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Learning to Throw Pots on Wheel
United States
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 14 ก.ย. 2011
Recording myself learning to throw pottery is a gift to my future self. These videos will be proof of my efforts and progress. I hope my future self enjoys watching and seeing how far they have come.
If you are into pixel art or retro games, check me out on my business channel @pocketpulp
If you are into pixel art or retro games, check me out on my business channel @pocketpulp
6/15/24 Throw 0/1 It was the best cylinder I've thrown
This was my last day to throw another pot for the raku pot bunch. To add to the pressure, I only had 3 lbs of clay left.
I think this was the best cylinder I've ever thrown. I had a 90 degree angle on the inside base of the pot. I don't think I've ever managed that before. The cylinder was so good I didn't know what to do after that 3rd lift. I froze because I was afraid to mess it up. 🤣
Being shocked at a good start is where things started to go wrong for me. Instead of shaping my awesome cylinder into something awesome, I did 2 more lifts because I didn't know what else to do. I blame those pointless lifts for the collapsed walls.
00:00 Throw down
09:23 Opening up
13:29 Llama lift
15:42 Knuckle lift
16:43 Knuckle lift
17:00 Rim rip
18:05 Sponge lift
18:44 Going so good I don't know what to do
19:30 Pointless sponge lift
21:18 Rib of death
22:05 Fixing it to death
22:35 Serious wobble
23:51 Strangling my pot
24:06 Tired clay collapses
24:30 Pot sacrifice
24:40 Cross section
24:45 Potopsy
I think this was the best cylinder I've ever thrown. I had a 90 degree angle on the inside base of the pot. I don't think I've ever managed that before. The cylinder was so good I didn't know what to do after that 3rd lift. I froze because I was afraid to mess it up. 🤣
Being shocked at a good start is where things started to go wrong for me. Instead of shaping my awesome cylinder into something awesome, I did 2 more lifts because I didn't know what else to do. I blame those pointless lifts for the collapsed walls.
00:00 Throw down
09:23 Opening up
13:29 Llama lift
15:42 Knuckle lift
16:43 Knuckle lift
17:00 Rim rip
18:05 Sponge lift
18:44 Going so good I don't know what to do
19:30 Pointless sponge lift
21:18 Rib of death
22:05 Fixing it to death
22:35 Serious wobble
23:51 Strangling my pot
24:06 Tired clay collapses
24:30 Pot sacrifice
24:40 Cross section
24:45 Potopsy
มุมมอง: 2 579
วีดีโอ
6/13/24 Throw 1/2 Finally got a skinny necked belly bottle
มุมมอง 1.2K2 หลายเดือนก่อน
It was 90 degrees at 5 pm. today. I am going to die in August. LOL. Today, I threw 2 3.2 lb balls of the Standard Clay Company #225. It was more than I had thrown in a while, and I struggled a bit with centering. Somehow, I lost the bump when lifting up the walls on the first throw. I’m not really sure what I did. There wasn’t a huge difference in the wall thickness after I cut it in haft. My u...
6/10/24 Throw 1/2 Incense Burner Attempts 5 & 6
มุมมอง 2912 หลายเดือนก่อน
The first throw was doomed from the start. I really struggled with centering it. I don't think it's taken me that long to center for months. It definitely messed with my mind because I forgot what I was making until I had the start of a cylinder. I had intended to make another incense burner, which starts like a double walled vessel. I ended up having to scrape up the clay from the outer wall t...
6/10/24 Throw 1/1 Warm-up Cylinder - No clay = No neck
มุมมอง 3542 หลายเดือนก่อน
I threw a cylinder as a warm-up today. If it dries in time, I may try to sneak it into my Raku Pots? batch. I'm pretty happy with the cylinder itself. I tried to get fancy and do a narrow neck at the last minute. I didn't have enough clay for it, so I ended up cutting it off. One thing I learned today is that my metal rib is not a good cutting tool. I was too lazy to put my rib down and grab my...
6/8/24 Throw 1/1 Incense burner attempt 4
มุมมอง 1892 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/8/24 Throw 1/1 Incense burner attempt 4
6/8/24 Throw 1/1 Trying to Center with One Hand
มุมมอง 1652 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/8/24 Throw 1/1 Trying to Center with One Hand
6/8/24 Wedging, Reflections & Plan for the day
มุมมอง 532 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/8/24 Wedging, Reflections & Plan for the day
6/6/24 Throw 0/5 Learning the Clay's limits & the lonely cicada
มุมมอง 852 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/6/24 Throw 0/5 Learning the Clay's limits & the lonely cicada
6/6/24 Low on clay = Reclaim chores step 1
มุมมอง 512 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/6/24 Low on clay = Reclaim chores step 1
6/5/24 Throw 2/2 Unintentional Grimace Pot 😆
มุมมอง 3642 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/5/24 Throw 2/2 Unintentional Grimace Pot 😆
6/4/24 Throw 1/2 Incense burner attempts 2 & 3
มุมมอง 242 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/4/24 Throw 1/2 Incense burner attempts 2 & 3
6/4/24 Reclaim chores on a broken wedging table 😵💫
มุมมอง 152 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/4/24 Reclaim chores on a broken wedging table 😵💫
6/3/24 Throw 2/2 First incense burner attempt
มุมมอง 292 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/3/24 Throw 2/2 First incense burner attempt
6/3/24 Morning wedge + Raku Pots? project update
มุมมอง 192 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/3/24 Morning wedge Raku Pots? project update
6/1/24 Throw 2/3 Raku Pots? Outside with the puppers
มุมมอง 352 หลายเดือนก่อน
6/1/24 Throw 2/3 Raku Pots? Outside with the puppers
5/31/24 Burnishing down the house boosted my confidence
มุมมอง 292 หลายเดือนก่อน
5/31/24 Burnishing down the house boosted my confidence
5/31/24 Trim 2/2 (if I had stopped when I should have)
มุมมอง 202 หลายเดือนก่อน
5/31/24 Trim 2/2 (if I had stopped when I should have)
5/31/24 2 Throws, 1.5 Pots & a lot of thoughts
มุมมอง 452 หลายเดือนก่อน
5/31/24 2 Throws, 1.5 Pots & a lot of thoughts
5/31/24 Reclaim rainbows worked too well
มุมมอง 232 หลายเดือนก่อน
5/31/24 Reclaim rainbows worked too well
5/29/24 Trim 2/2 Raku Pots? and 1/2 video lost 💩
มุมมอง 272 หลายเดือนก่อน
5/29/24 Trim 2/2 Raku Pots? and 1/2 video lost 💩
Great job! 🎉 Only we - begginer potters know how much patience this work needs 😊😊😊
Its good to see you're getting back at it. Nice job on the table assembly and I look forward to seeing you throwing soon.
Thank you! BTW, would you give me the name of your other YT? I tried to find it to follow you after my last stream, but nothing came up.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face this is my other channel, I have only posted 1 poorly edited video so far. More to come though :)
@learningmywheel-us1nd Don't worry about the quality of the videos. We're here to make pottery and connect with other potters, not to be TH-camrs. 😁 That's why I am refusing to edit my videos beyond adding chapter markers so people can skip ahead to the interesting bits.
Here are a few tips. When centering, reduce the diameter of the clay ball touching the wheel head or center 1/2, then center the other half on top. Centering should take less than 30 seconds. I would spend a good minute or so slapping the clay ball and turning the wheel to start roughing the shape of a short cone. When you cone, cone up, then press down with one hand and in with the other with a lot of strength. Make sure the diameter of the clay stays the same. You should only do this once. There are some more advanced methods, but try to add these things. Also, I would work with 2 to 3 pounds right now. Pick a weight and only use that weight over and over while practicing. A good practice is to work with a couple pound clay ball and make mugs, larger and larger as big as you can get them, then make a normal size with a pound and a quarter. Do luck
Those are great tips. Thank you!
Beautiful art
Thank you.
Sometimes is a good idea to take it to square one. Bad habits are really hard to brake, if you are learning all by yourself you have done a good job, this would be a perfect time to take advice from a competent teacher. Good luck.
I took a 6 week course about 2 years ago. I really liked it, but we moved right after the course ended. I bought my wheel in September because I didn't have access to a studio I could afford. So it's just been me and TH-cam these past 10 months. I did just start working through 'A Potter's Workbook'by Clary Illian. That has been super helpful. We are currently in the process of moving back to the city where I took my 6 week course. The first thing I am doing after we get set up is becoming a member of that studio. I am super excited about it. In person instruction is my preferred learning method.
Your process tho is quite good.
Thank you. I'm looking forward to improving it. We're moving this week and I'll soon have a bit bigger workspace.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face that's always helpful I recently moved from a small bedroom to a 20x30 'shed' the space is great
@@casperdavis-dw9pe That's huge. I see why you call it a 'shed.'
Your voice is so difficult to hear. Maybe a microphone? Id love to hear what you're saying
I can do that. I mumble to myself too much to not use a mic. 😁
Hello:) I am a ceramic artist. I have been working for 18 years. Every time I work on the lathe, I see how many shortcomings I have.The important thing is to be on the road. I wanted to share my happiness with you. I wish you good work :)
Thank you for sharing your happiness! Your kind words made my day! I hope I can do the same for someone else today. 🙏
水を使いすぎ! 芯がでたら作ったら? 遊び過ぎ😅
Yes, I definitely overworked this one. 😁
Well done you're also helping me improve, thank you :)
That's nice to hear. I am all about spreading good vibes.
Bring extremely be too pottery stuff, is there a reason to not use a spatula/scraper for scraping out the bucket and bowl? Are we only supposed to use a rib? Or was it just easier for you to use the rib? I'm truly wondering, not trying to insult or imply you did anything wrong.
I have no idea what anyone is supposed to be using. LOL. I use my wooden rib because it works and is usually the closest thing within reach.
Gotcha. That's a good reason. Thank you for your quick answer. 😊 @@Cobra_Laser_Face
That is a great looking pot, nice job!
Thank you!
Wow you're really coming on, well done :)
Thank you! There is so much to learn in pottery. If I look ahead, it can be intimidating because I have so far to go. It really helps to look back and see how far I've come.
when you threw that pot the other day I thought it was the neatest thing, a pot in a pot. After seeing the challenges you faced trimming it I see why its not that common. I think you did a great job working through it and surely it will be perfect next time.
Thank you for your kind words. In my head, it's just a blown up version of a common incense burner. I really liked the pot within a pot look, too, but it isn't very practical like this. Today, I threw one with a much higher rim. It's definitely not perfect, but perfection isn't what I'm aiming for. Right now, everything is an experiment. I just want to see what happens when I try different things.
I feel your pain, and your much more advanced than I am.
The bowl wasn't wide enough, so the incense ash would have fallen out. It was my first go at this shape. I could have kept it and just used shorter incense. But, by cutting it in half, I learned how to make it better next time. If there was any pain, it was only brief. Seeing the thickness of the walls felt pretty good.
when you cut it in half i couldn’t help but think they would be amazing for a lizard shelter. I was Also thinking how they are like a nice bowl shape, I wonder if you threw some baby cylinders and attached them on the each half. Maybe that would be a cool form “vase bowls”
This is the kind of thinking I need to train my brain to do. I've been so focused on learning the basics that I haven't thought past the shapes that are in my head. I realized today while watching my throw from yesterday that muscle memory is starting to kick in. I had made a cylinder without thought. The funny thing is I only realized muscle memory had formed because I was trying something new that didn't require starting with a cylinder. It took starting something new to appreciate how far I've come on the thing I had been working on.
I don't think your pots are boring at all. They look great all polished up and will look amazing after the raku firing. I can't wait to see them.
Thank you for the kind words. Boring is probably the wrong word. I wish there was more variety in the batch. Everything I threw is some sort of vase. I couple of pieces this morning that are a little different from the others. I'm going to try and get a few more done this week. You are probably right, I'll get excited about whatever I have during the raku process. I may just be nervous about finally firing something.
Such a bummer but I guess its part of the process. I really like the shape of it and the shine you had going looks amazing.
It was a bummer till I saw the walls were decent. That was a real confidence booster. I enjoy burnishing too much. I don't know if I've ever seen a fired burnished pot it real life, so I'm not even sure what the end result looks like. The process is a lot of fun, though.
Like.
✌
Thanks for sharing this...I must reclaim now.
I complain about it being a lot of work, but it really isn't.
Thats sure looks like a great shine on that pot. Great job!
Thanks! I'm pretty happy with it.
i hope you know how valuable what you're doing is.
I don't know. I'm just trying to learn how to throw pots on the wheel. Recording myself has been super helpful. Having a video to look back at really helps to troubleshoot when things go wrong. It also helps me see the progress I've made. Everybody should do it.
BTW, I dig your meditation videos.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face thank you ❤
First let me offer my condolences for your loss of your step father. Cherish every memory no matter how small they seem. I'm so glad your mom is home and it is helping you feel better. So you know, I find your videos inspirational and educational. I found your channel and subscribed because as a complete greenhorn to pottery your videos help me a great deal. The real-time nature of your filming tells me there is no bs and I don't need to rush my learning process. I appreciate the time you put into this channel and your story is truly heart warming. I wish you nothing but the best. Thank you again for sharing.
Wow! You are incredibly kind. I didn't think anybody would look at these videos because they were long and unedited, which is why I felt comfortable to post them. 🤣 Meeting other potters like you has been such a wonderful surprise. I took a 6 week wheel class over 2 years ago. I didn't touch clay again till I got my wheel in September. I've just been hanging out in my garage since trying to figure it out through trial and error. There is so much I don't know! No joke, I didn't know other people also had days where they trimmed through most of their pots. Thank you for sharing that with me today.
The shape on the second pot is wonderful. I really like the form. It was a bad day at the wheel for me. I broke 4 out of six while trying to trim. Then I only had six balls of clay left and made nothing with them. Failures... Time to figure out how to reclaim without a plaster bat. I also tried my first handles on 2 mugs and that didn't go well either. I enjoy watching you throw...I see things I can try when I am at the wheel. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing your bad day with me! Trimming is where I am weakest. I usually have like an 80% failure rate with trimming. I haven't even tried pulling handles yet, LOL. It's crazy how much there is to learn! I don't use plaster for my reclaim. My reclaim process is usually pour it through a sieve, then I hang it in a pillow case for a few days to let more water drip out, and finally finish it on a wooden board.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face I think I will try this method to reclaim, thanks.
👌🏼🙏🏼
✌️🙏
Your cylinder looked like it came out great. I am new to throwing and spent my first couple of hours on the wheel last weekend. Its not as easy as i thought lol. Just wondering why the paper on the top when you wired off, is it to help to keep the top from deforming while you remove it from the wheel? Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
Thank you! I ended up trimming through the bottom of it 2 day later. 😆 Yes, the paper helps the pot keep its shape while I remove it from the wheel. I've had a lot of struggles getting it off the wheel. Congratulations on starting your wheel journey! It is a crazy fun craft!
Muito legal, mas me pareceu muito trabalhoso!!! Like.
Si, mucho trabajo y mucha diversion. 😁
@@Cobra_Laser_Face Legal!!!
😎
Thank you for this Video :)
No problem 😊
A hard work - for such exhausting workout payd lot of people without the result and the entire in a gym. Thank you that i had a view on this!
Yep. I definitely did not know how much physical labor this craft required. That is part of the reason I post my wedging.
That was a nice short relaxing video about clay rework. I could see the fun you had smoothing the clay and having it on your hands. Also the sounds it makes, just beautiful 🙂
It is a lot of fun. That's why I do it.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face Oh yes - that is it 🤗
Neat! 👌🏼
Thanks!
Like!!!
✌
I love to work with them 😍
Me too. It make me feel like I'm a kid again.
😍 You are amazing! Work and play with them is feeling alive
One of the best feelings are definitely the throwing of clay on a wheel :)
It is! It really is the best!
@@Cobra_Laser_Face Absolutely! Throwing and clay rework (litte bit more sticky) are my all time fav´s - I love this - greetings from a german
@housemdmanuel9881 It's nice to meet you. Thank you for saying hi. 😁 I started doing these videos because I wanted to watch my own progress. I didn't think anyone would watch them because they are long, unedited, not informative, and not entertaining. LOL. It's been a really wonderful surprise to meet other potters from around the world here. I don't have any potter friends in real life. I don't even have a local studio to go to right now. Meeting other potters here has been incredible.
Hihi thank you and I am also happy to get to know you 🤭 You also seem to look at pottery differently than just the result. I got into pottery through face and body masks, as clay has a wonderful and cleansing result. Then through the feeling of the clay and doing the work with it, I started doing it too. Here in small Germany, the advantage is, or at least it can be, that you can find more potteries nearby where you can sit down at the wheel.
I had forgot to say. I love to see the complete process! Not a edited version. So relaxing and nice
You can try Ramshead style of wedging.
I'm comfortable ramshead wedging. I don't like it, but I'm comfortable with it. I've been trying to learn how to do spiral wedging. The keyword is trying. 🙃
That pot was great until it wasn’t. Time to invest in 5 throwing bats. It will change your life.
I haven't used bats before, but they seem nifty. I almost got some last time I was at the pottery store. I chickened out because they were $8 a piece, and I had never used one before. "5 throwing bats" is officially on the "things to buy" list.
Lol
Yeah, that wasn't a good trim day at all.
I have being watching you for a while now, it’s hard to go through the whole thing. At this point you are good enough to finished that piece in 5 minutes or less, if you are going for that final shape straight up two pulls , the third shape and gently finish with the rib once, cut and deal with the rest at trimming.
Knowing when to stop is definitely something I am struggling with. I totally overworked the clay on my throws today. I'll make it my next focus to not do more than 3 pulls. 😀 Thanks for the advice.
please keep doing these, i think you're brilliant.
I'm just learning. I have no idea what I'm really doing.
Muito legal!
Obrigada
That was really cute before. 😢
Yeah. One of these days I'll learn when to stop. I think I'm going to start getting up and looking at it from a different perspective when I'm unsure if I should keep going.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face get a small mirror you can see from the side wile you throw
Like!
✌
Gravity got another pot! You have improved a good bit. You just got greedy with the form. Nothing under the bottom to support the wall. There is a fine line that you can belly a pot out to if you cross it gravity will not be kind. At about 17:40ish I was impressed you saved the pot from a bulge on the bottom with a rib
It's funny cause in the video I can clearly see how far the belly was coming out past the base and how that was not a good idea. Eventually, I'll learn. LOL.
The good Ol spiral wedge. Lol Took me ages to get that and I am still pretty bad at it. My advise is keep trying every time you kneed the clay. And the condition of the clay matters. Too wet and it will stick to the table and too dry and it’s too hard to deform. Sometimes it’s better to take the clay lumps in smaller bits. 😊
Sometimes, I feel like I almost have it, and then it just goes kaput.
You should look into getting a cheap banding wheel so you don’t have to hold your pots and risk cracking them
Yeah, that's a good idea. I could also use a better table when decorating. Decorating st the wheel isn't working out great for me.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face I have an old kitchen table I use for wedging and decorating it’s very sturdy and wide enough to put all the clutter I need. Lol
@WhistlingDixiePottery My current wedding table is the filing cabinet on the left in my videos. I found it at a thrift store for like $10. I just attached a piece of wood onto. It seems like a good idea at the time, but it's too small and a terrible height. I'm going to convert my computer desk to my wedging/work table after we move. It has about 4 times the surface area of the cabinet, the height is adjustable, and it is on wheels.
it always happens like that. thinking a day is going to be good and the clay just steals joy. it's the best part, to care enough about something it evokes true emotion. gosh clay is just the best.
I can't be mad at the clay. It's done everything it can to warn me to stay away. It's freezing in the winter and smelly in the summer. It's worn my fingernails down to the point I use a backscratches for all itches. It's messy and can pass for poo in all forms. On top of all that, it's freaking fragile. If I get upset, it's my fault for getting attached. 😂 Seriously, though. That was like 12 hours of work down the drain today. This craft is so brutal it's comical.
Do you have any finished pots yet ?
@@WhistlingDixiePottery I have, LOL! I've got about 8 or so pots done. I've been on a pot killing spree, though for a while. I think the last pot I finished was my zentangle pot on 2/28/24. 🤣
That’s a lot of work. I’d just throw away the clay and buy new stuff if that was the only way to do it. Lmao
The clay store is over an hour drive through Atlanta traffic. As much as I complain about how much work reclaiming is, I'd rather do that than sit in traffic. I'm also super cheap. LOL.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face im sure your reclaim is high quality but I haven’t bought clay in years and I do much less work. I let my reclaim clay dry then soak it in a bucket. It slakes down for a few days then I let it dry enough to wedge. I don’t worry about clumps it all comes out by wedging. And I only kneed the clay I’m about to throw. I’ll do a video on my process soon I don’t have any footage yet on that but will start the next time I do any reclaim work so you can see what I do. My clay water I use bisque fired bowls so reconstitute the fine clay particles. After I sponge out all the clear water out of. Then that goes in my reclaim bucket. I do really like that blender you have but I don’t have anything like that. I think my clay comes out pretty good still but I do want to make some plaster bats to dry clay on.
@@WhistlingDixiePottery That would be awesome to see your process. I read like one blog post (suemcleodceramics.com/a-low-tech-system-for-recycling-clay-scraps/) 6 months ago and have been winging it since.
Lmao that thumbnail 😂
I felt it captured my excitement perfectly. LOL.
Dang you seem to have strong hands! I can feel my hands cramoing up just watching the way you prep the clay. Out of pure random curiousity, have you ever arm wrestled? I bet you'd totally win.
Funny story. I beat my husband in an arm wrestling contest. That's how he ended up my husband. He lost the bet.
@@Cobra_Laser_Face 😂😂😂 good on both of you! That event is wonderfully savage!
Use short stool chair 6 or 7 inches it will ease your work
Thanks for the tip. This is the 3rd stool I've tried. None of them have been right. I'll try a shorter one next.