Don Hoskisson on mon 26 nov 01
>From: vince pitelka, vpitelka@DTCCOM.NET
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List, CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>
>Pat -
>It is apparent from the title of your class that you are working with people
>who already have some experience on the wheel. One of the most valuable
>exercises I have used in class for development of speed and control is timed
>throwing.
I second Vince's timed exercises. In 1968 I was teaching
at Arizona State University. I had a class of very slow
folks. I thought about a typing class I had in school and
the time tests we did. I decided to do timed tests in the
ceramics class. I had everyone prepare 5 or 6 balls of clay.
I gave them one minute to throw a 8" cylinder. I said,
"start," and then told them when they had 30 seconds left,
then counted down from 10 seconds to stop. Then I took
a ruler and measured the pots. It took 2 or 3 balls of clay
before some of them made 8" pots, but many did it. They
were ugly, but that didn't matter. After several balls of
clay with the one minute time limit I had them do a 4
minute finished piece. Many of the class were waiting
for the 4 minutes to be up, having finished well ahead.
The other thing I have had students do is prepare 10 to
20 balls of clay. Throw quickly and as each piece starts
to collapse cut it off and put it infront of the wheel.
After 10 are sitting there it is much easier to see the
good and bad things that happened--rather than looking
at a pile of scraps. Also to make one object, not a
variety of shapes.
Don (down the road from Craig in Oregon)
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