Hello! This week we are continuing working on throwing mugs and handles. I’ve improved a lot on the wheel, with throwing and trimming thanks to my professor’s feedback. I spent about 8 hours in the studio uninterrupted on Monday, which gave me plenty of time to throw mugs, let them dry, then trim them. I made a few that I really liked, and even started decorating some of their surfaces.
On Monday, I accidentally dropped my first ceramic piece, a truly humbling experience. It was supposed to be a cylinder/mug, but it came out pretty wide and not the best. When it fell, it was leather hard and made a funny taco shape, pictured below. It can’t be salvaged back into a mug, but I picked it up and straightened it out anyways. I think I could trim off where it tore and make it into a nice tray or dish. Honestly, I’m just glad no one else was in the studio to witness it, which it made it easier to laugh and move on. Next week, I plan to challenge myself and improve on a few things. I want to make a small water pitcher in addition to my 10 mugs due after Labor Day. I would also like to increase height of my cylinders while throwing and have more control over the shape of my forms. Lastly, I want to continue decorating the surfaces of my mugs with different patterns and slips. But some I will keep bare to be added to the soda firing in early September. See you next week!
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Hello all! It’s been an exciting first week of ceramics. I’ve been looking forward to getting back into the studio and getting my hands dirty. I work at Target full time, so I really enjoy and have missed the peaceful solitude of the throwing wheel.
Our first assignment was to practice pulling handles. In the pictures you can see my progression. It started rough but I started getting the hang of it towards the end. Then we’ll start throwing mugs on the wheel and attaching the handles. Getting back on the wheel was a bit intimidating, but I’m excited to improve and get back into the swing of things. Currently, I struggle with pulling up the walls, but with time it will get better. I definitely prefer throwing on the wheel compared to hand building things. For the rest of the semester, I hope to continue throwing mugs and other vessels, focusing on functional pieces, as well as experiment with different styles and finishes. In the near future I’m hoping to convert my shed into a pottery studio so I can start making vessels any time of the day. Anyways, stay tuned for my weekly updates, and thank you for reading! |
Rachel StephensAspiring ceramics artist. ArchivesCategories |