Joan & Tom Woodward on sun 5 dec 99
------------------
I read with interest (and gratitude) the recent posts (responding to Sue =
Beach,
I think?) regarding the time and work required to get to the point where one=
can
reliably produce good quality pots. Having just said to my husband =22I =
can't
call myself a potter=21=22 in frustration over what felt like significant
backsliding, I was reassured to realize that I hadn't begun to put in my =
time.
It's wonderful to get the benefit of highly experienced, good folks.
Along those lines, I decided that it would probably be valuable for me to =
get
one of the basic throwing videos to stare at a few dozen times and see where
I've gone off on my own, unproductive tangents. Then the question becomes,
which one? Robin Hopper's? Jepson? Pipenburg? Other? And what about some
good glazing demo? I learned with brushing, and my dipping techniques leave
much to be desired. Would love to get get any feedback.
Thanks.
Joan in Alaska where we just walked downtown and got some early Christmas
shopping done until the crowds started showing up, at which time we =
hightailed
it out of there and walked back to our peaceful abode=21
Cindy Strnad on mon 6 dec 99
Joan,
The only throwing videos I've seen were Jepson's, and, as I had very little
instruction available to me here in western South Dakota, he practically
taught me to throw. Haven't seen the others, though, so I can't compare.
Hopper's "Making Marks" series is very good, but he doesn't go into a lot of
technique for dipping, in particular. It's pretty simple. You want to start
with a glaze that has nice working properties. At least ten percent clay is
a good start. All of mine have around twenty percent clay. This hasn't
caused me any trouble, but it can, if the glaze shrinkage is too great. It
can cause crawling.
Get the glaze to a nice heavy cream consistency. The right thickness differs
from glaze to glaze, and you just have to get a feel for it. It's possible
to measure the thickness of the glaze coat on your pot with a special device
(can't remember the name of it) like a little pin which you simply use to
pierce the glaze on the pot. I mean to get one some day. (One of those
things, you know.)
Dip the pot, completely immersing it in the glaze. Use tongs. You'll need to
decide how long to leave the pot immersed. Between five and ten seconds is
generally good. Pull it out, empty it with a swirling motion, allowing the
glaze to run over as much of the inner surface as you can while you're
pouring it out. (careful--I've gotten a shoe-full a couple of times.)
{ If you're dipping a pitcher, it's a good idea to double-dip the spout.
Vary this process to suit the pot being glazed. Some can be held by the foot
and dipped, then the insides glazed separately. (I use an ear syringe to
fill them, squirting it so the glaze cascades down, around the inner walls.)
For some, you may need to pour the glaze into a wider, shallower container.
(plates and large bowls, for example) Be inventive, creative, have fun!
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
Custer, SD
Sara Gilstrap on mon 6 dec 99
Glazing for many years, I have found spraying with a good spray gun and compress
Joan & Tom Woodward wrote:
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
------------------
I read with interest (and gratitude) the recent posts (responding to Sue Beach,
I think?) regarding the time and work required to get to the point where one can
reliably produce good quality pots. Having just said to my husband "I can't
call myself a potter!" in frustration over what felt like significant
backsliding, I was reassured to realize that I hadn't begun to put in my time.
It's wonderful to get the benefit of highly experienced, good folks.
Along those lines, I decided that it would probably be valuable for me to get
one of the basic throwing videos to stare at a few dozen times and see where
I've gone off on my own, unproductive tangents. Then the question becomes,
which one? Robin Hopper's? Jepson? Pipenburg? Other? And what about some
good glazing demo? I learned with brushing, and my dipping techniques leave
much to be desired. Would love to get get any feedback.
Thanks.
Joan in Alaska where we just walked downtown and got some early Christmas
shopping done until the crowds started showing up, at which time we hightailed
it out of there and walked back to our peaceful abode!
---------------------------------
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June Perry on wed 8 dec 99
I think the Jepson throwing video gives your the most for your money. There's
an Australian pottery, Greg Daly or Daley, who has a very good series of
videos as well. You won't go wrong with either one of these. Treat yourself
and get both. :-)
You might be able to order the Greg Daley ones through the magazine "Pottery
in Australia". I think he has advertised them there. You can also check the
Internet. I don't know if Steve Branfman sells videos along with books but
you can check with him.
Enjoy!
June
Paul Taylor on sun 12 dec 99
Dear Joan
I teach Newbies, come to think of it I am a newbie and the day I cease
to be will be the end of my usefulness. So here are a few basic tips .
They are the ones I repeat to students the most. I expect others will have
their own pet obsessions and disagree with these ideas -here's mine.
Mixing hard and soft clay you need a very firm and semi absorbent
surface . Slam the clay half off the table, separate the two halves with
your thumbs and slam the half in your hand on top of the one on the table
keep the faith and repeat until the clay is mixed and forget about the
pugmill untill you can afford a decent one.
Wedging get all the air out or centering the clay will be difficult or
impossible. Don't use clay that is hard or the pots will be stiff . There
are three basic techniques needing, slamming half a piece of clay onto
another. You will need both these and also a hand wedging technique which
wedges a small lump up to 3 pounds this little trick is worth its weight in
gold.
Throwing : learning on a useless wheel one with out inertia will defeat
you. Never take your hands away from the pot quickly -this is the most
common mistake . On the other hand do not grab the pot for a long time
hoping that the amount of time you spend heaving will preform the miracle
of centering. When centering either cone the clay up or push it down or any
way be proactive. practice is the only way so use lots of clay -make
flowerpots- tons of it bigger and bigger.
Cutting the pots off the wheel: There are techniques for every
shaped pot. Just cutting the pot off with a twisted wier and levitating it
off with six fingers the same six that you collar in with or the whole hand
for most shapes.
Repeatedly cutting through on a watery wheel to slide it off or
slipping a metal scraper underneath the pot. YOU can not beat the old bat
centered on a slab of clay. The bat pin things are for amateurs who wish to
pot like amateurs.
Turning: Promiss your self to learn to tap center some find it easy
others have great difficulty but that does not reflect on their general
ability since pottery is so multi disciplined. Give yourself a year or so.
Remember the softer the clay the softer the tool wood plastic wier and
steel. try them all you will notice different tools like different jobs. My
favorite is the plastic card.
Finishing there is no need to score pots that are not too dry. Stamp
your pots because its traditional and looks professional decorators paint
their mark or sine .
Biscuit firing get all the carbon out 750 c - 850 c OXIDIZE soak if
you have to for an hour their is more bloating than overfiring .
Glazing their are millions of tricks waxing, tongs, half dipping
poring spraying. Any body snobbish or inflexible about their methods deserve
their difficulties, and so do the parsimonious who refuse to mix up enough
glaze, there is no such thing as too much. If you are short of glaze spray.
Glaze Firing- best of luck- I hate it.
Generally beware of advice while remaining hungary for it. Question
the old chestnuts use them for marketing but they can be limiting . For
instance 'the intrinsic quality of clay' .Clay has infinite form and the
tools one uses to form it have a bigger influence on the object than the
intrinsic- bla- bla.
Directness will give better results than hesitant accuracy. And sice
the glaze has a tendency to soften the form Leave well alone!!.
Organize your work on the pot so there is little fettling sponging or last
minute smoothing -burnishing is an exception.
----------
>From: Joan & Tom Woodward
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Subject: advice for relative newbies
>Date: Sun, Dec 5, 1999, 9:07 pm
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>------------------
>I read with interest (and gratitude) the recent posts (responding to Sue Beach,
>I think?) regarding the time and work required to get to the point where one ca
>reliably produce good quality pots. Having just said to my husband "I can't
>call myself a potter!" in frustration over what felt like significant
>backsliding, I was reassured to realize that I hadn't begun to put in my time.
>It's wonderful to get the benefit of highly experienced, good folks.
>
>Along those lines, I decided that it would probably be valuable for me to get
>one of the basic throwing videos to stare at a few dozen times and see where
>I've gone off on my own, unproductive tangents. Then the question becomes,
>which one? Robin Hopper's? Jepson? Pipenburg? Other? And what about some
>good glazing demo? I learned with brushing, and my dipping techniques leave
>much to be desired. Would love to get get any feedback.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Joan in Alaska where we just walked downtown and got some early Christmas
>shopping done until the crowds started showing up, at which time we hightailed
>it out of there and walked back to our peaceful abode!
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