This is a process that involves skillful hands masters and clay, an action in whose rhythmic movements an internal connection is born between them. Until recently, the most common pottery wheel was a foot wheel, consisting of a vertical axis made of iron, in the upper part of which there is a small disk on which the modeling takes place, and in the lower part there is a flywheel that sets the upper wheel in motion. The flywheel itself is driven by the potter’s foot. IN Lately increasingly used electric machine: The rotation speed of the circle is adjusted using the pedal. The disk always rotates counterclockwise.
Cooking coma. Before starting to work on the potter's wheel, it is advisable to prepare several lumps of clay, which should be covered with a damp cloth so that the glossy dough does not dry out.
Once the amount of clay required for the piece has been removed from a single block, the clay is divided into two parts, which are again connected with a decisive and strong slap. This is repeated several times and the clay is shaped into a ball.
Main stages. Main principle, which is the basis for working on a pottery wheel, consists in resisting, with the help of hands alone, the centrifugal force, which, when rotated, pushes the clay object out of the circle.
Centering. The clay blank is placed in the center of the circle. To prepare it, separate a small amount of clay that will be convenient for you to work with on a pottery wheel, throw the workpiece onto the circle with a strong movement, and press its lower part against the circle. Hands, lightly touching the disk, cover the lump of clay. Press down on the clay, moving it slightly in different directions. Your arms and wrists should be tense. Push the clay up, using your palms to apply pressure at the bottom of the lump, then move it down again. In this way, the clay is warmed up.
A recess inside the workpiece. Use your left thumb to press down on the center of the clay. Then thumb right hand should reach the bottom, leaving a layer for the base, while left hand supports and guides the entire mass. Having established what width the product will be, proceed to the walls: thumb with inside, the rest of the fingers are on the outside.
Cylinder molding. The cylinder is formed after centering and kneading the clay mass. Now make a recess and raise the walls.
Stretching the walls. With one hand, take a “pincer” position: the index and middle fingers are located on the inside, and the remaining fingers on the outside. Use your other hand to support and guide the product. Remember that the walls must be the same thickness. In this case, the bone of the index finger of the right hand should slide along the outer wall, and the bones of the fingers of the left hand, clenched into a fist, should press them against the wall from the inside. Repeat this operation several times.
Cycling. Using cycles, level and smooth the outer walls of the vessel. After this, use a pottery string to separate the product from the potter's wheel. Remove the vessel only with dry hands. Hold it carefully, distributing the weight evenly, as the product remains flexible and therefore easily deformed.
When working, your hands should always be moistened with water so that they glide easily over the surface of the product. It is advisable to have a bowl of water to wet your hands from time to time.
Extension of the upper part. After centering and making a recess in the center of the workpiece, it is time to expand the walls of the vessel upward, while maintaining the same thickness of the walls. The most common mistake at this stage of work is that the walls are too thin and weak and cannot maintain their shape.
The work of expanding the top of the product is especially important when making plates and dishes of small, medium and large sizes.
Molding of the body. Since the appearance of the potter's wheel, man has learned to make round vessels. Complete the workpiece by repeating the same steps as when making a cylinder: centering, making a recess and widening, then pulling up the walls. When giving the vessel a spherical shape, the hands take the “hammer” position.
Wall expansion. Using the fingertips of the hand that is inside the vessel, press on the cylinder wall, shifting it from the center, while with your other hand hold the work and press with outside. To narrow the vessel, press forcefully from the outside to the center. Help yourself cycles.
Narrowing. Continue tapering until the hole reaches the intended size. If the tapering part of the vessel should have a valley and narrow neck, then you need to press evenly with your hands, moving the clay both towards the center and up.
Nose. Holding with one hand, press on the wall, and index finger Use your other hand to support the product. So that it does not move off the axis. Using the same finger, press downwards to form a curve in the spout. Smooth the walls with a scraper and a sponge. If you want to widen the neck, sculpt a spout for liquid to flow out. Place the thumb and index finger of your left hand over the upper edges and apply pressure towards the center. At the same time, use the index finger of your right hand to move the walls to the outer edge and down. This movement will determine the shape of the vessel.
Pen. Prepare and wash well a long, round strip of clay. Smooth it from top to bottom with hands moistened with water. When Bottom part reaches the desired length and thickness, separate a piece of clay.
To attach the handle, make a cut on the surface of the jug using a serrated cutter. Place the handle on the top of the jug and press it against the rim of the jug. Do the same with bottom jug, smoothing the joint so that the surface remains level.
Grinding. When the product is removed from the potter's wheel, its walls have not yet been sufficiently cleaned. Dry the vessel slightly so that it gains strength and does not deform when further processing. Place the vessel on the potter's wheel again. Now the speed of its rotation should be moderate. You will need iron end stacks. Special attention should be given to the lower part of the product - the bottom.
Clay products are always relevant. Some people cannot imagine their kitchen without ceramic cookware - they cook in it and decorate their interior with various decorative pots made from this plastic material. And souvenirs - magnets, photo frames, cups, vases, which we always buy when we relax at a resort, most often made of clay. All this suggests that the pottery business is one of the most profitable areas of entrepreneurial activity. In this article we will talk about pottery for beginners, so that anyone who is seriously thinking about leaving their main job for the sake of developing their own business can realize themselves in this direction.
Features of the pottery business
The first potters were the ancient Greeks. It was they who began to make unique products from clay - vases and amphorae, which conquered the whole world of that time. We treat them casually, without attaching any special value. But you just have to think about how many things necessary for organizing home life are made of clay - plates, cups, cauldrons, bowls and much more. This means that pottery as a business will never lose its relevance and will bring a stable and high income to those who decide to open a pottery business at home. If you are one of the people who want to start making pottery with your own hands at home, then you need to know the main features of this business activity:
- Ceramic products are best sold in large resort towns, where there are always a lot of tourists coming from distant countries. These people are target audience, since they will probably buy various souvenirs for their relatives and buy something beautiful for themselves as a souvenir of their vacation;
- Those who have been engaged in pottery making at home for many years have well understood the peculiarity of this business, which we mentioned in the paragraph above. Therefore, this area of business activity has high level competition. A beginner will have to devote a lot of time to studying the market in the area where he decided to open a pottery business;
- Remember that your pottery products must be exclusive in order for people to buy them. You will need to develop your own methodology for making and decorating ceramic products so that they highlight your personal uniqueness. designer style. People really like to buy designer items - after all, it is fashionable and meets the requirements of the time;
- Keep in mind that pottery products will be in particular demand in resort town, which reflects the flavor of the local culture. People are more willing to purchase something that emphasizes the traditions and customs of the place they have visited;
- The beginning of pottery should be marked by the production of a limited range of products. It should be one thing - either dishes, or souvenirs, or pots, or vases. Over time, when your customer base expands, you can think about simultaneously producing several types ceramic goods;
- Before you start pottery making, you must register a private enterprise. If you will only be engaged in the production of household goods (dishes, for example), then you need to register your activity under OKVED code 26.21. If your area of interest also includes children’s toys, then you need to choose OKVED 36.50 and a simplified taxation system in order insurance premiums and other expenses were not very large;
- Having mastered the above features ceramic business, you can become a wealthy person practically from scratch. Of course, start-up capital will be needed in any case, but it will not be so large and will quickly pay off. We will talk about this in more detail in the corresponding section of our article.
Selection and arrangement of premises for a workshop
Where to start pottery making after registering a business? It is important to pay due attention to the room where your workshop will constantly operate. After all, the selected space must meet some mandatory requirements:
- It should be two rooms. You will equip one of the rooms as a workshop (this room should be larger in area than the second), and the other as a warehouse for finished ceramic products (a room area of 15 m² will be sufficient);
- In terms of area, the room should not be less than 50 m²;
- It is advisable to choose an apartment for a workshop on the ground floor;
- It is very important that the room has all the necessary communications ( we're talking about about sewerage, air conditioning, ventilation, electricity and plumbing);
- It is imperative to carefully consider the choice of equipment for a pottery workshop. This must be done under the guidance of an experienced craftsman who is well versed not only in pottery technology, but also understands the equipment necessary for the work. By the way, many potters can make pottery equipment themselves.
Production technology
Scheme of production of ceramic products
For several decades in a row, the production of ceramic products has been carried out using the same technology, but different ways. If you make souvenir products (do free-form sculpting), then you only need to select the right raw materials, mix them and sculpt them. It is important to use a pottery wheel, a modeling board or special impressions - this way the shapes of your products will be processed more accurately.
Essentially, the process of making pottery includes several main stages:
- Purchasing raw materials - you can either buy them or extract them yourself. If you are just thinking about how to start pottery, you can try the second option. To do this you need to find clay deposits in your personal plot and check it for suitability for hand sculpting. It is necessary to roll a small rope out of clay and roll it into a bagel. If practically no cracks have formed, then this is an excellent raw material for work;
- Form the required product from clay using the tools you have;
- Dry your ceramic creation and then fire it;
- When the product hardens well, it needs to be given an elegant look. To do this, the clay is treated with special solutions, and then painted, decorated and varnished.
If you neglect at least one of the above points, then your work may be done in vain, because incorrectly mixed and then processed raw materials will simply begin to crumble and break, which means that you will not be able to sell it.
Necessary equipment for work
Let's return to what equipment you need to purchase if you decide that the pottery business is exactly what you want to implement:
- Potter's wheel;
- Scales;
- A machine on which modeling clay is mixed;
- The oven in which you will fire the finished products;
- Molds for sculpting various clay figures;
- Decorative materials for decorating your products (paints, glass, brushes, etc.).
Please note that at first you do not need to purchase new professional equipment. At first, you will be able to use used devices. You can actually find them on various free classifieds sites on the Internet. Don’t worry that the technique that other pottery masters have used is no longer suitable or will quickly break down. As a rule, equipment is always sold in excellent condition. If you are not sure that you can handle it on your own, invite an experienced master who will give you useful advice when purchasing and with his expert opinion will determine whether you are offered high-quality equipment for the workshop or not.
Pottery wheel diagram
How can you make money?
Ceramic products have enough big market sales Therefore, if you doubt whether pottery making is profitable in modern society, then you can throw away all negative thoughts. Ceramic products are a great way, with minimal start-up capital. The main thing for you is to decide. It is imperative to take into account the needs of a wide range of people in the area in which you decide to do this business.
- If you decide that there is nothing better for you than to open your own pottery and souvenir business, then you can find wholesalers who will purchase goods from you. But organizing this entire process is quite difficult. After all, large supermarkets purchase a batch of souvenirs containing at least 1000 items. Many problems and questions immediately arise that initial stage development of your business will only hinder your ability to focus and learn manufacturing techniques. Of course, if you hire in your workshop experienced craftsmen, you can quickly cope with orders;
- Once you gain experience, you will be able to organize paid pottery master classes for children and adults. Today this is a very fashionable direction of artistic activity. Who isn’t interested in making something with their own hands and then hanging the product they made themselves in their room? Over time, when you earn high income from pottery, you will have the opportunity to organize large-scale exhibitions and even competitions among your students;
- Some companies and firms prefer to use various ceramic souvenirs as advertising. They can be made to order.
In fact, the market for selling ceramic products is very wide. You just need to constantly develop, look for new consumers, offer your services to a wide audience, and then profitable offers will always appear.
Financial investments
Having decided, you need to draw up a pottery business plan in order to convince yourself of the correctness of the chosen decision and dispel all doubts about whether it is profitable to engage in pottery in our time.
The minimum amount of money you need to have before you start making pottery yourself should be 500,000 rubles. This amount will go towards the following costs:
- To register an individual entrepreneur you will need about 10,000 rubles;
- Rent of premises for setting up a workshop – 40,000 rubles (the same amount will have to be spent monthly);
- Purchase necessary equipment– 300,000 rubles;
- Firing oven – 100 thousand rubles;
- Several pottery wheels – 50,000 rubles;
- Libra – 6 thousand rubles;
- Modeling molds – 50,000 rubles;
- Clay different varieties– 20,000 rubles;
- Defects and damage of products (from 15,000);
- Employee salaries. You will need at least two craftsmen at first, an advertising manager and a person who will keep financial records (you can assign this responsibility to yourself). All this requires at least 70,000 rubles;
- To pay taxes and fees you will need about 70 thousand rubles per year, but this figure may vary significantly, depending on what form of production you choose;
- You will have to spend at least 10,000 rubles monthly on advertising your business.
Where can you sell finished goods and at what price?
Now let’s take a closer look at how much money you can earn for selling finished clay products.
If you find regular wholesale buyers who will purchase goods from you in batches of 1000 units, then you can get from 10,000 to 100,000 rubles. Revenue will depend on what products you will sell:
- If these are refrigerator magnets, then you can get 6,000 - 12,000 rubles per batch (if they are made under designer order, then the price doubles);
- If these are photo frames, then for the shipment you will receive from 12,000 to 24,000 rubles (the situation here is the same as with magnets);
- If these are ceramic pots, then for a batch you can get from 75,000 to 200,000 rubles;
- If you rent out pottery equipment to other workshops, you can earn from 2,000 rubles per day;
- If you teach pottery to children and adults, you can earn from 500 to 1000 rubles in one hour of classes.
Video: How we built a pottery school from scratch
Before you start practicing entrepreneurial activity related to ceramic products, you should definitely study as much information as possible about this type of business. There are many sources of it on the Internet. It can be difficult to read a useful article, but also watch a free video of pottery for beginners.
We still recommend that, in addition to self-education in matters related to starting a business with ceramic products, you undergo training in pottery making from a qualified specialist. He will explain to you not only the theory of working with clay, but will also demonstrate everything in practice. Of course, you will have to spend money on the courses - approximately 15,000 rubles, provided that you attend pottery master classes for two months. Keep in mind that even if you take a good pottery class for beginners from the master you went to learn from, you will still be far from professional level. In the process of work, with experience, you will achieve the desired result and become a fairly wealthy person who will do what he loves.
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Pottery classes are extremely beneficial for children. In addition, they simply like to create candlesticks, cups, and bowls with their own hands. It is best to practice on a regular wheel in a pottery workshop, but if you want to start small, then buy a children's pottery wheel. The pottery wheel toy is sometimes equipped with a foot drive and a motor, which makes it as similar as possible to “real” equipment. The kit also includes a layer of clay, a stack and other accessories and materials that may be needed in the work. The procedure for operating the equipment is described in the instructions for it. Thanks to this, everyone little master or a craftswoman will be able to prove themselves in pottery.
GALEY
One of the most famous manufacturers toys in this category are GALEY. Galey pottery wheel has high quality, is strong, reliable and durable. This toy helps develop thinking and spatial imagination, imagination, accuracy and creativity. The set includes a machine with a foot pedal, 2 bags of clay, paints (6 colors), brushes and spatulas (2 each), palette, holder, cord and instructions. The set will appeal to kids aged 5 years and older. Country of origin: Hong Kong.
Alex
The Alex children's pottery wheel is equipped with an adapter and a control pedal, allowing you to create clay products and decorate them at your discretion. The set includes a circle (powered by mains), adapter, clay, paints, brushes, pallet, cord, mosaic tiles, glue, decorations. Country of origin: USA.
Dreamer
It is produced under the brand name "Fantaser" a wide range of goods for children's creativity. You can choose the Fantasyer pottery wheel for cups, vases, candlesticks and other products. The same “Potter” set with a pottery wheel comes fully equipped - all you have to do is study the instructions and create. Consumables can be purchased as needed.
An ordinary pottery wheel or a toy?
You can buy a children's pottery wheel inexpensively without any problems - the question is how good it is and whether it can become a full-fledged replacement for regular activities. Yes, toys are beautiful, easy to use and make an invaluable contribution to a child’s development, but they remain toys and have limited functionality. If you want to try, buy one for your child for a holiday so that he can practice and understand whether he likes sculpting or not. If you like it, you can always sign it up for a training course
Many people would love to devote themselves to creativity with a material such as clay, but the first thing that stops everyone is the price of a pottery wheel. So, on average, for the specified unit you will have to pay from $500, if we talk about domestically produced models. As for foreign companies, you need to be prepared to pay $1,300 or more for a product. The question arises, what to do in this case, abandon this idea? The answer is simple: you can make a pottery wheel with your own hands.
Naturally, you will need to make an effort. There is no need to expect a high-end model, but for beginners the end result is quite suitable.
First of all, it’s worth understanding what a potter’s wheel is. IN general outline it looks like this: a vertical shaft with a round flat disk on top. According to historians, over the past few thousand years this design didn't tolerate it dramatic changes. The only difference is that now the shaft can be driven by a motor, rather than a foot drive. By the way, there are still masters of clay making who prefer to work with a mechanical wheel, claiming that this way you can fully experience the entire process of creating clay products.
Having found out the principle of operation of the unit, let’s figure out what types of potter’s wheels exist.
Foot
This design is the most simple and has been used for hundreds of years. This device consists of a shaft on which drive and working circles are mounted on both sides. The master must rotate such a unit clockwise with his foot. This pottery wheel is easy to create, so it was especially popular among craftsmen.
Mechanical
A similar unit was seen by the world thanks to Bernard Leach, a potter who created this type of circle. By the way, the design turned out to be so successful that it was immediately sent to industrial production. The operating principle of the circle is based on the operation of a crank mechanism. This turned out to be convenient in the sense that it became possible to regulate the speed of the circle.
Electric
Since the advent of the electric drive, mechanization has, in principle, stepped forward. This also applies to pottery wheels. Thus, the need for physical activity on the part of humans disappeared. In addition, the electric drive allows you to more accurately set the rotation speed. Also, the dimensions of the machine itself have become significantly smaller.
How to make a pottery wheel
Today, in any specialized store you can find a large assortment of different pottery wheels. However, as we found out earlier, the price tag of this product is quite high, especially for those who want to test themselves in new creativity. That is why many, having learned about the cost of a new professional product, they immediately begin to wonder how to make a pottery wheel on their own.
It's actually not that difficult. So, first of all, it is necessary to make a frame, which is made of materials such as wooden beam or metallic profile. Bearings must be placed in the lower and upper parts of the finished part, which will allow the shaft with the circle attached to it to rotate. As for the circle, it is best to make it from a material that is resistant to moisture. The following materials are suitable for this: plastic, aluminum, bronze, brass or fiberglass. Of course, it would be ideal if the diameter of the circle is from 250 to 300 mm. It is best if this part is made at lathe. The finished circle is fixed directly to the shaft using a flange or using any other available method.
In general, we can safely say that the design of a pottery wheel is quite simple and anyone who has ever dealt with metalworking tools in their life can make the device.
Additional tools
Regardless of what level you decide to master the craft at - amateur or close to professional, you will need additional tools, without which the work cannot be considered complete. In addition, it will greatly facilitate the creative process. So, you should additionally acquire the following tools:
- Stacks– you can take wooden, metal or plastic spatulas of any shape and size.
- String(metal), which should have two handles at the ends for convenience. With the specified tool finished work cut from the circle.
For those who are just starting to get acquainted with clay, it is not at all necessary to immediately set as their goal the acquisition of a professional pottery wheel. To learn the basics creative work It will be enough to purchase or make a pottery wheel with your own hands.
Workshop equipment for work
Everyone should understand that any pottery work is a very dirty business and it is possible to do it in your apartment without damaging the interior, only if you allocate a separate room. However, not everyone can afford this. Among other things, the operation of a potter's wheel is not at all silent, which may cause disapproval from neighbors. Therefore, it is ideal to create a workshop in which you can implement any creative ideas outside the city - in the country or in the village.
On warm days, you can freely practice pottery outside, but direct sunlight or precipitation is not very good for the material, tools and the pottery wheel itself, so you should think about setting aside a room for work.
Equipping a workshop for work does not seem to be a difficult task. So, it will be quite enough to find a table for storing tools and things, as well as shelves where unfinished and finished pottery will be placed. Another important point- must be provided workplace good light.
Foot driven circle
For those who want to make a wheel with a foot drive, it is worth making sure that a strong flywheel is installed on the bottom of the shaft. It can be made from solid boards and it is better if it is shaped like a wheel. A strong metal disk is also great for these purposes. For example, a 30-kilogram barbell plate will do just fine.
Electric drive wheel
For those who still want to make a circle with electric drive, an engine from sewing machine. Its advantage is that it will allow you to adjust the speed of the shaft itself, and this can be done thanks to a special pedal. The engine can be purchased at the appropriate store, but this option will not be cheap. An alternative could be a flea market or flea market.
When working with an electric drive, you don’t have to focus on a special base, replacing it with any table or massive stool. In addition, you need to select a shallow container (it is advisable to choose plastic with a diameter of 40 to 45 cm), which should be firmly fixed to the base so that the circle can rotate inside it without any problems. This manipulation is necessary so that the mixture of clay and water does not scatter on all sides, but is evenly placed in the container.
IN modern world there are a lot of schools early development for children who are dedicated to the comprehensive education of their children. For example, classes in modeling from various materials– puff pastry, plasticine or clay. Such activities contribute to the development creativity in a child, develops fine motor skills hands, relaxes and even relieves in some cases of certain fears.
At a certain stage, children will no longer be interested in simply doing hand modeling, so here it is worth thinking about purchasing or making a pottery wheel yourself.
You can make a pottery wheel for children using the analogy given above. The main thing is to focus on the type of unit.
Clay for potter's wheel
So, almost all important technical features have already been discussed, now it’s worth figuring out what clay is for a potter’s wheel. There is now a wide variety of species of this material, which differ from each other in origin and composition.
Clay for potter's wheel technical parameter divided into shale, fire-resistant and so-called kaolins. In addition, the material has a certain “fat content”. So, the higher this parameter, the more plastic the clay feels to the touch. If we consider lean material, it is less amenable to modeling, and finished products made from it most often crack during the firing stage. In turn, fatty clay has proven itself much better. It should be understood that if you need to make a thin product, it is best to choose the thickest material.
Clay also differs in color, varying depending on how much metal oxide it contains. For example, if the material contains up to 1% impurities, any product made from it will be white. If this indicator is exceeded, it will turn red during the firing stage, even if the clay was white before.
For beginners in pottery, it is best to opt for prepared material, which should be purchased in specialized stores. And only when the level of professionalism reaches a certain point will it be possible to find suitable clay in other places without any problems.
Working on a pottery wheel
Working on a potter's wheel has some features that we will consider below. Regardless of what kind of clay you take - store-bought or not, it must be “beaten” before work. This is quite easy to do. To begin with, you need to roll the material into a “sausage” and divide it in half. In this case, the clay must be separated by twisting. Next, the material is thrown onto the surface, folded, rolled out and torn again.
Such manipulations should be done 20 times, but you can’t do without it, because in this way all the air unnecessary for work is removed from the clay and it becomes more homogeneous. For comparison, you can try to start working with unbroken material. As a result, you will see that air bubbles will interfere with the manipulation of clay and this will best case scenario. At worst, only last stages, when fired, the product will burst.
The next stage of preparing the material is mixing in a spiral. To do this, take a piece of clay, place it on the work surface and then press on it with your palms so as to push it away from you and try to turn it towards you. If such actions are accompanied by popping actions (air bubbles will come out of the clay), then you are doing everything correctly. This kneading should be done up to 35-40 repetitions. After this stage, the material is completely ready for use.
Next, the piece of material is cut required quantity, which is placed in the center of the circle and slightly pressed down. It is necessary to ensure that it is clearly in the middle (otherwise the material will simply fly away), and only after making sure of this can you start the pottery wheel.
When working with clay, it is also important what position your hands are in. So, the elbows must be pressed to the body, the hands must be bent, and the wrists must be as close as possible to the piece of material. And remember - no stress, because you are doing creative work!
Beginning potters are advised to use soft clay when working on a potter's wheel. Later, when you have mastered the basic techniques, most of which you can bring to automaticity, you can move on to harder varieties of ceramic masses.
It is best to start mastering the potter's wheel by making small things. These include, for example, small plates.
Cut a small amount of clay from a piece of clay with a wire, knead it and fashion a flat disk small height size corresponding to the bottom of the future product.
Place a lining of damp (but not wet!) fabric in the center of the pottery wheel so that after finishing work the plate can be easily lifted without deforming.
Place the workpiece on the fabric, use a sponge to lightly moisten the clay with water and gently place your palms on the clay. After this, lightly press it to the surface. Then rotate the circle several times and check that the piece of clay does not move or bend relative to the outer edges of the disc. You can track changes not only visually, but also with your fingers.
This point - the exact placement of the first piece of clay in the center of the circle - is very important. At the slightest deviation of the clay from the center, carefully correct it. Only after this can you proceed to the next stages of product molding.
After “centering” the clay workpiece, squeeze it firmly, pressing it firmly against the surface of the lining. This procedure is necessary to reliably strengthen the bottom of the future plate.
Gradually rotating the circle, gently lift the clay from the outer edge with your fingers so that you have a thick rim. Next, begin to smooth it out, slightly pulling it to the sides.
The main thing when working on a pottery wheel is to acquire the skills of smooth, measured and rhythmic work with clay. Sudden movements are inappropriate here, as they can lead to deformation of product parts.
The next step is finishing the plate. Take an oval rib and work the bottom with it. The walls can be smoothed out with your fingers. In the future, if desired, the bottom of the plate can be decorated with an ornament. When the product is dry, its surface can be rubbed until shiny using chalk or charcoal.
When the plate dries slightly and hardens, it must be cut off using wire.
When removing a product from the surface of a pottery wheel, certain rules must be followed.
Before removing the item from the potter's wheel, prepare a clean area for it to dry.
Cutting down ready product necessary only with a long wire or string. Movements should be fast, but not sharp.
Small items can be removed immediately after molding. It is better to leave large products to dry on the lining of the potter's wheel for 1-2 days and only then cut them off.
After cutting the vessel from the potter's wheel, wash your hands from the clay and dry them thoroughly with a towel.
To avoid deformation of things just removed from the circle, you need to carry things carefully and quickly, clasping them with both hands. When transporting large vessels to a drying site, it is best to support them under the bottom.
Figure 41. Making a plate on a potter's wheel
Having mastered the production of simple and small items on the potter's wheel, you can move on to the manufacture of larger items, such as cylindrical vases.
You should start working in the manner described above. Place required amount clay into the center of the potter's wheel, not forgetting about the lining. Check that the clay mass is strictly in the center.
Then press down its middle so that the bottom of the future product rises above the lining by about 0.8-1.0 cm. As a result, you should get a cup-shaped depression.
Place the palm of your left hand on the edge and, holding the wall thumb, slowly guide the clay towards him with your other fingers (except the little finger).
Move your fingers rhythmically back and forth along the bottom of the clay mold, trying to compact the clay into the bottom of the product as much as possible. In the future, this will prevent the bottom from detaching from the walls during drying and firing.
When moving, try not to move the product from the center of the circle.
When a right angle is formed between the outer side of the wall and the bottom, grasp the workpiece with both palms and press on its walls with light, smooth movements.
All actions in this case, including, but not limited to, the rotation of the potter's wheel, must be slow. Excessive expansion or contraction of the walls can lead to irreparable damage to the product.
In order to raise the walls of the future cylinder vase, place the middle finger of your right hand on
its outer side and, lightly pressing, make a groove. As a result, the clay from the outside will move inside the mold. In order for the walls to be smooth, on the inside of the wall, where the bulge from the groove appears, support the clay with the index finger of your left hand. Then gradually stretch and thin the walls of the future product. While working, do not forget to periodically moisten the surface of the product with water.
When approaching the top edge of the piece, reduce the rotation speed of the potter's wheel to a minimum.
Remember that you cannot add new pieces of clay to the workpiece, since this can subsequently lead to irreparable deformations during drying and firing of the product.
When the shape of the object is finished, carefully remove your hands, being careful not to damage its edges.
Then treat the surface with a pottery rib and a piece of fur. Before cutting the cylindrical vase from its stand, trim at an angle (the angle you want) to the outer edge of the base of the mold. This can be done using any metal tool with a pointed end. Such an operation is necessary both from an aesthetic and technological point of view.