Stellaria Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I have a question about a specific thrown form - basically, the shape of this mug in this expired Etsy listing: https://www.etsy.com/listing/163837797/large-coffee-mug-16-oz-handmade-ceramic First, what is that type of shape called? Where it's bowl-ish on the bottom, then sharply changes direction? And second, how do you DO that? Anyone have or know of any videos that show the technique? I've tried searching, but because I don't know what it's called, I didn't really know what to search for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 The way I would do it. Throw a cylinder, to the desired opening width. To widen the base, apply pressure from the inside , on the desired portion. Alternately, you could make a cylinder, the size of the base, and collar in the top. I always find, it's easier to widen, than to bring in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Eberhardt Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 If you have difficulty in throwing that particular shape, you could always trim it to be the way you want at the leather hard stage......just saying...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 There's some trimming involved to get the bottom to look like that. But stretch out the bottom and use a metal rib to create the sharp transition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alabama Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Hey Stell, The way I'd make that particular shape would be throw a 2 lb. cylinder, then collar the neck in as Ben Zine was saying. I have found that if you have to collar in alot, you can get one more light pull from the neck area... but keep in mind, everyone making pottery is one pull from a disaster, but with experience that disaster can be averted but not making the pull or do so very easily. So now that you have a cylinder, look inside to see if there's water..take out any water with your sponge on a stick...take the rib on a stick and bell out the lower body,(like my avatar cup,) Take the metal rib, per Neil, or a wooden oval rib and slid it down the neck into the body low enough to fit your fancy. Trim when leather hard and finish it with handle, or handles, carvings, etc... I like the way the cup example was glazed inside and the neck, and upper body. Saves on glaze and chipping/cleaning shelves. Hope it helps, Alabama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 I like that shape, looks "huggable". I don't like mugs that get wider at the top, too easily to spill their contents. Especially when I'm making insomnia tea and climbing the stairs in the dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 My favorite mug shape starts wide at the bottom, comes in a little until about 80 percent up the pot, and then flares out slightly. The change in direction makes a good place to attach the handle, and the slight flare makes it harder to drop the mug when holding it without using the handle. The broad base makes it more stable on the table. I'll put up a sample in my gallery. But anyway, my point is that I throw the piece as a cylinder, then press out the bottom, as others have advised. This has the added advantage of thinning the bottom, where the mug is most likely to be too thick. Then I rib it into the final curvature, and use a wooden tool to bevel the foot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaria Posted February 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 So there's no name for this type of form with the sharp transition from convex to concave? Guess I have to teach my hands to not hate holding a rib while I throw (I use almost no throwing tools at this point - they always feel awkward!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 My favorite part of that pot is the kiln wash all over the bottom of the cup in the last picture ?!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 stellaria, learning to hold a rib properly is not as easy as it looks. the first trick is to hold it firmly, otherwise it will take off with the clay and go round and round while you watch. the way i was taught to use ribs included wood ribs on the inside and stainless ones on the outside. the stainless allows you to coax the slurry down into the surface of the pot and leaves a very smooth top layer with all the grit pushed away. this shape looks like one that uses the outside rib after the shape is thrown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted February 5, 2015 Report Share Posted February 5, 2015 Also bear in mind that the metal rib can cut you pretty easily if you aren't careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 ... but keep in mind, everyone making pottery is one pull from a disaster, Ha, I love that statement! I would post it in my classroom, but I don't want to frighten the students, away from the wheel, more than they are already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clay lover Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 RE using ribs, I stuck a strip of heavy, sticky backed Velcro to my metal ribs, make them MUCH easier to hold. and cleans up ok. Get it by the inch at good fabric stores, some Lowe's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLowes Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 If you closely examine the turn in a the bottom, you can see from the texture that there was clay cut away and grog revealed and not smoothed over. So the suggestion to trim to shape from rayaldridge seems to be what the maker did. Grype, one wonders how the maker didn't notice the kiln wash in taking a picture to display for the world to see. I guess the maker doesn't think having a clean, smooth, foot is important. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysteria Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 I recently came across the same artist when I was looking for work done with black mountain clay. I really like that he left part of the outside as bare clay! For this particular shape, I would try making the cylinder closer to the width of the bottom, use the metal rib to round the bottom, collar in the top, use a curved rib to shape the top and refine the shape while trimming. I would imagine the needle tool would definitely come into play to cut off a section of the top after it's been collared in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysteria Posted February 6, 2015 Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 These videos from Hsin-Chuen Lin might help you to get an idea of how to use the metal rib to your advantage to get that shape. His mugs aren't as rounded at the bottom as the link you had shared but you'll get a general idea of how to achieve that shape.. Throwing the mug: (start the video at 3:30, 5:40 or 9:40) , or (Start at the 4:00 or 15:20 mark) Here's a trimming video: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaria Posted February 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2015 Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Eberhardt Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I really like Mr. Lin's work and could watch him for hours. (trust me, I have ) Though I wish he would talk a bit more while he's throwing. Maybe give us some insight into what he's thinking, why he does what he does. There comes a time in almost every artistic venture, where the artist has learned so much that they never give a second thought to their processes. For those of us just starting out, it sure would be helpful to understand the whys and wherefores...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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