Tiggerbus on thu 17 apr 97
I have seen many potters in magazines throwing from large amounts of clay.
How does one begin to center such a large amount of clay. I was taught
to bring the clay up in a cone and center the inner part and then work
towards the outside clay that is below your middle fingers and pinky
fingers. Is this right?
If there are any good books out there let me know!
Thanks,
Amer
Amy Gossett
tiggerbus@aol.com
Capuccino and Clayart mornings.........
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Reality is merely a crutch for those with a broken imagination..."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shauna Mulvihill on thu 17 apr 97
Tiggerbus wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I have seen many potters in magazines throwing from large amounts of clay. How
>
>
Amy,
I can center at least 1.5 pugs of clay and 2 if I have been practicing.
I don't know how large is large, but I put the ball of clay on the
wheelhead and beat it into center, wheel turning slowly, with my fists
and by slapping it. Then I throw as usual. When my teacher first
demonstrated this for me, however, he went as far to bring it up into
cone shape and down in the beating fashion, AND opened up the center by
pounding it that way. Then he threw in the normal fashion. Now my
teacher is a very big ex football player man, with huge hands, but I
have found that size nor strength control the clay as well as
technique. He used to say that the person who could center the most
clay in the world was an 8 year old little girl. He was very serious
but I think he may have been "putting me on". Even so, I keep that
vision in mind, and I am sure if I worked at it, I could center even
more. I also try to envision the Eastern martial arts techniques,
remembering that size, weight, and strength are no match for the
fluidity, control, and training of the mind and philosophical body
(sounds weird?- its because I know NOTHING about martial arts-- but
thats what I think about anyhow!)
Also- this is very helpful for me: I can either do a lot of out of
breath work when I center a couple of pugs, or I can use a big cleanup
sponge to manipulate the clay with alot less effort. I grasp the end of
the sponge in my fist and press against the remaining sponge over the
outside knuckles and hand of the fist, pressing against the clay mass.
This also works especially well for spreading the clay out across the
wheel head for making very large platters...(If I haven't explained this
sponge thing in a percievable way, let me know and I'll try again).
Also, I have seen my teacher center a large amount of clay, and spread
it out, as if one were about to make a platter. He then took another
mass of clay and put it in the middle of the disc of clay he first
centered, working with the new amount as a separate piece, in order to
center it. He then spread the new amount to join the first, into one
mass of centered clay.
I am sure you have seen or heard or read about centering a large amount
of clay, throwing, and then continuing the form by adding coils,
throwing, adding coils throwing some more...and so on (letting the lower
portions set up before continuing to build and throw higher). There are
countless other ways to utilize the wheel by integrating other
hanbuilding and forming techniques...
Tiggerbus wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message------------------------
>I was taught to bring the clay up in a cone and center the inner part and then
>
Sorry, I don't know any thing about that. Maybe it's just the way I'm
reading it; I don't know!
Hope this helps...sorry so long.
Shauna in Ridgecrest, CA
Pierre Brayford on fri 18 apr 97
Tiggerbus wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I have seen many potters in magazines throwing from large amounts of clay.
> How does one begin to center such a large amount of clay. I was taught
> to bring the clay up in a cone and center the inner part and then work
> towards the outside clay that is below your middle fingers and pinky
> fingers. Is this right?
Tiggerbus wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I have seen many potters in magazines throwing from large amounts of clay.
> How does one begin to center such a large amount of clay. I was taught
> to bring the clay up in a cone and center the inner part and then work
> towards the outside clay that is below your middle fingers and pinky
> fingers. Is this right?A difficult subject to cover via email!
however...
Use a bat on the wheelhead and make sure it is firmly attached as there
will be considerable sideways forces - and it is counter productive
when the bat detaches partway through!
Do as much as you can before getting clay wet, with wheel turning slowly
slap, bash thump etc., in a rhythmic manner to get as even a lump as
possible.
Now get the lump wet and with the heel of left hand and both hands
joined for extra force push against left side of clay( assuming
counter-clockwise wheel rotation) at base of lump and work the uneveness
up to the top. Try to get your body weight behind staight-ish arms or
you will soon get tired and aching. Once the uneveness is at the top it
can be dealt with as for a small lump.
(Was it Mahler who taught himself to swim by reading a book!!)
There is an alternative method I think Japanese in origin.
After bashing clay into an even lump continue bashing in the centre top
with the wheel slowly rotating, continue until there is a depression in
the clay right down to the base and then still continue until the base
is flattened and opened out. You should now have a cylinder with short
fat walls. Still with wheel rotating scrape away obvious uneveness with
your knuckle.
Now you can get the clay wet (after you've had a lie down that is!!)
Use your hands , initially both, as if holding on to a ladder rung, to
even out the donut of clay( Wheel still turning). Its a squeezing action
rather than normal centering. Since you are not having to deal with as
much clay this requires less force. Once evened out throwing is as
normal.
Start off with about 10lbs of clay and work up.
Doug Gray on fri 18 apr 97
Sometimes the trick to centering large amounts of clay is to not center
large amounts of clay. Try centering multiple small amounts. I offer
you two possiblities:
1. Center the largest amount of clay you can comfortably center. Throw
the form as high as you can. Allow the clay to stiffen slightly, add a
large coil of fresh clay and continue throwing. Add coil; throw. Add
coil; throw, until you have the form you want. ( I use this method
alot)
2. Center the largest amount of clay you can comfortably center. Wedge
up another lump of clay. Slam it onto the centered lump of clay and re
center. Add more clay and recenter. ( saw Don Reitz use this method)
Doug Gray
Alpine, TX
stevemills on fri 18 apr 97
In message <19970416135201.JAA01557@ladder01.news.aol.com>, Tiggerbus
writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have seen many potters in magazines throwing from large amounts of clay.
> How does one begin to center such a large amount of clay. I was taught
>to bring the clay up in a cone and center the inner part and then work
>towards the outside clay that is below your middle fingers and pinky
>fingers. Is this right?
>
>If there are any good books out there let me know!
>Throwing Pots by Phil Rogers,Ceramic Handbooks series, published in the
UK by A&C Black, I don't know the who the US publishers would be.
>Thanks,
>Amer
>Amy Gossett
>tiggerbus@aol.com
>Capuccino and Clayart mornings.........
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>"Reality is merely a crutch for those with a broken imagination..."
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Other than that, work on the side of the wheel where the clay is coming
towards you, and beware of "flying elbows!".
Steve
--
Steve Mills
@Bath Potters Supplies
Dorset Close
Bath
BA2 3RF
UK
Tel:(44) (0)1225 337046
Fax:(44) (0)1225 462712
Malissa D on fri 18 apr 97
Tiggerbus wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I have seen many potters in magazines throwing from large amounts of clay.
> How does one begin to center such a large amount of clay. I was taught
> to bring the clay up in a cone and center the inner part and then work
> towards the outside clay that is below your middle fingers and pinky
> fingers. Is this right?
>
> If there are any good books out there let me know!
>
> Thanks,
> Amer
> Amy Gossett
> tiggerbus@aol.com
> Capuccino and Clayart mornings.........
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> "Reality is merely a crutch for those with a broken imagination..."
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Try centering small amounts of clay at a time and adding to. Center 5
pounds and then push it down and add another 5 pounds to that, center
and push down until you get it. Gently done! Earth@tstar.net
Susan H. Park on sun 20 apr 97
One quick question about the Japanese technique which you mentioned - Was
there a base left at the bottom of this huge mass of clay, or was it
turned into a donut, if so, how is the base then created.
Thanks for sharing?
Susan in Seattle
Pierre Brayford on mon 21 apr 97
Susan H. Park wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> One quick question about the Japanese technique which you mentioned - Was
> there a base left at the bottom of this huge mass of clay, or was it
> turned into a donut, if so, how is the base then created.
>
> Thanks for sharing?
>
> Susan in Seattle
Yes - leave a base.
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