The inspiration for my martini cups comes directly from glass stemware. I have always loved how elegant and sleek handblown glass can be. These cups are an exploration into echoing those qualities of glass in clay. It is the precision of the trimming
on this pot that gives it a clean, glass-like aesthetic.
Throwing the Cup Form
Start by weighing out 1½ pounds (680 grams) of clay, thoroughly wedge the clay, and center it on the wheel head. Collar it into a 2½-inch (6.4-cm)-wide by 4-inch (10.2-cm)-tall solid cylinder. Open a hole in the center of the cylinder about
a thumb’s length deep, and pull the wall out and up into a small V-shape (1). Continue to pull the wall of the cup until it is about 2¾ inches (7 cm) deep and about 5½inches (14 cm) wide (2). Make sure the interior has a smooth
continuous curve like a bowl (3). The profile of the cup at this point should look like a chunky Y-shape.
Use a stiff rib to bevel the rim of the cup to a 45° angle, so it is as thin as possible to mimic glass (4). Cut the pot off the wheel head with a wire tool and carefully remove it from the wheel to firm up.
Trimming and Refining the Cup
Once the cup is stiff leather hard and no longer tacky, it is ready to trim. Put the pot upside down on the wheel head, centering and securing it. Start by trimming the profile of the glass into a perfect V-shape, removing any undulations or inconsistencies
left behind from throwing (5). Next, trim the base of the piece to about 2¾ inches (7 cm) wide (6). The foot should be about half the diameter of the top of the glass, narrow enough to look elegant and sleek, but wide enough that the cup doesn’t
easily tip over.
As you get to the stem, the angles can be tricky. Using the larger side of a looped trimming tool, slowly remove the bulk of the clay on the underside of the foot and from the stem (6). Switch back to the smaller side of the looped trimming tool
and define where the stem meets the base of the glass by trimming a line that mimics the attachment point of the glass to the stem (7).
Using the larger side of the trimming tool, create a concave curve above the attachment line that is about half the height of the stem (8). Right above the concave curve just trimmed, create another concave curve that is also about half the height of
the stem (9). This may take a couple of passes with the trimming tool. Where the two concave curves meet there should be a slight convex curve about an inch wide. This should be the widest part of the stem. Using the smaller side of a looped trimming
tool about ¾ of an inch (1.9 cm) in from the base of the foot, trim a line where the stem meets the foot to echo the attachment point seen in glassware (10). The foot should have about a 15° slope to it, like a wine glass. Every detail
in the trimming process contributes to the glass’s overall elegance. It takes time to refine each curve and angle, but precision will yield a clean, glass-like aesthetic.
Trimming and Hollowing the Foot
Now that the profile of the stem has been defined, it is time to hollow it out and trim the foot ring. Start by trimming a slight bevel on the exterior of the foot (11) to create a nice shadow that separates the martini glass from the surface it sits
on.
About ⅜ inch (1 cm) in from the outside of the foot, trim a line to define the foot ring. Take the smaller side of your looped trimming tool and carefully plunge it into the center of the foot as deep as you can, hollowing out the stem of the glass
(12). Remove the excess clay from between the line that was trimmed to define the foot ring and the hole in the center of the foot, following the profile of the base. Be careful not to remove too much clay or the foot won’t be able to support
the weight of the cup. Plunge the smaller side of the trimming tool back into the center of the stem removing clay until you get to the depth of the convex curve on the exterior profile of the stem (13). If you go any deeper, there is a risk of trimming
into the bottom of the glass or ripping the stem off the cup (which I have done many times).
Flatten a small ball of clay into a puck shape, slip and score the puck and the interior of the stem, and attach the puck to the top of the base of the stem (14). Gently press your stamp into the puck of clay.
Using a needle tool or a small piece of hollow brass tubing, create a hole that is at a 45° angle from the exterior convex curve on the stem to the interior base of the stem (15). If you are using a needle tool, you will need to ream the hole to make
it big enough that it doesn’t close back up or fill with glaze. This hole allows dirty dishwater to drain from the hollow stem when the martini glass is upside down in the dishwasher.
Remove the martini glass from the wheel head and carefully flip it onto its foot, making sure the rim is level. Carefully flip the martini glass back onto its rim and let it dry slowly upside down under plastic, making sure that the stem stays level.
Firing the Martini Glass
If you are firing your glass in an atmospheric kiln where the pot needs wadding, I have found that three wads work best. It is also crucial that the martini glasses are wadded as the kiln is being loaded, not before. The wads need to be soft so that when
the pot is placed on the kiln shelf they can be squished into a position where the rim of the cup is level. If the rim of the martini glass is not level when placed into the kiln it will warp in the firing to whichever direction it is leaning.
Carter Pasma is originally from White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He received his BFA in ceramics from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and his MFA in ceramics from Utah State University. Pasma is currently the studio manager and an instructor at Weber State University. In 2022, Pasma was named one of Ceramics
Monthly’s Emerging Artists, and since then has written articles for both Pottery Making Illustrated and Ceramics Monthly. Pasma has exhibited his work around the country in numerous galleries and exhibitions. Follow him on Instagram @cartersclayor head over to www.carters-clay.comto purchase work and support his journey.
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The inspiration for my martini cups comes directly from glass stemware. I have always loved how elegant and sleek handblown glass can be. These cups are an exploration into echoing those qualities of glass in clay. It is the precision of the trimming on this pot that gives it a clean, glass-like aesthetic.
Throwing the Cup Form
Start by weighing out 1½ pounds (680 grams) of clay, thoroughly wedge the clay, and center it on the wheel head. Collar it into a 2½-inch (6.4-cm)-wide by 4-inch (10.2-cm)-tall solid cylinder. Open a hole in the center of the cylinder about a thumb’s length deep, and pull the wall out and up into a small V-shape (1). Continue to pull the wall of the cup until it is about 2¾ inches (7 cm) deep and about 5½inches (14 cm) wide (2). Make sure the interior has a smooth continuous curve like a bowl (3). The profile of the cup at this point should look like a chunky Y-shape.
Use a stiff rib to bevel the rim of the cup to a 45° angle, so it is as thin as possible to mimic glass (4). Cut the pot off the wheel head with a wire tool and carefully remove it from the wheel to firm up.
Trimming and Refining the Cup
Once the cup is stiff leather hard and no longer tacky, it is ready to trim. Put the pot upside down on the wheel head, centering and securing it. Start by trimming the profile of the glass into a perfect V-shape, removing any undulations or inconsistencies left behind from throwing (5). Next, trim the base of the piece to about 2¾ inches (7 cm) wide (6). The foot should be about half the diameter of the top of the glass, narrow enough to look elegant and sleek, but wide enough that the cup doesn’t easily tip over.
As you get to the stem, the angles can be tricky. Using the larger side of a looped trimming tool, slowly remove the bulk of the clay on the underside of the foot and from the stem (6). Switch back to the smaller side of the looped trimming tool and define where the stem meets the base of the glass by trimming a line that mimics the attachment point of the glass to the stem (7).
Using the larger side of the trimming tool, create a concave curve above the attachment line that is about half the height of the stem (8). Right above the concave curve just trimmed, create another concave curve that is also about half the height of the stem (9). This may take a couple of passes with the trimming tool. Where the two concave curves meet there should be a slight convex curve about an inch wide. This should be the widest part of the stem. Using the smaller side of a looped trimming tool about ¾ of an inch (1.9 cm) in from the base of the foot, trim a line where the stem meets the foot to echo the attachment point seen in glassware (10). The foot should have about a 15° slope to it, like a wine glass. Every detail in the trimming process contributes to the glass’s overall elegance. It takes time to refine each curve and angle, but precision will yield a clean, glass-like aesthetic.
Trimming and Hollowing the Foot
Now that the profile of the stem has been defined, it is time to hollow it out and trim the foot ring. Start by trimming a slight bevel on the exterior of the foot (11) to create a nice shadow that separates the martini glass from the surface it sits on.
About ⅜ inch (1 cm) in from the outside of the foot, trim a line to define the foot ring. Take the smaller side of your looped trimming tool and carefully plunge it into the center of the foot as deep as you can, hollowing out the stem of the glass (12). Remove the excess clay from between the line that was trimmed to define the foot ring and the hole in the center of the foot, following the profile of the base. Be careful not to remove too much clay or the foot won’t be able to support the weight of the cup. Plunge the smaller side of the trimming tool back into the center of the stem removing clay until you get to the depth of the convex curve on the exterior profile of the stem (13). If you go any deeper, there is a risk of trimming into the bottom of the glass or ripping the stem off the cup (which I have done many times).
Flatten a small ball of clay into a puck shape, slip and score the puck and the interior of the stem, and attach the puck to the top of the base of the stem (14). Gently press your stamp into the puck of clay.
Using a needle tool or a small piece of hollow brass tubing, create a hole that is at a 45° angle from the exterior convex curve on the stem to the interior base of the stem (15). If you are using a needle tool, you will need to ream the hole to make it big enough that it doesn’t close back up or fill with glaze. This hole allows dirty dishwater to drain from the hollow stem when the martini glass is upside down in the dishwasher.
Remove the martini glass from the wheel head and carefully flip it onto its foot, making sure the rim is level. Carefully flip the martini glass back onto its rim and let it dry slowly upside down under plastic, making sure that the stem stays level.
Firing the Martini Glass
If you are firing your glass in an atmospheric kiln where the pot needs wadding, I have found that three wads work best. It is also crucial that the martini glasses are wadded as the kiln is being loaded, not before. The wads need to be soft so that when the pot is placed on the kiln shelf they can be squished into a position where the rim of the cup is level. If the rim of the martini glass is not level when placed into the kiln it will warp in the firing to whichever direction it is leaning.
Carter Pasma is originally from White Bear Lake, Minnesota. He received his BFA in ceramics from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and his MFA in ceramics from Utah State University. Pasma is currently the studio manager and an instructor at Weber State University. In 2022, Pasma was named one of Ceramics Monthly’s Emerging Artists, and since then has written articles for both Pottery Making Illustrated and Ceramics Monthly. Pasma has exhibited his work around the country in numerous galleries and exhibitions. Follow him on Instagram @cartersclay or head over to www.carters-clay.com to purchase work and support his journey.
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