Centering
For many potters, the goal is to make a large pot. Below you will find the technique Robert currently uses.
Robert begins by centering a 20-pound piece of wedged clay on the heel.
Stiffening The Clay
This technique works best when coils are even and soft. The lower section of the pot must be dried sufficiently, to support additional coils. You can see our apprentice, Bryan, using a torch to heat a freshly thrown form. Once the clay stiffens he will add more coils without fear of the walls collapsing. The process is repeated after each coil has been thrown.
Adding a Handle
Once the last section is complete, handles are added and the covered jar is finished. This can all be done in one session using heat to dry the pot, as needed.