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Vase Forms And Weight


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Does a vase - a functional vase - need more clay at the bottom for balance?

 

where weight is concerned does my thinking have to change between a vase form and other forms like bowls and cups and pitchers? i try to make cups, bowls and even pitchers as light as possible - with stoneware. the walls in the other forms are thin and there is a foot (mostly).

 

does a vase need a foot?

 

does the shape of a vase make a difference? i am mostly making tall slimmer forms for now. not bottles.

 

 

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Guest JBaymore

Does a vase - a functional vase - need more clay at the bottom for balance?

 

where weight is concerned does my thinking have to change between a vase form and other forms like bowls and cups and pitchers? i try to make cups, bowls and even pitchers as light as possible - with stoneware. the walls in the other forms are thin and there is a foot (mostly).

 

does a vase need a foot?

 

does the shape of a vase make a difference? i am mostly making tall slimmer forms for now. not bottles.

 

Depending on the form and the intent of use...... I adjust the weight of the piece. 

 

In the case of a vase... not so much "weight on the bottom" as not so light overall as to allow it to tend to fall over when loaded with flowers.

 

Then there is the TYPE of flower use it is intended for.  Western big overstuffed pile of flowers (America.....more is better :rolleyes: )  ..... need to counter-balance all the top oriented weight.  Flower arranging for real flower arrangers............ can vary with the design of the piece... even left / right weighting.  Japanese flower arranging............... usually very little "flower" material... so can be lighter ....but still thinking "where will the flower weight go".

 

Yes... it needs a foot..... otherwise how would it stand up ;) .  In a more serious tone here......... don't think of a "foot" as ONLY a thing that has been trimmed on a wheel by cutting away with a metal tool.  Everything needs a considered, and finished foot.  There are MANY ways to accomplish that. 

 

best,

 

..................john

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I almost always have a trimmed foot. I like the look. I also like to glaze the bottom. You may have to fashion a chuck or use a GG (giffin grip or the likes) to accomplish this. Also check for weeping/ seeping. You will want to make sure no moisture is coming through the piece. You want to make sure the clay body is fully vitrified and the glaze is mature and has a good fit.  My wife has kept fresh flowers for two weeks or longer (no longer looking fresh) in vases. Place the finished item half full of water on news print for two days. After that inspect the paper for moisture or wrinkling. The weight I feel is not that important. It is the size of the base and height of the piece along with the intended amount of foliage to be used.

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well i did consider the foot. but as a weight thing so not carving out the foot. i havent been trimming mine thinking that extra weight is important. and burnishing with a stone. 

 

and john yes. i have been thinking about the foot. at least trying to. definitely putting some thought into it. not doing so with any guidance except to look at pictures wherever i can find them and studying the foot and rest of the body. 

 

after i glaze them i will do the newspaper test. i did do that last semester (for 3 whole days) and none seeped. 

 

i would love to make ikebana vases. i wish my daughter's adoptive gma was alive i would have definitely made her one. but i dont know a single person i could give it to. 

 

but right now its about throwing and growing taller. and ultimately making a moon vase. 

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thanks Mark C. i started a couple of weeks with 1 1/4 pound but have found 3 pounds is my comfort zone these days. so as i figure out shaping i'm keeping to 3 now. once i finish my series i'll go down.

 

do you mostly make bud vases with 1.5lbs? or kinda medium vases?

 

oh yes i do make chucks if i am trimming. 

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Does a vase - a functional vase - need more clay at the bottom for balance?

 

where weight is concerned does my thinking have to change between a vase form and other forms like bowls and cups and pitchers? i try to make cups, bowls and even pitchers as light as possible - with stoneware. the walls in the other forms are thin and there is a foot (mostly).

 

does a vase need a foot?

 

does the shape of a vase make a difference? i am mostly making tall slimmer forms for now. not bottles.

 

A vase needs to have its center of mass low enough so that when the vase is filled with long stemmed items the whole assembly is stable, i.e. will not easily be knocked over!  The width of the base is also important.

 

Not all objects need a formal trimmed 'foot'.  They do need to have a base that does not rock. 

 

Cups, mugs, bowls, platters, also need to be 'balanced' when in use.  Robin Hopper's book Functional Pottery addresses these concepts rather well. 

LT

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