I may not have the corner on the market with swooping handled pitchers much longer. I've been showing people how I make them, so I dare say lots of others will be out there soon. That's ok with me.
Here are a couple of medium size thrown pitcher bodies. The 's' curves will become handles. I roll out slabs pretty thin, and cut a 1" wide strip, then a 1/2" wide strip which is adhered with slip to the first one, then they are gently curved and left over night under plastic to "set up."
I don't trim the pitchers correctly, because I don't have much bottom in them, and the lips are no longer true. So I kind of gouge out a bit of the excess clay at the bottom to thin down that area that I never can seem to throw thin.
Then the handles are gently connected to the pot with scoring and slip, and here a blob of clay holds it in the curve I want. They will sit over night again, under plastic, to begin to dry.
And now they will go to the bisque kiln when they are bone dry.
Just thought I'd share this technique with everyone else so lots of pretty pitchers can be all over the place. Why not?
Thanks for sharing... I thought you´d extruded the handles, but this is a fine way to do handles if one hasn´t got an extruder.
ReplyDeleteThink I´ll try my luck with some pitchers. Thanks for the inspiration.
Super. Glad you're going to do your very own. I'm sure they will be beautiful!
DeleteYou make the best swoopy handles, they are the ones you make that the Greek pottery reminded me of. Ha.
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes some people have spoken about masculine vs. feminine pottery shapes, and I think that often I would consider a looping handle like feminine?
ReplyDeleteperhaps...but all handles do curve, don't they?
DeleteThose are just lovely!
ReplyDelete