I am excited to show something I made in pottery class this summer

I want to see....

Very professionally done!

Care to outline the steps and how long it took?

How come I can't see the picture?

your computer settings?

Oh, ok.
Thanks.

you can try a direct link:
http://i34.tinypic.com/willbr.jpg
http://i38.tinypic.com/dzw6yq.jpg

Thanks!
That's stunning...
It looks very professional.
Are you doing this as a hobby, or do you sell your stuff?

Majorthinker- thanks! I always wanted to try pottery so I took a 6 week class this summer. Nothing is for sale, (but I suspect family members wants presents)


thank you!

Since you asked... It took me almost all the 6 classes. I made some other pieces which I hope will be ready in a week or so

One class
Make the clay into a rough ball
"throw" the clay onto the center of the wheel
Spin the wheel
and press the clay down so it sticks to the wheel
and the shape the clay up into a cone
and then push the cone down
then comes "centering" use all your body strength to shape the mound until its 100% round, smooth and symmetrical
Then you make a hole in the center down until about 1/4 inch from the bottom
then you pull the hole out so its wider
and pull the cup walls up but not too thin and not too fast and you need to press down on the top rim after every pull
(Now assuming that all worked, and didnt turn interesting and abstract like some of my first tries)
then you cut the pot of using a giant cutting wire and transfer it to a wooden board using thin metal pot lifters that slide under the pot
Wrap it up and let it dry in plastic until the next class

Next class you trim the pot
you put the pot upside down and you have to make sure its 100% in the center of the wheel (feel likes a 10 min process)
attach the pot to the wheel with clay lumps. now you can safely spin the wheel fast.
then you trim the extra clay off the bottom with special trimming tool
you can also make a "foot" (like a rim) on the bottom of the pot using the trimming tools

Also, make handles now
make a clay snake and pull it to get the correct shape
dry them with a heat lamp so you can connect it to the pot
some boring part about crosshatching lines on your pot and the handles and filling it in with clay soup so they stick together
stick the handles on the pot
wrap it all up with plastic again to dry

next class
take dry cup out and put onto the shelves for firing in the kiln (giant pottery chulent pot)
during the week it magically gets fired

next class
now that your pot has been fired once (bisque) you can glaze it with color
take a paintbrush and paint the bottom with the liquid-y wax resist- this prevents the pot from sticking in the kiln due to melted glaze
while it drys spend 10 min studying your color options
Take a stick and stir the giant bucket of glaze (color chemical stew)
dunk the cup in for 3 seconds
let it dry and wipe the glaze off the bottom
put it again on the storage shelves for it to go into the kiln

next class:
Come pick it up

That sounds awesome! What was it advertised as? A Thrown Pottery class or more? Can I ask where you took it (private studio/Y)?

Beginner wheel throwing at a local "center for the arts" type place that has a pottery studio and offers other art classes.

Nice. I seriously think you should make a line of pottery in that color. Matching mayim achronim cup/bowl, ring catcher for sink etc. The color is lovely!

Thank you. I made an "abstract candy dish" with some of that blue ( a blue over a oatmeal actually, so it has highlights) but it didn't photograph well.

Picking colors was the hardest part! You dont really know what it will look like until its all done. I glazed my other pieces with different color options and techniques because I wanted a variety. I hope they will be ready next week.

Do the edges 'antique' naturally as the color drains off or you rubbed away at them a bit?

I think that happens due to the thinness of the glaze on the edges. The natural clay color is brown so thats whats showing through.

I specially wanted an uneven edge on the bottom so it looks like the color was dripping/melting off, so I applied the wax resist to get that effect.

It's awesome! (ok, /gushing)

I definitely want to do thrown someday.