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
Jay
