Lynne Antone on fri 17 feb 06
I personally love thumb stops. I have observed so many people who tend to place their thumbs on the tops of their mug handles that it seems such a natural thing. I am also very careful when placing the thumb stops so that when the mug sits upside down on a shelf, it does not rock back and forth on the thumb stop.
While we are on the subject of mugs, I have been wondering for a long time about finishing the foot/foots of mugs. At a sale many years ago, one of the sponsors came to my booth and told me that a mug is not right unless the foot rim is trimmed. I know production potters who do jolly/jigger work and don't want to take the extra time to add a foot. My reason back then was that I don't like the way a trimmed foot holds water after a run through the dishwasher. I always have to go through them and wipe the water off before unloading. I also considered cutting grooves in three spots through the foot to allow for the water to drain, but wonder how that would look.
What do you all do?
Lynne
Already done the happy dance this morning in anticipation of my first NCECA. And remember to dress warm, it's been downright chilly around here.
--
Beaver Creek Arts
Olympia WA
USA
Taylor, in Rockport TX on fri 17 feb 06
Hey Lynne:
I've made few mugs that I have liked. One had a trimmed foot ring and I
hated it very much the most. I do, however, love the "feet" of three mugs
I own: a Hendley, an Issenberg, and a Jim Dale. All three have very nice
bottom details. I'll have to clayart blogspot 'em after the weekend, but
they are good ideas. I'll pic their handles as well. Issenberg puts what I
like to call a 'trigger' on the top of his handle. Bang.
BTW, cutting through the ring is a great idea I think.
Taylor, in Rockport TX
On Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:56:12 +0000, Lynne Antone
wrote:
...
>While we are on the subject of mugs, I have been wondering for a long time
about finishing the foot/foots of mugs. At a sale many years ago, one of
the sponsors came to my booth and told me that a mug is not right unless
the foot rim is trimmed. I know production potters who do jolly/jigger work
and don't want to take the extra time to add a foot. My reason back then
was that I don't like the way a trimmed foot holds water after a run
through the dishwasher. I always have to go through them and wipe the water
off before unloading. I also considered cutting grooves in three spots
through the foot to allow for the water to drain, but wonder how that would
look.
>
>What do you all do?
Elizabeth Priddy on fri 17 feb 06
Imagine a little club with a pawprint about the same diameter
as the bottom of your mug.
When the mug is leather hard and you have a smooth
flat bottom, a series of gentle taps with the mallet will
make the foot look indented in three spots along the rim
and basicly concave.
You can also do this with a wooden or styrofoam ball wrapped
with twine such that it creates a three spoke wheel, so that
when you tap in, the twine makes the three dents along the
edge.
no real trimming to deal with. The little foot sphere takes all
of 30 seconds.
This type foot drains in the dishwasher.
E
"Taylor, in Rockport TX" wrote:
Hey Lynne:
I've made few mugs that I have liked. One had a trimmed foot ring and I
hated it very much the most. I do, however, love the "feet" of three mugs
I own: a Hendley, an Issenberg, and a Jim Dale. All three have very nice
bottom details. I'll have to clayart blogspot 'em after the weekend, but
they are good ideas. I'll pic their handles as well. Issenberg puts what I
like to call a 'trigger' on the top of his handle. Bang.
BTW, cutting through the ring is a great idea I think.
Taylor, in Rockport TX
On Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:56:12 +0000, Lynne Antone
wrote:
...
>While we are on the subject of mugs, I have been wondering for a long time
about finishing the foot/foots of mugs. At a sale many years ago, one of
the sponsors came to my booth and told me that a mug is not right unless
the foot rim is trimmed. I know production potters who do jolly/jigger work
and don't want to take the extra time to add a foot. My reason back then
was that I don't like the way a trimmed foot holds water after a run
through the dishwasher. I always have to go through them and wipe the water
off before unloading. I also considered cutting grooves in three spots
through the foot to allow for the water to drain, but wonder how that would
look.
>
>What do you all do?
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Mark Issenberg on fri 17 feb 06
Ok , im going to jump into this one.. Ive been making mugs for a while and
ive always been putting thumb rests on my handles. I pull my handles on my
mugs. There are 2 ways to put the thumb rests on mugs, the wrong way and the
right way.. Hopefully the Texas Rabbit will put his favorite mugs on his blog..
Then you can see the right way.
I trimmed mugs for a while years ago and i got them too thin,, I dont do
that anymore.. I work on the bottom before i cut my mugs loose. I get a lip at
the bottom to catch my ash glaze.. Funny thing about ash glaze ,it runnnnnsss
I make my own cut off wires and i can change the way i cut the mug for a
different bottom every mug....
I really like to drink my coffee in the morning and its a very special time
between me my mug and of course the coffee.. I use bottled water and am using
Dunkin Donouts Coffee
Like its been said , you mug makers out there , dont put the thumb rests on
your mugs , more money for me
of course this is just my $.02
Tonio, sorry i coudnt get to Hotlanta, made pots that weekend that I fired
Wed to deliver to Hotlanta Sunday. The kiln is still about 300F
Any of you going to the Ala Clay Conference from Naples or Marco Island????
Mark
www.lookoutmountainpottery.com
Don Goodrich on fri 17 feb 06
Gee, Mark. I hate to be argumentative, especially with someone whose work
I admire, but I gotta take issue with your thumbrests. Although I agree
that thumbrests belong on handles, it seems to me that a
thumbrest ought to be comfortable, especially at such a touchy time as
morning coffee. Although I'm truly fond of my Issenberg mug, well, I'll
show you. Here's my thumb resting on one of your mug handles:
http://dongoodrichpottery.com/thumbrest1.jpg
As you can see, the thumbrest hits directly in the center of my thumb.
This becomes uncomfortable after awhile.
By contrast, here's me holding a mug by my pal Susan Minyard:
http://dongoodrichpottery.com/thumbrest2.jpg
The rest fits my thumb perfectly. Comfort to the last drop.
Let's see if Taylor gets around to showing us the true way via his
blog.
Cheers,
Don Goodrich
Mark wrote, in part:
>Ok , im going to jump into this one.. Ive been making mugs for a while
and
>ive always been putting thumb rests on my handles. I pull my handles on
my
>mugs. There are 2 ways to put the thumb rests on mugs, the wrong way and
the
>right way.. Hopefully the Texas Rabbit will put his favorite mugs on his
blog..
>Then you can see the right way.
Marta Matray on sat 18 feb 06
Don Goodrich wrote:
>... (snip) ...
>By contrast, here's me holding a mug by my pal Susan Minyard:
>http://dongoodrichpottery.com/thumbrest2.jpg
>The rest fits my thumb perfectly. Comfort to the last drop.
comfort to the last drop, ha!
well, of course, don.
if you have a mug in your hand
with a dancing pretty nude on it,
it will give you comfort,
understandably!
:)
marta
David Woof on sat 18 feb 06
Seems that we are discussing differing things, thumb lugs and thumb rests,
and pitchers vs mugs. Someone mentioned leverage in relation to the lug,
which might be necessesary for a large pitcher but certainly uncomfortable
and unnecessesary on a well balanced mug and handle assembly. What I was
writing about is the thumb rest created by takeing a small ball of clay and
with light wet finger strokes shapeing it to fit atop the pulled handle.
It's rea;lly quite thin when finished. It works well simply as a place to
rest the thumb and is complementary to an ample mug form and generously
styled handle that organicly grows from the form. A well constructed mug
must seem to float in the hand, stable and not needing concious effort to
bring it from table to lips.
And Ivor, there seems to be a call for majority authority and I accept that
200 million mugs does validate something to consider, but historically, the
majority is seldom right over time. Especially in a social climate driven
more by production economics than aesthetic considerations.
Here in the west there are bumper stickers that say "eat mutton, 40,000
coyotes can't be wrong" However I am not going to dine with coyotes and I
sell every mug I make, with repeat sales and favorable comment on the design
elements which include that sweet little thumb rest.
I celebrate diversity where ever it can florish. The common denominator for
the herd instinct is mediocrity. In a perfect world I would hope to see us
each trust our own sense of design and taste. I have proven to myself that
if i really like something I'm doing, enough others will respond also, and
that to recognize "enough" is to discover contentment.
David
_________________________________
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David Woof Studio
Clarkdale, Arizona
Ph. 928-821-3747 Fax. 866-881-3461
________________________________
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peering over the edge, reverently taking an irreverent look at everything.
Anne Webb on sat 18 feb 06
Hey Lynn..
I like the look of some thumb stops but I have rarely tried one that is
comfortable (for my hand at least) and I'm not convinced that, from a
utilitarian perspective at least, a thumb lug is necessary for a mug. Even
with a glossy glaze, a handle shouldnt slip out or your hand with a well
designed handle.
A thumb lug could be better suited for a stein, pitcher, or even a teapot
where one might need added leverage to compensate for the more substantal
vessel size and the added weight of the liquid inside. Then again, I would
think that if the vessel is well balanced (placement of the handle, weight
of the pot, etc, being factors) there would be less need for a "thumb stop".
(that wasnt meant as a slight against people who put thumb stops, btw.,
just more a comment on the logistics of design. see Robin Hopper's book
"Form and Function")
And as far as foot rings go, lynn.. there's no right or wrong whether you
have a foot ring or not...there is no rule. It depends on the aesthetic and
the contour/lines of the pot. some "mugs" are better suited to have a foot
ring and others not. The key is that whatever kind of foot you choose, it
needs to compliment the overall design of the pot. A friend of mine in New
Brunswick, for example, makes mugs with footrings and cuts out 3 sections
of her footring which not only combat the dishwasher problem (pooling) but
also adds to the aesthetic look of the pot...her particular mug definitely
looks more elegant with those cutouts.
Personally, I like a trimmed foot (whether it have a footring or flat
bottom). finishes the piece imho. I dont mind a rolled foot ring when it
its done *well*. again what works/look best on a pot depends on the kind of
pot it is and its lines, the function, the clay, the glaze, the kind of
firing, etc.. Its subjective.
It all comes down to good design. All the parts need to work well together
and hopefully be visually complimentary.
my 2 cents too..
cheers!
Anne
>
>I personally love thumb stops. I have observed so many people who tend to
>place their thumbs on the tops of their mug handles that it seems such a
>natural thing. I am also very careful when placing the thumb stops so that
>when the mug sits upside down on a shelf, it does not rock back and forth
>on the thumb stop.
>
>While we are on the subject of mugs, I have been wondering for a long time
>about finishing the foot/foots of mugs. At a sale many years ago, one of
>the sponsors came to my booth and told me that a mug is not right unless
>the foot rim is trimmed. I know production potters who do jolly/jigger work
>and don't want to take the extra time to add a foot. My reason back then
>was that I don't like the way a trimmed foot holds water after a run
>through the dishwasher. I always have to go through them and wipe the water
>off before unloading. I also considered cutting grooves in three spots
>through the foot to allow for the water to drain, but wonder how that would
>look.
>
>What do you all do?
>
>Lynne
>Already done the happy dance this morning in anticipation of my first
>NCECA. And remember to dress warm, it's been downright chilly around here.
>
>--
>Beaver Creek Arts
>Olympia WA
>USA
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>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.
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