So, I’ve decided I’d like to try a new mug shape with the orange clay body, but I have a couple things to look into.
1. I need to keep control of the clay to stop the flaring
2. I need to have an idea for a shape I want to try
I follow Jon the Potter on instagram, but he also has a Youtube channel where he puts more throwing videos, so here’s one of him throwing mugs:
I noticed that he didn’t bother trying to pull straight up and he even embraced the flare as part of the shape of the mug, but this is probably the style he likes and has practiced hundreds of times.
Adam Field is another potter I’d heard of, and I found this video of him throwing a tall cylinder:
Traditionally, tall cylinders are hard because keeping the walls even and keeping the neck narrow is tricky. I liked this video because he talked through the steps and I found it helpful to review the mechanics of pulling up the wall. He used the same technique for stopping the flare (circling the neck with fingers or hands and guiding it
We need a shape! After a quick search of Pinterest, I found a couple shapes I wanted to try:
The top left geometric shape intrigued me. I’m not quite sure how I’d manage to flatten the sides after throwing the cylinder on the wheel, but might be worth a try.
The bottom right is also kind of fun. Makes me think of a tankard for drinking large amounts of beer (or the perfect amount of tea).
What’s it gonna be?
