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100 mugs

updated tue 4 may 04

 

Janis Young on fri 16 aug 02


For those of us who weren't here then, what's Mel's
100 mug exercise?

Janis



--- Valerie Hawkins wrote:
> Ruth,
>
> Thank you for responding to my note. I've been
> using this excercise and
> think I'm making some progress. I think this
> approach will work for surface
> decoration as well. I love when folks post these
> 'student' exercises. I
> haven't had the benefit of a great deal of classroom
> exposure. I did Mel's
> 100 mug exercise a year ago. It was a tremendous
> help. But at that time, I
> just wanted to make a decent mug and wasn't
> considering style and attitude
> aspects.
>
> Where would I be without clayart!
>
> Anyway, thanks again and have a great day.
>
> Valerie

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Valerie Hawkins on sun 18 aug 02


I just threw mugs and attached handles over and over again. I only got to
50. But I made a huge leap in skill with that exercise. Actually, it's
probably time I did that exercise again.

Valerie



-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Janis Young
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 1:06 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: 100 Mugs


For those of us who weren't here then, what's Mel's
100 mug exercise?

Janis



--- Valerie Hawkins wrote:
> Ruth,
>
> Thank you for responding to my note. I've been
> using this excercise and
> think I'm making some progress. I think this
> approach will work for surface
> decoration as well. I love when folks post these
> 'student' exercises. I
> haven't had the benefit of a great deal of classroom
> exposure. I did Mel's
> 100 mug exercise a year ago. It was a tremendous
> help. But at that time, I
> just wanted to make a decent mug and wasn't
> considering style and attitude
> aspects.
>
> Where would I be without clayart!
>
> Anyway, thanks again and have a great day.
>
> Valerie

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
http://www.hotjobs.com

____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Janis Young on mon 19 aug 02


Is there a time limit? Yesterday I threw 8 different
mugs following the suggestions from Ruth Ballou. There
were some throwouts & start-overs but it took me 2 1/2
hours to produce 8 big mugs, no trimming or handles.
So I would have to get up real early in the morning to
get 50 done by bedtime! Guess I need more practice!

Janis



--- Valerie Hawkins wrote:
> I just threw mugs and attached handles over and over
> again. I only got to
> 50. But I made a huge leap in skill with that
> exercise. Actually, it's
> probably time I did that exercise again.
>
> Valerie
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
> Behalf Of Janis Young
> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 1:06 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: 100 Mugs
>
>
> For those of us who weren't here then, what's Mel's
> 100 mug exercise?
>
> Janis
>
>
>
> --- Valerie Hawkins
> wrote:
> > Ruth,
> >
> > Thank you for responding to my note. I've been
> > using this excercise and
> > think I'm making some progress. I think this
> > approach will work for surface
> > decoration as well. I love when folks post these
> > 'student' exercises. I
> > haven't had the benefit of a great deal of
> classroom
> > exposure. I did Mel's
> > 100 mug exercise a year ago. It was a tremendous
> > help. But at that time, I
> > just wanted to make a decent mug and wasn't
> > considering style and attitude
> > aspects.
> >
> > Where would I be without clayart!
> >
> > Anyway, thanks again and have a great day.
> >
> > Valerie
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
> http://www.hotjobs.com
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
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> reached at melpots@pclink.com.


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Earl Brunner on mon 19 aug 02


Set intermediate goals Janis. The idea is that as you learn to do this
repetitive work, you will get better and faster. Your goal at first
might be to get ten mugs, then 20, then 50, etc. I used to shoot for
100 pot days, didn't have to all be mugs, or planters, or what ever,
just 100 pots in one day. Or 100 lbs of clay for the day, any goal that
stretches you will be beneficial in the long run. A group of us once
bought a ton of clay and set the goal to use it all in one day. Can't
remember if we made it, but it was fun trying.

Earl Brunner
mailto:bruec@anv.net
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec


-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On
Behalf Of Janis Young
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 10:26 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: 100 Mugs

Is there a time limit? Yesterday I threw 8 different
mugs following the suggestions from Ruth Ballou. There
were some throwouts & start-overs but it took me 2 1/2
hours to produce 8 big mugs, no trimming or handles.
So I would have to get up real early in the morning to
get 50 done by bedtime! Guess I need more practice!

Janis



--- Valerie Hawkins wrote:
> I just threw mugs and attached handles over and over
> again. I only got to
> 50. But I made a huge leap in skill with that
> exercise. Actually, it's
> probably time I did that exercise again.
>
> Valerie
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
> Behalf Of Janis Young
> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 1:06 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: 100 Mugs
>
>
> For those of us who weren't here then, what's Mel's
> 100 mug exercise?
>
> Janis
>
>
>
> --- Valerie Hawkins
> wrote:
> > Ruth,
> >
> > Thank you for responding to my note. I've been
> > using this excercise and
> > think I'm making some progress. I think this
> > approach will work for surface
> > decoration as well. I love when folks post these
> > 'student' exercises. I
> > haven't had the benefit of a great deal of
> classroom
> > exposure. I did Mel's
> > 100 mug exercise a year ago. It was a tremendous
> > help. But at that time, I
> > just wanted to make a decent mug and wasn't
> > considering style and attitude
> > aspects.
> >
> > Where would I be without clayart!
> >
> > Anyway, thanks again and have a great day.
> >
> > Valerie
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
> http://www.hotjobs.com
>
>
________________________________________________________________________
____
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
________________________________________________________________________
______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.


__________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
______
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
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Ruth Ballou on tue 20 aug 02


Janis,

This is a development exercise and so I would not expect it to be done as
quickly as production work. It sounds like you spent about 15 minutes per
mug, which sounds about right, especially if part of this time was spent
evaluating and designing. Once you settle on a form, then concentrate on
getting faster. You will naturally pick up speed as your hands learn the
form and you eliminate extraneous moves.

Ruth Ballou
Silver Spring, MD


>Is there a time limit? Yesterday I threw 8 different
>mugs following the suggestions from Ruth Ballou. There
>were some throwouts & start-overs but it took me 2 1/2
>hours to produce 8 big mugs, no trimming or handles.
>So I would have to get up real early in the morning to
>get 50 done by bedtime! Guess I need more practice!
>
>Janis
>
>
>
>--- Valerie Hawkins wrote:
>> I just threw mugs and attached handles over and over
>> again. I only got to
>> 50. But I made a huge leap in skill with that
>> exercise. Actually, it's
>> probably time I did that exercise again.
>>
>> Valerie
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>> [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
>> Behalf Of Janis Young
>> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 1:06 PM
>> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>> Subject: 100 Mugs
>>
>>
>> For those of us who weren't here then, what's Mel's
>> 100 mug exercise?
>>
>> Janis
>>
>>
>>
>> --- Valerie Hawkins
>> wrote:
>> > Ruth,
>> >
>> > Thank you for responding to my note. I've been
>> > using this excercise and
>> > think I'm making some progress. I think this
>> > approach will work for surface
>> > decoration as well. I love when folks post these
>> > 'student' exercises. I
>> > haven't had the benefit of a great deal of
>> classroom
>> > exposure. I did Mel's
>> > 100 mug exercise a year ago. It was a tremendous
>> > help. But at that time, I
>> > just wanted to make a decent mug and wasn't
>> > considering style and attitude
>> > aspects.
>> >
>> > Where would I be without clayart!
>> >
>> > Anyway, thanks again and have a great day.
>> >
>> > Valerie
>>
>> __________________________________________________
>> Do You Yahoo!?
>> HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
>> http://www.hotjobs.com
>>
>>
>____________________________________________________________________________
>> __
>> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>> You may look at the archives for the list or change
>> your subscription
>> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
>> reached at
>> melpots@pclink.com.
>>
>>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>> You may look at the archives for the list or change
>> your subscription
>> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
>> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
>http://www.hotjobs.com
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.

Janis Young on tue 20 aug 02


Thanks, Ruth--

I have to keep reminding myself that even the pros on
this list didn't just start out whipping off big
casseroles with lids that fit right off the bat (duh,
get it?), or even good-looking properly-sized mugs,
especially if they had a day job. I'll keep on it.

Janis





--- Ruth Ballou wrote:
> Janis,
>
> This is a development exercise and so I would not
> expect it to be done as
> quickly as production work. It sounds like you spent
> about 15 minutes per
> mug, which sounds about right, especially if part of
> this time was spent
> evaluating and designing. Once you settle on a form,
> then concentrate on
> getting faster. You will naturally pick up speed as
> your hands learn the
> form and you eliminate extraneous moves.
>
> Ruth Ballou
> Silver Spring, MD
>
>


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HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
http://www.hotjobs.com

Cindi Anderson on sun 25 aug 02


You might try timed throwing to get in the habit of speeding up and not
overworking. Make all your balls of clay ahead of time, then use a timer,
you get 3 minutes per mug. Believe me, it can be done! They will not all
be perfect, but the object is not to keep these anyway. Take a minute or
two to cut it off, chill out, then 3 minutes for the next. It does help a
lot. Professional potters say they can throw a good mug in a minute. I am
not that fast, but I do a few dozen an hour.

Cindi

----- Original Message -----
From: "Janis Young"
To:
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 10:26 AM
Subject: 100 Mugs


> Is there a time limit? Yesterday I threw 8 different
> mugs following the suggestions from Ruth Ballou. There
> were some throwouts & start-overs but it took me 2 1/2
> hours to produce 8 big mugs, no trimming or handles.
> So I would have to get up real early in the morning to
> get 50 done by bedtime! Guess I need more practice!
>
> Janis

Gene and Dolita Dohrman on fri 30 apr 04


Hello Claybuds! I need a bit of counseling (who'd a thought!)...I am in =
the middle of doing the '100 mugs' exercise. Have found that I can =
divide a 25 lb. block of clay into 27 little cubes that are the perfect =
size for a mug. I have done 54 thus far, 43 survived. Now here is the =
problem. I want to keep them. I am dreading doing handles on 100 =
pieces but I am thinking of extruding them anyway (let's hear it for =
Scott Creek!). I know that I am supposed to cut them all in half, my =
friend Carol in Dubai has reminded me of this. Am I doing a bad thing =
by keeping them all? I am hoping to see an improvement of my time (6-7 =
minutes per mug-rather embarrassing) in the next 50. Now mind you, I am =
shaping each one with ribs. Not just throwing a cylinder and calling it =
a mug. So there will also be trimming involved.=20
I would love to fill my first bisque firing with all these mugs, then =
use them to try out my new glazes. However, if most who respond say cut =
them all in half, I will, I promise.
Dolita =20

dohrman@insightbb.com
Louisville, KY

Fredrick Paget on fri 30 apr 04


>Hello Claybuds! I need a bit of counseling (who'd a thought!)...I am in =
>the middle of doing the '100 mugs' exercise.
Dolita

"Goodness sakes alive ",as my mother used to say. They are your mugs
- do whatever you want with them - within the bounds of decency and
the law!
Fred
--
If you don't like the way I do,
DO what Ory say.
What do Ory say?
"if you don't like the way I do
Well, feno keno how!"*

*Creole by Kid Ory
What did Ory say?
I don't read creole,
but I think I know!
Twin Dragon Pottery

Don Kopyscinski on fri 30 apr 04


Dolita,

You wrote:

<>
<has reminded me of this. Am I doing a bad thing by keeping them all?>>

I declare this to be "NO RULES FRIDAY." Do what your heart tells you, and
enjoy the experience. When you're up to speed I'll have a virtual race with you
if you want. For now, relax and have fun. Having lots of mugs to experiment
with glazing is a good thing.

I read an anecdote in the Studio Potter Book. It was an account of an
apprentice and his master teacher. One day, he noticed that his master's pots were
different. For some reason they had a lot more life and spontaneity than normal.
He couldn't put his finger on it, but the pots just seemed to flow from his
teacher's hands. He asked his teacher how he could have made such a
transformation overnight. He simply answered, "I got this clay from a friend of mine.
When it dries, the pots all crack."

Consider these mugs a license to break the rules when you test your glazes.


Regards,
Don Kopyscinski
Bear Hills Pottery
Newtown, CT

Ron Collins on fri 30 apr 04


They're YOUR mugs......if you have new glazes also, then think how far ahead
you will be if you learn the characteristics, overlapping, oxides over, etc,
etc, ....it takes a long time to learn your own glazes.......I say GLAZE and
FIRE for gosh sakes.....Melinda Collins, Antigua, Guatemala

Connie Christensen on fri 30 apr 04


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene and Dolita Dohrman"
I am dreading doing handles on 100 pieces but I am thinking of extruding
them anyway (let's hear it for Scott Creek!).

Dolita, pull some handles on those mugs. I really disliked handles until I
had an instructor make me do a WHOLE LOT of them. Now it's not such a chore.

Connie Christensen
Arvada, CO

John Baymore on sat 1 may 04



May I suggest you cut the less wonderful 50% in half and use the best =3D=

50% as turning practice, handle application practice and finally as =3D
glaze tests.


Dolita,

I have a slightly different suggestion here.

One of the things that I have seen over and over for more than 30 years i=
n
people learning to work in clay is that they often spend a LOT of time
focusing on forming techniques. They make things by the hundreds and the=
n
cut most of them in half or recycle them from greemware over and over and=

over. Pretty soon their eye and forming skills start to get reasonably
good.

Then they screw up some half decent forms with really poor surface
embellishment and glazing or "blowing" the kiln firing. Why? Because th=
ey
have spent little time in learning THOSE aspects of the craft. For every=

3-4 forms they make.... they finish fire one. So their forming skills ge=
t
way "ahead" of their other skills by a significant factor.

So for those 100 mugs.......... oops.... 450 mugs.......... move the fina=
l
critique point ("The Hammer From Hell") from the leather hard or greenwar=
e
stage to the "still slightly warm out of the final fire" stage. Instead =
of
only decorating and / or glazing and firing the best 50 mug forms....
oops...... 225 forms....... you'll decorate and glaze and fire all 100
(450) forms. That will help you to develop some of the other 90 gazillio=
n
necessary parts of the craft that all must come together for sucessful
peices to be produced.

Firing them is NOT exactly unnecessary. They ARE functional. You will
learn MUCH from those "weak" but fired pots. Then..... using a hammer
(wearing complete Kevlar combat body armor and an air supplied SCBA
respirator, of course ) after they are fired can be a very satisfying
task. =


And listen to mel-san. He's crazy like a fox.

best,

.........................john

John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086-5812 USA

JBaymore@compuserve.com
http://www.JohnBaymore.com

603-654-2752 (studio)
800-900-1110 (studio)


"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop: August 20-29,
2004"

Pat Southwood on sat 1 may 04


John
ok, fair do's It's just that in my experience, limited tho' it is, it seems
better to test glazes on halfway decent stuff, it gives you a reasonable
idea and if it's dead nice it feels better.
pat.
pat@southwood4.fsnet.co.uk.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Baymore"
To:
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 6:21 PM
Subject: 100 mugs



May I suggest you cut the less wonderful 50% in half and use the best =
50% as turning practice, handle application practice and finally as =
glaze tests.


Pat Southwood on sat 1 may 04


hi list,
In my usual dozy way I have just twigged the Takeshi connection with =
100 mugs.
yeah, I remember him telling me too.=20
Lovely man.
He let me wear his pinny.......................
ohh.
Pat.

Kathy McDonald on sat 1 may 04


For those whao have access to a glaze or 2 some oxides and a kiln
the message below is WONDERFUL advice........go.go......go!

Dolita,

I have a slightly different suggestion here.

One of the things that I have seen over and over for more than 30 years in
people learning to work in clay is that they often spend a LOT of time
focusing on forming techniques. They make things by the hundreds and then
cut most of them in half or recycle them from greemware over and over and
over. Pretty soon their eye and forming skills start to get reasonably
good.

Then they screw up some half decent forms with really poor surface
embellishment and glazing or "blowing" the kiln firing. Why? Because they
have spent little time in learning THOSE aspects of the craft. For every
3-4 forms they make.... they finish fire one. So their forming skills get
way "ahead" of their other skills by a significant factor.

So for those 100 mugs.......... oops.... 450 mugs.......... move the final
critique point ("The Hammer From Hell") from the leather hard or greenware
stage to the "still slightly warm out of the final fire" stage. Instead of
only decorating and / or glazing and firing the best 50 mug forms....
oops...... 225 forms....... you'll decorate and glaze and fire all 100
(450) forms. That will help you to develop some of the other 90 gazillion
necessary parts of the craft that all must come together for sucessful
peices to be produced.

Firing them is NOT exactly unnecessary. They ARE functional. You will
learn MUCH from those "weak" but fired pots. Then..... using a hammer
(wearing complete Kevlar combat body armor and an air supplied SCBA
respirator, of course ) after they are fired can be a very satisfying
task.

And listen to mel-san. He's crazy like a fox.

best,

.........................john

John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086-5812 USA

JBaymore@compuserve.com
http://www.JohnBaymore.com

603-654-2752 (studio)
800-900-1110 (studio)


"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop: August 20-29,
2004"

____________________________________________________________________________
__
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You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
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Pat Southwood on sat 1 may 04


Dear Dolita
May I suggest you cut the less wonderful 50% in half and use the best =
50% as turning practice, handle application practice and finally as =
glaze tests.
Best Wishes
Pat.
Just got our Open Studios brochure for this year, I have a 2 page spread =
article ! Woo Hoo.
pat@southwood4.fsnet.co.uk

Lee Love on sat 1 may 04


Gene and Dolita Dohrman wrote:

>I would love to fill my first bisque firing with all these mugs, then use them to try out my new glazes. However, if most who respond say cut them all in half, I will, I promise.
>
>
Hi Dolita,

Trust your self. I don't know that it is necessary to cut
them all up You can tell a lot just by holding them and feeling
the walls with your hands. Maybe you should just cut up the ones that
don't pass the eye/touch examination? One of the great things about
the rope impressioning at my teacher's workshop is that the pressing of
the rope into the clay body told you how thick the clay body was. (I
have been thinking about putting up a brochure and prepared length of
rope on Ebay at a nominate "buy it now" fee to boost my feedback there,
once I get my feedback up to 20 and am allowed "buy it now" buttons.)

What are your mugs like? Are you copying from a model?
Just throwing the mugs is great for getting a feel for the form, but the
way to develop precision is by practicing it. These are two
different exercises.

Also, if your main study in your mug project is handles, then
any kind of body is okay, just as long as you are sticking a handle on
it. That would be my focus with mugs. To practice throwing the
form, I would choose a handleless form.

Have a digital camera? Can you share your mugs with us?


Go for it!

--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org

Snail Scott on sun 2 may 04


At 01:21 PM 5/1/04 -0400, John B wrote:
>...they often spend a LOT of time
>focusing on forming techniques....Then they screw up...with really poor
surface
>embellishment and...the kiln firing. Why? Because they
>have spent little time in learning THOSE aspects of the craft.



This is very true, and often overlooked. You
need to learn the end of the process, too, and
that can't happen unless you do it! By all means,
slice a few representative samples. But, if you
wait to fire until your forms are satisfactory,
you'll be using those good forms for your
undeveloped glazing and firing. Why not put some
of those those practice forms to work as glaze
practice and firing practice, too? Then, when
your forms improve, they'll get to receive your
improved surfaces.

Further, what happens at the end can influence
the choices you make at the beginning. If
you hardly ever glaze and fire, you will not
merely get no practice learning to do surfaces
that suits the object, but you'll never reach
the 'feedback' stage, where your understanding
of firing and surfaces affects the choices you
make in forming.

We often comment about how well a particular
surface suits a pot or sculpture. Well, trying
to make that happen only after the object is
made is like trying to turn a tract house into
architecture by getting new carpet and drapes.
The result may be nice enough, but it will never
reach that higher level. Really fine work must
come from an integrated process.

We may enact these processes in a linear
sequence, first forming, then surfaces and
firing, but you shouldn't wait to think about
those issues until after the previous phase is
over. This may produce adequate work, but never
the truly excellent stuff. The choices you make
in forming will affect what options are best for
finishing, but at the same time, the
possibilities for finishing will affect your
choices in forming. It's not a linear process,
it's circular.

-Snail Scott
Reno, NV, USA, Earth

Clayhannie@AOL.COM on sun 2 may 04


Well, after you make 100 mugs, you should feel pretty confident about your
ability to reproduce a shape, a series, etc.. But your first handles will feel
awkward or a chore, so do 100 handles and they will become as easy as the
mugs. Repetition, repetition, repetition. Then move on to the next batch.

Martha,
Aurora, IL

Lois Ruben Aronow on sun 2 may 04


> At 01:21 PM 5/1/04 -0400, John B wrote:
> >...they often spend a LOT of time
> >focusing on forming techniques....Then they screw up...with
> >really poor surface embellishment and...the kiln firing. Why? Because
they have spent
> >little time in learning THOSE aspects of the craft.

I so totally agree with this. So many potters adore the throwing and firing
part, but not the glazing process. Even pots that don't require a glazed
surface - anagama, salt fired, for example, still need little details and
embellishments to complete them. Just the pot alone isn't enough. As they
say, god is in the details....


* * * * * * *
Lois Ruben Aronow
Modern Porcelain & Tableware-Updated for Spring 2004!

www.loisaronow.com

Gary Harvey on mon 3 may 04


Put handles on them of course. That is on the ones that are of quality.
If you can't get to all of them then cover them with plastic and they might
wait till tomorrow. But I would save as many as I could. Making them is
time consuming enough but making them and dumping them just for an exercise,
come on. GH
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene and Dolita Dohrman"
To:
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 1:43 PM
Subject: 100 mugs


Hello Claybuds! I need a bit of counseling (who'd a thought!)...I am in the
middle of doing the '100 mugs' exercise. Have found that I can divide a 25
lb. block of clay into 27 little cubes that are the perfect size for a mug.
I have done 54 thus far, 43 survived. Now here is the problem. I want to
keep them. I am dreading doing handles on 100 pieces but I am thinking of
extruding them anyway (let's hear it for Scott Creek!). I know that I am
supposed to cut them all in half, my friend Carol in Dubai has reminded me
of this. Am I doing a bad thing by keeping them all? I am hoping to see an
improvement of my time (6-7 minutes per mug-rather embarrassing) in the next
50. Now mind you, I am shaping each one with ribs. Not just throwing a
cylinder and calling it a mug. So there will also be trimming involved.
I would love to fill my first bisque firing with all these mugs, then use
them to try out my new glazes. However, if most who respond say cut them
all in half, I will, I promise.
Dolita

dohrman@insightbb.com
Louisville, KY

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