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oval platters

updated wed 6 jun 07

 

Michelle Rhodes on mon 28 may 07


Does anyone know a good technique for altering thrown platters to make
oval serving platters? Size from 10x13" to 11x18. Must it have a
foot? I would add a coil. I read about a method of tossing the thrown
plate pizza like on the floor, but that seems messy...... I am curious
about methods of removing some clay from the bottom and pushing the
sides in I am currently throwing on plaster bats, stoneware clay to be
fired ^10 reduction. Would also appreciate suggestions for thickness
of bottom when thrown.
Thanks!

Michelle Rhodes Pottery

Gardiner NY 12525

Marek & Pauline Drzazga-Donaldson on tue 29 may 07


Dear Michelle,

easiest way is to turn the plattter while soft to include the foot ring, =
then cut out a pointed oval in the centre of the plate, slurry and then =
push together, weld and clean up, turn over and press the rim down to =
make all of the oval rim meet the surface, slurry a little and wweld and =
make good. Cover the area with damp newwspaper and wrap in bin liner =
plastic for a week, then dry slowly. Neaten up foot ring and etc.
Experiment with the size and shape of cut you require, it really is good =
fun and very easy if you don't clench your buttocks too tight - just =
relax and it will flow.

Happy Oval Potting Marek


Hand made Architectural Ceramics from No9 Studio UK www.no9uk.com
Fully Residential Pottery Courses and more at Mole Cottage =
www.moleys.com
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www.keramix.com
an irreverent point of view after 35 years in the game Marek =
Drzazga-Donaldson =20
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Nancy on tue 29 may 07


I have never tried this but did see it online (I think Bill Vangilder).
Throw a plate, wire it. Cut an oval eye shape out of the middle, put
water in the middle and then with a board, push one side into the other
to close the oval. Smooth and supposedly this makes an oval. Do it on
2 sides instead of directly in the middle and you get a square. Again,
I've never tried it. I do the pizza throwing thing but do not throw it
on a bar floor. I throw it on a piece of plywood. :)

Nancy

\Michelle Rhodes wrote:
> Does anyone know a good technique for altering thrown platters to make
> oval serving platters? Size from 10x13" to 11x18. Must it have a
> foot? I would add a coil. I read about a method of tossing the thrown
> plate pizza like on the floor, but that seems messy...... I am curious
> about methods of removing some clay from the bottom and pushing the
> sides in I am currently throwing on plaster bats, stoneware clay to be
> fired ^10 reduction. Would also appreciate suggestions for thickness
> of bottom when thrown.
> Thanks!
>
> Michelle Rhodes Pottery
>
> Gardiner NY 12525
>
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Lili Krakowski on tue 29 may 07


There is another way of making oval platters, which has its own =
advantage. I mean it is not throwing, then cutting out a very narrow (I =
put that in because at the beginning one makes that narrow leaf-shape =
too wide) leaf shape out of the center (make the cut at a 45 degree =
angle, give yourself a bit of a wider surface for the joint) and =
squooshing the sides in.

This--which I leaned from Canadian potter Paula McDonald--goes like =
this:

Draw the oval shape you want your platter to be. Cut the shape out of =
cardboard or similar. With a soft tape (I use a dressmaker's tape, out =
of fiberglass, which is VERY handy for lots of things in the studio) I =
measure the circumference of my oval shape. It then is very easy to =
figure out what the diameter of your thrown rim should be.

Next, roll out the base of your pot and cut it to size and shape, using =
the cardboard as template. Set base [bottom] aside to dry a bit. You =
can make several at the same time.

Then throw just rings the diameter you want and the height you want. =
Cut them off the bat, using a bit of water underneath, and push them =
into the approximate oval you want.

When both bottoms and rings are the at the right stage for joining, join =
them as you would any other item. Just make sure the rings are not TOO =
dry. They should take the final oval shape easily.

NB There is a material sold in "craft" and sewing stores that is called =
"plastic canvas" It is a find 1/4 inch grid sheet of plastic, and very =
cheap.
After I have made my cardboard template, I duplicate it in this stuff. =
Have several hanging in my studio, available for instant use.

Eleanor on fri 1 jun 07


Lili's instructions are, as always, practical, precise, detailed and
inspiring. Why throw, cut, push together, join __ there will be many
distortions and mistakes until you get it right __ when you can cut
out, throw a rim and join? Seems much easier.

May I add: you can cut out the base of your platter in any shape --
oval, round, square, triangular, amorphous, whatever you want, and
add a thrown rim, resulting in an elegant platter/tray.

--or: the rim can be thin coils, smoothed on the inside, or not,
shaped into curves, whorls, handles, or not, or one thick coil,
pinched into an irregular rim............ endless possibilities.

I've had success with the above methods. I'm thinking: what about
pulling a rim as in pulling a handle; cutting a rim from a
slab............. more possibilities.

Lili: (I've read your articles) Your instructions on all aspects of
pottery-making are supremely lucid and useful at every stage of the
craft/art. I hope you are writing a book.

Eleanor Kohler
Centerport, NY

My daughter-in-law, an art therapist who sometimes teaches, gave us a
bird house made with an extruder and left behind by a teen-age
student. We hung it in a tree and little birds are nesting in it. I
haven't been able yet to identify the birds; they are new around
here. The roof comes off the house so it can be cleaned, a feature
missing from some commercially made houses.

It's great fun watching the birds come and go and listening to their
distinctive song; more fun maybe than reality TV; wouldn't know -- we
don't have a TV.

Bonnie Staffel on tue 5 jun 07


I agree that the throwing of the rim separately from the slab base is =
the
concept I have been teaching since the late 80's. It gives so much =
freedom
to your creative spirit. I decided I wanted to share the method with =
others
so made the DVD showing how. The sky is limitless with this method - =
see my
big pots!!!!! Only the size of my kiln dictates how big I can make my =
pots.
I apologize for this shameless promotion, but at 85 I am still able to =
work
in clay because of the method and am tickled as a kid to still get the =
clay
to respond so easily.

>Eleanor wrote: Lili's instructions are, as always, practical, precise,
detailed and inspiring. Why throw, cut, push together, join __ there =
will be
many distortions and mistakes until you get it right __ when you can cut
out, throw a rim and join? Seems much easier.

>May I add: you can cut out the base of your platter in any shape -- =
oval,
round, square, triangular, amorphous, whatever you want, and add a =
thrown
rim, resulting in an elegant platter/tray.

>--or: the rim can be thin coils, smoothed on the inside, or not, shaped
into curves, whorls, handles, or not, or one thick coil, pinched into an
irregular rim............ endless possibilities."

Bonnie Staffel



DVD Throwing with Coils and Slabs
DVD Introduction to Wheel Work
Charter Member Potters Council
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html