Lois Ruben Aronow on sat 1 may 04
I was taught a variation on this exercise, which teaches the artist how to
see as well as how to make.
Measure out the clay into 1 lb balls.
Throw 6 cylinders (or mug bodies, or bowls, or whatever - as long as they
are the same shape)
Line them all up - first to last.
Look at the first.
Look at the last.
Are they different? Why?
Remove the one you like least.
Ask yourself why you like it least.
Put aside the one you like best. Why do you like it best?
Recycle the one you don't like.
Make 6 more.
Line the up - first to last.
Look at the first.
Look at the last.
Look at this group in comparison to the last group.
Keep going with this until you pass out.
Examine all your pots, noting what you like, don't like, and WHY.
Look at the pots from the very first one you threw up to the last.
How have they changed?
And lastly: when you finally see what you like about your work, do more of
that.
Thank you Takeshi.
* * * * * * *
Lois Ruben Aronow
Modern Porcelain & Tableware-Updated for Spring 2004!
www.loisaronow.com
Christy Pines on sat 1 may 04
Or you could make them into "bourbon bowls", a la Tom Coleman whose
workshop inspired me to sit down and throw those, as many as I can, each
time I sit down. Alter them, slip trail them. Trim them. Bourbon bowls
do not get handles!! And the ones that went in the salt kiln are
amazing. Got 40 more ready to go!
christy in connecticut, excited about going to Ithaca for the Gartside
workshop.
Carol Tripp wrote:
>
>
> Well, if you are going to make mugs, I think you owe it to yourself to
> pull
> the handles for them. Personally, I always pull double the number of
> handles I will need. (And I should pull more.) And if you have
> handles on
> the mugs, they are easier to glaze and people will know what to do with
> them. (Otherwise, cousin Peter and his wife Doddie will wonder what
> to do
> with four pencil holders;-)
Ivor and Olive Lewis on sun 2 may 04
Dear Carol,
I would preface Mel's remarks by suggesting that people should learn
to "lump off" consistent weights from a Pug of Clay when faced with a
production run. Given practice it is possible to do this to within
half an ounce for a one pound mass.
At a master class some years ago our instructor asked for half a dozen
one pound cylinders as a warm up exercise. So twenty or so folk set
too, to wedge and knead. Then came the bottle neck. Only one set of
scales. Such cutting, putting and pinching to get "One Pound". What a
waste of time.
Learn to stretch and shape a billet of clay into a uniform cylinder a
bit thicker than your wrist then slide the end into the palm of your
hand, measure the length to your finger tips then shear off the lump.
Repeat this immediately until all the clay is consumed. To begin with
just check your work on the scales. Lean how to adjust either up or
down a notch.
Do it often to gain confidence. Fast, efficient. No delay in a tight
situation.
Have a good week.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis. Redhill, South Australia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Tripp"
To:
Sent: Saturday, 1 May 2004 9:31
Subject: "One hundred mug theory"
> Ok, once again for those who haven't read this before, here is
where the
> idea came from.
> Aug 20, 2002, mel wrote a message called "Stinky" and within the
message was
> the following:
>
> one hundred mug theory.
> set aside a week in your life.
> throw mugs.
> measure out the clay. one pound balls.
> as many as you can make in one day.
> keep going, do not stop.
> make a hundred.
> smash them up.
> re/wedge.
> do it again tomorrow.
> with the same clay.
> then again.
>
> add some water...mix it back up.
> see how many mugs you can make in a week.
> keep going.
> do not save anything.
> just throw.
> feel your hands get stronger and stronger.
> feel the form just jump from your fingers.
> ______________________________
>
http://lsv.ceramics.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0208C&L=CLAYART&P=R17208
> for the entire message
>
> It's not my idea, not my rules. But it does work. With the stress
of
> having to make something to keep removed, the focus changes and
technical
> skills improve. They do. Before I did this exercise I knew I was
doing
> something wrong when throwing but had no way to figure out what it
was.
> Whatever the habit was, I lost it during the exercise and my
throwing skills
> improved.
>
> As for you, sweet Dolita, I had no idea your goal was to fill up
your kiln
> to try out your glazes for the very first time. That has to be one
of the
> most exciting things to do. So, this is really not the exercise mel
> advocated. You are on a mission to fill that kiln, try those
glazes, drive
> yourself nuts with impatience to open it up at the end of the
firing.
> Better than any xmas ever was or will be.
>
> Well, if you are going to make mugs, I think you owe it to yourself
to pull
> the handles for them. Personally, I always pull double the number
of
> handles I will need. (And I should pull more.) And if you have
handles on
> the mugs, they are easier to glaze and people will know what to do
with
> them. (Otherwise, cousin Peter and his wife Doddie will wonder
what to do
> with four pencil holders;-)
>
> Best regards,
> Carol
> Dubai, UAE
> Sand storms and high temps. And May's page of the ClayMates Calendar
has
> strategically placed masking tape on it because no one wants to look
at that
> tush (sp) all month!
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now!
> http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/
>
>
______________________________________________________________________
________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Gene and Dolita Dohrman on mon 3 may 04
Hi Carol, I thought this was great! Interesting that Mel did not respond to
it. I cannot believe the response that has come out of this. Not to
mention the abuse from Mel-I don't think he really means it though.
I do have other pieces for the kiln-not enough though. Those pieces are
quite labor intensive as I do a lot of piercing and that means slow drying
and careful finishing. Right now I am trimming the first 50 mugs as I find
I cannot keep them damp enough till I finish all 100. We worked on the
wedging table over the weekend and just have to pour the concrete in. Every
time I got a little break, I would trim a couple of more mugs. Have them in
a big plastic bag with a bowl of water sealed in with them. Will probably
pull the handles before I move on to the next 50.
Thank you so much for your advice.
Happy Potting!
Dolita
dohrman@insightbb.com
Louisville, KY
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Tripp"
To:
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 8:01 AM
Subject: "One hundred mug theory"
> Ok, once again for those who haven't read this before, here is where the
> idea came from.
> Aug 20, 2002, mel wrote a message called "Stinky" and within the message
was
> the following:
>
> one hundred mug theory.
> set aside a week in your life.
> throw mugs.
> measure out the clay. one pound balls.
> as many as you can make in one day.
> keep going, do not stop.
> make a hundred.
> smash them up.
> re/wedge.
> do it again tomorrow.
> with the same clay.
> then again.
>
> add some water...mix it back up.
> see how many mugs you can make in a week.
> keep going.
> do not save anything.
> just throw.
> feel your hands get stronger and stronger.
> feel the form just jump from your fingers.
> ______________________________
> http://lsv.ceramics.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0208C&L=CLAYART&P=R17208
> for the entire message
>
> It's not my idea, not my rules. But it does work. With the stress of
> having to make something to keep removed, the focus changes and technical
> skills improve. They do. Before I did this exercise I knew I was doing
> something wrong when throwing but had no way to figure out what it was.
> Whatever the habit was, I lost it during the exercise and my throwing
skills
> improved.
>
> As for you, sweet Dolita, I had no idea your goal was to fill up your kiln
> to try out your glazes for the very first time. That has to be one of the
> most exciting things to do. So, this is really not the exercise mel
> advocated. You are on a mission to fill that kiln, try those glazes,
drive
> yourself nuts with impatience to open it up at the end of the firing.
> Better than any xmas ever was or will be.
>
> Well, if you are going to make mugs, I think you owe it to yourself to
pull
> the handles for them. Personally, I always pull double the number of
> handles I will need. (And I should pull more.) And if you have handles on
> the mugs, they are easier to glaze and people will know what to do with
> them. (Otherwise, cousin Peter and his wife Doddie will wonder what to
do
> with four pencil holders;-)
>
> Best regards,
> Carol
> Dubai, UAE
> Sand storms and high temps. And May's page of the ClayMates Calendar has
> strategically placed masking tape on it because no one wants to look at
that
> tush (sp) all month!
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now!
> http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
wayneinkeywest on mon 3 may 04
Hey Dolita:
Contact Tony. I think someone mentioned that he needs his
lip pierced before heading off to Asia
I don't think he has any special drying or finishing requirements,
though. Seems pretty polished to me.
XOXO
Wayne Seidl
Key West, Florida, USA
North America, Terra
Latitude 81.8, Longitude 24.4
Elevation 3.1 feet (1m)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene and Dolita Dohrman"
To:
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2004 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: "One hundred mug theory"
snip
Those pieces are
> quite labor intensive as I do a lot of piercing and that means
slow drying
> and careful finishing. .
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