Making a Bowl; Turning the Foot.

An ash glazed tea bowl that was fired inside a covered planter in my electric kiln. The planter had some charcoal in it to create a reduction atmosphere. All good fun!

This is really part two of my previous post, "Making Bowls in My Studio", and if you haven't already seen that one, you might like to have a look at it first.

A potter's work is rarely completed in one session on the wheel, often there is something to be done the next day, and this is certainly the case when making a bowl. The foot of the bowl can only be finished when the clay is firm enough for the bowl to be turned upside down. Unless the weather here is unusually hot, the bowl will have to dry overnight and be finished the next morning.

I like to turn the foot of the bowl when the clay is soft leather hard, and I will almost always use a loop tool for this operation. Some potters prefer the clay to be firmer and might use a sharp turning tool to remove clay, it is really a matter of finding what works for you.

Some potters will attach the inverted bowl with little lumps of clay, so that it doesn't slip, but I find that a bowl that is not too dry will stick quite nicely to a slightly damp wheel head without the need of any other assistance, and a few smart taps with the hand will release it after the foot has been finished.

I was pleased to see that the previous video uploaded successfully, so hope this one does too!