View Larger Image Techniques in our "Tip of the Week" series come from all levels of experience: studio artists, production potters, students, teachers and industry experts.

November 30, 2007

Tip of the Week: Catch Up on a Great Tip for Empty Ketchup Bottles

by Debbie Chojnacky | Read Comments (6)

If you're like many potters, you work in a cramped studio that's jam-packed with all sorts of ceramic supplies. Things are always getting knocked over and spilled, including underglazes and low fire glazes. Not only is it a hassle to clean up, but it's also costly and unnecessary. Here's what I do to avoid making a mess while also reducing the cost of pottery making (I use this tip in my classroom for my students, but it's useful for anyone). First, save family-sized ketchup and mayo squeeze bottles, wash them thoroughly, and then pour in the glaze liquids using a funnel. Then, pour just what you need into a small lid or usable container such as a paper drinking cup. No more mess and no more waste! Thanks Debbie!

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Other great tips
1. Trimming a coffeepot or pitcher with a pouring spout that was pulled upward is simple if you first center a ball of clay on the wheel head and cover it with a sheet of plastic. Then center the upside-down pot on the clay support. This gives the spout clearance above the wheel head, while the foot ring is trimmed.

2. When transferring designs onto tiles or any other flat objects, try drawing (in reverse) with water-based markers on newsprint or tracing paper, then placing the image face down on the wet or leatherhard surface. Smooth the back of the paper with a flat metal rib, and allow it to remain undisturbed for several minutes. After the paper is peeled off, you will have a perfect (but impermanent) image to guide relief carving or sliptrailing.

3. An easy way to rejuvenate small amounts of clay that have become too lumpy to work with is to put them in the freezer (or outdoors in winter) until thoroughly frozen. When defrosted, the clay might be on the mushy side, but that just requires spreading it on a wedging board until it dries to the right consistency. Freezing and thawing clay promotes the even distribution of moisture, resulting in a more uniform and plastic body.

4. Instead of having your chamois sink to the bottom of your water bucket, try attaching it to a small fishing bobber. Simply press the bobber's button to expose its wire hook and pierce the corner of your chamois. A 1-inch bobber works best.

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You can find definitions and explanations for more than 500 ceramic terms—from agateware to zirconium—in the Ceramic Arts Daily Glossary.