Places to see handmade pottery in the wild

Please take the opportunity to visit the Artisan's Guild Gallery. Several local potters exhibit their work there, including some ACC teachers. The Artisans Guild Gallery is located in Millhopper Square Shopping Center, between Leonardo's and Alternatives.

Here are two places online where you can see what other potters are making:

Etsy is a website where hobbyists and professionals alike can offer work for sale online. There's very wide range of quality, styles and prices for pots here. Also some jewelry and non-functional items.

Akar features higher-end work by well-respected ceramic artists and potters.

Simon Leach and his brother John both have online sales galleries (Simon is in Spain, John is in the UK):

Simon Leach Ceramics

John Leach's Muchelney Pottery

Cheers,
Jay

P.S. I'll have some work on sale/display this Saturday at a friend's open studio event. Hopefully I'll be able to post some new work soon on my Etsy store and on my Flickr site.

Resources for further study

I hope you enjoyed our (very) brief introduction to making pots on the potters wheel, and that you'll consider continuing your study and practice:

Get an ACC membership
After learning the basics of throwing, all you really need is some practice. A semester membership to the Arts and Crafts Center at the Reitz Union is $75 for students and their partners, or $100 for the general public. There's a great community of members who are more than willing to share tips and techniques.

Take another class
I'll be offering a 7-week beginning throwing class next semester that's similar to the one you've just completed. Returning students can use the class as a refresher or to work on larger, taller, and more complex pots.

I definitely encourage you to take a class with another teacher- you'll gain an entirely new perspective on making pots.

Registration for Spring leisure courses begins in early January.

Paint your own
Paint-your own at Reitz Union Arts and Crafts Center (There is no membership or hourly fee required to paint the pre-formed bisque pieces. The pottery pieces are priced to include glazes that you can paint on the pots and the firing of the pieces.)

Do-Art is a local privately-owned studio that also offers paint-your own pottery ($9 studio fee for adults; http://www.doart.com)

Books, magazines and videos
Most of these are available either at the Architecture and Fine Arts Library () or at the Headquarters branch of the Alachua County Library System in downtown Gainesville ()

Ceramics Monthly 


Monthly magazine about ceramic art and pottery.


Studio Potter



Studio Potter is a not-for-profit journal exploring the aesthetics and philosohpy of making pottery by hand. Each issue focuses on a particualr issue. Published twice a year.


Thrown Pottery Techniques Revealed: The Secrets of Perfect Throwing Shown in Unique Cutaway Photography by Mary Chappelhow

"This comprehensive guide takes the mystery out of throwing clay by revealing in step-by-step demonstrations precisely what is happening at each point in the throwing process. With clear photography, instructive text and unique cutaway photographs, potters will easily learn throwing techniques and how to make beautiful objects."

Pottery Form by Daniel Rhodes

"This well-illustrated book by a professional potter and teacher offers practical information about the processes of pottery making as well as insights into the meaning, history, and spirit of pottery forms. 177 striking photographs reveal the craft's subtleties and mysterious beauty."

Cheers,
Jay

Kathy King demonstrates scrafitto using underglaze

Here's a video of artist Kathy King demonstrating the scrafitto technique using underglaze instead of slip (this is the exact same underglaze we have in the ACC studio):

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/pottery-making-techniques/ceramic-decorating-techniques/a-good-scratch-kathy-king-gives-helpful-tips-for-using-sgraffito-in-your-work/

Cheers,
Jay

Pottery class week 8 practice

Hi,

For practice this week, make 8 of any of the shapes we've covered so far, and keep 2 of them.

The ACC studio is closed next Thursday for Veteran's Day, so no class next week (Thursday Nov. 11).

Cheers,
-Jay

Throwing teabowls "off the hump" with master potter Jerry Horning

Video: Master potter Jerry Horning throws teabowls "off the hump"

Throwing off the hump is a way to make lots of smaller pots quickly from a single piece of clay. Pots made this way will need to be trimmed later.

The first thing Mr. Horning does is center a huge lump of clay; notice how he braces his arms while he does this. Also watch how he centers the very top of the clay just before he makes each teabowl.

-Jay

Pottery class week 7: pitchers

For your 2-hour practice this week, please throw 8 pitchers and keep 2. You can make either the 1-pound pitcher or the 2-pound pitcher.

SIMON LEACH - Jarras pequeñas(sm pitchers)
Simon Leach throws a pitcher very similar to ours- in Spanish! ¡Hasta la proxima video clip!

Next week will be a catch-up week; I'll be repeating demos upon request.

-Jay

Making pots week 6: plates

Hi folks,

For your 2-hour practice this week, please throw 8 plates and keep 2. Plate dimensions are as follows:

• salad plate:
• 1 1/2 pounds of clay;
• bottom is 3/8 inch thick at center, thinner at the edges;
• 6 1/4 inches diameter inside bottom.

• dinner plate:
• 2 1/2 pounds of clay;
• bottom is 3/8" thick at center, thinner at the edges;
• 8 1/4 inches inside diameter bottom.

Here is a set of videos by potter Emily Brown, Little e Pottery in Austin tx (http://www.littleepottery.com/)

Part 1
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Plates & Platters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgg-qwOXt5w

Part 2
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Plates & Platters Clay Prep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RvULYq-5DU

Part 3
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Plate Clay Centering
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbIVJmfI9So

Part 4
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Plate Throwing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNQT_RMF7zg

Part 5
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Platter Throwing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daimyu40cbo

Part 6
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Platter Rim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-35UdyFHUM

Part 7
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Plate & Platter Foot Prep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLnD70_yvhU

Part 8
Making Ceramic Plates & Platters : Ceramic Plate & Platter Foot Trim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lUP0wjuNTQ

Next week, we'll look at making pitchers.

Cheers!
-Jay

Making pots week 5: bud vases

For your 2-hour practice this week, please throw 8 bud vases. Keep the best 2 for glazing and firing.

You'll need 1/2-pound of clay for each bud vase, so wedge and knead a 4 pound piece of clay, then cut it into 8 equal pieces.

SIMON LEACH - throwing a small bud vase
Simon's bud vases are a bit larger than 1/2 pound.

Underglazes are a great way to get a bit more color in your pieces. There are jars of underglaze in the cabinets above the sink in the glaze room. These underglazes are for brushing only, not spraying. You can brush them on leatherhard clay like slip and carve through them, but they're usually brushed over bisque pots and then dipped in clear glaze. Unlike the glazes, the underglaze colors do not usually change much when fired, they just get a bit darker. We'll cover underglazes a bit more next class.

Next week [drumroll].... plates!

Cheers,
Jay

Making pots week 4: Handles

http://www.flickr.com/photos/divemasterking2000/ / CC BY 2.0

For your 2-hour practice this week, pull 8 handles for practice, then add handles to 2 mugs from last week. If you don't have mugs yet, please throw 8 mugs and keep 2.

If you like, you can try pulling your handles directly from the pot (the way Simon Leach does it), or you can pull them separately and attach them later the way I demonstrated in class.

SIMON LEACH - handling of the mugs
Video of Simon Leach pulling handles for mugs

Next week, we'll take a look at our 3rd shape, bud vases.

Cheers!

Making pottery week 3: Mugs and glazing

For your 2-hour pottery practice this week:

• practice making mugs on the wheel (throw 8, keep 2) (keep wet so you can make handles next week)
• finish leatherhard pots from last week and put on "ready to bisque" cart
• glaze any bisque pots and put in kiln room for glaze firing

Simon leach throws mugs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7v_s7kL-Jg

Notes on glazing.pdf

Step-by-step instructions on how to glaze your pot. You can print this out and bring it with you to the studio. (Adobe PDF format)

Next week, we'll look at how to make handles for your mugs.

See you next Thursday!

-Jay

Potter Guy Wolff centers 50 pounds of clay

Potter Guy Wolff centers 50 pounds of clay on the wheel. Note that he uses bsically the same method we do:

Video: CENTERING 50 POUNDS


-Jay

Pottery class- Week 2 practice (bowls)

Hi folks,

For your two-hour practice session this week, throw at least eight bowls and keep 2:

• Wedge your clay
• Weigh out 4 pounds of wedged clay, and knead it;
• Divide the kneaded ball of clay into 4 equal-size pieces;
• Throw 1-pound piece one into a bowl;
• When you've thrown all 4 pieces, decide which one to keep and set it aside;
• Wedge the pieces ones back up with the rest of your clay;
• repeat one more time.

Tips: Drying and finishing your pots

• cut the piece off as soon as the water has dried from the surface of the bat
• Let piece stiffen on the bat
• As soon as the piece is stiff enough to handle without distortion, flip it over so the bottom can dry
• Dry slowly; wrap in plastic to keep moist (newspaper square top and bottom)
• Remember to label your piece with your name and the date while it's on the shelf
  
• When piece is leatherhard (about the hardness of cheddar cheese)
• Clean up the bottom edge with a metal rib
• Roll the bottom edge on a smooth surface
• Write your name and the date on the bottom
  
• Clean up rough spots with a metal rib and a damp sponge
• Put the piece on the "to bisque" shelf for bisque firing

The leatherhard stage is also the best time to apply slip decoration:

Simon leach slip decoration video

Next class we'll talk about:

• glazing and decorating
• mugs
• softening clay
• reclaiming clay

Cheers!
Jay

Pottery class- Week 1 practice

Hi folks,

For your 2 hours of practice time this week, please attempt to center 8 1-pound balls of clay by next class:

• Wedge all of your clay (6 lbs)
• Weight out 4 lbs of wedged clay and knead it;
• Divide kneaded clay into into 4 1-lb balls;
• Center each ball of clay; try to spend no more than 10 minutes per piece. You may try to shape it into a bowl if you like;
• When you've centered all 4 pieces of clay, wedge them back up with the rest of your clay and repeat this whole process 1 more time

If a piece collapses on the wheel, cut it off and start again with a fresh ball of clay; don't try to rework the collapsed piece.

Please refer to the last blog post for notes and videos on wedging, kneading, and centering.

If you kept a piece you made during class, unwrap it during your practice time so it has a chance to dry a bit. Remember to wrap it back up, label it with your name, and put it back on the shelf before you leave.

Next class, we'll look at the rest of the throwing process, and how to finish a bowl.

Cheers!
Jay

Bring a towel to first pottery class tonight ( 5 PM Thursday, Sep. 16 )

Hi Folks,

Here's what we'll be doing for the first pottery class tonight (Sep. 16 at 5pm):

• Waivers and name tags
• What we'll be making: Bowls, mugs and bud vases
• Get clay and rent a locker
• Wedging and kneading demo and practice
• Centering demo and practice
• Practice session sign-up

Also, if you can, please bring a small towel with you to class.

Here are some resources that might help get you going. Please take a look before class if you get a chance:

Wedging your clay

Step-by-step instructions with photos of potter Michael Wendt wedging clay using the stack-and-slam method. (Wedging mixes the clay to eliminate lumps and unevenness)

Two ways to knead your clay

Video of potter Dorian Beaulieu kneading clay using two different methods. (Kneading eliminates air pockets in the clay).


Tips on centering
Video of English potter Simon Leach on how to center your clay

demo notes: wedging
Step-by-step notes on how to wedge and knead your clay (Adobe PDF).

Here's a video of potter Simon Leach making a bowl from beginning to end:
SIMON LEACH - Close up - GP bowl !!

See you tonight!
Jay

Registration for Reitz Union leisure courses opens Monday, August 23 at 10 AM

Hi,

If you enjoyed our pottery class this summer, I hope you'll consider enrolling in one of the classes we'll be offering at the Arts & Crafts Center studios this Fall. I'll be teaching  Making Pottery on the Potter's Wheel, which is designed for both beginners as well as those with some experience. Experienced students will work on bigger, taller, and more complex shapes like serving bowls, pitchers, and lidded pots.


Registration opens Monday, August 23 at 10 AM.

Hope to see you there!

-Jay

Places to see handmade pottery in the wild

Please take the opportunity to visit the Artisan's Guild Gallery. Several local potters exhibit their work there, including some ACC teachers. The Artisans Guild Gallery is located in Millhopper Square Shopping Center, between Leonardo's and Alternatives.

Here are two places online where you can see what other potters are making:

Etsy is a website where hobbyists and professionals alike can offer work for sale online. There's very wide range of quality, styles and prices for pots here. Also some jewelry and non-functional items.

Akar features higher-end work by well-respected ceramic artists and potters.

Simon Leach and his brother John both have online sales galleries (Simon is in Spain, John is in the UK):

Simon Leach Ceramics

John Leach's Muchelney Pottery

Cheers,
Jay

P.S. I'll have some new work up soon on my Etsy store and on my Flickr site

Resources for further study

I hope you enjoyed our (very) brief introduction to making pots on the potters wheel, and that you'll consider continuing your study and practice:

Take another class
Next semester, I'll be offering a 10-week "Making Pots on the Potters Wheel" course for both new and returning pottery students. Returning students can use the class as a refresher or work on larger, taller, & more complex pots (pitchers, bowl sets, plates, etc.)

I definitely encourage you to take a class with another teacher- you'll gain an entirely new perspective on making pots.

Registration for Fall leisure courses begins August 23.

Paint your own Paint-your own at Reitz Union Arts & Crafts Center (There is no membership or hourly fee required to paint the pre-formed bisque pieces. The pottery pieces are priced to include glazes that you can paint on the pots and the firing of the pieces.)

Do-Art is a local privately-owned studio that also offers paint-your own pottery ($9 studio fee for adults; http://www.doart.com)

Books, magazines & videos: Most of these are available either at the Architecture & Fine Arts Library (www.uflib.ufl.edu/afa/) or at the Headquarters branch of the Alachua County Library System in downtown Gainesville (http://acld.lib.fl.us/)

Ceramics Monthly http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramics-monthly/
Monthly magazine about ceramic art and pottery.


Studio Potter http://www.studiopotter.org/
Quarterly not-for profit journal exploring the aesthetics and philosohpy of making pottery by hand. Each issue focuses on a particualr issue. Next issue (Jan 2010) is about money.


Thrown Pottery Techniques Revealed: The Secrets of Perfect Throwing Shown in Unique Cutaway Photography by Mary Chappelhow
http://www.amazon.com/Thrown-Pottery-Techniques-Revealed-Photography/dp/087349346X
"This comprehensive guide takes the mystery out of throwing clay by revealing in step-by-step demonstrations precisely what is happening at each point in the throwing process. With clear photography, instructive text and unique cutaway photographs, potters will easily learn throwing techniques and how to make beautiful objects."

Pottery Form by Daniel Rhodes
http://www.amazon.com/Pottery-Form-Daniel-Rhodes/dp/048643513X
"This well-illustrated book by a professional potter and teacher offers practical information about the processes of pottery making as well as insights into the meaning, history, and spirit of pottery forms. 177 striking photographs reveal the craft's subtleties and mysterious beauty."

Cheers,
Jay

Ceramics Start to Finish week 4: bud vases

For your 2-hour practice this week, throw 8 of whatever shape you're working on. Keep the best 2 for glazing & firing.

If you're working on bud vases, you'll need 1/2-pound of clay for each vase, so wedge & knead a 4 pound piece of clay, then cut it into 8 equal pieces.

SIMON LEACH - throwing a small bud vase

Next week (our last class), we'll take a quick look at teapots. This will be your last chance to get hands-on assistance from me, so please think hard about what you'd like to get help with.

Next Friday (August 6, 2010) is the last day of the semester; the ACC studios will be closed for the following 2 weeks (August 7-15), so please have your wet work done by then. According to Mary Ann, you can come in after the studios reopen on Monday, August 16 to glaze or pick up finished work.

Cheers,
Jay

Ceramics: Start to Finish- notes on glazing

Below is a PDF document with some notes on glazing your pots. Remember to wax the bottom!:

Notes on glazing

-Jay

Ceramics: Start to finish week 3 (mugs & handles)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/divemasterking2000/ / CC BY 2.0

For your 2-hour practice this week, pull 8 handles for practice, then add handles to 2 mugs from last week. If you don't have mugs yet, please throw 8 mugs and keep 2.

If you like, you can try pulling your handles directly from the pot (the way Simon Leach does it), or you can pull them separately and attach them later the way I demonstrated in class.

SIMON LEACH - handling of the mugs
Video of Simon Leach pulling handles for mugs

SIMON LEACH- Weighing up & throwing mugs
Simon Leach throws mugs


Next week, we'll review handles and also take a look at our 3rd shape, bud vases.

Cheers!

Ceramics Start to Finish, week 2: throwing & finishing bowls

Hi folks,

For your two-hour practice session this week, make at least eight pots (mugs or bowls). Keep the best two and recycle the others.

Tips: Drying and finishing your pots

• cut the piece off as soon as the water has dried from the surface of the bat
• Let piece stiffen on the bat
• As soon as the piece is stiff enough to handle without distortion, flip it over so the bottom can dry
• Dry slowly; wrap in plastic to keep moist (newspaper square top and bottom)
• Remember to label your piece with your name and the date while it's on the shelf
  
• When piece is leatherhard (about the hardness of cheddar cheese)
• Clean up the bottom edge with a metal rib
• Roll the bottom edge on a smooth surface
• Write your name and the date on the bottom
  
• Put the piece back on the class shelf (unwrapped) until it is bone dry
  
• When piece is bone dry:
• clean up rough spots with a metal rib or fettling knife and a damp sponge
• put the piece on the "to bisque" shelf for bisque firing
  

Next class we'll talk about:

• glazing and decorating
• softening clay
• reclaiming clay 
• handles for mugs

Cheers,
Jay

Ceramics Start to Finish- Week 1 practice

Hi folks,

For your 2 hours of practice time this week, please attempt to center 8 1-pound balls of clay by next class:

• Wedge all of your clay
• Weight out 4 lbs of wedged clay & knead it;
• Divide kneaded clay into into 4 1-lb balls;
• Center each ball of clay; spend no more than 10 minutes per piece. You may try to shape it into a bowl if you like;
• When you've centered all 4 pieces of clay, wedge them back up with the rest of your clay and repeat this whole process 1 more time

If a piece collapses on the wheel, cut it off and start again with a fresh ball of clay; don't try to rework the collapsed piece.

Please refer to the last blog post for notes and videos on wedging, kneading, & centering.

If you kept a piece you made during class, unwrap it during your practice time so it has a chance to dry a bit. Remember to wrap it back up, label it with your name, and put it back on the shelf before you leave.

Next class, we'll look at the rest of the throwing process, and how to finish a bowl.

Cheers!
Jay

Ceramics: Start to Finish - first class (5 PM Thursday, July 8)

Hi Folks,

Here's what we'll be doing for the first Ceramics Start to Finish class:

• Waivers & name tags
• What we'll be making: Bowls, mugs & bud vases
• Get clay & rent a locker
• Wedging & kneading demo & practice
• Centering demo & practice
• Practice session sign-up

Also, if you can, please bring a small towel with you to class.

Here are some resources that might help get you going. Please take a look before class if you get a chance:

A closer look at kneading
Video of English potter Simon Leach on how to knead your clay using the spiral method. This is a bit different from the method we practiced in class, but the general principle is the same.

Wot kneading again!
Video of English potter Simon Leach kneading from a different angle.

Tips on centering
Video of English potter Simon Leach on how to center your clay

demo notes: wedging
Step-by-step notes on how to wedge and knead your clay (Adobe PDF).

Here's a video of Simon Leach making a bowl from beginning to end:
SIMON LEACH - Close up - GP bowl !!

See you Thursday evening!
Jay

Throwing teabowls "off the hump" with master potter Jerry Horning

Video: Master potter Jerry Horning throws teabowls "off the hump"

Throwing off the hump is a way to make lots of smaller pots quickly from a single piece of clay. Pots made this way will need to be trimmed later.

The first thing Mr. Horning does is center a huge lump of clay; notice how he braces his arms while he does this. Also watch how he centers the very top of the clay just before he makes each teabowl.

-Jay

Places to see handmade pottery in the wild

Before you leave town this summer, please take the opportunity to visit the Artisan's Guild Gallery. Several local potters exhibit their work there, including some ACC teachers. The Artisans Guild Gallery is located in Millhopper Square Shopping Center, between Leonardo's and Alternatives.

Here are two places online where you can see what other potters are making:

Etsy is a website where hobbyists and professionals alike can offer work for sale online. There's very wide range of quality, styles and prices for pots here. Also some jewelry and non-functional items.

Akar features higher-end work by well-respected ceramic artists and potters.

Simon Leach and his brother John both have online sales galleries (Simon is in Spain, John is in the UK):

Simon Leach Ceramics

John Leach's Muchelney Pottery

Cheers,
Jay

P.S. you can see my work on my Etsy store and on my Flickr site

Resources for further study

Beginning Throwing class went by fast didn't it? We've only scratched the surface of what could easily take many lifetimes to study. Here are some more resources to keep you moving forward:

Options for working on pots after this course ends:

Work on your own
Remember your course fee includes a membership to the Arts & Crafts Center that's valid through the end of the semester. Remember the ACC will be closed during Spring Break.

Take another class
Next semester, I plan on offering a 5-week "Beginners and Beyond" course for both new and returning pottery students.

I definitely encourage you to take a class with another teacher- you'll gain an entirely new perspective on making pots.

No official word on when registration for Summer leisure courses begins, but I'll send out an email when I find out.

UF Students can take also take ceramics for nonmajors for credit (ART 2930)

Paint your own Paint-your own at Reitz Union Arts & Crafts Center (There is no membership or hourly fee required to paint the pre-formed bisque pieces. The pottery pieces are priced to include glazes that you can paint on the pots and the firing of the pieces.)

& Do-Art ($9 studio fee for adults; http://www.doart.com)

Books, magazines & videos: Most of these are available either at the Architecture & Fine Arts Library (www.uflib.ufl.edu/afa/) or at the Headquarters branch of the Alachua County Library System in downtown Gainesville (http://acld.lib.fl.us/)

Ceramics Monthly http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramics-monthly/
Monthly magazine about ceramic art & pottery.

Studio Potter http://www.studiopotter.org/
Quarterly not-for profit journal exploring aesthetics & philosohpy of making pottery by hand. Each issue focuses on a particualr issue. Next issue (Jan 2010) is about money.

Thrown Pottery Techniques Revealed: The Secrets of Perfect Throwing Shown in Unique Cutaway Photography by Mary Chappelhow
http://www.amazon.com/Thrown-Pottery-Techniques-Revealed-Photography/dp/087349346X
"This comprehensive guide takes the mystery out of throwing clay by revealing in step-by-step demonstrations precisely what is happening at each point in the throwing process. With clear photography, instructive text and unique cutaway photographs, potters will easily learn throwing techniques and how to make beautiful objects."

Pottery Form by Daniel Rhodes
http://www.amazon.com/Pottery-Form-Daniel-Rhodes/dp/048643513X
"This well-illustrated book by a professional potter and teacher offers practical information about the processes of pottery making as well as insights into the meaning, history, and spirit of pottery forms. 177 striking photographs reveal the craft's subtleties and mysterious beauty."

Cheers,
Jay

Beginning Wheelthrowing Week 6: bud vases practice

For your 2-hour practice this week, please throw 8 bud vases. Keep the best 2 for glazing & firing.

You'll need 1/2-pound of clay for each bud vase, so wedge & knead a 4 pound piece of clay, then cut it into 8 equal pieces.

SIMON LEACH - throwing a small bud vase

Next week is our last class. This will be your last chance to get hands-on assistance from me, so please think hard about what you'd like to get help with.

Cheers,
Jay

Beginning Wheelthrowing Week 5: Handles

http://www.flickr.com/photos/divemasterking2000/ / CC BY 2.0

For your 2-hour practice this week, pull 8 handles for practice, then add handles to 2 mugs from last week. If you don't have mugs yet, please throw 8 mugs and keep 2.

If you like, you can try pulling your handles directly from the pot (the way Simon Leach does it), or you can pull them separately and attach them later the way I demonstrated in class.

SIMON LEACH - handling of the mugs
Video of Simon Leach pulling handles for mugs

Next week, we'll review handles and also take a look at our 3rd shape, bud vases.

Cheers!

Beginning Throwing week 4: Mugs

Simon leach throws mugs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7v_s7kL-Jg

For your 2-hour practice this week, throw 8 mug bodies and keep the best 2.

Next week, we'll look at how to make handles for your mugs.

See you next Thursday!

-Jay

Kites & Clouds show in Reitz Union Gallery

Stop by to see the show in the Reitz Union Gallery before or after Beginning Throwing class this Thursday. The opening reception starts at 7pm. My experience is that food runs out in the first 20 minutes, so be early!:

Kites and Clouds

UF Ceramics seniors Hannah Pate and Ashley Neukamm

Reitz Union Gallery

Feb 8-19^th

Opening Reception

Thursday, Feb. 11

7-9 pm

Beginning Wheelthrowing week 3: glazing

No videos this week, but below is a PDF document with some notes on glazing your pots. Remember to wax the bottom!:
Notes on glazing


During 2-hour practice this week:

• Finish leatherhard bowls from last week & put on shelf to dry
• Finish bone-dry bowls & put on "ready to bisque" cart
• Glaze any bisque pots & put in kiln room for glaze firing
• If you have time, practice making bowls on the wheel (throw 8 1-pound pieces of clay, keep 2)

Next class, we'll look at making mugs on the potters wheel.

See you Thursday!

-Jay

Beginning wheelthrowing practice times

FYI,

You're welcome to come in and use the ceramics studios at the Retiz Union Arts and Crafts Center any time the ACC studio's open and there's no class in session.

-Jay

Beginning Throwing, week 2: throwing & finishing bowls

Hi folks,

For your two-hour practice session this week, make at least four bowls. Keep the best bowl, and recycle the others.

Tip: Drying and finishing your pots

• Let piece stiffen on the bat (or use hair dryer)
• As soon as the piece is stiff enough to handle without distortion, flip it over so the bottom can dry
• Dry slowly; wrap in plastic to keep moist (newspaper square top and bottom)
• Remember to label your piece with your name and the date while it's on the shelf
  
• When piece is leatherhard (about the hardness of cheddar cheese):
• Tap the bottom so it bulges inward slightly
• Roll the bottom edge
• Write your name and the date on the bottom
  
• Put the piece back on the class shelf (unwrapped) until it is bone dry
  
• When piece is bone dry:
• clean up rough spots with a metal rib or fettling knife and a damp sponge
• put the piece on the "to bisque" shelf for bisque firing
  

Next class we'll talk about:

• glazing and decorating
• softening clay
• reclaiming clay

Cheers,
Jay

Beginning Throwing Week 1 practice

Hi folks,

For your 2 hours of practice time this week, please attempt to center 8 1-pound balls of clay by next class:

• Wedge all of your clay
• Weight out 4 lbs of wedged clay & knead it;
• Divide kneaded clay into into 4 1-lb balls;
• Center each ball of clay; spend no more than 10 minutes per piece. You may try to shape it into a bowl if you like;
• When you've centered all 4 pieces of clay, wedge them back up with the rest of your clay and repeat this whole process 1 more time

If a piece collapses on the wheel, cut it off and start again with a fresh ball of clay; don't try to rework the collapsed piece.

Please refer to the last blog post for notes and videos on wedging, kneading, & centering.

If you kept a piece you made during class, unwrap it during your practice time so it has a chance to dry a bit. Remember to wrap it back up, label it with your name, and put it back on the shelf before you leave.

Next class, we'll look at the rest of the throwing process, and how to finish a bowl.

Cheers!
Jay

Ceramics: Start to Finish - first class (5 PM Thursday, July 8)

Hi Folks,

Here's what we'll be doing for the first Ceramics Start to Finish class:

• Waivers & name tags
• What we'll be making: Bowls, mugs & bud vases
• Get clay & rent a locker
• Wedging & kneading demo & practice
• Centering demo & practice
• Practice session sign-up

Also, if you can, please bring a small towel with you to class.

Here are some resources that might help get you going. Please take a look before class if you get a chance:

A closer look at kneading
Video of English potter Simon Leach on how to knead your clay using the spiral method. This is a bit different from the method we practiced in class, but the general principle is the same.

Wot kneading again!
Video of English potter Simon Leach kneading from a different angle.

Tips on centering
Video of English potter Simon Leach on how to center your clay

demo notes: wedging
Step-by-step notes on how to wedge and knead your clay (Adobe PDF).

Here's a video of Simon Leach making a bowl from beginning to end:
SIMON LEACH - Close up - GP bowl !!

See you Thursday evening!
Jay

Register for Intermediate Wheelthrowing Monday Jan. 11 at 10 AM

Hi,

This Spring I will be teaching an intermediate throwing course on Tuesdays from 5-7 PM. During This 7-week leisure course, we'll review the shapes we made in Beginning Wheelthrowing (bowls & mugs), plus a few more besides (tentatively, bud vases, big bowls, plates, & pitchers)

Hope to see you there!

-Jay