Pres
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Posts posted by Pres
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Looking through the forum today, and find that @Hulk posed a question in the QotW pool, it was very appropriate and upbeat for the future. . .
"What do you think 2021 may bring to your potting life?
I'd like to: explore a few more forms, particularly the teapot (have initial trial and first design adjustment under me belt a'ready), sets of lidded forms, and "smalls"; fill the kiln more efficiently; throw a lot more pots, hence more time at the wheel, and more efficient use of time; get out and see/feel others' pots, and interact in person with other potters - missing this, big time; improve culling (am getting better at it); participate in another show or two - first ever closes today (great experience). And more..."
Hulks question and explanation stands on its own, and needs no further comment from me.
QotW: What do you think 2021 may bring to your potting life?
best,
Pres
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@JohnnyKgood call, on the dryness of the slabs, sometimes leather hard slabs seem to be damp enough, but really aren't. I usually prefer to assemble when slabs are cheese hard than leather hard.
@LeeAnets The formula use has been around for years. . . 1 gallon of water, 3 tablespoons of liquid sodium silicate, 1 1/2 teaspoons of soda ash
best,
Pres
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I have seen this sort of problem in the past with student pots when I was teaching HS. I don't know as it is a perfect solution, but here is my take. If any air is trapped in between the two layers of clay that are joined, it may expand enough to cause some expansion cracking thus weakening the joins and causing the pieces to fall off. We used to put pin holes on the inside of the pot where the so that the bottom surface could let air escape into the pot as it expanded. This was often a problem with a lot of the "fairy houses" we used to make, as the students would want to add layers of clay over the base pot for facades. After a few times of trying to figure why some would survive and others would not we started to try the pin hole technique. Had very few problems after that. You may also try magic water instead of slip, as this was also an improvement in overall construction processes. You have to remember that HS classes I taught were 50 minutes long (subtract 15 minutes for set up and clean up) and therefore projects had to be planned out, slabs cut to size, assembled, decorated and finished over the course of several weeks, much the same as your situation.
best,
Pres
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@liambesaw, Know where you're at. Fired a glaze load last night with a green piece that my granddaughter wants to paint. From the heat color I figure at about cone 4 middle switch went off. I quickly shut off the breaker, and checked the fuses, both in good shape. Today the load shows the glaze pots are semi gloss, and the pieces my granddaughter wanted will be perfect for painting with acrylic. I just hope that there is a burned lead somewhere not an infinity switch needing replacement. Elements had recently been replaced last Summer.
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Pres
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@liambesawIt would cut my current production down so far it would not be nearly as enjoyable. However, the time on the wheel would become extremely precious!
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Pres
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@liambesaw, I am really not ready to go back to digging my own clay, mixing the clay bodies, or so much of that stuff. .. . isn't healthy either. As to my knees, @Denice, they are good, but I have found for my throwing I need the power of the CXC. Still have an Amaco kick in the basement, but never use it, and it takes up too much room in the shop.
best,
Pres
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Hi folks, @Min mentioned a topic in the QotW pool about 1.5 weeks ago, about technology. Last week we came to some sort of consensus as to what technology as pertained to ceramics was, and this week we will ask Min's question.
The definition is as last edited by @LeeU:
Technology, as applied to the art and craft of ceramics, may be defined as any practical evolutionary, or revolutionary, advancement of knowledge that contributes to a ceramic process, and which utilizes a more efficient method for enhancing traditional practices, with the aid of science, a system, technique, tool, or piece of equipment.
Min's question being:
QoTW: following last weeks question of the week; would you give up any of the technology you use in ceramics now and go back to a simpler not as technology advanced method?
I would have a hard time imagining anything I would give up at this point. The only thing I have given up in the past was a kiln sitter, even though I did so logically as stated in previous posts. However, kiln sitters for teachers are really important, and today's programmable kilns. . . . Wow. If I were 15 years younger, I would probably have one, but for now I can muddle through without.
So what tech could you give up?
best,
Pres
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I started slow cooling in the 70's with the school kiln, an L&L I ordered, by rubber banding the drop tab to the cone rod after it dropped. This allowed me to "second guess" the cool down of the kiln. When the lid was became cracked in the late 80's I bought a thicker lid, and that aided some of the slow down also. I always worked for the best surfaces with the kids pieces, as I believed some of them to be gallery worthwhile considering their attention to detail and creative thinking, I could add a bit extra by being a little more careful and cognizant of the firings. Just reminisce the amount of electric Oxidation firing technology that came about in the last 50 years!
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Pres
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As I remember much of the discussion on other sites, years ago, cone 4 was just above Earthenware range and into stoneware. Others believed that to be a little low, and went to cone 5. Then there were a series of clays and commercial glazes that were designed for cone 4-6. It became apparent to many that the better surfaces for the glazes often occurred at cone 6. Over the years, I have often wondered what would have happened if we had not had the energy cost rise that precipitated the move toward mid range stoneware. The move towards Cone 4-6 has certainly done well for Ceramics in general as many schools in cities without the resources for gas fired kilns with teachers trained in gas reduction have benefited from the use of electric mid-range Oxidation.
Aesthetically there is was also another shift as those advocates of reduction moving to mid range carried their likes/dislikes with them and early glazes for mid-range tried to emulate reduction glazes. However over the years the mid range glaze repertoire has become quite broad with many craters and artists ranging far from the olde aesthetic. The richness of surface seen in reduction, can be emulated in mid range with layering of glazes, often by spraying and underglaze/overglaze color and other strategies. Colors achievable at high fire may be synthetically developed as in Copper reds with local reduction. However much of these are not as pleasing as the colors achieved in High fire reduction. At the same time, now we see more low fire type decoration and glaze done at mid range due to the durability of the mid range vs. the earthenware. All in all, the last 50 years has done wonders for the science and art of ceramics.
best,
Pres
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1 hour ago, LeeU said:
Technology, as applied to the art and craft of ceramics, may be defined as any practical evolutionary, or revolutionary, advancement of knowledge that contributes to a ceramic process, and which utilizes a more efficient method for enhancing traditional practices, with the aid of science, a system, technique, tool, or piece of equipment. Lee-the-editor-has spoke; don't neglect those commas!
OK, @LeeU, I'll bite on that, anyone else have something to add or change?
best.
Pres
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8 hours ago, Bill Kielb said:
Looks fine, maybe “ within” is a bit narrow and “contributing to” or something to that effect is broader and includes processes and innovation outside art and crafts ceramics that end up being of significance. Don’t know if “traditional” is helpful in this context maybe enhancing traditional ...... something to that effect.
Hi folks, another revision as suggested @Bill Kielb:
Technology for art and craft Ceramics may be defined as any practical evolutionary or revolutionary advancement of knowledge contributing to a ceramic process that allows a more efficient method for enhancing traditional practices with the aid of a system, technique, tool or piece of equipment.
best,
Pres
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9 hours ago, liambesaw said:
Technology for craft Ceramics may be defined as any practical evolutionary or revolutionary advancement of knowledge within a ceramic process that allows a more efficient method for traditional practices with the aid of a system, technique, tool or piece of equipment.
I just thought it read a little more concise without changing the definition much.
Technology for art and craft Ceramics may be defined as any practical evolutionary or revolutionary advancement of knowledge within a ceramic process that allows a more efficient method for traditional practices with the aid of a system, technique, tool or piece of equipment.
I would not want to leave out the artists, that do decorative work or the sculptors etc. thus putting in the art and craft. I bow to your editing skills, as you have taken a longer statement and boiled it down to a much more precise statement. . . . thank you.
How do those of you in the community feel about the statement above.
best,
Pres
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Much of what we have today is evolutionary, yet once in a while something comes about out of the blue that is revolutionary. To say that one is higher tech as compared to the other seems to be irrelevant especially when you consider that the revolutionary had assists from the evolutionary, and the evolutionary has a distant ancestor that was revolutionary. Duh.. . . think I got all of that right, but now my head hurts>
Technology for Ceramics may be defined as any practical advancement of knowledge within a ceramic process that will allow a cost effective, easier or quicker, way of doing traditional practices with the aid of a new system, tool or piece of equipment. This could be some form of evolutionary technology building on traditional methods and equipment or completely new or revolutionary technology.
best,
Pres
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@Callie Beller DieselThe problem of low tech vs high tech is that it also has a history component that makes defining technology difficult. There are some who would say stick turned wheels are low tech as compared to today. but then they are a big improvement over the cave wheels of egyptian use. To try to rate and configure this would be a monumental direction. If someone could come up with a statement for it, then please present one . I really can't figure a way to define it in a few sentences. My best effort would probably be several paragraphs.
best,
Pres
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Technology for Ceramics may be defined as any practical advancement of knowledge within a ceramic process that will allow a cost effective, easier or quicker, way of doing traditional practices with the aid of a new system, tool or piece of equipment. This could be some form of evolutionary technology building on traditional methods and equipment or completely new technology.
@Min I tried to include wifi under new system. . . understanding that there are a lot of different definitions out there as to old and new and types of tools.
@HulkGood thoughts, I understand that potters are interested in pots, sculpture sculp, hand builders don't throw, designers look for form. However, I believe it best to come to a broad definition that allows us to cover all. I did not catch the double word use of process and processes, so I changed it to "practices" in second usage. Seems to fit better also.
best,
Pres
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6 hours ago, Bill Kielb said:
I think the traditional definition of the practical advancement of knowledge within a discipline is very appropriate. In the current day the meaning often has been the use of computers some way. I think the original definition is still appropriate and all encompassing to include any advancement in knowledge whether process, ease of construction, better quality, more quantity etc.... I think the original definition seems well thought out.
Technology for Ceramics may be defined as any practical advancement of knowledge within a ceramic process that will allow a cost effective, easier or quicker, way of doing traditional processes with the aid of a new tool or piece of equipment. This could be some form of evolutionary technology building on traditional methods and equipment or completely new technology.
Taking some thoughts from @Bill Kielb, and adding a few into the first definition above. . . . . any better?
best,
Pres
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Great thoughts folks, but lets put this into a definition statement.
best,
Pres
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I think it would be a good idea to come to some consensus on the meaning of "technology" I would propose that we collaboratively write a statement of what "technology" means to us in the Ceramic community, or at least in the ICAN Community Forum. As a starter I will present what it means to me.
Technology for me as involved in ceramics is basically anything that makes my life easier when working with clay. This could include anything that makes my life easier, that I may have had another way of doing, but something technologically innovative would be helpful.
for Example:
- when cutting stencil to spray glazes through I started with commercial stencil, went to hand cutting my own, then to using a cricut type cutter controlled by my computer to cut them.
- You all know about the handle pulling problem I have with my rt thumb, and not being ambidextrous to use my lt hand, I tried using a hand held putty gun type extruder. That was too much for my hands, even though it worked, but cranking out 100 handles in one day was tough. I switched to a modified battery powered putty gun modified to extrude my handles and other small sections for pottery.
- At school, I used a setter to fire the kiln, took a step backwards to not have a setter on my own kiln because I wanted to fire up and down. Now days a kiln controller will fire pots up and down and do so much more.
- I use a scroll saw to cut the dies for my hand extruder, used to use a coping saw. Two years ago while teaching the adult class at the high school someone needed a die for the handheld extruder at the school. Another teacher taking the class took a drawing of what she wanted down to his "shop" scanned the drawing into the computer, took it into a cad program and cleaned up the scan scaled it and then hit print. A laser die cutter had the die outside cut and the inside extrusion area cut in about 3 minutes! Whole process took maybe 10 minutes.
- I use a Griffin Grip, today that is old tech, but when it came out in the 80's I think it was like WOW to me. In a little bit of no time I realized how much faster I could trim pots. Even though I knew all of the tap centering tricks and was quick, this thing was quicker, and it would handle odd shapes with a little creative help. Now days with pieces of plumbing parts I can trim stems and chalice bowls and assemble in short time. Also use outer edges of some parts to trim to exacting diameters. Easy and Quick.
So to me, unless I can afford or justify the tech, it is not any good to me. Surprisingly enough, the laser cutter, are dropping in price to where cutting the dies will be cost effective. The teachers cutter was about a 24 X 36 table. Pretty big for home use.
I will pose a starting point for a definition:
Technology for Ceramics may be defined as any advancement in a process that will allow a cost effective, easier or quicker, way of doing traditional processes with the aid of a new tool or piece of equipment. This could be some form of evolutionary technology building on traditional methods and equipment or completely new technology.
Please edit, or completely rewrite it. . . .and as we go along, maybe we can come to a consensus.
QotW: How do you define technology involved in the production of Ceramics?
best,
Pres
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@Min, I really like this suggestion, and will post if after posting the question included in the suggestion, ,, , What do you define as technology when thinking of things Ceramic?
Hope this meets your approval, as I believe it is essential to find a definition that most would approve of.
best,
Pres
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I guess we old guys have seen a lot of tech happen over the years, but then again maybe the correct word would be innovation for some. I look at the marvels of the kiln controllers of today remembering why my kiln was purchased without a setter. Major change in innovation, and technology. I also understand the reluctance of 3D printing but realize that many of us are using computer controlled cutters to make stencils and decorating forms. All the way you look at it.
Glad to have found a topic that generates some traffic!
best,
Pres
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I don't think 3D printing is faster when it comes to making a mug @Chilly, but it may be tireless when producing 100 or 1000 mugs. Imagining 20 machines cranking out mugs all day. . . tires me out. I think there will always be a call for well crafted hand made ceramic either functional or non functional/decorative or sculptural. Just as there will always be call for well designed aesthetically pleasing massed produced functional or non functional/decorative or sculptural pieces. Then there will be the those that will produce mass produced pieces of now aesthetic value at all as in a widget is a widget and aesthetics is not necessarily functional.
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Pres
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Yeah, @neilestrick, a lot like saying unless you mix your own pigments oil, guache, egg tempera, you are not a real artist. . . . Often said at the beginning of the 20th century.
best,
Pres
QotW: What do you think 2021 may bring to your potting life?
in Int'l Ceramic Artists Network (ICAN) Operations and Benefits
Posted
Fitting analogy!
best,
Pres