Throwing Log 1
Went into the studio this morning, and threw for the first time in a few years.
Standard Clay Company 266 (Dark Brown).
Its odd to get back into it. There is a lot that I had forgotten, and many things came back as I went along. I had a little trouble centering, but fussed with the clay a bit, and adjusted my stance, and was successful. I worked with 'small' lumps of clay, about the size of a tennis ball. I need to get a pair of bifocals, or start to throw without my glasses on, since I couldn't see the pieces when I was up real close (like my nose being an inch or two away, as I used the point of a rib to put a grove around the first piece about three quarters of an inch below the lip. I had to go by feel.)
Back in the day, I would throw an entire twenty-five pound bag at a time, into big mixing bowls. After a brief chat with Julie, we decided that that was not where we wanted to go right now. While large mixing bowls are impressive, they take up a lot of space, and I think that we have three or four in storage right now.
I threw two large mugs. They are in the damp box, drying out, and hopefully I can trim them tomorrow evening. As my technique returns, I should be able to throw them with less clay and less waste, but I want a nice mug to replace the one I used for years at work, and I somehow misplaced it when visiting another building. Two mugs doesn't sound like much, but I'll need some down time to think about my technique, and to decide what I want to make.
I spent some more time cleaning the studio, sweeping the floor, and then hand mopping it with sponges. I went through the bags of clay again, and rewet all of the Great Lakes Clay Company clays. The song porcelain and raku clays probably need to be wet down daily for the next week or so before I can use them again.
I know that I want to make my raku rockets. I also want to work on tall, vases, with carving on the shoulders similar to the shape of a turbine. I'll raku those as well. I have my trout template waiting for the slab roller, once I finish reconstituting my raku clay. Julie is asking me to make some functional pieces as well; like the angel food cake pan that we picked up in Seagrove on vacation. I want to focus on the raku, since I think it makes better gifts, and I could sell it for more in a gallery, similar to the pieces that I sold in Atlanta.
Standard Clay Company 266 (Dark Brown).
Its odd to get back into it. There is a lot that I had forgotten, and many things came back as I went along. I had a little trouble centering, but fussed with the clay a bit, and adjusted my stance, and was successful. I worked with 'small' lumps of clay, about the size of a tennis ball. I need to get a pair of bifocals, or start to throw without my glasses on, since I couldn't see the pieces when I was up real close (like my nose being an inch or two away, as I used the point of a rib to put a grove around the first piece about three quarters of an inch below the lip. I had to go by feel.)
Back in the day, I would throw an entire twenty-five pound bag at a time, into big mixing bowls. After a brief chat with Julie, we decided that that was not where we wanted to go right now. While large mixing bowls are impressive, they take up a lot of space, and I think that we have three or four in storage right now.
I threw two large mugs. They are in the damp box, drying out, and hopefully I can trim them tomorrow evening. As my technique returns, I should be able to throw them with less clay and less waste, but I want a nice mug to replace the one I used for years at work, and I somehow misplaced it when visiting another building. Two mugs doesn't sound like much, but I'll need some down time to think about my technique, and to decide what I want to make.
I spent some more time cleaning the studio, sweeping the floor, and then hand mopping it with sponges. I went through the bags of clay again, and rewet all of the Great Lakes Clay Company clays. The song porcelain and raku clays probably need to be wet down daily for the next week or so before I can use them again.
I know that I want to make my raku rockets. I also want to work on tall, vases, with carving on the shoulders similar to the shape of a turbine. I'll raku those as well. I have my trout template waiting for the slab roller, once I finish reconstituting my raku clay. Julie is asking me to make some functional pieces as well; like the angel food cake pan that we picked up in Seagrove on vacation. I want to focus on the raku, since I think it makes better gifts, and I could sell it for more in a gallery, similar to the pieces that I sold in Atlanta.
posted by SquidgePa at 1:32 PM
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