I have just learnt this recently……
The gold and complete joy in my practice is that moment when your completing the pot form for its final finesse…..fingertips and turning clay, moving slowly, delicately but in control.
It is the make or break moment, everything leaves your mind, your breathe and thoughts are all about the now. (Yoga taught me that)
This control, this striving for perfection….is all about letting go?
You can’t push it, you have to relax…..and it can takes hours, weeks, months, years to get to this point.
……..this throwing moment is pure bliss.
Throwing with porcelain is, (pictured here is Lumina from Keanes) like throwing with a milkshake, smooth and thick.
I believe the Lumina in particular has a high tolerance rate (very forgiving), a firm enough body which allows you time to create your desired pot form before the water content makes the clay collapse.
Like all porcelain it does have a tendency to slump…….this is where you think you have thrown fine enough but it falls back into itself slightly, so do go over your form again after a rest….see if you can push the clay a bit further?
This avoids heavy bases. (Much of which could be rectified in turning too?)
Keep the throwing water as clean as possible from becoming slip like and don’t be afraid to use a heat gun at the final moments.
Throw with a sponge, it stops the clay from grabbing your fingers
At leather hard stage it responds well to added moisture if the body is drying out too much/fast as well. (Use a spray bottle)
You can bring this clay back from the brink, many times
Lumina fires pure white in an oxidised kiln environment, perfect for surface decoration.
