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Week 29

 

  1. As a safety measure, Ben Carter recommends using plastic gloves when throwing _______________.

    1. Porcelain

    2. tall pots

    3. Earthenware

    4. Black clays

  2. As a core component of both clay bodies and glaze, ______________ is present in all stages of the ceramic process. While harmless to the touch, it can be progressively harmful once it enters your lungs.

    1. Alumina

    2. Water

    3. Silica

    4. Oxides

  3. The size of a teapot is should be directly related to the ______________________.

    1. method of brewing

    2. clay body being used

    3. type of tea being brewed

    4. style of teabag being used

  4. Getting started with throwing large requires setting yourself up for success. That's right, the first hurdle to making large work is ________________ larger amounts of clay.

    1. Lifting

    2. throwing

    3. wedging

    4. using

 

This weeks questions come from Mastering the Potter's Wheel, Techniques, Tips and Tricks For Potters, by Ben Carter, c.2016, Quarto Publishing Group

 

Note from Pres: This is a new book in my library. I usually do not purchase wheel throwing books anymore, but as I was lately at B&N, and found it there, surprised, I purchased it. It is quite well done, has lots of illustrations, has some good ideas illustrated better than I have seen in other books, and skips into philosophy of making quite a bit, and I enjoy that. The sections on teapot making and design are very well done.

Answers:

  1. 4. black clays -Materials in this category include chrome, manganese, copper, vanadium, and other soluble heavy-metal colorants. These materials should be kept in a hard plastic container to reduce spillage and unwanted contamination. The only material in this category that you are likely to come into contact with on the wheel is manganese. Many black clays have a percentage of manganese to help them achieve their rich colors. If you choose to use these clays, I recommend wearing plastic gloves when you are forming the clay. I also recommend you take special care when firing to insure no fumes from the kiln enter your studio air supply. A kiln-venting system that exhausts fumes outside your studio is recommended if you plan to use these on a regular basis.

  2. 3. Silica-Your first studio safety concern is mitigating silica dust and other lung irritants. As a core component of both clay bodies and glaze, silica is present in all stages of the ceramic process. While it is harmless to the touch, it can be progressively harmful once it enters your lungs. Prolonged exposure to silica dust is linked to an emphysema-like condition known as silicosis.

  3. 3. type of tea being brewed-From a functional standpoint, the body of a teapot acts as a reservoir in which the tea will be brewed. The scale is dictated by the speed at which the tea you are brewing steeps. Green teas are best steeped for a short amount of time ( 1 to 2 minutes) and are usually served in small teapots with 8- to 16-ounce capacity. Black teas can be steeped for a longer amount of time (3 to 5 min- utes) and are served in larger forms that hold 16 to 32 ounces. I won’t go into sizes for all tea types, but I do want to reiterate that as the maker, you should match the teapot to the specific type and brewing style of the tea you wish to serve.

  4. 3. wedging-Note that before you begin this chapter you should set yourself up for success. That’s right, the first hurdle to making large work is wedging larger amounts of clay. To accomplish this, I recommend using the conical method, which allows you to wedge larger amounts with ease.

Note from Pres: after reading this book twice, I really think that it is a gem for those of you that are just beginning, and those of you that are advancing into more forms.

 

 

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