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Moon Jars - What Are The Rules To The Form?


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I am rather busy right now and I don't have time to make pots every day, however I want to continue exploring surface, slips and glaze. I was thinking about taking on a new shape one that would be challenging to make and that I could start small and grow as large as I could fit a single one in my kiln.

 

Moon Jars! 

 

I have been looking at them in awe of their shape and beauty. They have room for so much exploration but I don't want to go to far from the base of them. Does anyone know the rules for what makes a jar a moon jar?

 

 

The things I have found out is:

 

1. Korean traditional form

2. usually made from porcelain

3. usually glazed white to resemble the moon

4. mouth opening is larger than the foot width

5. sometimes thrown in 2 parts?

 

Is this about it? 

 

Anyone made any of them? They look challenging to make in a single part. But I need to push my wheel throwing skills anyways. 

 

 

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I haven't made "proper" moon jars. About one year into throwing I made some round planters and they are definitely very challenging to get right. I haven't tried since then but they would likely be easier now that I have a couple more years' throwing under my belt. Once you start to round out the side fully the top wants to collapse in on itself so definitely using as little water as possible and/or a heat gun would be a good idea (if I ever try it again). 

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I haven't made "proper" moon jars. About one year into throwing I made some round planters and they are definitely very challenging to get right. I haven't tried since then but they would likely be easier now that I have a couple more years' throwing under my belt. Once you start to round out the side fully the top wants to collapse in on itself so definitely using as little water as possible and/or a heat gun would be a good idea (if I ever try it again).

I agree. My only real experience with this was that community challenge on those Greek jars. I was finally able to throw a single one with a large flat shoulder that I think is harder than a rounded one. But the only way I was able to do it was with a blow-dryer. Although I have seen videos of master potters throwing these without a heatgun in a single piece. I'm going to start small, probably 5-6# and work my way into a 15inch at the width and height as that is about as big as I can go in my kiln. It will be a long process for sure.

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About 3 years ago, either in the Ceramics Monthly or Pottery Making Illustrated, a potter used a plumbing gasket, I think it was, a plumbing something, to put inside the rim while he was throwing these kind of pots. The gasket gave a rigid structure so the rim would not cave in.

 

Good Luck!

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you may be overlooking the kind of clay he uses as opposed to the kind you use.

When I wedge large grog and sand into my stoneware it becomes pretty strong throwing body.

 

But the focus of my first post wasn't to discuss all this. Just the rules of the form. Although these ideas are interesting. The gasket seems like a neat idea.

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I throw forms similar, but not quite that rounded/ball. Mine are more high shoulder narrow top/bottom, not much belly. I would think this form would be easier for a one starting with it to allow it to stiffen once the form is throw, then notice they use little water in the shaping stages of the form.

 

I also wonder it the opening has a little flair to the rim, or just straight up. 

 

 

best,

Pres

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joseph its one of my favourite form too.

 

from my limited research i always saw that traditionally it has been two pieces.

 

do you want to know what a moon jar is today or what they traditionally were. because i think these days if you call it a moon jar then it is a moon jar.  i think Hsncheun Lin made a sodium silicate moon jar.  ive seen them made with stoneware and coloured glazes too. 

 

i've only been able to successfully make them in one piece with a heat gun.

 

however the ones i really like are the ones made in two sections. there is so much character to the form in trying to join them. they look like a woman's belly after giving birth. the wabi sabi offness in the middle. 

 

in other words i dont really know what a moon jar is. the only commonality with traditional and break the moonjar norms are the foot and neck ratios and a rounded belly. 

 

but come to think of it, i have never seen a moon jar covered in crystalline glaze.

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well i attempted moon jars tonight for the first time. these are the first three i have ever made. i made them with no tools to see how natural they would look. i am pretty happy with these. the third one has sand and grog(the biggest one). however when I took clay away from the bottom I warped the pot, still going to keep it though as I want to see how it holds up in the firing. 

 

pretty happy with these. thanks for the kind thoughts and help everyone. 

 

First three moonjars ever.

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Thanks oldlady. I enjoyed making them which made it even more rewarding. When I get some good ones glazed I'll update here.

 

I might try using a blow dryer next time. I think I need to leave the bottom thicker and trim away some. I cut the last one I made in half and it was really even and I started thinking that I should probably leave more on the bottom and trim it round but not sure if that's right or wrong.

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Joe, I just walk away from the tall cylinder, leave the wheel on real slow, come back later, and shape using just enough water or slip to lub the finger tips. I usually don't use ribs until the final shaping. . . too much drag.

 

 

best,

Pres

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however the ones i really like are the ones made in two sections. there is so much character to the form in trying to join them. they look like a woman's belly after giving birth. the wabi sabi offness in the middle. 

 

 

 

giggle giggle, this is a perfect analogy. my daughters are grown but 4 cesareans definitely left me with a wabi sabi offness in the middle  :rolleyes:

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