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Throwing An Angular Bud Vase Form on the Potter’s Wheel
The problem is, if you start by throwing these straighter planes immediately, altering the form thereafter becomes much harder. It’s not impossible to go from straight surfaces to curves, but if the change in angle is too severe it can make things complicated.
So, for the most part, with a form like this, a “bulbous” bud vase with a narrow opening and inward sloping rim-section, despite ultimately having a sectioned off, angular exterior, the vessel is initially thrown as rounded.
Another important thing to remember is clay allocation. This wasn’t something I thought about in the slightest when first learning to throw, I’d just pull up the walls and attempt to fashion whatever shape I was after with what clay there was. The thing is, if you know the topmost part will be complex, like this pot’s opening, it’s a good idea to leave those upper portions of the wall purposefully thick, this way you’ve got enough material to work with in throwing the almost enclosed shape. There’s nothing worse than getting around 90% there, only to realise you’ve run out of usable clay, or perhaps there’s just enough material but in throwing it you’ll end up with wafer thin, flimsy walls.
Nonetheless, the piece is a challenging form to make as all the above is compounded by the fact that once the narrow opening is made and lowered, you can’t easily reach a hand inside again to alter the shape from the inside. You have to commit.
#wheelthrownpottery #vase #handmade #pottery
