An excellent potter told me that a slight outward angle on the rim is most comfortable for vessels that we drink from. That is one of the rules I follow when shaping pieces because I tried a bunch of mugs I own and found it to be true for me. Thank you for the clear, systematic, educational videos! You are helping so many people have fun and be less frustrated. It is a drag to have the same bad result again and again. Pointing out the underlying principals can really change how people approach the problem and make the whole process much more enjoyable and fruitful.
Very neat pointers and demo. Unbalanced, unstable and dribbling sounds like an aging thing.(Not that I experience aforementioned) I have not done too many mugs and when I do I lean toward the functionality. I fight for them to not be too aesthetically pleasing and that way if folk think they are ugly I would feel as though I had accomplished what I was aiming for. All fun in the adventure, I am a happy camper when Karen tells me she likes the way a mug feels and that will make my day. Thanks for sharing! Cheers...Freddie
🤣🤣🤣🤣Freddie!! "Unbalanced, unstable and dribbling sounds" reading your comment made me lol, altho, I suspect it's very true:( Some days, I feel like I'm there! Enjoy your day!
I hope you can get joy out of every piece you throw and keep at it. One day you will not be able to believe how well things turn out. That is what happened to me and it is totally sweet! It just gets more and more fun, with ever increasing challenges.
Hello Ann. You have a soothing voice- perfect for teaching. I've been a potter for 45 years. I never stop learning. Thank you. You do a great service. I watch your videos quite a bit, as well as Simon Leach and others.
Thank you for breaking down the elements of the mug body. Now I can begin to analyze my own poorly thrown mugs and work on my designs. As a beginner it was satisfying to throw anything that resembled a mug but as I am learning and progressing I would like to throw better pieces. Your videos are so educational and well thought out.
I always appreciate your videos and learning tips. Thank you. I'm threw a couple of double shot espresso mugs and I'm just not liking the shape of the mug. It's more rounded than cylindrical which is what my customer wanted and very bottom heavy. I'm contemplating just starting over. I'm 4 years into throwing pots I still struggle with height & pulling an even wall. It's frustrating because I feel like I should have that down at this point.
I've stayed away from mugs since I've started learning pottery 18 months ago, but now I'm ready to try! Thank you for this video. Do you trim underneath your mugs, before putting a handle on them, or do you leave them flat?
I tell my students that learning to throw is like learning to play the violin. It takes much practice to get good at it. Proportion, balance, shape, function, aesthetics, etc in pottery are like tone, dynamics, tempo, melody, dissonance in music. Nuance. I hope that makes sense.
What a very informative video! I just have a couple of questions. What tool do you use for the foot and do you sharpen your trim tool to use on wet clay? Thank you Ann. 😊
Hi Cindy. Good questions. the wooden stick with the notch is a handmade tool. It is just a wooden beveled flat stick with a notched profile carved out of it. You can do the same thing with an old credit card and an exacto knife to cut out a notch from it. As far as the trim tool, I dont sharpen it and I havent had any problems with it catching or snagging on the clay. It is a bit of a cheat that takes a little practice. Thanks for watching and happy potting!