Ceramics 3

I'm actually getting better! Well not quite but ya sorta. So the day started a bit rough. For the life of me I could not could not center the clay on the wheel. This is a critical step cause otherwise everything goes wonky and nothing will turn out. I was using clay I had used before and when you use clay on the wheel it gets very wet. If it gets ruined, which happens often at the beginning, you can leave it to dry out a bit before you try using it again. But you can't let it dry out too much or its too hard to turn, especially for a beginner like me. Needless to say I have not figured out what the critical balance of moisture and dryness is yet. My teacher told me it was fine to use on the wheel though a bit harder but she likes it better a bit dryer like that. So I tried. And failed. and tried. and failed again. and tried again. I roughed one bowl out of it but it you need to apply that much pressure then you're not doing right so I was definitely not doing it right. I was ready to give up for the day- I mean some days are just not your day and its time to walk away and try again tomorrow. But then I thought to myself... I really wanted to try and work some more while I had the teacher there so that I could ask her questions about what wasn't working and what I struggled with. So I prepped three more balls of clay, determined to just try three more times. This time it was fresh clay though. and it worked so much better!! and I got to ask her my questions and I learnt so much more! Still no pro... but getting better. And then it becomes fun too - when you're not fighting with the clay. I ended up staying an hour after class too prepping my pieces for firing and hanging out with one of the friends I've made in class. Here's my work from today:

The little bowl I muscled out of the old clay

I practiced cylinder today (with my prof's help)

A different edge (the first one entirely on my own)

Third in a set of three

My four piece from today

Then on the way home from school I heard this excited chirping in the trees by a church I walk by everyday. They were so vibrantly beautiful I had to look close to make sure they were real. But then I saw them in a few different trees and then flying between trees so I knew for sure. Here's a little glimpse of my walk home.

 

 

They were real and singing away!

Have a great day!