May/June 2009
Take the Plunge
Also in This Issue . . .
Throwing with Templates
Throw Really Big Pots
Is Porcelain for You?
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table of contents
features
17} High Profile
22} The Pancaker
by William Schran
by Keith Phillips
Design once, throw
If you love cooking,
many. Here’s how to
here’s the perfect project
make and use throwing
for your weekend pan-
templates for great pot-
cake breakfast. Pass the
tery profiles every time.
syrup, please.
29} Getting Started with Porcelain
35} Throwing Big
by Michael Guassardo
by Antoinette Badenhorst
Throwing a large pot is
Thinking about making
simple when you do it
a switch? Meet the chal-
step-by-step. Just mea-
lenge of white clay with
sure your kiln before
a few expert tips on
you begin!
working with porcelain.
departments
6}
In the Mix
Reticulation Glazes
8}
Tools of the Trade
Green Wheels
by Robin Hopper
by Bill Jones
12} Tips from the Pros
10} Supply Room
Sun Screen
Buying Porcelain by Paul Andrew Wandless
by Antoinette Badenhorst 41} Instructors File
Throwing: A Three
Stage Approach
44} Off the Shelf
The Basics
of Throwing
by Jake Allee
by Sumi von Dassow
48} Ad Hoc
Impress your friends,
improve your life
and fill your brain.
On the Cover
Keith Phillips creates
The Pancaker—the
perfect gadget for any
potter’s kitchen. See
story on page 22.
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3
fired up
Stimulus
Volume 12 • Number 3
“You cannot depend on your eyes when
your imagination is out of focus.”
—Mark Twain
I
magination is your greatest asset in the studio, but
then that’s why you got into clay in the first place.
If you’re feeling a little out of focus because of
all the bad economic news, you’ll enjoy this “studio
stimulus package” filled with techniques, projects and ideas you can put to
use immediately.
We focused on throwing in this issue and our imaginative authors provide
a variety of perspectives. Keith Phillips’ imagination (remember the Gumball Machine in the Nov/Dec 2008 issue?) came up with the Pancaker—an
ingenious 50s-era gadget reborn as a highly creative gift idea. Keith has even
more projects in store for future issues, so stay tuned.
Do you imagine your next creation in porcelain? Antoinette Badenhorst
takes a look at what you need to know and do to be successful in this challenging medium. When she decided that she wanted her work to reflect light
and movement, she realized that porcelain was the way to go. But as she
discovered, using porcelain isn’t as simple as just changing clay—it’s a new
way of working.
We’re fortunate to have Michael Guassardo, editor of South Africa’s National Ceramics, as a contributor again. His report on the technique used by
David Schlapobersky to create large thrown vessels, which his wife, Felicity
Potter, decorates, has been missing from our repertoire of wheel techniques.
In his step-by-step description, David describes the technique for making a
large form, which he doesn’t finish. That’s where your imagination comes in.
William Schran made throwing templates so he could use the wheel to
repeat some of his favorite profiles. And while we’re on the topic of repeating things, Paul Wandless is always looking for the latest printing techniques
he can use to transfer images onto his work—take a look at his report on
screens you can develop in the sun.
And finally, there’s an ongoing argument in the throwing world about
wheel rotation. With the pottery world divided into two major traditions—
Eastern and Western—it’s no surprise there’s disagreement about which
method is superior. In our PMI Reader Survey (see p. 48), we asked a sampling of readers about what they preferred and whether they were right or
left handed. Of course the results are skewed because we’re predominantly
Western-trained potters, but what’s surprising is the number of you who use
the wheel going either direction and/or you’re ambidextrous.
Bill Jones
Editor
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Publisher Charles Spahr
Editorial
Editor Bill Jones
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Ceramics Arts Daily
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Copyright © 2009 The American Ceramic Society
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PotteryMaking Illustrated
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5
in the mix
Reticulation Glazes
by Robin Hopper
1. LG 1 • e (10%) • 6 Ox
2. LG 1 • x (5%) • 6 Ox
3. LG 1 • x (5%) • 6 Ox
4. LG 1 • x (7.5%) • 6 Ox
5. LG 1 • x (10%) • 6 Ox
6. LG 1 • d (.625%) • 6 Ox
7. LG 1 • vg (10%) • 6 Ox
8. LG 1 • e (2.5%) • 6 Ox
9. LG 1 • x (5%) • 6 Ox
10. LG 1 • u (7.5%) • 6 Ox
11. LG 1 • h (.625%) • 6 Ox
12. LG 1 • h (7.5%) • 6 Ox
13. LG 2 • b (.625%) • 6 Ox
14. LG 2 • b (1.25%) • 6 Ox
15. LG 2 • h (5 %) • 6 Ox
16. LG 1 • base • 9 R
17. LG 2 • x (10%) • 9 R
18. LG 1 • x (10%) • 9 R
19. LG 2 • c (5%) • 9 R
20. LG 2 • u (10%) • 9 R
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R
eticulation glazes form a group
of specialized glazes that show
patterns of heavy crawling, or
reticulation. The patterns look similar
to lichens, lizard skin and leopard skin,
depending on the glaze base, underglaze coatings and firing temperature.
The same glaze may give very different
results at a variety of temperatures.
Putting the reticulation glazes over
a colored slip allows the top glaze
to move and the visible cracks to be
colored between “islands” of glaze. Any
colored slip will do, but one of the most
interesting is usually black, as it intensifies the color of the covering glaze.
With reticulation glazes applied
heavily over the slip and fired at cones
04, 6 and 9-10, and with added colorants, a wide range of textural possibilities can be developed. The main
requirement in the glaze is a big saturation of magnesium carbonate as seen
in the two typical base glazes below.
Hopper LG #1
Soda Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27%
Magnesium carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Ferro frit 3134 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Ferro frit 3195 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Talc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Zinc oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
100 %
Hopper LG #2
Soda Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35%
Magnesium carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Ferro frit 3195 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Talc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
100 %
Excerpted from The Ceramic Spectrum by
Robin Hopper. For more information, visit
www.ceramicartsdaily.org/books.
Soldner Clay Mixers
by Muddy Elbow
Manufacturing
310 W. 4th
Newton, KS • 67114
Phone/Fax (316) 281-9132
conrad@southwind.net
soldnerequipment.com
Key for Colorant Additions
b = cobalt carbonate
c = copper carbonate
d = manganese dioxide
e = nickel carbonate
h = chromium oxide
u = Commercial Yellow Stain
vg = Commercial Victoria Stain
x = Cerdec/Degussa inclusion red stain 27496
Key for Firing
6 Ox = cone 6 oxidation
9 R = cone 9 reduction
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7
tools of the trade
Going Green
by Bill Jones
E
xisting in one form or another for more than
10,000 years, the potter’s wheel has evolved
slowly over the millennia. In the 21st century,
electric wheels with enhancements reign supreme, but
the venerable, traditional kick wheel still hangs on—a
testimony to its simplicity.
There are basically two types of foot-powered
wheels—kick wheels and treadle wheels. The kick
wheel utilizes a heavy flywheel that stores energy as
it speeds up when propelled by your foot, while the
treadle wheel utilizes a lever and cam mechanism that
turns a shaft with a weighted flywheel. Operating a
foot-powered wheel takes a little practice and coordination, but potters who use them swear by the relaxed
rhythm and pace of their throwing as well as their
intimate connection to the throwing process.
Kick Wheels
There are three major manufacturers of kick wheels
in North America: Thomas Stuart wheels made by
Skutt, Brent wheels made by Amaco, and Lockerbie
wheels made by Laguna Clay. Most basic kick wheels
are constructed with a steel frame and come with an
adjustable seat, reinforced cast concrete flywheel,
cast metal wheel head and wood or composite work
surface. Some accessories are also available. And even
though you can power the wheels by foot, some models come with an electric motor option. With flywheels
Western kick wheels typically feature a steel frame with a
reinforced cast concrete flywheel, cast metal wheel head,
adjustable seat and wood or composite work surface.
Once a flywheel is rotating, the weight of it (between 120
and 140 pounds) provides momentum. An electric motor
can maintain the momentum of a moving flywheel.
Pictured: Brent J Kick Wheel
Pictured: Skutt Thomas Stuart Kick Wheel with optional motor
Since the designs of most wheels have been around for
up to 40 years, parts are easy to come by. For example, Laguna’s Lockerbie wheels can be retrofitted with a motor.
For the economy minded, a knock-down wooden Brent
wheel comes in a kit with all hardware. The flywheel is
weighted with bricks sandwiched between two plywood
pieces. Pictured: Brent Kick Wheel Wood Kit
Pictured: Laguna Clay’s Lockerbie Wheel
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much remains in one place due to
its weight. Since they are bulky and
heavy, consider having your wheel
shipped unassembled to save on
shipping. For the budget conscious,
the Brent Kick Wheel Wood Kit is
economically priced. And if you’re
really industrious, you can search
for “kick wheel plans” online and
construct your own or give a set
of plans to a local woodworker to
have one custom made. n
Who to Contact
These manufacturers have detailed
information on their websites along
with information on their distributors.
Brent Kick Wheels:
www.amaco.com
Thomas Stuart Kick Wheels:
www.skutt.com
Lockerbie and Laguna Kick Wheels:
www.lagunaclay.com
Great River Woodworking Leach
Treadle Wheel:
http://greatriverwoodworking.com
This Leach Treadle Wheel, crafted by
Great River Woodworking, is based
on a style attributed to Bernard Leach
at the onset of the 20th century.
Typically made to order, these highly
prized wheels remain a favorite of
many working potters.
Photo courtesy Great River Woodworking
weighing more than 125 pounds,
the motors easily maintain momentum after the flywheel is turning.
Treadle Wheels
Treadle wheels, which rely on a
foot-powered treadle mechanism
to drive a flywheel, were once
common in English and American
potteries and more recently mass
produced for both school and
private studio. The most common
version now available is a sit down
version based on a designed refined
by Bernard Leach at the beginning
of the 20th century. The so-called
Leach wheel is legendary among
potters who prefer the non-electric
wheel, probably because of the
comfort achieved even throwing for
long stretches of time.
Buying Considerations
In the age of electric wheels,
kick wheels are a throwback to
a simpler time. And while many
consider it easier to learn the basics
of throwing on an electric, there
remain many potters who rely
solely on a kick wheel for all their
production needs. Maintenancewise very little is needed, however,
once installed, a kick wheel pretty
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9
supply room
Buying Porcelain
by Antoinette Badenhorst
I
f you’ve only worked with red, brown or buff clay in
the past and you’re looking for a change, maybe porcelain is the right clay for you. Planning, research and
evaluation are the best ways to assure any future success
in making a switch from one clay body to another.
To determine if porcelain what you’re looking for,
you’ll need to evaluate where you want to go with your
clay work, your skill level and your vision as a potter.
Decide if you’re happy with your current work, and if
so, consider the effect that work will have if made with
a white or porcelain clay body. Not all works in clay
maximize the qualities that porcelain has to offer, so if
you have to change your work in order to use porcelain,
evaluate whether that’s something you want to do.
In my own experience, I had a vision of pots dancing
like ballerinas—soft figurines moving around in bright
colors against pure white backdrops. I also envisioned
translucent light and instantly knew what to do, but it
took some time to find the right porcelain and to develop
a body of work.
Studio Setup and Working Methods
Do you have the right studio setup for porcelain and
are you able to adjust your current workplace with
ease? Can you work with precision and in a clean
studio? Do you work with other clay bodies that might
contaminate porcelain, or are there other potters
working with you that might not respect a porcelain
work station? Which techniques do you use most? For
instance, if you work mostly with an extruder with a
steel chamber and plunger, you’ll need to replace it
with a stainless steel or aluminum one to avoid possible rust contamination.
Different Porcelains
If you want to become a porcelain production potter,
you’ll look at a different clay body than someone who
wants to make one-of-a-kind porcelain pieces, porcelain
sculptures or strictly hand-built forms. Your working
methods will differ dramatically from theirs. Maybe you
need a clay body that combines some or all of the above
mentioned clay techniques.
Once you decide that you want to take on the challenges that porcelain offer, you’ll have to find the clay
that suits your newly set goals. There are many different
porcelain clay bodies available on the market.
I tested several commercially available cone 6 porcelain
bodies and suggest you do the same before settling on
one. Each clay had some special characteristic that I could
use for my own work and could see used by anyone else.
Commercial porcelain clay bodies meet almost all the
needs of the potter, and there are some excellent throwing,
handbuilding and sculpture bodies available. The producers and suppliers know which one best suits each purpose,
and they are an excellent resource when you are trying to
figure out what you need.
Skill Level
It’s important to know your own abilities and skill level.
If you’re a beginner who wants to throw 20 inch pots,
you’ll have a lot of difficulty achieving your goals and
there will be a whole lot of frustration, time and money
wasted before you can reach them. In such a case, it’s
better to use white stoneware clay and gradually work
your way first through a semi-porcelain body and then
eventually use pure porcelain as your skills improve.
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Before making a large investment in porcelain, test several
bodies to see which one best suits your needs.
They develop some bodies to be
more plastic and stretchable, but less
white and translucent. These bodies
can go further in height and thinner
in walls than some others that might
be pure white and translucent, but
may be a little harder to throw.
If you choose to work with pure
white, translucent clay, you can
always throw thicker and trim thin
afterward. If you need an all translucent, white and a non-warping
clay body, it might cost a little
more, but your ceramic supplier
can recommend the right clay body
for your purposes.
Amazingly, you will even find
that some of the semi-porcelaneous
clay bodies meet all the characteristics of porcelain and have the
added green strength that is often
missing in true porcelains. Add
these qualities to the fact that you
can save energy because many of
the commercial clays are formulated for firing at cone 6 electric, and
there are very few restrictions left
that would limit you from working
with this material.
Test several clay bodies for
their ability to throw, to trim and
to keep their shape even when
stretched to their limits. Also test
them to see how they stand up to
adjustments and attachments, then
fired them to the proper cone in an
electric kiln. I checked them to see
if shrinkage can cause problems.
Compare the tests for shrinkage,
color and translucency.
A Final Word
I’ve seen porcelain clay bodies
improve from one batch to another.
Clay companies are constantly doing research to improve their clays.
If you consult your clay company,
they’ll know what to recommend
to you only if you understand your
own needs and what you want. To
us, as potters, that’s good news,
because it means that if we admire
a specific clay body today, but it’s
not working for our circumstances,
it’s worth discussing that with our
clay producer and retesting a body
again to see if it has changed. Maybe
your skills improve, perhaps the clay
composition improves, or maybe you
and that specific clay body simply get
in sync with each other.
Read the literature available online, then talk to a sales representative and they’ll be able to recommend
the right clay body for your needs. n
Thanks to T Robert at Laguna Clay and
Carla Flati of Standard Ceramics.
Transition Carefully
It’s always best to start by buying one bag of clay and testing it
thoroughly. Then, even when you
think you’re satisfied with your
choice, make the transition to your
new style and clay body slowly and
carefully. Porcelain is expensive but
if you take a conservative approach,
and do enough testing to make an
informed decision, it will pay to
make an investment in a large batch
of clay.
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tips from the pros
Sun Screen
by Paul Andrew Wandless
S
creenprinting ranks as one of the most popular
printmaking techniques because it can be used to
apply images to virtually any surface.
Clay artists are always looking for simple options to
transfer complex images, designs, patterns, digital images and photography onto their ceramic pieces. While
many image transfer techniques, such as decals, require
chemicals and equipment, I’ve discovered a simple, commercially available screen that requires minimal effort
to create an image for printing. The product is called
PhotoEZ (available at www.ezscreenprint.com) and it’s
designed for use with simple black and white photocopies and the sun. You can go from an idea to screening an
image on clay in about an hour! How cool is that?
Overview
PhotoEZ is a screen that’s pre-coated with a lightsensitive, water-soluble polymer. Instead of using a
light table to expose an image into the emulsion, you
simply use the sun as your light source to expose the
Image on a Hi-Res screen by Chicago artist Tom Lucas, used to print on clay.
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May/June 2009
screen for about 5 minutes then soak (develop) the
screen in tap water for about 15 minutes. After the
exposed areas have been hardened or “set” during the
soaking, rinse the screen with water to wash away the
unexposed emulsion and create an open, stencil version of your image.
The final step is putting it back in the sun for another 15
to 20 minutes to harden the emulsion and make the screen
more durable. Experiment with the test strips included in
the kit to get the hang of exposing and setting the screen
before using a full sheet for your final image.
Image, Paper and Screen
For best results, the type of image, screen mesh size and
photocopy paper must be suitable and compatible with
each other.
Though your image can be simple or complex, it must
be black and white. It can be line art, an illustration,
photograph, digital image or halftone. Line-art images
have few, if any, small details and consist more of bold
lines and shapes or silhouettes with high contrast and no
mid tones, so those are considered simple images. Illustrations, photographs, digital images or halftone images that
typically have finer lines and smaller details are considered
complex images. (Note: If the line or image parts are too
fine or small, the screen will clog when printing.) Once
you choose an image, make a black and white print or
photocopy using paper that is no more than 20-pound
weight and has a brightness rating of 84 or less.
PhotoEZ screens come in two mesh sizes for simple
or complex images. The Standard screen is 110 mesh
and the Hi-Res screen is 200 mesh. The 110 mesh has
larger openings and is best for simple images, while
the 200 mesh is a tighter screen (with more threads
per square inch, resulting in smaller openings) and is
best for the more complex images. Both screen meshes
come in a variety of sizes.
The image in figure 1 started with digital photographs of tools in my studio, which were altered in
Photoshop to make them high contrast black and
white images. As shown here, you can arrange the images on the screen in a group, leaving half-inch spaces
between individual images for easier printing. You
can also choose to fill the screen with just one image,
a pattern, motif, text or any combination of these.
Whatever you want to use visually on the surface of
your work is fair game. I printed on a 8½×11 in. sheet
of paper using an HP laser printer.
Setting up the Exposure Frame
With the black and white image on paper, you’re
ready to set up the exposure frame. Everything needed
is supplied in the PhotoEZ Starter Kit—one 10×12 in.
exposure frame (black felt-covered board with clips
and Plexiglas), two sheets of 8½×11 in. Standard Pho-
1
Peeling protective covering off the screen.
2
Left to right: Black felt covered board, screen centered
over photocopy placed on Plexiglas and fastening clips.
toEZ screens (110 mesh), small test strips, one plastic
canvas and a small squeegee. Tip: Be sure to work in a
dimly lit room while setting up the exposure frame to
avoid prematurely exposing the screen.
Remove the protective covering from both sides of
the Plexiglas and place it on a flat surface, then align
your black and white image in the center. Take one of
the PhotoEZ screens from the protective black envelope then close the bag tightly so the unused screen
inside is still protected. Peel the protective backing off
the screen (figure 1) and immediately place it shiny
side down on top of the black and white image (figure
2). Place the exposure board on top of the screen with
the black felt side down and clamp together with the
clips provided in the kit.
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May/June 2009
13
As soon as you’re done, take the frame out into the
sunlight. Keep the Plexiglas side down to keep light
from hitting it or cover it with a towel to protect it
from light before and after exposing it to sunlight.
Exposing and Setting the Screen
Once outside, turn the exposing frame Plexiglas side
up to face the sun. Expose for 5 minutes during a
regular sunny day and for 6 minutes if it’s a slightly
overcast day. Dark, cloudy days with no real sunlight
are not optimal and success varies if exposed under
these conditions. I exposed this screen for 6 minutes
on a partially cloudy day, but had good sunlight
through the light clouds.
Once exposure is complete, turn the frame over
(Plexiglas side down) or cover with a towel and go
inside to “set” the screen in a dimly lit room. Unclamp the frame and submerge the screen in a sink or
3
Using the Screen
Rinsing screen to remove unexposed emulsion.
4
Dabbing off extra water from screen.
14
container filled with cool water for a minimum of 15
minutes to develop your stencil. Soaking longer than
15 minutes doesn’t harm the stencil in any way. After
a minute or two, the unexposed areas blocked by the
dark parts of your image appear light green. The exposed areas turn dark, and these darker areas become
the stencil in the next step.
After 15 minutes, place the perforated plastic canvas
provided in the kit under the screen and rinse with
cool water from a faucet or kitchen sprayer (figure 3).
The plastic canvas acts as a protective backing for the
screen during the rinsing process. Rinse both sides of
the screen to remove the unexposed emulsion (light
green areas). Take more care when rinsing the side
that the emulsion is applied to. Keep rinsing until all
the residue from the unexposed emulsion is completely
removed. Use a soft nylon brush if there are some
small detail areas that did not rinse out very well. This
will happen more with complex images in the Hi-Res
screens because of the tighter mesh screen.
When you think you’re done rinsing the screen, hold it
up to the light to check it. You should only see the white
threads of the screen itself in the open areas. If you still
see a thin film of residue, rinse again until it’s removed.
Once open areas are completely rinsed, place the screen
emulsion side up on a dry paper towel and dab off all the
excess water (figure 4). Put a fresh dry paper towel under
the screen with emulsion side up and take it outside to
re-expose in the sun for 10–20 minutes. This hardens the
stencil and makes it more durable and longer lasting.
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May/June 2009
Once the screen is hardened, you’re ready to start using
it! Since the screen is unframed, it’s flexible and can
be used around a vessel or on a flat slab. Any surface
you can bend the screen around is fair game to print
your image on. Be careful not to make creases in the
screen if you try to bend it around sharp corners. This
will keep it from lying flat if you want to print on a
flat surface in the future. If you group them onto one
screen, you can also use scissors to cut it into smaller
individual images.
Experiment and have fun with this easy to use product. It’s a great way to create images for screenprinting on clay that you thought were only possible with a
darkroom. You can screen images directly onto greenware, bisqueware or decal paper using both underglaze
and glaze. Please feel free to e-mail me about your
experiments and experiences. n
Paul Andrew Wandless is a studio artist, workshop presenter,
visiting assistant professor and on the Potters Council Board of
Directors. He authored a book titled Image Transfer On Clay
(Lark Books). His website is www.studio3artcompany.com and
he can be e-mailed at paul@studio3artcompany.com.
Potters Council 2010
Exhibition FILL-adelphia
CALL For ENtrIES:
Deadline to SubmIt is July 1, 2009
First juried exhibition of Potters Council members’ work
to be held in conjunction with NCECA 2010 in Philadelphia, PA.
Entrants must be members of the Potters Council both at the time
of application and at the time of the exhibition.
Public reception on April 2, 2010 at A Show of Hands Gallery.
Go here for submission form
www.potterscouncil.org
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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May/June 2009
15
A Texas potter makes 1,300
pound quilts with her Paragon
Dragon
As a child, Earline Green made hand-stitched quilts with
her grandmother Mama Freddie. Earline spent more time
quilting with the older ladies than she did playing with children her own age. Her early experiences with the lively quilters
taught her a life-long love of artwork.
Earline’s other grandmother, Mama Ginger, taught her
advanced quilting patterns. Later this influenced the design of
Earline’s stoneware quilt tile mosaics displayed in the entrance of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Library
in Dallas, Texas. For that project, Earline fired 284 white
stoneware tiles—all in her faithful Paragon Dragon.
“The Dragon's design and controls are perfect for firing
large flat pieces,” said Earline. “The digital programming controls provide a consistent firing environment that eliminated
cracks and warpage in this project.
Earline Green’s
clay spirit quilts
on display in
the Dunbar
Lancaster-Kiest
Branch Library
in Dallas,
Texas.
16
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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May/June 2009
Earline Green with her Paragon Dragon front-loading kiln. This kiln is becoming a favorite with potters. It is easy to load, heavily insulated, and designed to reach cone 10 with power to spare.
“During tile production, I fired my Dragon two or three
times a week for four to six weeks at a time. I expected and received excellent results with each firing.”
Contact us today for more information on the exciting
Dragon kiln. Ask about the new easy-open switch box hinged
at the bottom. Call us for the name of your local Paragon distributor.
Better
Designed
Kilns
2011 South Town East Blvd.,
Mesquite, Texas 75149-1122
800-876-4328 / 972-288-7557
Toll Free Fax 888-222-6450
www.paragonweb.com
info@paragonweb.com
High Profile
Throwing with Templates
w
by William Schran
hen my beginning
wheel-throwing students have developed
sufficient facility with
clay, they’re assigned the project of
creating a set of four matching cups.
Though I’ve demonstrated how to
measure their forms using calipers
and other devices, I continue to observe them experiencing difficulties.
In an effort to overcome this stumbling block, I showed them a technique successfully used by students
in a beginning handbuilding class.
Some of the shapes used to create design templates.
This technique involves using
templates to repeatedly create an
even, symmetrical form. In the coilbuilding exercise, you position the
template next to the pot as coils are
added, making certain the pot conforms to the profile of the template.
The template is then used as a rib
to scrape the surface as it's rotated,
creating a smooth, uniform surface.
Making a Template
Any number of objects can be employed to design templates that have
a variety of shapes. French and ships
curves, found in drafting or mechanical drawing sets, are excellent tools
for creating profiles for wheel-thrown
vessels. A variety of calipers can be
taken apart to create any number
curved forms. Lids of various sizes
can be combined to create a mixture
of curves. This process can also be
used to produce templates with more
complicated and compound profiles
with relative ease.
Assortment of bottle forms made with templates.
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17
Templates used to throw cups.
Template shapes used to throw bottle forms.
To incorporate this technique into wheel-throwing, I
began testing various materials that might serve the function of a template. Sheet plastic, a durable material that
can easily be cut and shaped, turned out to be the best
material. Searching through scraps available at local glass
supply and repair shops, I found pieces of ¼ in. and 3/16 in.
sheets that could be readily shaped into the desired profiles by cutting them with a power saw and handsaw. The
edges can then be smoothed with fine sandpaper.
the top to the bottom, pushing out where necessary, to
conform to the profile of the template. This is often necessary for shapes with wider diameters. Refine the rim
with a sponge or chamois and the cup is complete.
Creating the Form
To use a template, as in the wheel-throwing project for
the set of cups, prepare several balls of clay weighing
between ¾–1 lb. each. Throw a basic wide cylinder.
Check the interior diameter, height and width of this
basic form with calipers.
Tip: Make a template for the basic cylinder form as well
as the finished piece. The first template, showing the
right width and shape of the ideal starting cylinder, can
help you get the right basic shape.
Once you have your cylinder ready, lubricate the interior of the pot, but do not lubricate the outside. Avoiding excess water results in a stronger form that can better withstand manipulation and alteration when using
the template. Position the bottom of the template so
that it’s just touching the bottom of the pot and rests on
the wheel head. The template should contact the wheel
but should not be pressed against it. Hold the template
at approximately a 45° angle, abutting the rotating
clay, such that the clay moves away from the edge of
the template. The template should not be held at a 90°
angle to the pot as this may lead to inadvertently shifting the template into the movement of the clay.
The fingers of the interior hand slowly move up, pushing the clay out to the curve of the template. As the pot
widens, the hand must move up along the interior of the
form more slowly so that it remains symmetrical. After
reaching the top, the profile of the pot and template
should be compared. If the pot does not match the template, move the fingers of the interior hand down from
18
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May/June 2009
Large or Complex Forms
Templates are also useful in creating larger pots, particularly bottle shapes. This provides a method to quickly
create multiples of the same form, but also the opportunity to explore changes to certain areas, such as the
neck and rim. The process of working with larger forms
follows the same steps as you would for cups, except
the neck and rim are made without the template.
Make another cylindrical shaped pot, leaving the top
portions of the wall, including the rim, thicker than
the rest of the pot. Position the template and push the
clay out to conform to the shape, moving fingers on
the interior up and down as necessary. After creating
the desired curve, pull up the upper portion of the wall
to thin it out and narrow it in using a collaring movement. Note: It is very important to continue moving
your hands up while collaring in to maintain a curve or
arch in the shape of the wall. A wall that becomes too
horizontal or flat may collapse. In order to collar in the
pot, Using the middle fingers and thumbs to constrict
the neck, As you create the neck, pressing down on the
rim with the first finger of the right hand helps to maintain a level top.
Use a flexible rib after each collaring process to refine
the shape and maintain the desired curve. Using the rib
also removes excess water and compresses the clay. After narrowing the diameter of the pot, the wall has been
thickened and can now be pulled up thinner. As the top
becomes too narrow to insert a sponge to remove lubricating water from the interior, switch to using slurry to
lubricate the clay instead. This allows your fingers and
tools to continue shaping the clay without building up
excess torque that might twist or tear the clay wall. Using slurry on the exterior, instead of water, provides a
stronger clay wall. n
1
Template held against basic cylindrical form.
3
Hold template at an angle against surface during forming.
5
The interior hand slowly moves up, pushing the clay
against the template.
2
Pushing clay out to the template.
4
Larger forms also begin with a basic cylinder form.
6
The interior hand moves from the top to the bottom, making certain the pot conforms to the template.
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May/June 2009
19
8
7
Collaring the neck. The middle fingers confine the shape,
thumbs push in, first finger of right hand presses down on
the rim keeping it level.
A flexible rib removes water and slurry while compressing
and refining the wall.
10
9
When the top becomes narrower, use slurry rather than
water to lubricate the interior of the pot.
Use slurry to lubricate the exterior to maintain a stronger
clay wall.
Set of cups made with a template, shino and turquoise
glazes, fired to cone 10.
Set of cups made with a template, iron matte glaze, fired
to cone 10.
William Schran is Assistant Dean of Fine Arts at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria Campus. Visit his website,
www.creativecreekartisans.com, for more information.
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21
The
*
*
Pancaker
*
*
by Keith Phillips
e
ight years ago, shortly after our son was born, ally have a great selection. A spring from a retractable pen
my mother-in-law was visiting and stayed with might work in a pinch. Finally, the #6–32 die probably has
us through Christmas. My brother lived near us to be purchased as part of a tap and die set. This will be
at the time, and gave my mother-in-law a vintage used to thread the rod once you have it measured and cut
pancaker from the 50’s. You filled it with batter, held it over to size.
a hot skillet and depressed the plunger for a few seconds
to open the plug at the bottom and let the batter flow into
the skillet. The result: perfect pancakes with no mess. The Start by throwing a tall bowl with 2½–3 lbs. of clay. The
pancaker she received came in the original 1950’s box— shape or style is up to you (it doesn’t have to be round!).
everything about it was cool. I probably made pancakes Be sure the rim is a little thicker than normal. The weight
every day during her visit.
of the basket-type handle can spread the bowl during firA few years ago, I was pondering what handmade item I ing, and a sturdy rim helps counter that.
would give my brother for ChristThough the overall shape is
mas and decided on the perfect
up to you, the bottom of the
“re-gift”­—I’d try to make my own
pot should be about ¼–3/8 in.
pancaker out of clay. After a few
thick. The plug will be cut out
3–4 pounds of clay
attempts, I settled on the following
of the bottom later and making
2 ft. of 1/8 in. brass or stainless steel rod
design. As with any other work, I
it a little thicker makes this plug
7/32 x 1¾ in. 020 compression spring
always like to make sure the destronger. I usually taper the botsign is flexible enough to make a
tom of the form in slightly (fig2 #6–32 hex nuts
variety of forms that will still fit
ure 1), making a graceful transi2 #8 washers
the function.
tion to the pedestal foot that’s
5-minute
epoxy
My pancaker is basically a tall
attached later.
#6–32 die (available at home centers)
basket or bowl that has a pedesNext, throw the pedestal. This
tal attached to the bottom to keep
needs to be a bottomless form.
the stopper from touching the
It is thrown upside down, with
counter. The plunger rod and nuts ideally should be made the bottom tapered to match the diameter of the botfrom stainless steel, however this is usually hard to come tom of the bowl (figure 2).
by, so a brass rod works just as well. The right-sized spring
Finally, throw a little knob. I find it easier to throw
may also be hard to come by, but farm supply stores usu- small items off the hump, since the form I’m throwing
Throwing the sections
Materials
22
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May/June 2009
This 111/2 inch high porcelain pancaker is basically a tall basket or bowl with a pedestal attached to the bottom to keep
the stopper from touching the countertop. Beyond that basic requirement, the form is open for your creative touch.
is raised up on a mound of clay rather than close to the
wheelhead, I can easily get to the underside and shape
it (figure 3). When you’re finished, just slice it off the
mound using a wire tool.
Trim the bottom of the bowl. You don’t need a proper
foot since it will sit on the pedestal. Before taking it off the
wheel, cut out the plug from the bottom. First take a ¼
in. drill bit and drill a hole in the exact middle of the bowl
(figure 4). Then take your needle tool and cut a 1¼ inch
diameter circle out of the bottom. This piece becomes the
plug, so take care when cutting it out to keep it intact. Hold
the needle tool at an angle and not straight up and down
when making this cut. This creates an inward taper on the
plug, so that it can easily be pushed open, but makes a seal
when closed (figure 5).
It will be impossible to make the pancaker water tight,
but batter is thicker and won’t seep out. Just make sure the
plug matches the hole as closely as possible.
Joining the parts
Now score and slip the pedestal and the bottom of the
bowl, then attach the two together (figure 6).
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23
The Pancaker!*
2
1
Using 2½ to 3 lbs. of clay, throw the
body of the pancaker, making it taper
in slightly at the bottom.
8
7
Attach a small flattened coil to the
inside bottom of the bowl as a second
guide for the plunger rod.
Slide the other end of the rod into the
bottom opening, through the bottom
guide and into the handle.
PotteryMaking Illustrated
Drill a hole in the second guide. Flip
the pancaker over and re-insert the
plug to make sure the holes line up.
14
13
24
Throw the pedestal separately as an
open form, thrown upside down.
|
Pull the rod up and check that the
plug fits securely into the opening.
Set the pancaker aside.
May/June 2009
3
Throw a little knob off the hump so
you can get under it and shape it.
9
Attach a handle then drill a hole
through the center when leatherhard. Check that the holes line up.
15
After inserting a scrap piece of rod and
a spring into the knob, make a mark
on the rod where the spring ends.
* some assembly required
4
Trim the bowl section then use a drill
bit to create a hole in the exact center
of the bottom of the bowl.
10
Drill a ½ in. deep hole in the knob using a ¼ in. drill bit.
16
Moving up from the handle, mark this
measurement, (minus ½ in.) onto the
rod in the pancaker, then cut to size.
6
5
Using a needle tool held at an angle
to create an inward taper, cut a 1¼ in.
circle to make the plug.
11
After threading the die onto the rod,
unscrew it carefully to reveal the
threaded end.
17
Disassemble. Epoxy the rod into the
knob, slide on a washer below the
spring, and insert into the handle.
Score the surfaces of the pedestal
foot and the bowl, apply slip and join
the two parts together.
12
Slide on the fired clay plug, a protective washer, and then thread on a nut
to secure the plug.
18
Slide the rod down through the second guide, flip the pancaker over and
reassemble the stopper mechanism.
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May/June 2009
25
*
*
*
Press Plunger – then release
for perfect pancakes!
Roll out a small coil about an inch thick and then gently
flatten it so it gets a little wider, while keeping it about a halfinch thick. Form it into a bridge, then slip and attach it to
the inside bottom of the bowl so that it spans the hole. This
is a second guide for the plunger rod, and will help make the
stopper line up and the plunger operate smoothly (figure 7).
Drill a ¼ inch hole in the second guide, being sure to drill
straight, lining it up with the hole in the plug. There is little
play in between these two, so be sure this hole and the plug
hole are exactly in the center of the bowl (figure 8).
Roll out another coil for the handle, then pull and taper
both ends like a handle for a mug. Don’t pull too thin, you
want it to hold its shape and not slump when fired. Make
the mid-section near the top of the arch pretty thick as well,
since you'll be drilling the guide hole for the rod through
that section.
When the handle has stiffened enough to work with it,
firmly attach it to the bowl. You want a strong attachment
here as this is the area where cracks are most likely to form.
If there’s any place you develop cracks, it will probably be
here. So dry slowly and be gentle.
When the handle has set, but before it’s bone dry, drill
your hole exactly in the center (figure 9). You can have more
play here, and you might want to step up one size on your
drill bit. You can always use a washer later if your hole is too
big for your spring. Still, be very careful drilling the hole, be
sure it lines up with the second guide hole in the strap of clay
at the bottom. Also don’t press too hard when drilling, you
want the bit to “cut” the clay, not push through it.
The easiest hole to drill is in your knob. Don’t go all the
way through, you just need about half an inch for your rod
to glue into (figure 10).
Slowly dry the pancaker and then bisque and glaze. When
glazing, wax as you normally would. Fire the plug separate
from the pancaker, as there’s no way to secure it into the bottom. By firing it separately, you can also glaze the area that
will eventually make contact with the bowl.
*
a ¼- to ½-inch section of the rod. Unscrew the die and you
should have a nice threaded end (figure 11).
Slide the stopper on with the bevel side up, then add a
washer and nut (figure 12). Insert the rod into the bottom
of the pancaker, through the bottom guide and finally into
the hole in the handle (figure 13). Pull the rod all the way up
(figure 14) to seat the plug then set the pancaker aside.
The next step involves measuring the rod to figure out the
final length of your stopper mechanism. Push a spring and
spare length of rod into the knob and make a mark on the
rod where the end of the spring comes to when it’s NOT under compression (figure 15). Measure that distance, and then
subtract about half an inch. This will create enough tension
to keep the plug seated securely so that it covers the opening.
For example, my overall measurement came to 1¾ in., so my
measurement for the next step was 1¼ in.
Pull the rod all the way up so the stopper seals the bowl.
Now take the measurement from the previous step and add
it to the rod. Start at the very top of the handle, measure
up toward the end of the rod, and mark this point. This is
where you want to cut the rod (figure 16). This should be a
perfect length so the stopper is firmly under pressure, sealing
the pancaker, but also leaving enough room so that the knob
can be pressed down about a half inch, opening the stopper
and releasing the batter. Disassemble everything and cut the
rod with a hacksaw. Using the die, thread the end of the rod
to make a nice “grip” for the glue.
Assembling the pancaker
Take one end of the rod and slide the spring on, daub a
fair amount of five-minute epoxy onto the end and glue it
into the knob. Make sure there is enough epoxy to hold
everything in place when it sets. Also, make sure the rod
is sticking straight out of the knob while the epoxy sets.
Note: Even though it says five minutes, wait twenty before assembling your pancaker. Slide a washer against the
spring and then insert the rod into the handle (figure 17).
Slide the assembly down through the second guide and then
flip the pancaker over (figure 18) and re-assemble the stopper.
Use a die to thread the rod, so that a nut will gracefully screw Slide the clay plug on, then slide a washer onto the rod so it
on to it. Since you are using a 1/8-inch thick rod you will want rests against the clay plug and then thread on the nut against
to get a #6–32 die. This makes a thread for a fine-thread #6 the washer. When the assembly is finished, just heat the skillet,
machine nut.
fill your pancaker with batter and you’re ready to go. n
Holding the rod with pliers, carefully start twisting the die
Keith Phillips is a full-time artist and potter in Fletcher, North
onto the rod like you would if threading a nut, being sure to Carolina. To see more of his work, go to http://khphillips.etsy.com
keep it straight. Once it is started, just keep rotating the die or visit his blog at http://blog.mudstuffing.com or contact him via
and it will carve the threads. You only need to thread about email at keith@mudstuffing.com
Creating the mechanism
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28
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with
Porcelain
by Antoinette Badenhorst
Photo Credit: Koos Badenhorst
Getting Started
Porcelain is desired for its purity, delicacy and translucency, but its also the perfect body
for carving and bringing out a color palette.
C
hoosing a white clay body might
look like a simple choice, but
because of the different working
characteristics between stoneware and porcelain, it’s worth exploring the
options first (see “Supply Room”, pg. 10).
For the right potter, the joy of working
with porcelain always overshadows the
potential sorrows that come along with it,
but the condition is that you understand
the medium and get in sync with it. As I’ve
heard potters say before: “I don’t know
what it is about porcelain that keeps me
coming back for more punishment, but
it’s real . . .”
A Different Material
Porcelain can be worked like other clays,
but when fired can reach a state of extreme
whiteness, becomes vitreous and often translucent, similar to glass. When tapped on, it
has a ringing sound like a bell.
Porcelain in its raw plastic state is very
fine, smooth white clay that offers a canvas
for color and textures—from a very smooth
white surface to the finest and most elegant
textural detail.
The whiteness of porcelain allows for
coloring the clay itself, painting stains and
oxides onto its surface, or glazing it with an
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May/June 2009
29
outcome of brilliant and often dramatic colors.
Efficiently-fired porcelain has a
glass-like character and becomes vitreous and watertight even when left
unglazed. The transition between the
fired porcelain and the glaze layer is
also less distinct than in a comparably
fired piece of stoneware. Well designed
glazes can be just as hard as the clay
and are basically scratch-proof.
This hardness and blurring of the
interface between clay and glaze are
of tremendous value to the production
potter, since these qualities limit some
2
1
The dome width predicts the width of
the base.
4
Start lifting the clay wall by making a
dent at the bottom.
5
Keep your non-dominant arm parallel
above the pot as you thin the clay.
30
trouble with glazes, particularly where
chipping and leaching are concerned.
Translucency is obtained under
specific circumstances. High percentages of glass forming ingredients like
silica and feldspar in porcelain—in
combination with thin walls and efficient firing—enhance translucency,
but might also increase the difficulty
to form and shape it. To some potters, translucency can add to the
decorating process, but many potters choose an easier working, plastic clay body that has most of the
other qualities of porcelain.
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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Throwing a Tall Bottle
Throwing tall forms is a challenge
with any clay body, and I recommend you practice throwing tall
forms using a smooth stoneware
clay first. Once you have the basic
principles down, it’s easier to apply
them to porcelain.
To get started, take 2 lbs. of porcelain and prepare a ball for throwing. The process described here is a
somewhat different approach to the
one typically used but promises to
be successful.
3
Imagine the clay to be a wave that
gets pushed upward.
6
The clay wave diminishes as the walls Repeat the dent and wave process at
become thinner and the cylinder taller. least 3 times.
May/June 2009
The width of the cylinder is determined by the width of the dome
from which you open the clay; the
wider the diameter of your dome,
the wider the base of your pot (figure 1). Once centered and opened,
start by indenting the exterior of the
clay where it meets the wheel head
or bat (figure 2). Imagine pushing
the clay upward from below rather
than pulling it from above. It’s like
water in the ocean that gathers to
form a wave before it breaks on the
shore (figure 3). Let the dominant
arm and hand control the clay on
7
Collar the cylinder to regain control if
the top becomes off centered.
10
Use rubber kidney ribs to remove
excess slurry.
the outside of the cylinder from a
secure position on the side of your
body or knees. The non-dominant
arm hangs in the air, above and parallel with the cylinder, guiding the
pot upward in the direction of the
elbow and controls the clay on the
inside (figure 4).
Repeat this process a few times.
Each time, less clay becomes available to move upward into the wall
(figure 5). Pushing the clay up from
below, rather than pulling it, eliminates the excess ring of thick clay
around the bottom or foot area of
8
the cylinder. Repeat this process at
least three times, or until the clay
is thinned out (figure 6). When you
feel the cylinder starting to swing,
or that you start losing control,
slow down the wheel somewhat
and collar the clay back in to regain
control (figure 7).
Once the desired height is reached,
continue to define the shape of the
object you intend to make (figure 8).
For shaping forms like bottles, the
non-dominant hand pushes from the
inside, while the dominant or outside hand supports the clay (figure
9
After creating the cylinder, start defining the shape.
11
Push the clay from the inside while
the dominant hand supports the clay
on the outside.
12
Use two rubber ribs to help in the final
thinning, or prior to collaring the neck.
For a bottle, begin collaring the upper
rim by encircling it with your hands.
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May/June 2009
31
9). Use rubber kidney ribs to remove excess slurry (figure 10), then
use them to help in the final thinning of the form for a cylinder or
bowl, or for a bottle form before
starting to collar in the neck (figure
11). To bring the neck in, repeatedly
collar then thin out the top third of
the cylinder. Use all your fingers to
support and guide the clay inward,
slowly closing the opening between
your fingers as the piece narrows
(figure 12). Next, thin out this section, throwing with your fingers
angled toward the vertical center to
14
13
Thin this collared area by angling your
fingers towards the vertical center to
further narrow the form.
Thin the neck using a rib on the outside
and a finger supporting the inside.
PotteryMaking Illustrated
Repeat the collaring and thinning
process to narrow the top until the
opening is the right diameter.
When adjusting a piece, work on
thick foam cushions and chucks to
protect the thin neck area and stabilize rounded forms. Some of these
foam chucks are custom cut to fit the
shape of the pieces I have in progress.
Tips for Working
With Porcelain
1
Always wedge clay from a few
hours to up to a day before using
it to make sure that the water content
is evenly distributed throughout the
clay ball. This also helps to orient the
clay particles into a circle or spiral. Al-
15
Create the neck of the bottle by thinning and collaring the remaining clay
with your fingertips.
17
16
32
further narrow the form (figure 13).
Repeat the collaring and thinning
process until the opening is the right
diameter (figure 14), then create the
neck of the bottle with the remaining clay (figure 15). Thin the neck
with a rib on the outside and your
finger supporting on the inside, then
finish the exterior of the form with a
rubber kidney rib (figure 16).
Allow the finished piece to set up
to leather hard on the bat then trim
it right side up while still on the bat
(figure 17) before turning it over on
a chuck and trimming a foot ring.
|
Finish the opening and the exterior
surface of the form with a rubber rib.
May/June 2009
Finished, carved porcelain vessel by
Antoinette Badenhorst.
though aged clay is stiff during the first
few wedges, it’s much better than freshly made clay and it quickly softens. Allowing the porcelain to rest after it’s
wedged is important, because it tends
to fatigue easily.
Pay special attention to centering and always cone the clay to
get all the clay particles lined up.
Many potters consider coning as
just another way of wedging, but in
many instances porcelain reminds
me of the fairy tale of the princess
that could not sleep with a pea under her mattress. The slightest little
lump or unevenness can force you
back to the beginning.
Handle the clay as little as possible to limit it from getting fatigued. I manipulate the wedged ball
into a pear shape and place it with
the small end downward on the wheel
head to take advantage of the circular movement that started forming
during wedging. I further define the
lineup of clay particles through the
coning process.
Porcelain is normally thirsty, absorbing water quickly, and collapses easily when too much water is
used. Even a more plastic porcelain
clay body functions better with less
water. Adding a spoonful of vinegar
in the throwing water gently deflocculates the clay and helps in lubricating the clay. Since porcelain shrinks
more than other clay bodies, using
less water limits the problems related
to shrinkage.
Porcelain cracks easily for different reasons. If basic rules are important for working with other clay
bodies, it becomes of the utmost importance to porcelain. Uneven thickness in clay walls and attaching pieces
of uneven dryness will result in cracking. Cracks in the bottom of a form
are usually caused by uneven thickness throughout and/or improper
compression. Some cracks in the bottoms are caused by water left inside,
which weakens the bottom. Cracks on
rims are usually caused by too much
pressure applied when trimming the
foot. Using a foam bat on the wheel
2
3
4
5
head while trimming absorbs the
shock and eliminates most rim cracks.
You can also prevent excessive pressure on fragile pieces by using sharp
tools. Metal kidney ribs and Surform
blades are some of my most important
trimming tools.
Fill a spray bottle with water and
use it to keep the pieces damp as
long as is needed while you’re working
on them. Be careful as it takes some
training of the hand and eye to prevent
delamination of walls when spraying
semi-dry pots to rehydrate them. Every porcelain body is different and
needs to be evaluated separately.
To be safe, never leave freshly
thrown work in the open air
longer than 15–30 minutes, no matter if you are working in Mississippi
or Arizona.
Here are two simple systems for
keeping unfinished pieces leather
hard for weeks while you work on
them. Invert a lidded food container,
set the pot on the inverted lid and place
the container over top of it to seal the
pots in while they are in process.
Make a damp box by taking a plastic storage box, and pouring an inch or
so of plaster into the bottom. After it
cures, dampen the plaster slab and it
will slowly release moisture into the air
within the closed container.
6
7
8
Design Considerations
When working with porcelain, there
are specific things to bear in mind in
the design stage that have a direct effect
when firing a piece. Porcelain slumps
easily so avoid large horizontal areas
that are not supported. Wide domed
lids, wide rimmed bowls and plates,
handles and spouts should have an angle of at least 45° built into the design.
Some pieces will even split or separate
during the final firing if unsupported. I
use different systems in the kiln to support my work. It’s an ongoing process
of planning and improvisation, since
my work is one of a kind and using
supports only works if the area to be
propped up is unglazed.
Porcelain utilitarian work is normally the same thickness or slightly thinner
than stoneware, but it’s still important
to be aware of possible slumping and
to design works accordingly.
Firing Considerations
Because porcelain fluxes and starts
to melt somewhat at its peak temperature, any supportive materials need to
be dusted with a refractory material
such as silica or calcined alumina. The
same refractory materials are necessary to prevent lids from sticking to
pots. I found that regular kiln wash is
not enough to prevent my pots from
sticking, so I wet each piece and dip it
in a thin layer of silica that I can wipe
off after the piece is safely fired.
Dimples in fired porcelain may be
caused by a very open, less plastic clay
body or by gasses that are either created by burn-off from plasticizers or
other organic materials that might be
trapped in the clay. Slow firing, soaking
bisqueware for 30 minutes and a soak
hold when the final glaze firing temperature is reached are all precautions
you can take to allow these gasses to
escape. For a very open clay body, it’s
sometimes useful to dampen the pieces
slightly before glazing. Be aware that
if the piece is too damp (which happens quickly with thin work), it can’t
absorb as much water from the glaze
solution, and so the glaze coating will
be too thin.
If you’re having problems with
cracks forming during the firing, they
can be prevented by down firing the
kiln, which helps to cool pieces (especially thin ones) slowly.
I consider my porcelain work as a
discovery; one that takes me to all different and interesting places. It suits
my personality and my passion. I invite
you to join me in this journey. Maybe
you will find the same joys as I do. n
Antoinette Badenhorst has worked with
translucent porcelain since the early 90’s. She
leads workshops, presentations and demonstrations both in the U.S. and internationally
and has written articles on pottery in both
Afrikaans and English. Her work is presented by leading galleries in America, South
Africa and Japan. Contact her through her
website: www.clayandcanvas.com.
PotteryMaking Illustrated
|
May/June 2009
33
WH
EN
SH FR
IPP EE
ING
YO
U
OR
DE
R
ON
LIN
E(
US
ON
LY
)
Ceramic Arts Handbook Series:
Throwing & Handbuilding
Price:
$29.95
ceramicartsdaily.org/books
866-721-3222
34
PotteryMaking Illustrated
|
May/June 2009
Throwing
Big
Wine jug made from thrown base and added thrown coils.
D
by Michael Guassardo
avid Schlapobersky and
Felicity Potter are leading
South African studio potters who have been working together in the tradition of highfire, reduction stoneware and porcelain
since 1973. Their open, working pottery studio is in the historic heart of
Swellendam in the Overberg region of
the Western Cape, South Africa.
They work in collaboration, with
David taking care of preparing the
clay, making pots and blending glazes, while Felicity decorates the work
prior to glaze firing in one of two oilfired kilns.
They make a wide range of items
including functional and decorative
stoneware and porcelain, as well as
large floor jars, urns, platters, fountains, garden and indoor containers.
David has developed a process that
combines throwing and adding coils
to create pieces up to four or five feet
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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May/June 2009
35
in height. He demonstrates his method for making a tall vase here.
Process
Center 15 pounds of clay (figure
1). If it’s too difficult to center that
much at one time, try centering five
pounds of it at a time, one over the
other, starting at the bottom. Open
up the clay to within ½ inch of the
wheelhead (figure 2). To ensure the
base is properly worked down and
compacted, David adds a small flat
piece of clay on the base, which he
works in to release any trapped air
and compresses by pressing down
firmly (figure 3).
Next, open out the form to about
8 inches and begin to pull the clay
up to form thick walls that taper inward (figure 4). This also gives you a
thickish rim. Repeat the process, this
time adjust the pressure and your
hand position so that the cylinder
has straight walls (figure 5). Pull the
cylinder to the final height and flare
outward to form the desired shape,
about 12 inches in diameter at the
top. With a kidney rib, bevel the top
slightly outward to accommodate the
angle of the next step, which continues the outward curve (figure 6).
Tip
Compress the rim at the end of
each pull to consolidate the clay
and slightly thicken the rim. At
this stage use the kidney rib to remove any slop on the inside walls
and base.
1
Center 15 pounds of clay.
2
Open clay to ½ inch above the wheelhead.
3
Add a slab of clay to the bottom.
You are now ready to quick dry
the pot to stiffen the walls before
doing any further work. First, run a
wire tool under the base of the form
to release it from the bat. This quick
drying step creates sudden and uneven pressures that could cause
the foot of the form to crack if it
is left attached to the bat. Dampen
the throwing bat to prevent it from
burning. Using a blow torch, and
with the wheel revolving at your
throwing speed, dry the pot (figure
7). First heat the outside, then the
36
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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May/June 2009
4
Collar the clay in and keep the rim thick.
5
Pull up the cylinder.
6
Begin adding shaping outward.
7
Dry the pot using a blow torch.
8
Score the rim then place the coil on top.
inside. After a minute or two, repeat
the drying process. The clay will
start to change color, and become
leather hard.
After two cycles of using the blow
torch, the pot should be firm enough
to handle about 10 more pounds of
clay. Roll out an 8 or 9 pound coil.
Since your pot is about 12 inches in
diameter, you’ll need a 36 inch coil.
Score and dampen the top of the pot
then place the coil on the rim. Cut
and join the two ends together (figure
8), place the coil onto the pot, but do
not fix it to the rim at this point.
Press the coil down and inward
with the wheel revolving slowly, so
that the outside of the coil is flush
with the pot and the roll is overhanging on the inside. Now you are ready
to throw again to thin out this added
coil and shape the contour to make
its transition with the pot seamless.
Throw by pulling the inside roll
up, with the wheel spinning at a
slightly slower speed than when
throwing the pot. Shape and trim
off any uneven clay. Once again,
compress the rim and prepare it for
the next coil.
Clean the outside join and address
the transition if necessary. Remove
the excess clay from the inside join
using a sharp trimming tool or rib,
and clean out any slurry from the
bottom of the pot (figure 9). Note:
When you finish throwing the coil,
the top flare should be a little exaggerated to allow for quick drying.
Dry the pot as before, using the
blow torch (figure 7). You may need
to wet the upper part of the first section prior to heating the piece, so it
does not dry out too much. Clean
up and remove any small dried edges on the rim.
Now add a slightly thinner coil
(about 36 inches in length) made
from about 5 pounds of clay (figure
10). Repeat the process of attaching
and throwing the coil as before. This
second coil should give you enough
clay to form the widest part of the
pot and start to curve the form back
in, finishing up to the shoulder of the
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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May/June 2009
37
pot (figure 11). Clean up and dry the
pot as before. Note that the bevel at
the top edge should slope gently inwards for the final coil, which will
become the rim of the pot.
Add a final coil, rolled out from
about 2 to 3 pounds of clay. Throw
the desired neck and rim (figure 12)
and clean up the inside of the pot
and the transition as before. The final coil allows for a bit of creativity.
You can finish off these tall forms as
vases, jars, or bottles. Dry as before
and add accents like lugs, handles
and or sprigs. Your final pot will be
around 28 to 30 inches tall. n
9
Clean up the join after shaping the contour.
10
Glazing
David and Felicity usually skip
the bisque fire, but their glazing technique is the same for
greenware or bisqueware. After
spraying the entire pot with a
glaze, they add brushwork decoration using various oxides and
pigments. After thoroughly drying the pots, the work is fired to
cone 12 in a gas kiln in a reducing atmosphere.
Add the next coil and cut it to size.
11
Start to taper the form inward, using a rib to
refine the profile.
Michael Guassardo is a professional potter and the editor of National Ceramics
Quarterly. He lives and works in Knysna,
South Africa. For comments, contact him
at editor.ncq@webafrica.org.za.
David Schlapobersky and Felicity Potter
operate the Bukkenburg Pottery Studio &
Guest Cottage in Swellendam, South Africa. For comments or questions, contact
them at bukkenburg@sdm.dorea.co.za or
visit their website at www.pottery.co.za.
38
PotteryMaking Illustrated
|
May/June 2009
12
Complete the shoulder and neck of the form
with the last coil.
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39
40
PotteryMaking Illustrated
|
May/June 2009
instructors file
Throwing: A Three-Stage Approach
by Jake Allee
W
hile conducting a workshop at the “Clay on
the Wall” symposium at Texas Tech, someone asked the question, “How do you approach teaching people to throw on the wheel?” This is
a good question and it’s something I’ve thought about
often. I’ve always held that all people have a mechanical
intelligence related to manual dexterity as we all have
cognitive intelligence. People have different aptitudes
that translate into or affect their manual dexterity.
Over the last several years, I’ve focused my teaching efforts on catering to all of these dispositions and to different learning styles with the goal of helping students learn
and develop good habits. After all, learning to throw on
the wheel is about developing habits and you want the
student to develop good habits first. I personally know
what it’s like to feel the frustration of having to relearn
something after developing a bad habit, because I’m
learn things slowly to begin with. The following should
help you get quicker results from all your students.
Many educational workshops use a lot of buzz words
and philosophical concepts to identify and measure
learning styles, but what a clay instructor needs is a simple “nuts and bolts” method for attacking the problem.
I resolved to strip down the basic learning methods into
three categories and attack them individually in three
matching stages through my teaching:
excitement and raw energy to learn! I believe when the
students are called upon to refer to information they’ve
learned in stages 1 and 2 while engaging in stage 3,
they get a phenomenon educators call “completing the
circle.” When you complete the circle you are being as
efficient as possible with your efforts toward teaching
and directing the students to do the same with the act
of learning.
Stage 1: Readings and Visual Diagrams
This first category of learning methods, and the first
stage in teaching throwing, is often ignored by the
teacher because it takes work up front, and as educators we’re already buried in paperwork! However,
the extra time used for preparation pays off and the
students will be quicker to meet you half way.
A worksheet designed to address all the critical points
associated with habit forming for wheel throwing
technique helps. I always begin by asking the students
to read the worksheet through and I then present them
with several questions to make sure they have read it.
After that, I go over the content of the worksheet again,
re-phrasing it with words that come more naturally.
Any worksheet that addresses frequently asked questions can be used as a reference point by the students
and ultimately make your job easier. A worksheet
never takes the place of a verbal explanation from the
Stage 1. Readings and visual diagrams
instructor or a practical demonstration, but it certainStage 2. Practical demonstration and use of technique
ly gives the student something to think about when
Stage 3. Hands-on experience
it’s placed in their hands, even if they’ve walked into
the classroom late. The worksheet always reinforces
Obviously hands-on experience is the part we quite
stages 2 and 3. Flying solo with a worksheet for one
often throw our students at first, and we answer quesclass might make a student think about showing up on
tions after mistakes are made. However, reinforcement time. Revisiting the handout prior to practical demonof information introduced first through readings and di- stration at the beginning of the next class will elimiagrams then through practical demos is the best way to nate your feelings of guilt and give the late student a
see results at stage 3. Using the three-stage process calls chance for redemption.
upon the student to assimilate information in a manner
that they don’t normally associate with art making, yet
are familiar with through other subjects. As a teacher,
After everyone has read the worksheet and I reinforce
prioritizing these stages in learning a process in order
and explain it verbally, I move to stage 2. The students
from 1 to 3 is key to a student’s success, because they
watch the practical demonstration while reference to the
have the “blinders” on and will always prioritize them
worksheet throughout the process. I slow way down and
in the opposite direction, from 3 to 1 due to honest
ask the students how I should be executing the tech-
Stage 2: Practical Demonstration
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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May/June 2009
41
nique according to the worksheet. I
demonstrate all of the steps listed to
further reinforce the information. At
this time I also talk about some of
the “tricks” in my personal approach
for success.
If I make a mistake in the process
while demonstrating, we discuss
what happened. I encourage the
students to ask the following
questions. WHY did the mistake
happen? WHAT should have been
done differently? HOW can the
mistake be corrected? This shows
students how to learn from the
inevitable mistakes. They also refer
to this experience of watching a
demonstration, and the troubleshooting that occurred, when
working on their own pieces, so it
helps and influences them as they
form their own habits. Lastly, it
also puts them at ease with the
expert imparting the knowledge.
The first piece I make for a demo
is always destroyed at the end; this
takes away the preciousness of
the object created. I then take the
opportunity to give my short talk
on how each person in the class
dictates what is considered their
first piece on the wheel. Will it be
the piece that becomes an ashtray,
or will it be the piece that is kept
after they understand the control required to make a thin wall and keep
the piece centered? The viewer may
never know if the maker’s first piece
was made on the very first day or at
the end of the first year of practice.
and address all of the students
one-on-one, giving suggestions and
helping with the challenges they
encounter. The whole process takes
me about an hour to go through
from start to finish. I always start
the next class with a review through
practical demonstration and check
that everyone has their worksheet
with them for reference.
This approach may not work for
all teachers, but the idea is to teach
from as many angles as possible
and use each angle to reference the
other. Think about adapting this
method to your particular way of
teaching. Look at the effort Val
Cushing has put into point #1—the
achievement of his students speaks
of the value of his efforts. To the
Throwing on the Wheel
by Jake Allee
Tips for success
 Always apply and release pressure to
the clay slowly.
|
large arrow indicates hand to clay contact area when
throwing. Small arrow indicates wheel direction.
 Never allow water to collect in the bottom of the piece.
right
handed
 Slow the wheel down in each step of
the process.
 Be persistent in your efforts.
large
arrow
left
handed
cenTering The clay
When I finally make it to Stage
#3, everyone is ready to get started.
I ask for one more exercise of
patience on the student’s part.
Everyone goes through the steps of
centering and opening simultaneously and no one moves to the next
step until everyone is ready. Once
everyone gets to the point of pulling
up on the cylinder, they are all cut
loose and begin to work on their
own. At this point I walk around
PotteryMaking Illustrated
Jake Allee teaches at Mesa State College in
Grand Junction, Colorado. For comments, or
to see his work, visit www.jakeallee.com.
Below and right: A two page worksheet on the basics of wheel throwing,
available online at www.potterymaking.org.
Stage 3: Hands-on
Experience
42
students reading this, please use
this information to pull knowledge
from your teacher in a way that
best fits your learning style, I’m
sure he or she will direct you to a
good resource even if there’s no
worksheet available. Remember,
the classroom environment is a
50%–50% situation with regards
to effort, requiring equal amounts
from both student and teacher.
Realizing this helps speed everyone
to what really counts, THE CONTENT OF THE WORK. Technique
is only the path to content and
work ethic will drive you down
that path! GOOD LUCK! n
May/June 2009
flat
mov
 Start with a well wedged ball of clay
that’s no larger than the size of your
hands.
diagram illustrating hand to clay pressure.
Anchor your elbows to your knees for
stability.
Wet your hands and the clay.
Slowly apply downward pressure
equally to all sides of the clay until no
movement exists within the mass.
clay profile
wheel head
When the clay is “centered,” it will be
spinning while your hands remain still.
Once the clay is centered, relax and
slowly pull your hands away.
©2009 Ceramic Publication Company
illust
poin
Creating a Teaching Worksheet for Ceramics
#1
Identify the basic steps in the technical process.
Double check the descriptive language used to convey these steps.
#2
Develop drawings or high-contrast photographs as visual examples to these steps.
All diagrams should be clearly labeled and the images should photo
copy well.
#3
#4
Identify and address frequently asked questions.
Leave the “tricks” out and let that be a point of interest with the practical demonstration.
opening up The clay
Place the tip of your thumb in the center of the
clay mass.
Slowly roll your thumb into the center of the
clay maintaining pressure on the clay profile.
Stop ½ inch from the wheel head.
To create a flat bottom, use the same hand position and pull straight back toward yourself.
Any movement causing the piece to go out of
“center” is reflected in the rest of the piece.
thumb
making a pull
thumb
wheel head
large arrow represents thumb movement. Small
arrows indicate hand to clay pressure.
clay profile
From this point on, manipulate the piece only
at the 3 o’clock position relative to the wheel
head (9 o’clock if left handed).
Slowly apply and release pressure.
thumb
Always use your fingertips when making a
vertical pull and slow the wheel down.
clay profile
wheel head
flat bottom profile with arrow representing thumb
movement.
handS
lay
our
Position your inside finger slightly above the
outside finger and apply pressure with the outside finger slowly moving your hands upward.
When making a vertical pull, pull the clay
inward to create the volcano shape.
Repeat the pulling process until the wall is uniform in thickness from top to bottom.
for
clay profile
wheel head
illustration showing fingertip to clay pressure
points and direction of vertical pull.
il no
be
ill.
nd
clay profile
volcano profile
©2009 Ceramic Publication Company
PotteryMaking Illustrated
|
May/June 2009
43
off the shelf
The Basics
of Throwing
by Sumi von Dassow
M
y first thought on seeing this book was
something like, “not another throwing
book!” However, when I began reading
it I was captivated and ended up reading every word
and examining each picture. David Cohen is not just
an experienced thrower, he is a master at manipulating clay and obviously a master instructor as well.
His goal in writing this book is to lay out his lessons
and aesthetic philosophy for those of us not fortunate
enough to attend his classes in person. If this were yet
another step-by-step “here’s how to make a pitcher,
teapot, etc.” book, it wouldn’t be especially valuable,
because that territory is already well explored in other
books. There are indeed many very well-photographed
step-by-step sequences in this book, complete with
color-coded arrows and lines pointing to important
details or demonstrating the direction of pressure and
movement; and the instructions on difficult-to-describe
processes such as wedging and centering are as good
as any I’ve seen; but the real value of this book is in
Cohen’s systematic presentation of design and aesthetic considerations concerning the process of throwing.
The first three chapters are aimed at beginners and
cover the properties of clay, clay preparation and the
basics of throwing. These subjects aren’t given short
shrift, and it is possible that a determined beginner
could really get the hang of centering and throwing a
cylinder from Cohen’s instructions. In the fourth chapter, however, Cohen moves on to helping the reader
develop a “visual vocabulary” by applying “attention,
selection, and critical assessment.” As he says, “this
trio of qualities is the foundation for establishing a visual vocabulary, without which there is little chance of
going beyond technical proficiency.” Thus, he lets you
know the real purpose of this book: to help you make
pots which are not just competently made, but welldesigned. As a teacher who inevitably spends a lot
of time teaching “technical proficiency,” I found this
chapter refreshing, eye-opening and inspiring. Cohen
doesn’t attempt to impose his own sense of design on
the reader; his goal is to encourage you to make your
44
PotteryMaking Illustrated
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May/June 2009
The Basics of Throwing:
A Practical Approach to
Form and Design
By David Cohen
ISBN: 978-0-8122-2041-4
University of Pennsylvania Press
Philadelphia, PA, 2008
www.upenn.edu/pennpress
forms deliberately, to create a finished form that communicates your intention. After all, what is the point
of spending time mastering a demanding craft, only to
make generic pots?
The next couple of chapters in the book intermingle
“how-to information” with “why” information—
demonstrating not just making a pitcher, a teapot and
a mug, but making a “family” of forms which relate
visually to one another. Then Cohen moves on to the
elements of visual expression, explaining the use of
line, shape, color, texture and other visual elements to
enhance your visual vocabulary. Believe it or not, he really does explain all these terms so that you can understand what he means, illustrating the explanations with
stunning pots and suggesting a lot of fun, interesting
ways to alter thrown forms.
In short, I would recommend this book to potters
at any level of proficiency. If you’re a beginner you
will get some good tips to help you develop both your
technique and your understanding of design principles.
If you’re already an expert potter you will undoubtedly
learn neat new things to do with clay but I hope you’ll
also learn to evaluate your forms with a critical eye.
And if you’re a teacher, your own pots will benefit, and
you’ll also learn a whole new vocabulary for communicating with your students – more importantly, a whole
new philosophy to communicate to them. n
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45
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Custom Mold Making—Increase your productivity and profits with quality slip-casting molds
of your popular designs! Petro Mold Co. offers a
complete range of mold-making services, including sculpting and 3-D models, master and case
molds, and production mold manufacturing to
thousands of satisfied customers. Visit www.
custommolds.net or call (800) 404-5521 to get
started.
PotteryVideos.com – DVD’s with Robin Hopper, Gordon Hutchens and Graham Sheehan.
Video Workshops for Potters at all levels of experience. Choose from 21 titles. 800-668-8040;
info@potteryvideos.com.
Exclusively!
VENCO
Pugmills, Wheels
Spare Parts
www.vencousa.com
info@vencousa.com
508-662-5706
Aardvark Clay & Supplies . . . . . . . . . 28
ACerS Books . . . . . . . . . . 34, 39, 45, 46
Amaco and Brent . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2
Aves Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Bailey Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Bamboo Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Bennett Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
BigCeramicStore.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Bracker’s Good Earth Clays . . . . . . . 21
Carolina Clay Connection . . . . . . . . . 47
Ceramic Supply Chicago . . . . . . . . . . 47
CeramicArtsDaily.org . . . . . . . . Cover 3
Chinese Clay Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Clay Art Center/Scott Creek . . . . . . . . 43
Clayworks Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Continental Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Coyote Clay & Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Davens Ceramic Center . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Dolan Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Georgies Ceramic & Clay . . . . . . . . . 28
Great Lakes Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Greenwich House Pottery . . . . . . . . . 27
Herring Designs/SlabMat . . . . . . . . . 46
Highwater Clays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
John C. Campbell Folk School . . . . . . 27
Kemper Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Kentucky Mudworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Kiln Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Krueger Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
L & L Kiln Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4
L&R Specialties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Larkin Refractory Solutions . . . . . . . . 34
Master Kiln Builders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Mayco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Minnesota Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Montgomery Community College . . . 40
New Mexico Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Olympic Kilns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Paragon Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Peter Pugger Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Potters Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 39
Potters Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Sheffield Pottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Skutt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Smith-Sharpe Fire Brick Supply . . . . . 16
Soldner Clay Mixers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Spectrum Glazes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Standard Ceramic Supply . . . . . . . . . 21
Venco USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Vent-A-Kiln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
PotteryMaking Illustrated
|
May/June 2009
47
ad hoc
Dynamic Clay
Loosen Up!
Long hours spent throwing or trimming at the wheel can
do a real number on your neck and back.
The following simple tricks can help enormously. . .
1. If your wheel pedal is under your right foot, place a brick
under your left foot. This makes your knees level and eliminates
asymmetrical stress on the lower back.
Clay is a fluid medium and
here’s a demonstration of
how it works. Balls of strategically placed dark clay
inserted into a white clay
illustrate how the forces of
throwing work on clay.
2. Use a stool on wheels. Tiny variations in distance to the wheel head
allow you to use a range of back muscles, reducing fatigue.
3. Keep at least one tool that you use frequently, such as a cut-off wire,
high above your head. This forces you to reach up and straighten your
back at regular intervals, which is particularly helpful in avoiding those
headaches due to tense neck muscles.
Clay at the circumference moves
more than clay at the center.
Q.
What’s the
earliest known
Potter’s Wheel?
A. The first pottery wheels appeared around 8,000 BCE in Egypt
and Khnum, one of the earliest Egyptian deities, is usually depicted as a
bull-headed man at a potter’s wheel
(no comment). Also known as the
Divine Potter, he is thought of as the
creator of children’s bodies, which
he made on the wheel and placed in
their mother’s wombs.
Handedness and Throwing Rotation
10%
RH/CW
4%
lH/CcW
2%
cw/CcW
Did you
know?
In the Far East, potters usually work with
the wheel turning clockwise and in Western cultures the wheel turns counterclockwise. According to our recent PMI Reader
survey, 78% of PMI readers are right
handed and throw counterclockwise.
6%
LH/CW
78%
RH/CCW
Key:
RH/CCW = Right Handed/Counterclockwise
LH/CCW = Left Handed/Counterclockwise
RH/CW = Right Handed/Clockwise
Contrasting clay sandwiched between white clay. Coning causes
clay from below to be pushed
upward in the center and downward on the outside.
Balls of half red and half white
clay were centered, starting
with red clay on the bottom to
illustrate how coning moves clay
from the bottom to the top.
LH/CW = Left Handed/Clockwise
CW/CCW = Right or Left Handed and uses both directions
48
PotteryMaking Illustrated
|
May/June 2009
Thanks to Ivor Lewis
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