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In today’s post, an excerpt from the September/October 2014 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, he (and co-author Pam Luke) share the process.- Jennifer Harnetty, editor.
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About 15 years ago, I needed to figure out how to paint patterns on pots. This created a dilemma for two reasons. First, patterns require grids and second, most pots are spherical. Mapping a grid on a round surface is difficult.
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To do it correctly, both the width and the height of the columns and rows need to expand proportionally with the diameter of the pot. The obvious solution would be to figure out how to calculate the expansion and measure out the grid. The drawback of this solution? Revisiting trigonometry and calculus. I didn’t want to do that, so I had to learn to cheat. I figured out a way to put a grid on a round surface using a modicum of math ability and some very simple tools. This process requires paper, a 360° protractor, an X-Acto knife; water-based magic markers, and a drafting template.
Make a Template for the Pattern’s First Line Place the protractor on a sheet of paper. The heavier the stock of paper, the better.Using a pen, outline the circle on the piece of paper. Divide the circle into the number of segments you want on the pot. Next, place a mark at each segment on the piece of paper. Finally, using the X-Acto knife, remove the circle from the center of the paper. The remainder of the sheet becomes the template with which you will lay out the columns for your pot. Most 360° protractors are only 6 inches in diameter. If you need a larger template, simply mark the center of the circle, draw a line using the center and each of the marks you placed on the outside of the circle. This line should extend past the circumference. Simply draw a larger circle using a compass.
Transfer the Template to the Form
Laying Out the Pattern’s Grid
Changing from a Diamond to a Square Grid
To see more images from the article and to learn about several other variations of patterns as well as glazing options, be sure to read the full article by Anthony Merino and Pam Luke from the September/ October 2014 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated.
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For more interesting pottery decorating techniques, download your free copy of Five Great Pottery Decorating Techniques: A How-to Guide for Decorating Ceramics with Slip Transfers, Chinese Brush Techniques, Ceramic Slip, Sgraffito, and More.
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Comments
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Ms Dorothy Shannon August 18, 2014 at 9:51 pm
Yes– that is correct, except there are no degrees on the template. But– if you consider the horizontal line to be at 0/180, that would work. You would mark at both 90 and 270 on the first row. Then either 90 or 270 depending on weather or not you are going up or down.
Thank you
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Looks very clever, but I’m lost on Figure 2. “Align the opposite quarter section mark horizontally with the next mark in the top row that you placed on the piece.” Are you picking a circle whose diameter touches two of the points on the template horizontally? If those are considered 0 and 180, are you marking 90 and 360? Could you please review this detail? Many thanks for your posting.
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Sorry about the “Click to Enlarge” not working before! It’s working now.
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“Click to enlarge” does not work–for me. I tried “Control +” to enlarge text in general, but it is not as satisfactory, to read the directions below the photos.
I think I would try pencil instead of hoping for the right markers.
Thanks for the suggestions!!!