| Shaping a Batter Bowl |
| Shaping a Batter Bowl |
From "Throwing Clay"
episode DTHC-101 |
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Master potter Bill Van Gilder is demonstrating how to throw a batter bowl with a handle and spout.
So far, Bill has weighed out 2-1/2 pounds of clay, kneaded it and centered it on the wheel. The center has been opened and walls have been pulled up into a bowl shape with a 1/2" base. After creating a sturdy rim by rolling the clay over his thumb, he's now ready to show you how to continue shaping the bowl.
1. With the wheel turning at a very slow and controllable speed, use a soft rubber rib to make the interior bowl surface smooth. Clean and smooth the rim with a sponge. Because the clay is very soft and can collapse quite easily, this requires a light touch: turn the wheel too fast, and the soft clay will collapse into a plate shape (figure A).2. Use the tip of the wooden rib along the outside base of the bowl to create a beveled groove (figure B), creating a starting point for the wire tool to cut the bowl free from the wheel head (figure C).
3. A lip is needed on the bowl since it will be used to pour liquids. Wet the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, lightly wet the rim and, using a light touch, stretch the clay flat for approximately 1-1/2" (figure D). Placing the dry fingertips of your left hand at either edge of the stretched rim (figure E), wet the index finger of your right hand and begin to pressure the flat rim downward, slightly creasing in the corners (figure F).
4. Pry the bowl off the bat and set it aside to dry overnight, to give it time to reach a leather-hard consistency. At this point, the bowl is no longer sticky on the outside, but it is still fragile and will crack apart if the sides are bent (figure G).5. Since the edge of the spout rises slightly above the rim of the bowl, make a soft clay pad on the wheel head to protect the bowl rim while the base of the bowl is completed; the diameter of the pad has to be at least as big as the diameter of the bowl. Next, turn and dry the clay pad with a scraper until it's tacky (a wet pad will cause the bowl to slide off) (figure H).
6. After placing the bowl on the pad, check it for center: hold the tip of the wooden rib at the right edge of the bowl, approximately 1" above the bowl base (figure I). With the wheel turning slowly, the rib will leave a slight indentation on the clay if it isn't perfectly centered. When an indentation appears on the clay, stop the wheel and adjust the bowl inward toward center; continue using the rib and adjusting the bowl until it is perfectly centered (figure J).
7. With the pot centered, and using a light touch, use a trimming tool to round the bottom of the bowl, removing burrs and sharp edges (figure K). The flat edge of the trimming tool is also used to shape a smooth, round bowl surface (figure L).
8. The diameter of the foot of the pot should be approximately one-third of the total diameter of the rim. Put a slight bevel, which prevents sharp edges, at the top edge of the foot (figure M).9. The sand in the clay has caused the bowl surface to be rough. Wet and burnish the surface with the rubber rib to create a silky surface that will easily accept glaze (figure N).
10. Gently push in the bottom of the bowl to create a firm base, the final step in finishing the bowl. Using the spout to grip under the bowl, lift it and set it on a clean, dry surface.
RESOURCES :
Kilns
L & L Kilns
Website: www.hotkilns.com
Clay
Highwater Clays
Website: www.highwaterclays.com
Extruders
American Art Clay Co. Inc. (AMACO)
Website: www.amaco.com
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