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