Jeffrey Francis Longtin on sun 10 nov 02
>> There is always, of course, molds to
> >reproduce your original very quickly and easily...
It's funny, years ago, before I became a mold-making-slip-casting-potter, I
thought molds were a way for lazy potters to mass produce lousey pots. Then I
made a slab built pot, then a friend suggested slip casting...then I realised
just how wrong I was.
I made my first hand built teapot in college. I was amazed at how different
the process was from wheel throwing. As much as you need to be sensitive to
dryness in wheel thrown pots you REALLY need to be aware of dryness with slab
built/coil built pots. (Cracks in corners can really spring up quickly if
you're not careful.)
Somehow interacting with clay in a dry state, as you must to handbuild, as
opposed to the "wet" state wheel throwing requires, seems so much more
sensual. (It truely puts you "back in touch" with the clay.)
I turned to slipcasting under protest. I shared my frustrations, with
handbuilding, with a potter friend and he immediately suggested I try
slipcasting. At first I thought I was selling out...but soon realised how
difficult, in fact, it was to make molds, and mold certain designs.
My teapot requires five seperate molds. Assembling five different parts takes
alot of time. Unfortunately, most people only see the "molded" aspect and
think I must be able to "crank out" the work. I only wish!
Yes, you can turn to molded pots as a way to mass produce. On the other hand
you can turn to molded pots as a way to make something beautiful which would
be very difficult, very time consuming, and very expensive, otherwise.
The choice is yours.
Jeff Longtin
listening to Grace Jones "Slave to the Rhythm" and enjoying a restful Sunday
in Minnesota.
can anyone say "flashback"
man-o-man!
Marie Gibbons on sun 10 nov 02
I think this post and the others that have replied, and will reply with their
own story of trying something they thought was sooo easy apply to everything
in life... and in clay.
It always seems easier to discount another technique without ever really
experiencing it.
It is the old "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence'
sydrome, but guess what, even the best of lawns have pee spots on em!
marie gibbons
http://www.oooladies.com
dalecochoy on mon 11 nov 02
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey Francis Longtin"
Subject: Re: New respect for hand-builders/mold makers
> >> There is always, of course, molds to
> > >reproduce your original very quickly and easily...
>
>
> It's funny, years ago, before I became a mold-making-slip-casting-potter,
I
> thought molds were a way for lazy potters to mass produce lousey pots.
Then I
> made a slab built pot, then a friend suggested slip casting...then I
realised
> just how wrong I was.
> My teapot requires five seperate molds. Assembling five different parts
takes
> alot of time.
>
> Yes, you can turn to molded pots as a way to mass produce. On the other
hand
> you can turn to molded pots as a way to make something beautiful which
would
> be very difficult, very time consuming, and very expensive, otherwise.
>
> The choice is yours.
>
> Jeff Longtin
Jeff, you are certainly right about the MULTI-MOLD aspect of some artwork
reproduction. Especially when it is a time consuming, technically difficult
original piece. I ( We) am/are talking about two different animals though.
My comments were about one-piece pot molding. And yes, it is a cheap/easy
way to reproduce simple pots. I fully recognize the importance of
multi-piece molds in reproduction , especially for complicated everyday
items.
Heck, how could we ever afford a toilet if we all had to buy a
one-of-a-kind slab built one? Thank God for some molds! Eh?
Dale
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