vince pitelka on wed 27 mar 02
> I would absolutely DIE if my teacher had us do any type of timed throwing
> exercise. Give me a break. Some days, I still can't even throw a
cylinder!
Elizabeth -
Actually, at the beginning stage, timed throwing is one of the very best
things you can do. You should suggest it to your teacher. I always do it
with my intro throwing class, and they learn so much. Each student wedges
up 24 one-pound balls of clay, and we start with 5-minute pots. We do a few
of those, then a few four minute, then a few three minute, then a few two
minute, and the rest are one-minute pots. You will be amazed at what you
accomplish. It is not that the one-minute pots will be great pots that you
will want to keep, but you will certainly take risks, and learning to throw
well depends on taking risks. In the long run, the objective is not to
throw quickly for greater production. The objective is to throw quickly and
gracefully so that the clay does not absorb as much water. This allows you
far more possibility in form and size.
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
Earl Brunner on thu 28 mar 02
This idea has a lot of merit. Often my beginners overwork and "kill" anything that
they have going, because they spend too much time on it. The timed exercise would
force them to quit "playing with it". They often imprint bad habits into their
throwing because they are working too slowly and using the wrong techniques.
vince pitelka wrote
>
> Elizabeth -
> Actually, at the beginning stage, timed throwing is one of the very best
> things you can do. You should suggest it to your teacher. I always do it
> with my intro throwing class, and they learn so much. Each student wedges
> up 24 one-pound balls of clay, and we start with 5-minute pots. We do a few
> of those, then a few four minute, then a few three minute, then a few two
> minute, and the rest are one-minute pots. You will be amazed at what you
> accomplish. It is not that the one-minute pots will be great pots that you
> will want to keep, but you will certainly take risks, and learning to throw
> well depends on taking risks. In the long run, the objective is not to
> throw quickly for greater production. The objective is to throw quickly and
> gracefully so that the clay does not absorb as much water. This allows you
> far more possibility in form and size.
> Good luck -
> - Vince
>
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Elizabeth Woodring Rezes on thu 28 mar 02
Hey, guys.
Thanks for all of your suggestions, and I am starting to see the purpose of this
exercise. Usually I concentrate on my goals for the semester. This semester
(third), they are: 2 teapots, one with matching cups, 2 pitchers, and a casserole.
The teapots are the hardest, because I've never thrown a spherical shape. And the
pulled handles are the pits for me. I think that I'm going to try practicing by
pulling off a bisque cylinder, as someone on the list suggested earlier. (Can't
remember who it was!)
I'm going to try the exercise suggested by Vince. This would also be a good
exercise for my husband, who is a semester behind me. One of his main problems is
that he spends too much time throwing, and the clay collapses on him. This would
be perfect.
Thanks again!
Liz
vince pitelka wrote:
>
> Elizabeth -
> Actually, at the beginning stage, timed throwing is one of the very best
> things you can do. You should suggest it to your teacher. I always do it
> with my intro throwing class, and they learn so much. Each student wedges
> up 24 one-pound balls of clay, and we start with 5-minute pots. We do a few
> of those, then a few four minute, then a few three minute, then a few two
> minute, and the rest are one-minute pots. You will be amazed at what you
> accomplish. It is not that the one-minute pots will be great pots that you
> will want to keep, but you will certainly take risks, and learning to throw
> well depends on taking risks. In the long run, the objective is not to
> throw quickly for greater production. The objective is to throw quickly and
> gracefully so that the clay does not absorb as much water. This allows you
> far more possibility in form and size.
> Good luck -
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Appalachian Center for Crafts
> Tennessee Technological University
> 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
> Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
> 615/597-5376
> Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
> 615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
> http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
vince pitelka on thu 28 mar 02
> This idea has a lot of merit. Often my beginners overwork and "kill"
anything that
> they have going, because they spend too much time on it. The timed
exercise would
> force them to quit "playing with it". They often imprint bad habits into
their
> throwing because they are working too slowly and using the wrong
techniques.
Earl -
That is exactly right, and stated very clearly. Beginners just don't want
to admit defeat, especially once they have something even vaguely resembling
a vessel. So they work it to death, and it just gets worse. I always tell
my intro students to never sit down at the wheel with less than eight or ten
balls of clay. The less balls of clay, the more precious each one seems.
More balls of clay, more willingness to take risks.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/
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