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handbuilding problems

updated fri 12 jan 01

 

Carole Fox on mon 8 jan 01


Dear Clayart friends,

I was inspired by some pots by Dannon Rhudy and a plaster hump mold and =
began a series of what I call "quilt pots". I am pretty loose about this =
project- no measuring or exactness. I work on one piece from start to =
finish while the clay is still wet, impressing designs into slabs of =
clay with stamps, shells, stones, etc. I then cut shapes from these =
textured slabs and place them in a pattern on the hump mold, edges =
overlapping, textured side down.

I smear the edges together as I work, while the clay is still wet. I =
scrape the outside of the pot with a serrated metal rib, then smooth it =
with a regular metal rib. I then take the mold to the wheel, center it, =
cut the rim even with a needle tool and add a coil of clay to the rim =
and to bottom of the pot (to become the foot).

My problems are these:
I sometimes get a small crack in the middle of the bowl. I assume this =
is from the water used to throw the foot, though I tried to use very =
little. I could throw the foot separately and attach later, but I am =
open to other suggestions.

The outside of the pot looks lumpy and uneven, though I could swear it =
didn't look that way before it dried! Could I be stretching the clay =
when I rib it?=20

I love how these pots look on the inside, but need some advice about how =
to make them look nicer on the outside. I look forward to trying your =
suggestions.

Carole Fox - in Elkton, MD, already waiting for the spring (Unheated =
studio!)

miriam on mon 8 jan 01


Carole-
I also texture a slip-coated slab, then place it over a plaster hump
mold with texture side down. The main difference from what you're doing
is mine is not a quilt but one piece. But what I do next might help. I
put the plaster hump on the wheel as you do, and cut the rim even, but
then with a well squeezed-out sponge I go over the piece as if smoothing
throwing marks. The pot is just firm enough for the pattern on the other
side not to be disturbed. When the outside surface is smoothed out, I
add and throw the foot coil with very little moisture added. Maybe it'll
work for you, bearing in mind that where you have overlaps in the clay
quilt scraps, you have thickness variation that will cause the pot to
retain some unevenness to the outside surface. Mimi Stadler in NJ

Carole Fox wrote:
> My problems are these:
> I sometimes get a small crack in the middle of the bowl. I assume this is from the water used to throw the foot, though I tried to use very little. I could throw the foot separately and attach later, but I am open to other suggestions.
>
> The outside of the pot looks lumpy and uneven, though I could swear it didn't look that way before it dried! Could I be stretching the clay when I rib it?
>
> I love how these pots look on the inside, but need some advice about how to make them look nicer on the outside. I look forward to trying your suggestions.
>
> Carole Fox - in Elkton, MD, already waiting for the spring (Unheated studio!)
>
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John Hesselberth on mon 8 jan 01


HI Carole,

I do almost exactly the same thing except inside out. I put my cut up
textured pieces on the inside of a bisque form so the textured patchwork
surface becomes the outside of the pot. I have experienced some of the
same problems--here is what worked for me.

1. I had to work with slabs a little thicker than I would normally
use--not a lot, but maybe 25%.

2. I put the assembledge on the wheel and smooth/rib the inside surface
with as much pressure as I can without throwing it all off the wheel. I
work that inside surface smooth for several minutes. Since the bisque is
absorbing some the water I don't have to wait very long before I pop the
pot out of the bisque form--maybe half an hour or an hour at the most.

3. I wait until the pot is out of the mold and leather hard before adding
the rim and the foot. I do it will a coil thrown in place like you do.
I usually throw the foot on first because the cut off rim gives a nice
stable base when the pot is upside down. I let that set up 3 or 4 hours
until I can turn the put over and stand it on its new foot. Then I throw
the rim.

4. Then I dry it VERY slowly.

Good luck on solving your problems. I hope this helps. Regards, John

Carole Fox wrote:

>My problems are these:
>I sometimes get a small crack in the middle of the bowl. I assume this is
>from the water used to throw the foot, though I tried to use very little.
>I could throw the foot separately and attach later, but I am open to other
>suggestions.
>
>The outside of the pot looks lumpy and uneven, though I could swear it
>didn't look that way before it dried! Could I be stretching the clay when
>I rib it?
>
>I love how these pots look on the inside, but need some advice about how
>to make them look nicer on the outside. I look forward to trying your
>suggestions.


"The life so short, the craft so long to learn." Hippocrates, 5th cent.
B.C.

Christina Zola on thu 11 jan 01


I've been doing this type of bowl for about two years, in a communal studio
environment. I don't rib the interior, as that destroys the designs on the
exterior. I'm using a mold where I lay my pieces inside, as opposed to a
hump mold. I add the base last, although I have some molds that allow me to
build a low foot.

Because my pieces are in a public area, only about half survive the
curiosity factor and their own fragility before bisque.

If you want to see, go to http://www.studioeto.com > studios> sculptural
vessels.

Good luck!

christina