In today’s instructional video, we’re delving into a unique pottery technique – throwing from the hump. This process involves creating a ceramic piece directly from a lump of clay mounted on a potter’s wheel. It’s a departure from the conventional method of working with smaller, pre-measured clay balls.
Initially, the challenge lies in centring the clay on the hump. Achieving proper centring took me an entire afternoon of effort (about 40 minuets actually lol). Once centred, I proceeded to form the piece by creating a hole in the centre and building up the walls. To shape the clay, I employed ribs and a throwing sponge.
Given that this was my first attempt at throwing from the hump, I opted for a simple design, avoiding intricate shapes to make the process more manageable. It’s worth noting that the larger clay mass makes the piece relatively soft. To address this, I used a heat gun to facilitate initial drying before removing it from the wheel.
After approximately 48 hours, I secured the leather hard piece onto a batt using two lumps of clay. The next step involved trimming the base and forming a foot ring. I started from the outer edge, gradually working my way towards the centre to achieve a clean and polished appearance.
To ensure even drying and prevent cracking, I recommend covering the piece with a plastic bag for the next two weeks. This method promotes a controlled drying process, crucial for the structural integrity of the finished ceramic piece. Following these steps will result in a well-crafted, aesthetically pleasing pottery creation.
By all means comment below have any other further questions
Hope you enjoyed this post and as always Happy Potting!!! 🥳🥳
