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