MUGS FIVE WAYS

You will need:

■ Clay – stoneware or earthenware (see note about clay weights, below)

■ Tools for throwing – water bowl, sponge, rib, cutting wire

■ Turning tools of choice

■ Glazes of choice to suit clay type

Before you begin:

You will learn how to throw five different shapes in this project, then how to pull and attach handles to complement each shape, bearing in mind how comfortable they are to hold.

The initial process of centering and lifting the wall is the same for each mug and therefore only explained in the first example. After that, the relevant steps to work to are referenced for each mug, followed by the individual shaping process.

Clay weights:

The weight of clay you will need is determined by the size of the mug you want to make and the clay type.

Stoneware clays will shrink more in firing, so 400-450g (14-16oz) is a good weight for a generously sized mug.

Earthenware will shrink less so you can achieve a similar size with 280-340g (10-12oz) of clay.

The examples in this project used 300g (10oz stoneware clay)

Of course, much depends on your throwing ability but with practice, you'll find that you can repeat this shape with these weights to make mugs that are equally sized.

MUG 1 – A SLENDER CYLINDER

The main feature of this mug is the throwing lines, which make an otherwise simple shape more visually dynamic. This mug body is complete when lifted off the wheel and doesn't require the base to be turned.

Following the procedure in project 4 for preparing the wheel head to throw, centre your chosen weight of clay by placing your left hand at the side of the clay and your right hand opposite, with thumbs overlapping to steady the process. Gently squeeze from both sides to bring the clay to centre

It may take a little practice to get used to throwing this relatively small amount of