Glazing Part 2

     I used the Oasis and the Seaspray glazes on my pinch pot last month. I poured the Seaspray on my entire piece first, and after putting wax resist on the parts I wanted just Seaspray colored, I poured Oasis on the entire piece again. After the glaze came out I noticed there were some problems with dripping. This could have been because the kiln did not heat and cool properly, but I also think I should have left more wax room at the bottom in case of an accident. The dripped glaze formed into sharp shards on the bottom of my piece, but it could have also ruined somebody else's. Hopefully, we'll get the kiln fixed, or just fire our pieces in another one next time.

First Days on the Wheel

      Overall, I worked around nine days on the wheel. By that time, I feel like I had gotten the hang of most of the things, however, I remember having a lot of trouble bringing the clay up in the beginning. I always either pulled at the top too much and ripped the clay off of the wheel, or was way too shy and did nothing but dry the clay with my hands. After managing to build it up, it would spin out of control as I squashed it down with sheer force instead of letting the wheel's turns do the job for me. I also remember having trouble with the water. It took me quite a while to figure out how wet the clay should be so I could control it best. Most of the clay would end up as slip by the time I was done.
     In the end, I was really proud of my cylinder. So many days of work went into it and it was great to finally understand what I was doing. I really enjoyed working on the wheel, and it feels really strange now to be working with drier clay and just my hands. Plus, now I have some cute little bowls and dishes to look forward to glazing and taking home.