Cups in Progress

In my short time as a potter I have managed to make quite a few cups. I figure this phenomena is the result of two things: we always seem to be out of cups at my house, and mugs/cups are relatively easy to throw because they are generally small. These first two pictures are a set that I made as a Christmas gift. (Note: none of the following items are finished. All are still waiting to go through the bisque (a.k.a. first of two) fire). These particular cups, as well as the bowls and mini pot in previous posts, are made from a clay called Long Beach Medium. LBM is pretty soft, I've found, and can get waterlogged if you aren't careful. It was a good starter clay, though, and I managed to get some decent enough pieces out of it.

The set. I haven't yet decided how to glaze them...I'm not really good at planning these things. I'm leaning towards Emily's Purple again, but something else may well strike my fancy after they've been fired and are ready for glazing.

This other mug resulted in my complete incompetence at trying to form a piece.

I don't remember now what shape I was going for, but it certainly wasn't this. I'm really hoping that glazing will make it look better. It will likely end up on my desk at work holding pens or something. Cynthia actually convinced me to put the handle on it, as I was ready and willing to leave it as a small, somewhat deformed pot, perhaps for a a single flower or something...but I went ahead with the handle and now it is a funny shaped mug!

This next one I am particularly proud of, actually. Not because it's perfect (anything but, really), but because I managed to make lemonade, figuratively speaking. This was my first experience with Death Valley clay, which is stiffer and requires more water. Again, I'm not really sure what I was going for in the first place...probably something bigger, but I am really pleased with the result.

For you Indiana Jones fans out there, you might just recognize the shape. For those of you who aren't fans (if such persons exist!), it's the Holy Grail from the first movie (and if you haven't seen it, go do it now...seriously...go). When I was finished throwing it, the bottom portion was mostly just straight up and down. Thanks to my ineptitude, the walls are pretty thick, so I was able to trim it down to the shape you see above. I am a bit concerned about glazing for a couple reasons. First, the clay, as you can see, is red. It's getting lighter as it dries, but it's still pretty red. I'm not sure yet how that's going to affect (if at all) how the glazes turn out. Secondly, the grail in the movie is kind of reddish brown and gold on the outside, and gold (leaf, I assume) on the inside. I'm not sure how or if I'll be able to replicate that with glaze. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! I should probably make another one, if I end up messing this one up too badly, as it is intended to be a present as well (all of my immediate family members are getting handmade pottery for Christmas this year!).

I have another set of mugs (beer steins, actually) that I trimmed and attached the handles today. There are yet more works in progress--a lot, actually. More than I realized until I got to class today and had to unwrap and inspect them all. Plus, I threw two more bowls today. I really hope they are all dry enough to go through the next bisque fire, as I didn't have anything in the one that happened while I was gone last week (the cruise was fantastic, by the way. Pictures on my personal blog, MTYBF). I'm beginning to feel the first twinges of anxiety that not everything will be finished by Christmas, but I'm still pretty optimistic.