I was told that it also helps to get the clay particles going in the same direction and if you spiral wedge put the big part of the spiral down on the bat and it makes it easier to center big pieces of clay.
You spoke in a more recent video about how you were taught to price piece, I too own a gift/coffee shop in Northern California small community of a thousand people and I am just starting to dabble into wheel throwing. I typically hand build. Will you please give me an idea on how you price your mugs and such as well as maybe give us a tour and some pointers on how you display it for sale in your local monkey shop. (video idea) thank you for your time and positive energy:)
Definitely should start throwing big pots!! I threw a piece that was 32” pot last fall and it was super fun. I throw it in several sections. It would be so fun to see your journey through throwing bigger pots.
I've been throwing for 20+ yrs, I can tell you that throwing big is definitely a lot more work and fun. It's always good to strive to grow as a potter. Good luck!
Jon.i love learning from u.i too a mad potter and make extra cash for the festivals and holidays pop up kiosk.but since this year has been a no festivals nor fairs allowed due to the covid 19 .im in Southern California everything has been canceled.there goes partime livelyhood.im hoping that towards November ,December i could sell my pottery but i have also people that ask me to custom made bowls one of a kind for houses,restaurants,people by word of mouth. I dont use online sales bc i got 😷 and i had to quit for a little while.ceramics is my life and i like making people happy .making my money too.i got 4 orders by word of mouth thru friends.jon ,u rock and inspire me to continue my pottery bizz.thank you.my family supports what i do that makes me happy and also making money out of it.
I'm going to give you a coning tip. When you cone up then you run your hands down the cone and you feel those hard twisty spots only cone down to those spots and then come back up and then cone a little thinner keep doing that until those twisty hard spots are gone before you press it all the way down to the bottom and your clay will be more consistently soft it won't have differences in density
I've been dabbling with ceramics here and there over the years. After becoming semi-retired and falling into the RU-vid world of potters I've decided to jump into the mud with both hands! Classes start this Friday. Thank you, Jon for your energy, passion, and your inspirational show.
personally i think the whole molecule things is an old wise tale, if you dont throw in the same direction you have wedged then you would be undoing the molecules wouldnt you?
Well done Jon, I love the way when you realised it was going to be too small you didn't give up and start again but found a way to make it work. I just hope your shrinkages are what you hope for. I can't wait to see it finished, and see what style of glaze you give it. You really inspire me. Cheers Bob 🇬🇧
Aww, what a sweetheart you are! Good husband and potter. I enjoy your videos, personality and enthusiasm. I hope to come see Mocha Monkey someday and get more clay while in the area. I throw about 500 lbs a year and am crazy for cocoa puffs about pottery. Keep up the videos, love it!
Tips on joining two sections: start with the top section first( I can't remember why ). For a stronger connection between the two section, it is better to make the rim of the join sections not flat, one should be V shape convex and the other concave, this helps aligning and also spread the weight more evenly.
There are obviously many ways to add sections together to make really large pieces; I was told that it's best to do the bottom part first since you want it dryer so that it can hold more weight on top of it (you can wrap the rim in plastic wrap so it stays moist enough to easily add another section). If you don't have a bat like Jonthepotter's, which can be put back on the wheel head, then it would make sense to throw the top section first. That way the bottom section can be left on the wheel to dry out a little (you can always torch it to speed that up or put a fan on it) and you don't remove it until the top section has been added to it. +Assaf Shuval I find the idea of making the two joined edges fit together by making one a convex shape and one concave intriguing. Another possibility would be to make the edges to be joined at a diagonal, a mirror image of each other (many slab builders do that with edges to be joined to make a stronger seam). \ (•◡•) /
To fail is human.. to share it on your RU-vid channel is instructive and humbling.. looks great. Will be watching to see what your shrinkage is.. you did it the way I have done drums .. and they are still thumpin
You are so inspiring. I once made big lamp in three pieces. It came out Ok, but I never did it again. Now that I am set up to do this I will have to give it a try. I forgot how much fun it was to make. Thanks so much, .
I look forward to your video, no matter throwing, unloading or glazing, etc. There is always something to learn or be reminded, even if it's never be afraid to fail, but I root for positive outcome always. That's a very nice size pot and I would have done the same thing. I have trouble throwing large amounts of clay, it hurts my shoulders, so not sure if I'm doing it right or just not used to it. Joining two parts works best for me for larger pieces. (Yay, moving the garage!!!) Keep doing what you're doing!!!!
That is awesome! I miss my fingers in clay! Moved to a mountain top and there isn't a studio that I know of within 50 miles! Love your videos! You are such an inspiration !Thank you!
I think you did a great job, you improvised!! Clay is so forgiving, more than I realized actually. I can not wait to see the end result as I know this will be spectacular since it is for your lovely wife.
I've tried looking for fun potters that can teach in a way that's understandable by visual most people tend to be very boring to me you're fun you're bright I've learned so much from you
Yay I was right! I have never thrown anything that big but close. I took a throwing large class at Georgie’s and they showed us the two part technique they did the tongue and grove for the joining section but I’ve done it this way and both work. I’m excited to see the rest of the process. I hope it fits!!🤭I did come travel mugs with those rubber lids so I had to check my clays shrinkage and measure and everything but it still end up being a little too wide but it still worked. Just not perfect so back to practice. Peace out man!!✌🏻
I love how energetic you are and how passionate you are about ceramics. Ive been doing ceramics for a while and I’m starting to set up a little studio in my garage. I was wondering what you are using for your wedging table? Ive only used plaster tables from school and such. Thanks! Love the show, keep it up my man!
She's a huge!!!! Pot. Sweet. I like the recovery on the lack of clay. If it were me, I would have pulled up more and more in an attempt to reach 12" eventually buckling at the bottom and losing the entire 15lbs of clay to a rewedging session.
We wedge to get the air out from the clay. And by it being warmed it can be put in the shape that will make it easy to throw. You should put some trees at the bottom and paint them with the green glaze and make the top white with the red/green/blue but white so it makes the other color a light version that sky mix that would drips down to the trees.
Awesome vid. Mad respect to your super tall coning when centering. Coning never works out for me because it always gets wobbly when bringing the cone back down 😑
Sansevieria ...also known as "snake plant or (in the south) "mother-in-law's-tongue"!!! It will produce a huge root ball and have actually split commerciall terracotta pots and require either separating and/or re-potting too.
There's one thing I never learned in my pottery classes that I really want to know how to do, and that is; how do you make the clay at the top of a pot/mug/any cylinder smaller while throwing on the wheel?? My professor tried his best to show me in class but English was his second language so he struggled through it and eventually just kinda gave up (I don't blame him, I'm hard to teach sometimes). I've always wanted to know and this video just reminded me. Love you videos, Jon! Super fun and informative!!
I’m five years late to the party 😂but when you threw the second piece did you go all the way down to the bat when you opened it up - so it was just a cylinder with no bottom? Or did you cut the bottom off after you attached it? I went through this exact process yesterday trying to make a 12x12 pot for my husband and I’m determined to make it work!
Also thank you for letting me find out about Warren Mackenzie. looked at a lot of his videos and loved to learn about his journey. I also watch Simon Leach pottery video so it tried in nicely. last thing my wife and girls think you look like Bradley Cooper... not something I wanted to tell you but you know got to keep the peace at home...
Love love love your videos. Very interested in your tutorials. Just a little technical issue, your music is just a tad little loud, epecially for headphone wearers. Otherwise keep up the great work.
I have never seen anything like this! What a great idea:) Thanks for showing how to work through a problem. I agree having something not turn out isn't a bad thing it is what we do with it when we hit that moment of oh *&$%#
your a funny man Jon, but a great tutor, thanks for sharing. Cliff from London, Well that was a learning process right Jon? Watch your friend Matt to get more info ;)
