I think this is a good perspective for your most recent budget good challenge, shrimp. As frustrated as you seemed to be with the result we all still very much enjoyed watching it.
I would suggest that it is only clickbait if the video doesn't deliver. A slightly provocative question might result in more clicks but it isn't truly clickbait. Veritaseum has a good video about clickbait and the algorithm if you haven't seen it. The pot looks great BTW 😅
I appreciate you for sharing your frustration. I had such a day today, and I comfort myself seeing someone much more experienced than me crumple up that piece of shit clay in a fit of rage. It does seem truly pointless to get angry, and yet I do.
I'm extraordinarily grateful that you showed that moment of frustration. Even though you didn't feel great about that reaction, it is helpful to see that talented experience potters like yourself have hard days learning new/difficult to work with materials. Thank you so much for sharing this, and the steps you take to ground yourself afterwards!
Almost exclusively use porcelain. I've liked Nara Porcelain (Aardvark) and Standard Ceramic's 257 porcelain...both cone 10. Just yesterday I threw with some stoneware which I almost never use and my brain wanted to slap me since it didn't really understand what my hands were telling it!
am i wrong/inexperienced in saying that even for porcelain, this clay body in the video looked almost... marshmallow-ey? i tend to work with stoneware (i even prefer a sandy stoneware meant to hold up to intense raku processes) so i don't even know where to start imagining how this clay would feel and act based on my own knowledge. it seems so plush! i'm curious to know if my eyes are deceiving me or if it actually does feel like --and i had to look this up to make sure i remembered the name correctly-- Crayola Model Magic, the kid's air dry clay that hardens into a foamy bouncy material. is that an apt-ish comparison?
Left hemisphere says “I don’t know how to work with this!” Right hemisphere says “but then I can’t play with it!” They agree to turf the problem to the Limbic System, which then says “There! Solved!!”😂
As a new potter, this is definitely something I can relate to very often - especially when I’m surrounded by such talented artists at the shared studio space. Seeing the vulnerability and variables that come into play even with advanced potters such as yourself definitely helps me to not feel like a failure, and it’s a reminder that clay can be a little humbling shit disturber 😂
This visually looks a lot like the porcelain I used to throw with back in college. You use WAAAAAAY more water than I used to. If I used that much on the stuff I was using back then it would have instant crumpled for sure. I feel your pain on this video. I started throwing using 2 metal ribs on the inside/out so I wasn't really touching the clay with my hands at all to reduce drag and required water. It made the walls much stronger during the throwing process.
I think, in this age of constant perfect posts everywhere, its important to show failures and frustration so that those who are learning don't feel like failures in the face of the constant barrage of perfection they are shown.
I’ve only been throwing for a few days now on my first wheel and there is nothing more I love than learning about the process. Even failure feels fun for me at this point, I’m so excited.
I bet the frustration was also invigorating. Like starting over again in a new learning process. I got the impression the outward centrifugal force had more effect on this clay and wondered if thrown at a slower speed it might cause less chaos (if that is the right word). I love the result and think a green celadon could conserve the translucency. Anyway good to see you are human after all 😂 Thanks ❤🌹
As a relative newby to clay, I've watched all your videos which i find spell binding, your commentary explaining your every move just gently glide together.... bump. I could almost feel your pain as your every perfected move the clay fought back and your blip of imperfection was quickly executed and forgotten, as if we had dreamed it, you squashed the pot and put it out of its misery. Thank goodness trimming enabled you to regain your hand at and become the master of your wheel again. Thankyou for sharing this new experience, which I'm sure you have mastered the clay now, but to see and hear your struggle makes me want to try harder and keep practicing. so thankyou. you keep potting and i will keep watching and learning x
This reminds me of of turning soft plastics in a CNC lathe. When working with such a soft material it can be very difficult to maintain consistence in parts, especially if you're used to working with harder materials such as stainless steel or cast iron.
Love to see the human side of you. Thank you for sharing. Beautiful results despite of the struggle during throwing. Can’t wait to see what you do with the glazing.
lol dirty porcelain when ever i get angry when throwing i like to pound out some slabs and work on sculptural projects for a bit. nothing makes me feel better than slamming a giant rolling pin down on a block of clay
I appreciate the video nonetheless, and I also appreciate the insight and reflection you had on your own self while doing the commentary. Presenting the video with saying "I am unhappy with my behavior, but I'm sure a lot of people have had this same experience at some point in their lives" does an amazing job of not blindly and subliminally pushing outrage culture. It shows a self-awareness and maturity to your character. Another thought: I wonder what would happen to the clay if you put it through a round of recycling. Would it improve the texture? Would it be impossible to use? It would certainly inform my decision on a clay if recycling it improves/worsens the performance of it. I, personally, would like to waste as little as possible when working with any artistic or craft material, including clay. I'm curious to see if it would change with recycling or possibly aging after recycling.
Though you said you aren't proud of how you reacted to the porcelain, thank you for sharing this. As a beginner to ceramics its a relief to see even the most experienced potters have their off days, or may struggle with a new medium. Some days it just feels like I can't do anything right, while the next goes almost perfectly. The bad days I just consider my "warm up day".
I make my own porcelain slip, I can't imagine trying to throw with it. I made my slip recipe to be specifically very malleable out of the mold because I do a lot of pulling/stretching after the piece is out. I think Glacier uses Veegum which is why it's sticky and hard to throw with and retains so much moisture. I also love the unfinished outside with glazed interiors. I found I had to make my own glaze formula to get the right fit since I cast really thin walls and was getting a lot of cracks, and I have to glaze the interiors really thinly. I've been sanding and using a clear natural wax for the exteriors, it's a beautiful finish you just want to touch. I make vases exclusively and unfortunately the wax is not resistant enough to pollen or other stains from the plant material so I'm still trying to make an invisible clear exterior glaze that gives the same kind of feel. Did you fire the glacier yet? The shrink rates are so high as well, again the veegum contributes to this. Sorry you had a tough day but it's nice to see it, since it happens to all of us!
I also really appreciate you showing the struggles with porcelain. As a novice I have used a 50/50 in of porcelain and white stoneware, when my usual white stoneware was not available. While my first attempts were unsatisfactory, I agree with you that the trimming stage of the finer textured clay was delightful. Your covered jar is beautiful and I only wish I could get the walls of my vessels as transparent! Did you have trouble with glaze crawling on the porcelain?
No mate, don't worry about it. You struggled a bit with some new clay, that's all. You're a master potter, I think you can allow yourself a break. Throwing pots is hard. There's nothing "deeply embarrassing" about struggling with a new clay. In fact I think it's quite normal.
Thanks Florian! I enjoyed this video. I’ve never seen you fly into a rage of frustration before, but no need to be embarrassed about how you reacted…remember, it’s just clay! You are tenacious…I think soon enough you will show this clay who’s boss 😊 Keep at it 👍😉
Thank you for letting us see the wonderfully imperfect and human side of wheel throwing! I’m far less experienced that you so I think I have days like that every week! 😅
I have been growing for a year now and my sessions last 3-8 hours. It feels like whenever you’re getting agitated you don’t realize it til it’s too late. Like “I should have stopped an hour ago”
Hey...at least we know you are human! 🤣 At 7:00 I would have cursed a lot and probably punched the lumpy ball of clay, injuring my hand in the process 😂
Sorry that you had a bad throwing day with difficult clay. I'm glad you made the video, though, because it is important to know that sometimes it is the clay body that can be difficult and it's your skill that allows you to work through it even if it causes frustration. In our classroom we don't follow a consistent way of recycling clay and sometimes it is too wet, sometimes too dry, not wedged well or just doesn't have the right plasticity. It can be difficult to navigate around these variations.
I wonder, if you stick with this type of clay, as you start feeling its limitations, will you discover new ways of working with it that result in pieces you couldn't make with your more familiar clays?
When I was in ceramics class we had Glacia as a "cheap" porcelain. It fired to a grayish white and was more prone to S-cracking than other clays we could get. It was a good experience, I had a hard time with it bud I did like hoe glazes turned out over Glacia
Sorry but I laugh when you smash the pot. So out of your usual character but somehow liberating to see you getting pissed sometimes :) I am for a glazing only in the inside
anyone who has ever done something requiring any level of skill has run into something like this. Doesn't matter if you are trying to master a new song on an instrument, throwing pots with a new clay, or figuring out how to troubleshoot a new mechanical issue on a machine you aren't familiar with. You just run into issues you have to struggle through.
I haven't tried throwing glacier, too expensive for play! AB Porcelain was our 'Uni porcelain' and it really does throw very well. It tears beautifully too. Have you tried Special Porcelain? So floppy, I had to buy a quarter tonne of it last year because it was significantly cheaper than AB and Bath Potters didn't have enough in stock, so Special it was. I'm handbuilding with it....... I bought a specialised throwing clay to handbuild because it was cheaper and available. KBJ like throwing with it, it wound me up something chronic, it's a good thing I don't need to throw porcelain. The only real drawback is it's ever so slightly creamy in comparison the ABP. As for suggested glazes, I haven't done reduction since uni, and I don't have my Cooper glaze book handy, but definitely something iron based for those lovely cool greens and greys, but with a satin matt finish to echo the glorious feel of a freshly trimmed porcelain vessel.
I like how it turned out and it is a shame that it gave you so much trouble. I think you should go with your instinct to glaze the inside and see how it turns out since the outside looks so beautiful white and matte.
When you crumpled the piece of work, I chuckled, but only because I could recognize myself in that moment. Like when I crochet and the yarn is so fuzzy that it entangles with itself, so when I have to redo a stitch, I can't even unravel, so I just pull until it rips apart... Obviously I can't tell you how to feel, nor would I want to, but from my perspective, you don't need to be embarrassed. You already said you were in the video, so that's that... ;) From the top of my head I could only imagine if Elon Musk came out and said "Sorry everyone, I'm kinda embarrassed how many more N*zis I fostered into Twitter and how many Teslas explode [...]" I would go "yeah as you friggin should be". Soooooo, you're good! :)
What a save. Truly a master potter. Much respect. I think what others below are missing is that this was not your first attempt with the clay body. I always felt that Porcelin was more difficult to throw - but enjoyed it more than traditional stonewares. I wish you were in the US cuz I for sure would buy a piece - shipping is a nightmare.
I hope you are well Sir Gadsby, I am terribly sorry for the experience you had with this clay body. I exclusively use earthenware clay bodies which I harvest and levigate myself, each source has its own properties - some endearing and some awful - we humbly appreciate you sharing these tribulations with us. You are not alone, instead you are appreciated and revered
thank you so much for this video! I've been really struggling with throwing lately - everyone seems to be able to use the high fire stoneware in my class, but I've been feeling like it just won't soften up. I just add water and it gets all slippy and doesn't want to be opened. Then it flops and I rip it off :/ I really like watching your process as a way of "practicing" when I'm not at school.
It's interesting that you say only glazing one side an item causes problems because that's how SO MUCH medieval pottery is, only the inside glazed. But in the vein of the beautiful white, a salt glaze- with a satin finish would be lovely. I have a reproduction medieval cup with a pale mustard yellow salt glaze on only the inside that is lovely. Although, that's on a more substantial white stoneware.
for glazing what if u made ur glaze run more when fired so that when u glaze only the top bit it runs down and leaves the matte finish of the porcelain on the lower parts kinda similar to how Jaejun Lee glazes their works. idk how it would turn out but it would be interesting to see how the crackle glaze would react to that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I'm curious, what application is this porcelain made for? Seems like it's nearly impossible to throw like in this video, so is there something else it's good at?
My first thought... "maybe it's a casting porcelain?" Something you put inside molds and pretty much press into a predetermined shape. Like mass produced mugs
Frustration is a part of the creative process sadly…..if you’re not getting frustrated now and then, you’re probably not challenging yourself enough. Gotta admit it’s more annoying when it’s a materials issue tho.
I recommend using to use slip that collects in your water bowl rather than water to moisten the clay while throwing, it makes the porcelain less wet and easier to manage the consistency. I find adding the pure water straight up dissolves too much of the porcelain. The slip makes it glide easier. Hope that helps
The frustration is very recognisable. I'm only doing it as a hobby, so sometimes I don't touch the wheel for months and especially after such a long period it will take a few pots to get that "feel" for the clay back, even with nice clay. Question about the MDF bats, are they regular MDF, or special waterproof MDF? I'm planning to make some myself, I have a few I made of plywood, but they slightly warp over time.
Hi Florian, question for you: when I showed my clay studio manager your work, he told me that crackle glazes are purely decorative and are not to be used for functional pieces. My studio manager can, ugh..... be a man of many opinions. I'd love to hear what you have to say about this subject :)
I know you get asked about your reclaim a lot, but I think this is a different question from the usual "omg ur wasting so much": iirc from previous videos, you save trimmings and such in two buckets, one for stoneware one for porcelain. While you're trying out these new types of porcelain, how do you handle reclaiming the trimmings? Are you saving them back separately so that your usual porcelain reclaim doesn't mix with this new porcelain you don't like, or are you letting all the porcelain trimmings mix together and the reclaimed porcelain is whatever it is when it's all mixed together?
I'm not a potter, I have zero experience. BUT, from what I have heard, you have to work very fast since this type of clay (porcelain)will sorta melt and lose its strength if you work it for too long. Might be that this brand is extra sensitive in that regard. Maybe try speed-trowing simpler shapes that you can work more in the trimming stage when the clay is more stable?
Thanks for sharing. I used to make/try/ learn things that were hard or difficult. I'm trying chalk pastels now, and its such a mess. but recently, I saw a simple design that I did in elementary school that is doable at my level, just needs layers, and maybe a protect sheet to keep areas clean. maybe your clay is meant for thick so it can have carvings, textures, undulations or dragonscales. translucent lamp shade?
I see what your problem is. :) I just looked. I see it's called a clod (or, klod). Once you put the clod down, then you put a disc on it, then the clay to start your vase. What you should do before you start the vase is -- you should put a level on the disc. From what you are saying what your problem is -- I can see a very slight warble coming from the bottom because the disc is not level and that is your problem.
I have had my frustrations with porcelain too. It is delicate, as it should be. No impurities and the like, to keep its structure intact. However, it is marvelous to get right. I literally had seperate areas for porcelain as it picks up just about any traces of other clays from all surfaces in the studio. Keep up the nice work!
A bit late on this dirty porcelain vid. Just a question, wouldn't this clay body lend itself to forms which are rounder and less sharp on the outside? I don't know much about pottery other than what has been shown on this channel but when the form disintegrated a few times on the video, the outside was just a sphere and it looked like it held. I'm not sure how the trimming of that would have worked though 😅
I don't know about 'brands' of clay, but I am familiar with some characteristics of it. Does this clay perhaps have small amounts of silt or organic elements in it?
can you please put subtitles on your video? for people like me that have trouble hearing speech it would be much appreciated. Automatic captions can have errors which make understanding even harder.
Ive smashed a few pots myself... i think its part of the creative process..lol...but my teacher always had us finish by throwing something we could do well so that we end on a positive note.
as a digital 3d modeler, i think im going to steal a few tricks to make my models feel more "real"and control its visual weight from this video Thank you!
There is something that I've done in the past where you drip wax over the pot with a brush dip ot in glaze then drip wax so on and so forth until you reach the desired thickness of glaze
❤ that is how most of my pots are moving so I need to work on my centering how come it gets uncentered when I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing and it just moves off center then I end up with a wobble
I always thought a spiral divot would look really nice but I never see people doing it? Is it considered tacky in the pottery world or does it make the pot weaker?
Would it be possible to fire one of those tight curls you get from adding the bevel to the base. Seems like a satisfying shape that could be nice to hold and fidget with
I know it’s not fun to experience failure (if you can call it that - you still produced beautiful forms!), but as an amateur potter it makes me feel REALLY comforted to know that even professionals potters occasionally experience failure and frustration!
Well, I have to say it's extremely refreshing to see you unashamedly admit that even the masters have bad days or trouble with unfamiliar materials. I've been throwing mostly stoneware (Laguna Buff, B-3, NMC White) casually for about a year now, but my local studio recently started stocking Pecos porcelain. The texture is heavenly, like cream cheese, and it fires to a bone white. But by god it is hard to throw, period. My success rate is less than 25%. The walls ripple and you get huge dimensional changes from sagging and stretching, exactly like you're showing. I would do more carving but going once a week for 6 hours makes drying consistently a real challenge. I'm just glad I'm not alone!
Thank you for still posting this and saying your method on overcoming being angry in a productive way. I have overcome most of my anger issues, but they still pop up every now and then. However, I'm still trying to figure out how to overcome it quickly. I may try the "Go back to your comfort, easy projects that have a fast accomplishment" method... And try to find some projects that can be done in a few hours/ 1 day versus most of my projects that are weeks or months long. For how to glaze it, why not a method that you rarely use or a chaotic version? Such as only glaze the top half but do it thick enough to where it drips down. To prevent your nice gas kiln from being damaged, maybe show what happens if you use your nice green glazes in the electric kiln?
Thank you for sharing your experience with this piece. I jokingly tell friends there are 782 points of failure when throwing. LOL. I thoroughly appreciate your explanation of your struggles. I feel as if I learn just as much if not more with this type of tutorial vs a successful tutorial session. You make beautiful pots and the content you provide in your videos are very well explained. Thank you!
I'm sorry you had such a frustrating day! There's no need to be embarrassed! All of us have days where we can't hold it together and we just lose it in a fit of rage. Perfectly acceptable as long as you don't take the fit of rage out on someone else😉 I think your propensity to want really sharp edges and very thin walls would make working with porcelain exceedingly frustrating! 😢You did exactly the right thing. Just walk away and find something else to do to calm your mind!
