Proportion is Everything

This week I’m revisiting a form I made some time ago. I never disliked the original, a shallower shape with some charm, but the proportions never quite sat right. The foot felt too broad, the walls not as sharp as I’d hoped, so in this film I take you through the process of recreating the pot with a clearer set of ideals in mind. I cover the throwing, the centring and the opening in careful detail, talking through the small decisions that sit behind what can look deceptively simple. From there I move on to shaping larger forms and stretching the clay in a controlled way to avoid distortion or any subtle slumping. The next day I attempt to trim the bowl while it is still far too soft. It’s something all potters do when rushing, and I talk through how to tackle trimming at this stage, explaining the extra care needed so the whole thing isn’t ruined. Thank you for taking the time to watch. HOW TO TAP CENTRE: https://youtu.be/3lBnDWya0r0 HOW TO CENTRE CLAY: https://youtu.be/-YCGK33c0xs 📖 • ORDER MY BOOK: https://geni.us/bymyhands 🏺 • You may also be interested in my 'A Beginner's Guide' series, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2WJhtTF0eGhQwf8g2LHcom_KrvJpH_JT Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction & the bowl in question 1:35 - Preparing the clay 2:23 - Centring the clay on the potter's wheel 3:59 - Opening the lump of clay prior to lifting up the walls 5:22 - Pulling up the walls 6:59 - Indenting the rim 8:34 - Cleaning the bowls foot 9:18 - Drying the bowl overnight 10:06 - Fixing the lip and interior form 11:51 - Refining the exterior form 15:42- Hollowing out the foot ring 17:08 - An example of why 'S' cracks occur 18:49 - The finished form, compared to the older iteration 19:46 - Clean up • Find out much more via the link below! https://linktr.ee/floriangadsby • Get in touch here: https://www.floriangadsby.com/contact Sign up to my newsletter here: https://www.floriangadsby.com/newsletter