User avatar
May 17th, '13, 21:51
Posts: 242
Joined: Nov 6th, '11, 20:24
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by MIKE_B » May 17th, '13, 21:51

That firing went well for you, Adam. You have some great pieces there. So much can go wrong in a wood firing.
Congrats!

User avatar
May 20th, '13, 14:22
Posts: 714
Joined: Feb 12th, '13, 16:21
Location: South Bronx, NYC
Contact: futurebird

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » May 20th, '13, 14:22

Image

I'm trying something new today.

Image

Image

This is the biggest one I've made too.

User avatar
May 20th, '13, 14:28
Posts: 132
Joined: Apr 4th, '12, 12:53
Location: Londonderry, NH
Contact: paul haigh

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by paul haigh » May 20th, '13, 14:28

It's so cool to see people putting in the time. Great work folks!

User avatar
May 20th, '13, 18:38
Posts: 321
Joined: Feb 19th, '13, 00:40

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by yalokinh » May 20th, '13, 18:38

just gets better and better, I might have to order a pot soon haha.

User avatar
May 25th, '13, 14:26
Posts: 714
Joined: Feb 12th, '13, 16:21
Location: South Bronx, NYC
Contact: futurebird

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » May 25th, '13, 14:26

Thanks for the feedback. I decided to document the whole process again to see if I could get some feedback on it.

Image

I've gone over how to get to this stage before. This is a hollow "egg of clay" mad by paddling and pounding. I've smoothed it with rubber which seems to work best. I think it looks OK on the top.

Image


But the bottom is still less than ideal The more I try to smooth it the more lines appear. Since I have a lot more work to do I call this "good enough" and move forward.

Image

Scrape the top flat with ox horn to prepare to make the lid assembly.

Image

When I'm not wokring on a part and if I don't want it to dry out it goes in the muro.

Image

I've started making templates-- this is much easier than the compass... but is there a disadvantage to template over the traditional method?

Image

I don't use water to join I use yougart-thickness clay.

Image

Perfect.

Image

Making the lid.

Image

Rough out the shape with slabs glued together.

Image

Then smooth it out. I wish I had a better way to do this.

Image

If I don't think about what is under something I can cause problems when removing it-- from now on I'll put the lid on a template so it won't stick to the banding wheel!

Image

I'm happy with the way I make spouts for the most part.

Image

It's fun!

Image

The bottom of the lid.

Image

Digging it out.

Image

I have no idea how to make the handle smooth, I make it with very wet clay then let it get a little stiff before putting it on the teapot body. But look at how "hairy" it is. What can I try?

Image

Smoothing with rubber is not effective on this kind of shape.

Image

Everything is coming together! Here are all of the part needed to make the pot: body, spout, lid and lid base. Now just glue it together.

Image

The total area of the holes should be greater than the spout opening! makes sense!

Image

Ready to attach.

Image

Non functional teapot need to cut out the lid!

Image

Image

Smooth the holes on the inside.

Image

Add a handle to the lid and we are done!

Image

I think this one is the best looking thus far.

Image


Might be time to retire some of these "keepers"

Total time: 2.5 hours.

One hint that I was told is that when I get it down to 40min I'll be in business. Going faster helps since the clay can dry out.

One thing I've found hard is getting my clay to the right moisture level... any hints on how to do that?

User avatar
May 25th, '13, 15:59
Posts: 489
Joined: May 11th, '13, 03:20
Location: Sacramento, California

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by 茶藝-TeaArt08 » May 25th, '13, 15:59

Futurebird,

Thank you for sharing your process. I completely applaud your efforts and your willingness to share the journey. It's honestly fascinating!

Blessings!

User avatar
May 25th, '13, 21:56
Posts: 714
Joined: Feb 12th, '13, 16:21
Location: South Bronx, NYC
Contact: futurebird

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by futurebird » May 25th, '13, 21:56

Thanks I'm glad to know it's interesting. I find documenting things helps me to focus and plan with better clarity.

I'd love to see process sets from other artists and maybe not just amateurs...

User avatar
Mar 25th, '14, 08:18
Posts: 2228
Joined: Jul 22nd, '09, 10:55
Location: Capital of the Mitten
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact: AdamMY

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by AdamMY » Mar 25th, '14, 08:18

:!: Thread Revival :?: :idea: :arrow: :mrgreen:

After initially being told that the Lansing Potters Guilds evening classes were full yet again (they seem to fill up instantly!), I received an email yesterday that a space opened up for the class starting next week and it is mine if I want it!

I can't wait to get back to working with clay, and it will be interesting to see how a different studio works.

User avatar
Mar 25th, '14, 13:00
Posts: 1796
Joined: Sep 15th, '09, 16:11
Location: Wilton, New Hampshire USA
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by JBaymore » Mar 25th, '14, 13:00

Congratulations, Adam.

best,

...........john

User avatar
Mar 25th, '14, 13:40
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by debunix » Mar 25th, '14, 13:40

Fun fun fun. Looking forward to your sharing as you work...

User avatar
Mar 26th, '14, 18:57
Posts: 489
Joined: May 11th, '13, 03:20
Location: Sacramento, California

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by 茶藝-TeaArt08 » Mar 26th, '14, 18:57

My wife and I have been meeting with Petr on Skype to share/teach Mandarin with him. The process has been rich, humorous and connective. My wife just recently threw her first gong fu teapot. It's about a 100ml, medium thickness, and has a very nice balance.

Petr gave us some very helpful assistance/hints/guidance about joining the spout/arm to the body of the pot and how to do the filter. This is the first time my wife did a sasame style filter and it is her first side-handle kyusu (she has made three other large teapots in the past). I did the finishing on the pot with a sponge and some ceramic tools while wet and then used some sandpaper on the dried body, following that with some light sponge work again. This is our first attempt and we like it very much. It has yet to be bisque fired and I still need to clean up the filter a bit more. We plan to glaze the pot inside and out. We are both excited for the next pieces. She threw some nice tea cups and other small gongfu accessories as well. Our hope is to design complete tea sets wherein she creates the ceramics and I assist and I make all the wooden accessories to accompany each set (tea pick, tea scoop, trays, etc.).

Image

Image

Image

Image

Blessings!

User avatar
Mar 29th, '14, 18:26
Posts: 223
Joined: Aug 31st, '09, 20:16
Location: NSW, Australia
Contact: Hannah

by Hannah » Mar 29th, '14, 18:26

Woah!!! Lovely!!! I hope your wife plans to sell some of her work soon! :D

User avatar
Mar 30th, '14, 06:46
Posts: 1144
Joined: Jul 10th, '13, 01:38
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Japan.

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by William » Mar 30th, '14, 06:46

Congratulations my friend.
I sincerely hope that there will be many more, in the near future! :D

User avatar
Mar 31st, '14, 16:21
Posts: 489
Joined: May 11th, '13, 03:20
Location: Sacramento, California

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by 茶藝-TeaArt08 » Mar 31st, '14, 16:21

Hannah wrote:Woah!!! Lovely!!! I hope your wife plans to sell some of her work soon! :D
William wrote:Congratulations my friend.
I sincerely hope that there will be many more, in the near future! :D
Thank you both! :) I passed the comments along to my wife. She spent the weekend working on various lids, trimming old pieces, and a new shiboridashi.

Blessings!

User avatar
Apr 7th, '14, 22:05
Posts: 2228
Joined: Jul 22nd, '09, 10:55
Location: Capital of the Mitten
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact: AdamMY

Re: Amateur Hour (Non Artisan Member Made pots and cups)

by AdamMY » Apr 7th, '14, 22:05

This class I am determined to figure out the potters wheel. These little guys could be better, but I'll take it for day two!

https://flic.kr/p/mTdQ98


Sorry Flickr's ability to share photos apparently broke... I need to figure this out now.

+ Post Reply