUND QUATZ STONE
The powder form and is obtained from the
nearest market. Since it is the main raw material,
it is normally bought in tones. The cost of Quatz
stone is Rs. 1200-1300 per ton.

CRUSHED GLASS
Green glass, which is normally used in making
tea glasses, is taken for making. It cost around Rs.
4 to 5 per kg. The obtained glass is first treated
before being used for the dough. The treatment
involve through washing of the glass, breaking it
into powder in the grinding machine. Fine broken
pieces of glass are now available in the market.

MULTANI MITTI ( FULLER’S EARTH)
This is available in the market in small pieces.
It costs Rs. 8- 10 per kg. Before production
multani mitti is refined.

TRAGANTH GUM (KATIRA)
This gond is type of adesive which is rarely
available in the market. It costs Rs. 80- 85 per
kg. It is available in big pieces. It is also treated
by breaking it by hand, grinding machine and
then screening it with an iron jaali.

MAIDA (FLOUR)
Maida is used for coating the products and is
also sometimes used as a substitute in place of
Multani Mitti. It also acts as an adhesive. This
can be procured from grocer’s shop for Rs.16 –
Rs.18/Kg.

SAAJI (SODA BICARBONATE/BENTONITE)
Saaji is an edible salt generally used in making
papads. It is available in the form of small pieces
and costs Rs.50 – Rs.60/Kg. It is also grounded
and made into fine powder.

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TOOLS AND MACHINE

Squarrel Brush Koochi ( Broom)

Blue pottery 26 Mould Chakki (pottery
Thappa wheel)
Kiln

Nali Terracotta kiln
plate

Pati Regmaal (sand paper)

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PROCESS

Moulding
White coating
Drawing / Art work

Glazing
Firing
Coloring

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Blue pottery 30 MOULDING

Preparation of the Dough
The dough used for molding is prepared by adding five things. The dough
consist of quartz stone powder of 40 kg which is the major item, powdered
glass of 5 kg, Katira gond powder of 1 kg and a mixture of multani 1nitti and
saaji of 1 kg. These are put on the hard floor and are thoroughly n1ixed till
the mixture becomes homoge­neous. After that, water around 20 liters is
n1ixed into it till smooth nonsticky dough gets prepared. The dough is then
kept for 8 to 10 hours.

Pressing it into molds Blue pottery 31
A sn1all amount of prepared dough is taken and then rolled by hand on
the base stone. It is then cut with a knife in equal parts ac­cording to the
item being prepared. After this the dough is flattened with the help of a
flat· tening tool till it takes the form of a 4-5 millimeter thick chapatti. The
chapatti is carefully put into the mold which is shaken lightly so that the
chapatti sets in the mold.

Blue pottery 32 After that, a mixture of fine bajri (stones) and raakh (burnt wood dust) is
put into the mold and is lightl­y pressed so that the dough takes the exact
shape of the mold. The extra dough is cut off with a knife. The mold is then
turned upside down on the base stone and removed. The dough with bajri
and raakh is left in this form for one to two days for drying.

Cleaning Blue pottery 33
The dried dough is now in the shape of the mold. It is again turned upside down and the raakh
and bajri mix is removed from it. During the process of drying, some raakh sticks to the vessel. It is
cleaned with the help of a small broom made locally from husk.
Shaping Process
Once the vessel is ready, it is rubbed lightly by hand on the base stone to make its edges even.
After doing this, the vessel becomes evenly shaped.

Blue pottery 34 Adding Base
Except for tiles and wall hangings, most of the vessels are prepared in two
or more parts. After the vessel is ready, a base is added below the vessel.
In rounded vessels, it is done by putting it on the potter’s wheel. The wheel
is set in motion and the vessel is fixed at the center of the wheel. A little
amount of dough is taken and with a touch of wa­ter, the base of the vessel
is added. It is again left for drying for one to two days.

Coated Without Coating

Coated

White Coating with Mixture Blue pottery 35
After this process a solution of quartz powder of 10 kg, powdered glass of 3 kg, edible flour (maida)
and water is made. The vessel is dipped in this solution and taken out in such a way that it is evenly
coated. It is then left for drying.
Smoothening Process
The vessel is now ready in form. It is rubbed with regmaal to smoothen the surface. The process is
repeated two to three times till the vessel becomes absolutely even. It is then left for drying. After
it dries, it is again rubbed with sand paper.

Blue pottery 36 DRAWING
A design is made on the dried, coated ves­sel with a solution of cobalt oxide
and edible gum. The initial rings on the vessel (if circular) are made by
keeping it on the potter’s wheel and touching the brush tip on the vessel.
The later intricate design is then 1nade by brush­es of varying thicknesses.
The patterns are drawn on pricing paper and small holes are made on the
lines of the drawing. Then the tracing paper is kept on the product and
usi­ng the charcoal powder it is traced on to the product. thus the patters
remain the same and can be used multiple ti1nes on the same product for
a consistent drawing of patterns. Squirrel Hair is used as brush for drawing
the outlines with cobalt oxide of the drawing.

Coloring Blue pottery 37
Once the design of the vessel is complete, the coloring is done by using oxides of var­ious metals.
These oxides are mixed with edible gum and then ground on the stone. The color is carefully
filled with a brush. The vessel is left for drying. First background is painted then the inside part of
patterns are painted.

Blue pottery 38 Glazing
After this, a coating of glaze is done on the vessel. The mixture of glaze
is prepared by mixing the following things in their respec­tive proportions:
Powdered glass of 21 kg, Borex or suhaaga of 17.5 kg, zinc oxide 1.5 kg,
potassium nitrate 2.5 kg and Boric acid of 7.5 kg. This mixture is heated
in the kiln till it melts. On cooling, the mixture trans­forn1s into the form
of small pebbles. It is then ground to a powdered form in the grinding
machine. The mixture is mixed with water and maida {for an adhesive). The
solution is then coated on to the ves­sel.

Firing Blue pottery 39
Finally, the prepared vessels are heated in the closed kiln fuelled with
charcoal for four to five hours at the temperature of 600 to 700 degrees
Celsius. Most of the material melts, but 80 per cent of the quartz is left, and
this maintains the form of the vessel. The kiln is left to cool for three days,
avoiding any rapid ten1perature change which cracks very easily. Care is
taken that no two vessels touch each other as they may turn black.

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PRODUCT

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Bottle (Surahi type) with narrow
mouth

Beads Bowls of various type Candle stands of various form

Trays Hukkah

Trinket Box Container with lids Various Bangle Holder Boxes
Pen Holder animal shapes
Tumbler
Ashtrays of various type

PRODUCT Clock

Jug

Beer Mug Coasters

Napkin ring Flower vases Incense stick holder
Paper wait

Assorted type of tiles

MirrorBlue pottery 42 Small sculture
Pin Plate Soap Dish Wall Hangings Bathroom Sets

Container
Ash tray

Lid container plate Blue pottery 43
Small vase

Bowl

Handwash bottle

Bottle

Square container pen stand

small pot

Blue pottery 44 Lamp
box

plate Bowl Blue pottery 45
Lid container Diya

Mug Insance stick holder
Pepper / salt Mirror

Blue pottery 46 Huks
Jug

Planter Shank

Insance stick holder

Bottle

Insance holder Frige magnet Blue pottery 47

Insance holder

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DESIGN BRIEF

1. To design Hanging lamp to create Ambience to the space in
Caffeteria for Higher - Middle income group.

WHAT WHOM WHY

Hanging lamp middle income group Untouchable, useable, decorative
purpose Create ambience enviroment

2. To design Wall decor to create Pleasure to the space at
Home for Higher-Middle income group.
WHAT WHOM WHY

Wall decor middle income group Untouchable, useable, decorative purpose
Create ambience enviroment

3. To design Bed side lamp to create Ambience to the space at
Bedroom for Higher - Middle income group.
WHAT WHOM WHY

Side lamp middle income group less touchable, decorative item

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WALL DECOR

SIDE LAMP
HANGING LAMP

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