Antoinette Badenhorst on wed 16 jun 04
Steph, Liz,Rick and Ivor, Thank you for your responses this far. Yes, it
is amazing what one can experience by touching and not looking Liz. I've
learned a lot from blind people before. Furthermore it is amazing to see
how much can be said about a mug, which is used everyday everywhere in
the world. With all these comments I see that a marriage between
function and beauty equals a good mug, but as you've said Ivor, it is
subjective. From the comments all of you've made this far, function
overshadows all elements to be taken into account when making a mug and
for that reason I do think the basic design elements is important to
take into account. Steph would you agree that, after firing, anything
thicker that 2mm (1/8th of an inch) becomes too thick for a rim? Ivor
would you agree that simplicity is a good direction to follow when one
design a mug? Does the adding of a handle not complicate the design of a
mug? My measuring of a handle is to take the furthest edge of the curve
and draw a line to the middle of the bottom of the mug. If that is out,
it means the handle is too close or too far away from the body of the
mug. Then there is of cause the matter of what the handle does to
emphasize the shape of the mug. Is that the handle that does that or the
negative space between the handle and the mug? Also, if one decides it
is the negative space, how thick/thin should the handle be before it
distracts from the negative space?
Here in the USA, people like to take a drink with them in the car and
you've mentioned uses around the computer. That changes the use of mugs
somewhat. Will there come a time that people would not want a handle?
Does that also explain why someone a while back told me that his mugs
only sells when it does not have a foot rim? In many instances people do
not care about mugs anymore. How should we as potters respond to that?
Nice day everyone.
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo MS
38866
662 869 1651
www.clayandcanvas.com
Ann Brink on wed 16 jun 04
Antoinette wrote: > "Does that also explain why someone a while back told me
that his mugs only sells when it does not have a foot rim? ."
I wonder if those people didn't want a foot rim because of water trapped in
foot rims in the dishwasher? We'll be making drainholes next...(tiny ones),
or a few vertical slits from the bottom of the footring to the mug bottom.
Another design feature!
If you want to have a foot rim in order to glaze the bottom of the mug, but
want to make a mug that doesn't tip easily, you could leave the bottom
wide, and trim inside it, after having thrown the bottom edge of the mug
thin enough for this to work.
Good firings,
Ann Brink in Lompoc CA
Ivor and Olive Lewis on thu 17 jun 04
Dear Antoinette,
You ask <<..Ivor would you agree that simplicity is a good direction
to follow when one design a mug? ....>>
An interesting question ! ! Simple or Complex. That has to be a
personal choice for it depends on the starting point. You may be
inspired by engagement with nature but find the information you are
working with to be so complex that it is necessary complete an
analysis, make value judgements then abstract such information as is
thought to be useful. Or you may start with a single element, let us
say "Volumetric Capacity" ( I use this since it seems to be a final
thought, not the first, when constructing a Mug) and develop ideas for
consideration using some form of Synectic Trigger. But there must be
as many differing starting points as there are people making Mugs. We
should be thankful for this, it ensures variety and continuing
interest.
You make the point <<...Then there is of cause the matter of what the
handle does to emphasise the shape of the mug...>> If the handle is
treated as an appendage it will always assert itself as an appendage.
If it is treated as an integral part of the whole then it will blend
or meld in space, providing a positive punctuation in the negative
visual areas.
In shaping the handle there are two pathways. Either the contour of
the handle is emphasised as an echo of the contour of the body form or
it provides a prominent contrast. What it should not do is detract
from, nor should it overwhelm, the form of the body. What has to be
realised is, it exists as a three dimensional element. So there must
be a balance of width, thickness and length that present themselves
comfortably to the hand as well as the eye. In this context width and
thickness relate to the spaces formed within our folded fingers as
they grasp the spine of the handle.
You continue <of the curve and draw a line to the middle of the bottom of the mug.
If that is out, it means the handle is too close or too far away from
the body of the mug. >> Perhaps more important is the breadth of the
open space between the contour of the mug and the inner side of the
handle. There are two points to consider. One is to allow sufficient
space for a selected number of fingers to grasp the handle without
knuckles touching the hot pot. The second is to limit this distance to
a minimum to prevent the lever action of the load in the mug
increasing the force on the wrist. Or there should have sufficient
space for "Mug Huggers" to grasp the body. Having solved that dilemma,
what about vertical placement. Is the upper insertion near the top of
the body? Should it be lower down? Or should the whole handle be
centred with the upper and lower insertions having the same relative
location to rim and foot(ring). What about asymmetric spacing?
Finally <<..In many instances people do not care about mugs any more.
How should we as potters respond to that?...>> Scornfully. We should
remind ourselves of the millions of mugs which can be found in
domestic supply houses and supermarket chains. Some mugs sell cheaply,
Some mass produced Mugs, decal decorated porcelain & bone china, sell
for big bickies. Make sure you are getting your fair share of the Mug
Action. It can be a "Nice Little Earner".
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis.
Redhill,
S. Australia.
.
Martin Rice on thu 17 jun 04
On 6/16/04 9:30 AM, "Ann Brink" wrote:
> If you want to have a foot rim in order to glaze the bottom of the mug
This made me wonder two things: can't you glaze the bottom of a mug without
a foot ring if you put it on .... what do you call them? The kiln furniture
that has little pins on it? Also, if you don't glaze the bottom but do glaze
the inside will that keep the mug from leaking. Really simple questions from
someone at an early stage of development (in all senses, I'm afraid :-)
Thanks,
Martin
Santiago de Puriscal, Costa Rica
Craig Dunn Clark on thu 17 jun 04
Martin, you are correct in your assumption that you don't need to glaze
the bottom of a coffee cup. The question of the foot ring as a design
element, from my perspective, is more of an esthetic issue rather than a
device to facilitate the glazing of the piece.
The reason that I like and use a foot ring on almost all of my forms is
that it acts as a miniature pedistal for the piece. This lends a visual
quality of lightness to even the heaviest of forms, which at times helps me
out..... Rather than the piece being visually grounded, with the eye
following the shape into the surface on which it is placed, the pot is
literally suspended in space. The fact that you are able to convienently
apply either a resist or hold the foot ring for glazing purposes is just
kind of a extra bonus.
Hope this helps
Craig Dunn Clark
619 East 11 1/2 st
Houston, Texas 77008
(713)861-2083
mudman@hal-pc.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin Rice"
To:
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 8:54 AM
Subject: Re: Mug design.
> On 6/16/04 9:30 AM, "Ann Brink" wrote:
>
> > If you want to have a foot rim in order to glaze the bottom of the mug
> This made me wonder two things: can't you glaze the bottom of a mug
without
> a foot ring if you put it on .... what do you call them? The kiln
furniture
> that has little pins on it? Also, if you don't glaze the bottom but do
glaze
> the inside will that keep the mug from leaking. Really simple questions
from
> someone at an early stage of development (in all senses, I'm afraid :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Martin
> Santiago de Puriscal, Costa Rica
>
>
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Ann Brink on thu 17 jun 04
Hi Martin...you can do that with low-firing, right. They are called stilts.
In a high firing , the clay needs to be more evenly supported to avoid
distortion. Also the points tend to insert themselves into the clay, and
are difficult to remove.
Ann Brink in Lompoc CA
> On 6/16/04 9:30 AM, "Ann Brink" wrote:
>
> > If you want to have a foot rim in order to glaze the bottom of the mug
> This made me wonder two things: can't you glaze the bottom of a mug
without
> a foot ring if you put it on .... what do you call them? The kiln
furniture
> that has little pins on it? Also, if you don't glaze the bottom but do
glaze
> the inside will that keep the mug from leaking. Really simple questions
from
> someone at an early stage of development (in all senses, I'm afraid :-)
>
> Thanks,
> Martin
> Santiago de Puriscal, Costa Rica
>
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