THROWN SHAPES
"The lyf so short, the craft so longe to learne."
--CHAUCER.
The wheel is the true fountain head of all beautiful shapes, and the
student who would become a potter cannot get "on the wheel" too soon.
Throwing, sometimes _spinning_, is the term applied to the making of
shapes on the wheel. Interesting and really fine pots may be built or
cast, but the ultimate appeal rests with the thrown shape.
Unfortunately, a complete mastery of throwing is not to be gained by a few
spasmodic wrestles with the wheel. It comes only with long hours of
concentrated effort. Having watched an accomplished thrower and seen the
full round shapes rise so easily between his dexterous fingers, it is with
a severe shock that one realizes at the first attempt the skill and
practice that will be required before such a desirable proficiency is
attained.
The best kind of wheel is the kick wheel shown in the illustration. With
this the feet, hands, and head work in harmony, accelerating or retarding
the motions as required. It is a not distant relation of the earliest
wheel, which was a heavy head on a short shaft, pivoted in a stone socket.
Set spinning by hand, it was kept revolving some time by its own momentum.
This form of wheel is used even to this day in the near and far East.
Its first development was a secondary wheel and driving band turned by
hand. This led to the wheel shown in the frontispiece and to the kick
wheel and again on to the factory wheel. This in its turn is being
superseded by the steam wheel, which gears onto a running band, the foot
being used to start, stop, and regulate the speed. The two last named were
introduced with the idea of accelerating the production rather than the
improvement of the shapes. No doubt the now primitive kick wheel, much as
used by the potters of the Renaissance, will be found good enough for us.
The tools required for throwing, after the wheel itself is secured, are as
follows: a thin copper wire twisted between two bits of wood, a pricker,
a fine soft sponge, another bit of sponge tied to a stick, one or two
modelling tools and a rib (see Fig. 27).
[Illustration: FIG. 27--1, "Rib"; 2, Modelling Tools; 3, Pricker; 4,
Sponge; 5, Wire; 6, 7, and 8, Shaving Tools; 9, Leather. THROWING &
SHAVING TOOLS.]
The clay is first knocked up into shape ready for the throwing. To do this
it is _wedged_, a fair-sized piece being taken in both hands and thrown
violently down on the bench, cut across, and smashed together again. This
process is repeated until all air bubbles are expelled. This is
ascertained by cutting with a wire. The finger is then passed across the
surface to tell if it is well together, and not hard and soft in streaks.
If, as must happen in a small pottery, the clay is out of condition, it is
best remedied by cutting it with the wire into thin slabs, piling them
criss-cross and then wedging the mass. If still streaky, it can be quickly
tempered, piece by piece. A double handful is torn across, wedged together
at a different angle between the hands, re-torn, and re-wedged, until hard
and soft are welded indistinguishably together.
This thorough wedging is essential, as with beginners a small lump or
bubble will usually be sufficient to bring about the collapse of the
shape.
The clay being thoroughly wedged is rolled into balls of a convenient
size. For first practice they should be on the small side and moderately
tough, as this allows a little more play before the ball becomes too soft.
The wheel is now started revolving from right to left (see cut). The head
being clean, the ball is thrown smartly onto its centre. The hands are now
wetted in a bowl of water, which is put, together with the tools, on the
shelf to the right. Then gently but firmly, with hands placed as shown in
Fig. 28, the ball is centred. At this stage, perhaps the most critical of
all, the wheel should revolve quite briskly. The hands should be moistened
if inclined to stick and the left hand held steady, the elbow pressed into
the side, the forearm hard on the rest. The right hand has more freedom
and coaxes the ball into a half sphere. This when dead centred is
elongated, pressed down again, and re-formed into a truncated cone. The
left hand still steadying, the thumb of the right is pressed firmly into
the centre of the top, down and out, to hollow the ball (see page 18), but
stopping short of the lathe head. At this stage the most convenient shape
to form is a cylinder, its walls gradually diminishing upwards with a
little fatness at the rim. To do this the wheel is slowed down a little
and the fingers of the left hand inserted. The sides are felt and gently
pulled up, between the left index finger and the two first fingers of the
right hand, gradually higher and thinner, always endeavouring to keep the
walls at an even but slightly tapering thickness. (Fig. 29.)
[Illustration: FIG. 28--CENTRING.]
[Illustration: FIG. 29--PULLING UP.]
At first two fingers only will be inserted, but as the shapes grow in size
the whole of the left hand will gain admittance. Then the perfect cylinder
may be modified to almost any required form. With narrow-mouthed shapes
the opening must be kept as small as possible, for the clay once pulled
out it is difficult if not impossible to compress it again. The centring
and hollowing once mastered, the chief difficulties to avoid are getting
the bottom of the walls too thin before the top is pulled up, and making
the top wavy and irregular. If the latter happens, it should be at once
cut back with the pricker, which is also used to test the thickness of
the sides and base.
When the shape has been pulled up to the required form and is sufficiently
thin, the top is smoothed and fattened between the fingers. This not only
imparts a look of substance to the vase and takes away any _cast_ look,
but gives strength where it is most needed. The inside, if wet, can be
cleaned out with the stick sponge and the outside lightly smoothed with
the other sponge. For the insides of bowls or wide-mouthed shapes, a rib
of slate or zinc (see Fig. 30) will be useful for obliterating ridges. The
last operation is to pass the wire, held firmly to the wheel head, beneath
the pot and lift it off and place it on one of the pot boards or plaster
discs. (Fig. 32.)
[Illustration: FIG. 30--"RIB" OF METAL FOR OUTSIDE. "RIB" OF SLATE OR
BONE FOR INSIDE.]
The first primitive forms are far better left frankly for what they are.
Afterwards when bigger and more finished shapes are attempted, they can be
thinned and refined with the aid of the rib and a modelling tool, a
considerable finish being put on before they are removed from the wheel.
With bowls or large shapes it will be found impossible to lift them off
without destroying the shape in some degree. For these wood or plaster
discs will be required. The plaster bats need soaking in water before use
and the wood must be three-ply to prevent warping. These discs are centred
on and firmly stuck to a layer of clay run out on the wheel head, and when
the pot is finished they are removed with it.
[Illustration: FIG. 31--FINISHING WITH "RIB".]
[Illustration: FIG. 32--PASSING WIRE UNDER TO REMOVE.]
All this sounds very simple, but the beginner will do well first to
practise and master centring the ball. Until this be done, the rest of
the work is worthless. After this must be practised the pulling up, the
pressing down, and the forming of truncated cones, then hollowing the ball
and pulling up into a cylinder. A true cylinder accomplished, it is easy
to branch out into simple wide-mouthed vase forms. As the skill increases,
shapes with double curves and long or narrow necks may eventually be
achieved. Throwing to a set copy induces a necessary concentration at this
stage, but once a mastery is attained, shapes seem to suggest themselves.
A small mirror placed so as to reflect the true form will be found of
great service. When pairs or several duplicates are required, a drawing of
the exact profile must be made and a "rib," of zinc or slate, filed to
fit. Without such a guide the matching up is well-nigh impossible.
[Illustration: FIG. 33--STAGES FROM CENTRED BALL TO TURNED SHAPE.]
When watching a clever thrower in a factory making some difficult and
probably horrible vase, it is intensely interesting to see the fine forms
evolved in the process. To the artist the impulse to stop him is almost
irresistible. It was there that the old masters showed their wisdom and
restraint. They stopped at the right moment and none of their shapes
descend to the merely clever.
There is a nobility about a large vase lacking in a small one. Once the
appetite be whetted for big pots the desire for size seems insatiable. The
only way out, except for the born thrower, is the two- or three-piece
vase.
The Chinese were masters of this as of every other process and we find
that they frequently made vases of quite moderate size in two or three
parts, sticking the pieces together with consummate skill. This process,
however, should never be attempted until considerable proficiency has been
gained in throwing to a drawing, for in any but expert hands it is doomed
to failure. The shape must be carefully drawn out on paper and the
sections marked off and then thrown exactly to size. Any deviation means
endless trouble, with eventual disappointment.
For this difficult work the student unable to devote a lifetime to
throwing will find a removable wheel head a necessity. Then a slotted one
can be screwed on which will allow a plaster disc to be shipped back into
exactly the same position, thus saving the difficult task of re-centring.
For prolonged operations these plaster discs require to be shellacked to
prevent the work leaving.
[Illustration: FIG. 34--ASSEMBLY OF THE PARTS.]
To start with a shape as shown in the illustration might be attempted.
(Fig. 34.) The drawing made full size is hung in full view. Then the gauge
is set to the exact width of the joint. The bottom half is first made,
being cut square and true with the pricker. The drawing is reversed and
the upper half thrown, the neck being at the bottom with a fair amount of
waste beneath. When each part is trimmed accurately to measure, they are
put aside to toughen.
The top portion will stiffen just as required, leaving the neck still
moist. The bottom half will need watching to prevent the upper edge drying
before the base gets firm enough to support the top when attached. A damp
cloth lightly wrapped round it will help to insure the ideal condition for
sticking up, which is a gradually diminishing state of toughness from the
base up to lip, the junction of the parts being in exactly the same state.
When fit to handle, the top half is cut through at the lip, allowing a
trifle for finishing off. Next the bottom half, still firmly fixed to the
bat, is slotted back into its original position on the wheel. The flat
surfaces that have to be applied and stuck are now very carefully and
slightly roughened, then painted with thick slip made from the same body.
These two wet edges are now applied and gently and firmly pressed into
position, the wheel being slowly revolved to see if the two halves run
true. When well together and apparently sticking, a little wedge of soft
clay can be carefully run in all around the joint. This operation should
be very thorough, and the clay wedge must be carefully welded into the
sides of the joint. This is finished off on the outside with the rib and
the inside very lightly smoothed with the fingers. During this process the
top should be covered with a soft wet cloth, then when the joint has been
made good and will stand the slight strain, the lip is finished off in the
ordinary way. With three-pieced shapes the lip can be finished before
sticking up, as the last part is thrown in its right position. If at any
time the shape shows a disposition to leave the plaster bat, it should be
stuck down with wet clay. The toughened shape can now be turned down in
its upright position, cut off the bat, and the base hollowed in a chuck
(see next chapter).
[Illustration: India. B.C. 2000]