DIY Network

Shaping the Mugs Shaping the Mugs From "Throwing Clay" episode DTHC-104

One of the most practical things made in the pottery world is a well-balanced mug. Mugs are a balance of form and function. Creating clay mugs that can fit in anyone's hand is a specialty of master potter Bill Van Gilder, who has been throwing clay for more than 30 years.

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Figure A

Making objects that are both functional and attractive has become Bill's trademark (figure A). He's making a set of mugs of equal height and width. He's also constructing handles and adding distinctive decorative elements that add to the attractiveness of the mugs.

Tools:

1 lb. clay per mug
8 oz. ball of clay for pointer clay
Wooden rib or dowel
Sponge on a stick
Pointed stick
Cutoff wire
Sanding pad
Dust mask
Decorating brushes
Wax-resist emulsion
Foam brush
Glazes

1. Each 1-lb. lump of clay must be kneaded to prepare it for the wheel. Rather than throwing a single mug, Bill works in sets; the first mug establishes the dimensions of 4-3/4" tall and 4" wide when wet (figure B).

2. Bill has a trick for maintaining the correct size of each mug: he uses a pointer and an 8-oz. piece of clay. He attaches the clay to the wooden frame around the wheel edge, then inserts the pointer into the clay at an angle, with the end of the pointer about 1/8" away from the rim of the mug. If a mug rim moves too close to the pointer during the throwing process, the pointer tip will begin to accumulate clay, alerting Bill to the need to adjust the mug's position on the wheel (figure C).

Figure B

Figure C

3. It's also very important for the walls of the mug to have an even thickness since mugs absorb a thermal shock every time they are filled with hot liquids. An even wall thickness ensures the shock will be evenly absorbed. To achieve the correct thickness, Bill flattens his thumb on the wheel head and drives the tip of it about 1/2" under the foot of the pot (figure D). Next, he tucks his fingertips into the groove and pushes the clay upward toward the rim of the mug (figure E). Moving clay evenly through the walls of the pot also alleviates bottom-heavy pots (figure F).

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

4. A wooden rib has several uses during the process of throwing a mug. First, Bill uses it to undercut a groove at the foot of the mug (figure G). Next, he uses the long side of the rib to smooth the walls of the mug, compressing the surface as he works to ensure a stronger mug and a smooth surface (figure H), which is necessary for glazing and decoration.

5. After smoothing the outside of the mug, he uses a homemade tool--an oil paintbrush tio which a thin strip of sponge has been attached with a rubber band--to remove any water that has collected inside the mug. The sponge corners help remove water from the inside corners of the mug (figure I).

Figure G

Figure H

Figure I

6. Because the mug rim touches the mouth, it must have a smooth surface. Bill cuts a sponge into wedge sections and uses them to trim the rim (figure J); the sharp corners bend easily and drape over the rim to create a smooth surface (figure K).

Figure J

Figure K

7. A slight bevel at the rim of the mug helps it fit the corners of the mouth. The bevel is shaped with two fingers inside and two fingers outside the rim (figure L). The middle finger of the left hand is on top of the bevel; the second finger is just under the edge of the bevel. To form the edge, Bill presses the clay with the outside fingertips against his inside fingertips, as the wheel turns at a slow speed (figure M).

Figure L

Figure M

8. If clay collects on the pointer while Bill is throwing the mug, he pressures the outside rim inward slightly, moving it away from the pointer (figure N).

9. When the mug is completed, he cuts it free of the wheel head, sets it on the ware board and lets it dry until it is leather hard (figure O).

Figure N

Figure O

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