There's still little more work left on the wheel before we move on to the fun stuff - finishing and carving.
Follow the links to jump to:
Part 1: Throwing on the Wheel
Part 3: Handwork and Bisque Firing
Part 4: Glazing and the end!
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Shaping the rim is the next step, to make sure it's even and smooth.
The rim is then smoothed and finished.
The base of the pot is wet trimmed, to remove unnecessary material and get the pot closer to final shape.
The pot is then taken off to the side and allowed to dry for about a day. It's then flipped over and reintroduced to the wheel to trim the foot. (Oops! you caught us, that's a different pot below...)
At ESP, we also trim out the inside of the foot. We believe this yields a more attractive pot that maintains heat better and sits flatter on your countertops.
Using a sponge, we then smooth the foot. Again, not every potter does this - we believe it yields a much better piece of functional pottery that is less likely to scratch your counters or tabletops.
Once this is done, the pot can be removed from the wheel. Next, we need to do some handwork to attach the pieces that weren't thrown on the wheel (for example, mug handles). This process starts with scoring the mating pieces with a sharp tool.
Now, a thin clay mixture known as "slip" is worked into the scored surfaces and the pieces are pressed together.
Here's an example of a pitcher, once the handwork is completed.
Next on the tour.....