
Master advanced wheel-thrown pottery techniques by using rib-to-rib shaping, wood and metal ribs, compression to tighten walls, moisture removal, burnishing tools, and safe dust practices to refine surfaces.
Center the clay in sections for a body-friendly platter, using a dome to vent air, remove moisture, and carefully compress and shape the walls to prevent cracks.
Trim a leather-hard platter on a foam bat, create a deep foot undercut for wall hanging, and refine the outside and inside rims with controlled rings to prevent warping.
create a square slab tray with a thrown foot using a hump and slump mold, then compress the slab and attach coils for a strong, crack-resistant finish.
Explore wheel-thrown pottery techniques to make a candy dish with an elongated foot, using a centered hollow coil and a cylinder attachment, while avoiding air bubbles and cracks.
Flip and inspect the thrown foot on slabbed trays, clean up with a sure form, and refine the shape to ensure a solid, well-connected seam and controlled twisting during drying.
Finish a previously darted oval plate by trimming excess clay with a sure form, smoothing edges with ribs, adding feet and handles, and leveling the feet for balance.
Master throwing an oval bottle from oval-tray technique, opening to the floor, forming an inner foot, and shaping walls into a bottle with a tight top and slab bottom.
Craft an elongated oval tray and bottle by joining oval rings with a seamless internal foot, using plenty of water and slip to fuse parts while preserving the oval form.
Explore advanced teapot design on the wheel, balancing body, spout, lid, and handle for function and unity, with locking lid concepts, flange variations, and expressive, hand-built details.
Develop advanced tea pot design using thrown spout, pulled handle, and a unified body; balance lid, foot, and handle for functional, cohesive pieces with a smooth pour.
Advance teapot finishing on the wheel by trimming the foot on leather-hard clay, attaching a spout and lid with locking mechanisms, and pulling a balanced handle.
Create a second tea pot by forming a wider base with a tapered cone and an elongated spout, using hand-built components, pulled handles, and a sunken lid.
Master advanced wheel-thrown tea pot construction with a pulled spout and pulled handle, balancing aesthetics and function while shaping a hollow base and a lid alignment key.
Begin with small cup-base forms on the wheel, then master sectional pots by throwing a base cylinder and a second section with a dovetail, ensuring thick lips and solid connections.
Finish throwing with coils by attaching leather-hard bases, scoring and slip, building height with off-center coils, reinforcing seams to prevent cracks, and shaping undulating, organic forms.
Throw the top first, flip it upside down, and remove the base to form an internal foot that secures the inverted pot to the bat.
Master the inverted pot technique by throwing the top first, using a soft chuck for the base, and attaching a leather-hard floor to create a stable, elegant foot.
Blend slab-built elements with wheel-thrown forms by shaping a hollow slab tube and attaching it to the wheel, exploring texture and seam work.
Combine wheel throwing with coil building to create a square base that transitions into a round form, integrating hand-built components and twists for dynamic pottery pieces.
Learn to throw with a molded foot, using a diamond-textured plastic tray as the base, secure clay on a pancake, and embrace a handball element to shape the belly.
This advanced wheel-thrown ceramics course offers an in-depth exploration of specialized tools and techniques designed to elevate your pottery practice. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the purpose and function of essential tools such as ribs, chamois, Scotch-Brites/sandpaper, Sur-forms/rasps, and scales - learning how to use each tool effectively for shaping, refining, and maintaining control throughout the forming process.
A key component of the course is mastering the drying process, with an emphasis on controlled drying techniques including forced drying and resist drying methods to prevent cracking and warping in complex forms.
Students will engage in advanced forming methods aimed at handling larger and more intricate pieces. Special focus is placed on centering large amounts of clay in sections to create substantial forms with structural integrity. Demonstrated projects include large platters, wheel-thrown feet and stems, and a variety of oval forms such as plates, trays, and bottles. Teapots are also explored in depth, including spouts and the functional mechanics of the form. Techniques covered include throwing in sections, throwing with coils, throwing inverted, and integrating hand-built parts.
This course not only strengthens practical skills but also encourages personal growth and innovation in the studio. Whether you're preparing for professional exhibitions, teaching, or advancing your own artistic practice, the techniques and insights gained here will serve as a lasting foundation for continued exploration in clay.