On this episode of Shaping Your Pottery we talk about Collaring. Collaring is essential when making a cylinder because it can help realign the clay back into a cylinder.

How Do You Collar the Clay?

Step1: start by placing both hands on the outside of the clay

Step2: act like you are going to choke the clay

Step3: move your hands up the clay while keeping your hands stable

if your clay is getting to wide but you don't want it to do that collaring is a great way to help with that.

If you have any questions for Nic send them to his Instagram @nictorres_pottery

On this episode of Shaping Your Pottery we Interviewed Steven Showalter. Steven makes wonderful pottery and glazes the effects he gets when glazing is absolutly incredible.

You will learn about:

How to get your glazes to drip

Selling your pottery at shows

Finding the right people to sell to

and so much more you will get a ton of value from this interview

You can follow Steven on Instagram @stevenshowalterpottery

If you have any pottery questions for Nic send them to his Instagram @nictorres_pottery and he will do a Q and A at a later date

 

On this lesson of Shaping Your Pottery we talk about the importance of mastering your cylinder before taking things further.

Mastering Your Cylinder is Important Because:

1. Everything pretty much starts from a cylinder

2. Makes everything else easier

3. Helps when you are ready to start shaping your pottery

If you don't master the cylinder it will take so much longer to get good at throwing on the wheel

If you have pottery questions send me an email at [email protected]

On this lesson of Shaping Your Pottery we talk about what is pulling wall and how to do it

The steps to pulling a wall

1. Place one hand in the opening and place the other on the outside

2. Push in with outside hand and push out with inside hand

3. Move the wheel slowly

4. Slowly move your hands up the clay while maintaining pressure and keeping arm stable 

5. Hold at the rim for 3 seconds and release hand slowly

6. Repeat steps

Doing these steps will help you when you are pulling your walls

Email me your pottery questions at [email protected]

On this Episode of Shaping Your Pottery we Interviewed Kate Hochbrueckner. Kate uses white slip to make some really beautiful designs on her pottery. Kate also teaches people to make pottery and co-owns a pottery studio called East Main Clay In New York.

3 Value Bombs

1. How to make designs using slip

2.Advice for starting a Pottery studio

3. Finding Your own voice with your pottery

Follow Kate on Instagram @katydid_ceramics

also check out her website here https://ceramicsbykatydid.com/

 

On this lesson of Shaping Your Pottery we talk about some of the mistakes when centering and opening your clay

What are those Mistakes?

1. going to fast

2. opening before clay is fully centered 

3. making the opening too thick or too thin

The more can avoid these mistakes the better off you will be when centering and opening

Send me an Email with your pottery questions at [email protected]

On this lesson of Shaping Your Pottery we talk about how you center and open your clay can make it easier for you or can make it very difficult for you.

How you center and open your clay matters.

if you are trying to make a vase but center really low to the wheel its going to be very difficult to make a vase same thing if you center like you are going to make a vase but want to make a plate it isn't going to work. Same thing when opening your clay if you make very narrow its going to be hard to fit your hand in there without getting the clay off centered.

That's why it so important to slow down a little bit and think about how you are going to center and open with what you are planning to make

Send me an email with your pottery questions at [email protected]

On this episode of Shaping Your Pottery I interviewed Meghan Yarnell. Meghan Teaches High School Ceramics is mother of 3 children, and makes some really amazing pottery designs.

In this episode you will learn about what it's like teaching high school ceramics, creating Origami Crane Mugs, how making what you want is beneficial, and so much more 

Go check out Meghans Pottery on Instagram @meghcallie

 

On this Lesson of Shaping Your Pottery you will learn how to open your clay after centering your clay. Getting the opening right is crucial because it will help you when you begin pulling and can prevent S-cracks on the bottom of pot

How Do You Open Your Clay?

step 1: wrap your fingers around the clay with thumbs in the middle of the clay 

step 2: add water 

step 3: drop your thumbs towards the middle

step 4: check the bottom with a needle tool

step 5: pull the clay towards you 

step 6: compress the bottom ( should be about a 90 degree angle)

If you have any pottery questions send me an email at [email protected]

 

On this episode of Shaping Your Pottery we are beginning a pottery lesson every Wednesday and Frida and what better way then to talk about how to center clay.

Centering clay is the most important step when throwing on the wheel if you don't center all the way then it will ruin the piece you are trying to make.

The steps needed to take when centering are

1. Get clay as close to center as possible 

2. Seal the clay to the wheel

3. Stabalize your arms into your body 

4. Cone up and down to get out some air bubbles 

5. Make sure that the clay is completly centered

If you have any pottery questions send me an email at [email protected]