Скачать или смотреть Throwing Scale: Crafting a 2.4-Meter Pottery Jar Base

Mastering Large-Scale Ceramic Construction
Building pottery at this scale transcends traditional wheel throwing and enters the realm of architectural clay work. The process requires meticulous planning, patience, and an intimate knowledge of how clay behaves as it transitions from plastic to solid form.

• Coil Building Technique: The artisan uses rolls of clay (coils) stacked in spirals to build the vessel wall gradually. Each coil is thoroughly blended into the one below it, eliminating air pockets and creating a seamless, monolithic structure that will contract uniformly during drying.
• Engineering for Scale: The primary challenge is managing structural integrity. The thick walls must support their own weight while remaining workable. The artisan constantly checks for uniform thickness and uses internal supports or slow, staged construction to prevent slumping.
• Moisture Management: Different parts of the large vessel dry at varying rates. The potter must control the environment and potentially cover sections with plastic to ensure even moisture loss, preventing stress cracks that would destroy the piece.
• Reinforcement Strategies: For extra stability, the artisan may incorporate grog (pre-fired, crushed clay) into the clay body or add internal rib-like supports that become part of the wall, techniques borrowed from monumental ceramic sculpture.
• Firing Considerations: The finished piece requires specialized kiln space and a very slow firing schedule to drive out residual moisture without creating steam pressure that could cause explosions. This final step is the ultimate test of the construction's success.

This ambitious creation connects the humble tradition of coil pottery to the grandeur of architectural ceramics. It demonstrates that mastery is not defined by the size of the tool, but by the depth of understanding—transforming simple earth and water into a testament of human patience and skill that will endure for generations.