Grip to bring the rim in?

Me again! Nag, nag, nag! HEhe!

I know the 3-4-finger "grip" to bring in the sides of a pot, but there is a
special grip used to bring in the top! I just don't have it described or
displayed in any of my 10-12 books that describe throwing!!! ARGH!!!

Could someone describe the grip, or, even better, point me to a picture of
the grip, please????

Marianne - wanting to try throwing closed forms

"Bubbles" wrote in message
...
Me again! Nag, nag, nag! HEhe!

I know the 3-4-finger "grip" to bring in the sides of a pot, but there is
a special grip used to bring in the top! I just don't have it described or
displayed in any of my 10-12 books that describe throwing!!! ARGH!!!

Could someone describe the grip, or, even better, point me to a picture of
the grip, please????

Marianne - wanting to try throwing closed forms


The best advice I can give for throwing, is experiment, and experiment some
more. Every potter has a different technique, you have to find yours. If
something works, do it. If it does not, try something else. Just gradually
learning the feel of the clay and how to manipulate it with your hands
(which after all are different from anyone elses).
Annemarie

"Xtra News" wrote in message
...

The best advice I can give for throwing, is experiment, and experiment
some more. Every potter has a different technique, you have to find
yours. If something works, do it. If it does not, try something else.
Just gradually learning the feel of the clay and how to manipulate it with
your hands (which after all are different from anyone elses).

Hi Annemarie

I agree and that's what I do for the most part. My centering isn't quite
like any of the grips in the books, but it works well for me now. Same with
how I pull up and such, but the thing is....

When I first started throwing, I learned that grip and it worked great for
me, but I have totally forgotten how to put my fingers - and now end up
ruining rims if I try my ideas. The woman who showed me the grip is not
available to ask.

Marianne

i think bringing in the top is much like the rest of the pot -
"collaring", but you would do an extra refinement of the lip after the
collaring at the top.

see ya

steve

wrote in message
oups.com...
i think bringing in the top is much like the rest of the pot -
"collaring", but you would do an extra refinement of the lip after the
collaring at the top.

Hi Steve

No - it is a very different grip from the one I use to collar in. Collaring
in, I do with fingers touching at 3-4 spots on the pot, but this special
grip for bringing the rim in was rather different.

When I use the normal collaring in grip, I can carefully bring the rim in
somewhat, but I am wanting to make some closed pots that I can later cut to
divide into pot and lid - or leave closed for other projects I am thinking
of.

Marianne

ok - i'd call that more of a "lifting inward".

when you collar, the wall thickens. then you do a typical lift, but
exagerate toward center - not up for more height.

as it reaches that center point, for me, it's very much a collar
stroke.

see ya

steve

Bubbles wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

i think bringing in the top is much like the rest of the pot -
"collaring", but you would do an extra refinement of the lip after the
collaring at the top.


Hi Steve

No - it is a very different grip from the one I use to collar in. Collaring
in, I do with fingers touching at 3-4 spots on the pot, but this special
grip for bringing the rim in was rather different.

When I use the normal collaring in grip, I can carefully bring the rim in
somewhat, but I am wanting to make some closed pots that I can later cut to
divide into pot and lid - or leave closed for other projects I am thinking
of.

Marianne,

i think there is no "special grip" for what you want to do, or for
centering or for any other thing you do on the wheel. I learned to
center and throw originally from Bob Schmitz, but in the meantime, i do
all sorts of things which work for *me*. I don't think there is one
given recipe for doing anything on the wheel, what it takes is practice,
practice, practice, and to see what works for *you*. There are many ways
to skin a cat, and there are even more ways to throw on a wheel. Of
course, a teacher shows you his way, i do that too, but it doesn't mean
that this is the only way to do it. You have to experiment, and once you
are really familiar with the material, you will know what grip is good
for you.
All these things with meditation, listening to a certain music,..... is
fine, if that is what turns you on. To me clay is a material like any
other and i want to become proficient in handling it (i am in the meantime).
One hint to centering, which i am not sure anybody mentioned: When you
think it is centered, when your hand runs very smoothly around the clay,
don't let go too suddenly, take your hands away veeeeeery slowly, or the
clay will follow your hands and be out of whack again.

Keep at it, Monika
--
Monika Schleidt

www.schleidt.org/MSKeramik
if you wish to write me a mail, remove the number from my user name

"Bubbles" wrote in message
...

"Xtra News" wrote in message
...

The best advice I can give for throwing, is experiment, and experiment
some more. Every potter has a different technique, you have to find
yours. If something works, do it. If it does not, try something else.
Just gradually learning the feel of the clay and how to manipulate it
with your hands (which after all are different from anyone elses).

Hi Annemarie

I agree and that's what I do for the most part. My centering isn't quite
like any of the grips in the books, but it works well for me now. Same
with how I pull up and such, but the thing is....

When I first started throwing, I learned that grip and it worked great for
me, but I have totally forgotten how to put my fingers - and now end up
ruining rims if I try my ideas. The woman who showed me the grip is not
available to ask.

Marianne


OK rims, Hmm so difficult when you can't demonstrate.
when lifting, always go right to the top and then compact the rim with left
thumb and first finger either side of the rim and first finger of right hand
compacting down.
Shaping is just a carry on of shaping when lifting, pushing a little harder
in the inside if you want it flaring out, or on the outside if you want it
collaring.
Another trick (taught by Takeshi Yusada) is great. If the rim is off at
all, using your right hand (for right handed people) you put you first
finger in the pot, the others out and pressing down the "crutch" of your
first two fingers onto the rim, while squeezing in to the top part of the
walls with your fingers. It will fix up any wobbles or dodgyness that might
have happened.
Like I said it is so difficult to talk and not demostrate.
Rims always benifit from smoothing with a chamois, or for cheaper a strip of
wet folded newspaper.
Good luck.

The collaring in process for me starts with the cylinder, next (and I
think this may be what Marianne is looking for) I hold my right hand
almost like a claw over the pot rim, place the 1st and 3rd fingers
against the outside wall with the 2nd finger against the inside wall,
and with the clay running smoothly through those fingers, *lean* the rim
inwards up to and beyond 45 degrees, helping the process with the left
had. Once that is done I make a circle with my thumbs and forefingers
around the cylinder below the inward leaning edge and tightening the
ring as I raise it upwards bring the rest of the cylinder in to the rim
diameter.

I hope this is fairly clear.

Steve
Bath
UK


In article , Bubbles
writes

wrote in message
roups.com...
i think bringing in the top is much like the rest of the pot -
"collaring", but you would do an extra refinement of the lip after the
collaring at the top.

Hi Steve

No - it is a very different grip from the one I use to collar in. Collaring
in, I do with fingers touching at 3-4 spots on the pot, but this special
grip for bringing the rim in was rather different.

When I use the normal collaring in grip, I can carefully bring the rim in
somewhat, but I am wanting to make some closed pots that I can later cut to
divide into pot and lid - or leave closed for other projects I am thinking
of.

Marianne



--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK

In article , Xtra News Annemarie
@nospam.annemariebutler.com writes


OK rims, Hmm so difficult when you can't demonstrate.
when lifting, always go right to the top and then compact the rim with left
thumb and first finger either side of the rim and first finger of right hand
compacting down.
Shaping is just a carry on of shaping when lifting, pushing a little harder
in the inside if you want it flaring out, or on the outside if you want it
collaring.
Another trick (taught by Takeshi Yusada) is great. If the rim is off at
all, using your right hand (for right handed people) you put you first
finger in the pot, the others out and pressing down the "crutch" of your
first two fingers onto the rim, while squeezing in to the top part of the
walls with your fingers. It will fix up any wobbles or dodgyness that might
have happened.
Like I said it is so difficult to talk and not demostrate.
Rims always benifit from smoothing with a chamois, or for cheaper a strip of
wet folded newspaper.
Good luck.


I sometimes use a piece of fairly thick polythene bag instead of a
chamois
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK