Dunmer pottery wheel & Redoran kiln [wip]

[ZDawg]

This thread was split from ZDawg's Dunmer Lore thread. /Rw 2009-03-21

If it isn't too much to ask, every potter needs a kiln. A kiln is basically a small-ish brick structure that you use to do what is called firing ceramic wares so that they can stay solid without cracking, etc. This is also how you get the glaze to show its true color, and make things like cups and bowls water-proof. There are many types of kilns, but my favorite are brick. However, I'm sure the Dunmer would use the same material they make the Redoran style homes out of to construct their kilns.

Anyways, here are a few images of kilns if you decide to make one.

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by ZDawg
If it isn't too much to ask, every potter needs a kiln. A kiln is basically a small-ish brick structure that you use to do what is called firing ceramic wares so that they can stay solid without cracking, etc. This is also how you get the glaze to show its true color, and make things like cups and bowls water-proof. There are many types of kilns, but my favorite are brick. However, I'm sure the Dunmer would use the same material they make the Redoran style homes out of to construct their kilns.

Anyways, here are a few images of kilns if you decide to make one.

We have a similar model. I don't recall what the CS entry is named, but the model is meshes\ST\Furniture\Dunmer\Forge.nif and in the static list. Perhaps you could sort the list after model paths and scroll down until you find it, and then see if it would work for the purpose you had intended.

[ZDawg]

Yeah I saw that already. It will work for my purpose, but it isn't accurate. There's no way something like that could be fired hot enough, not to mention there is no way to control the intensity of the flame/heat. It vaguely resembles a kiln, and many people won't notice the difference.

It's just me being picky. I am a potter (not a good one, but enjoy it very much) so I am concerned with these things. :lol:

I can use the forge though, not a problem.

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by ZDawg
Yeah I saw that already. It will work for my purpose, but it isn't accurate. There's no way something like that could be fired hot enough, not to mention there is no way to control the intensity of the flame/heat. It vaguely resembles a kiln, and many people won't notice the difference.

It's just me being picky. I am a potter (not a good one, but enjoy it very much) so I am concerned with these things. :lol:

I can use the forge though, not a problem.

Sure, I'll have a go at it.

True, but your character could educate players on the subject He could knock on the primitive forges other Dunmer use, hehe. (Nah, just kidding.) I don't know for sure but I think yours will be the first NPC who works as a potter, so the kiln I would make would likely be unique to your interior.

But first you'll have to educate me a bit because the only thing I can gather from the screenshots you supplied is that it'll be a concrete-like structure with a hole in it. The different kilns in the shots seem very different from one another too, not just in style but in how they work too. What details do you think I should focus on, and how would I visualize them in my head?

[ZDawg]

The first thing to realise is that a kiln should not be used in a home, especially not one as closed as a redoran one. Kilns are pretty large for one, but secondly they are VERY hot, and many put off a good deal of smoke.

The basic definition of a kiln is an insulated box used to heat different materials. Ceramic kilns, or kilns used to fire pottery and other ceramic wares, come in various different types which are seperated in the broadest sense by if they are electric or not.

Obviously we will be dealing with the NON electric type.

I have attached a VERY basic schematic for an old Roman-style kiln. It has labels that I will go over.

A. This is a hole (of sorts) that the potter can walk into and shove fuel, or wood, into part B, or the fuel chamber. The purpose of the hole is to prevent the fire from the fuel chamber catching grass, etc on fire.

B. This is the fuel chamber, or the place where the potter puts his fuel aka wood for burning. This is typically on the front of the kiln, but can be placed anywhere as long as it is UNDER the kiln's main chamber, shown by C. The more wood, the hotter the fire!

C. This is where the magic happens. This is the kiln's main chamber. The chamber has a door which would be situated anywhere that isn't too close to the fuel chamber, only for the potter's safety. The door will be made out of stone or even clay and mud, or basically anything that won't burn or absorb too much heat. Inside the chamber the ceramic wares sit on (in this model) a clay pipe grid (a series of clay pipes lined up with la little space in between, much like a grill), but this design can really be anything that can hold and balance the ceramic wares while allowing a good amount of heat to be sucked into the chamber from the fuel chamber below.

Also, as you can see in the diagram, there is a chimney. This is obviously for releasing heat. After the kiln reaches a certain temperature (which is monitered by how long the fire has been burning) this chimney is closed off via a chimney-hatch that you slide over the mouth of the chimney. After your firing, which usually lasts quite some time) you put out the fire, allow the kiln to cool, and open the chimney hatch/door when it is cooled down.

I also rather like the design of this kiln, and have attached images (one that I have used before) of similar designs that I like, and also vaguely resemble what I would imagine a Dunmer kiln to look like.

So, there you have it! A (very) basic walkthrough of what kilns are all about! If you want some more (semi-basic) information, head on over to this site: http://www.pottery-magic.com/pottery/too...n_kiln.htm

There's also a picture of an example door. Note the arched-shape of the door. This is for accesibility and to allow the potter some room for taller works. Other kilns may be flat, or not have quite as big a door or chamber depending on what they are used for.

Also not the similar dome or bottle shapes of the different kilns I chose. You can see similar designs in DUnmer architecture, in particular the Redoran style buildings, so I think that design is pretty fitting.

EDIT: Corrected part A and B. Sorry about that, just noticed my errors.

Also, is there by chance a model for clay yet? I swear I saw it in the CS (maybe just in clay dishes and such... ?( ) Just wondering. That one I wont even ask you to make, as it would be largely pointless, and really just a waste of time. :lol:

[bob196045]

Another side note

The Redoran Hearth is a sort of Kiln known as the "Top Hat" Kiln
You'll find several potters in Morrowind within House Redoran they all use the Hearth

Enjoy
Bob

[Razorwing]

Great!

I'll tie up a few loose ends regarding the new BSA, then I'll make the potter wheel, and after that I'll do the kiln. Please don't let it hold up your development though, as long as there's a blank spot left in the home to put the future potter wheel then it's easy to add it after you've finished the rest of that interior.

I assume the Kiln will be placed in the exterior world? It's important to know beforehand because it decides how detailed the model can be. I'd have to assume it would be an exterior model, lest the home becomes an imagined death trap from the fumes.

I don't believe we have a clay model, but we have plenty of pottery.

[ZDawg]

Yep. I will continue to develop my home. It isn't a problem how long you take to create the wheel/kiln, due to the fact that I still have one more house to make the interior for, a quest to make, and a lot to test out and learn more about.

And yes, the kils should be outside. If the smoke didn't kill them, the heat would. :lol:

I'll check out the Redoran Hearth as well.

Thanks a ton Razorwing! I will love you forever. :worship:

[Razorwing]

Ok, sounds good

To answer the question you posed -here-, yup I want to make both the pottery wheel and kiln. I see the former as a good challenge to get back into animating, which I did a bit of last fall but didn't get to grips with fully.

[ZDawg]

Awesome, can't wait to see what you come up with!!

If you need some more pics, just let me know.