When making work for an atmospheric firing, the unpredictable variations that the kiln can produce are my primary inspiration for surface and form. I want to make pots that will look good no matter where they are in the kiln! For this teapot, the surface
will be a mixture of glaze and bare clay that can catch glaze movement, applied in a way that will still be successful if the soda effects are subtle. I use underglaze inlay to create a floral pattern that I can fill with accent glazes, the stable
underglaze lines keeping the design legible if the glaze runs. Formally, the teapot body will be relatively flat and vertical to accommodate the surface design, but I like to have exaggerated components extending off the pot that might capture different
local soda effects. I aim for the overall composition to be visually and functionally balanced.
I use porcelain with coarse silica sand wedged in. The sand lends some tooth to the clay during throwing and creates interesting surface interactions with the soda during the firing. The sand I use is dyed black for commercial purposes but the color burns
out at bisque. Usually, I throw two teapot bodies with the same diameter opening, along with three lids and three spouts off of the hump so that I can mix and match during assembly.
Throwing the Components
Body: To throw the body, use 2 pounds (907 grams) of clay. The form will be bell shaped and will have a flange thrown into the rim opening for an inset lid. Center the clay on the wheel, then as you pull up the walls, use your outside hand to
push toward the center to create a volcano shape. Decrease pressure as you approach the rim so that you have enough material to form the flange. After two pulls, once you have height but the walls are still sturdy, rough out the flange (1).
Next, pull the walls to a final thickness and shape, then use the straight edge of a metal rib to finish the exterior. Collar the rim to achieve your desired diameter (2).
Finally, refine the flange before measuring the lid opening. Make sure that the flange is a flat surface and that the vertical extension from the flange to the rim is indeed vertical or slightly open to accept a lid.
Lid: I want the shape to be recessed into the pot to provide some downward ballast while pouring, and I want to make a generous hollow knob to balance out my other exaggerated components. I prefer to throw the lid off the hump. Center a clementine-sized
piece of clay on top of the hump and open it a ½ inch (1.3 cm) away from the center (3). Using the small mound left at the center, throw a tiny, closed form (4) and shape it by pinching the bottom in and use a small metal rib to round out the
top. With the knob in place, pull up the walls around it, with a flat rim extension that will sit on the flange in the pot (5).
Spout: I want a long, graceful spout that extends far off the pot, and I want it to be curved so that it pours nicely. Center a small apple-sized chunk of clay on the hump and throw a volcano-shaped cylinder. Continue to collar the upper half
of the cylinder, using the handle of a needle tool as a throwing stick when the opening is too small for your finger (6). I want to end up with a shape like an upside-down funnel. To bend the spout, insert a thin brush handle into the opening, and
pull the upper part of the spout back toward me until the upper pitch runs even with the lower pitch (7). After removing the brush, place both of your middle fingers 1 inch (2.5 cm) down on the far side to create a pivot point, and then using your
thumbs and index fingers (8), tilt the tip forward and away (9). Allow all the components to firm up to leather hard.
Handle: I want my handle to balance the spout. When looking at the silhouette, the point on the handle furthest from the pot should be roughly symmetrical with the tip of the spout. I also aim for my handle to share other qualities with my spout;
thick at the attachment points tapering to thinner and narrowing at the apex. To form a handle, pull a flat strap the same thickness as the walls of your pot, tapering the edges with your thumb and index finger before cutting the handle off of the
lug. As it is drying, flip the thinner portion of the handle inward toward the thicker end so that you can use the thicker end as the lower attachment point (see 14).
Assembling the Components
Finish the bottom with a stiff rib. Set the lid into the teapot body and trim it (10), so it sits level and snug in the flange, then move back to the spout.
The spout needs to be cut to fit the contour of the body and create the correct angle for pouring. The outlet of the spout should be higher than the flange inside of the pot; if it is too low, tea will spill out when the pot is full. Your first cut is
at a 45° angle going from halfway up on the top side of the spout down to the base on the bottom side (11). Hold the spout up to the body, assessing the angle and scale, and keep making small cuts until it sits flush, and is straight and plumb.
Then, trace the outline of the spout onto the body, create holes for liquid flow, and score and slip all attachment points (12). When attaching the spout to the body, work your way from the bottom of the spout up the sides, making sure you see slip
escaping along the joint (13).
Attach the handle when it’s leather hard, making sure you align it with the spout (14).
Decorating and Glazing
After assembly, cover the teapot with plastic for at least 24 hours before decorating. For the underglaze inlay, I cover the entire body of the pot with wax, then once it’s cured, I use a needle tool to draw a flower design. Next, I take a dry brush and
knock off any clay burrs around the drawing. Going section by section, I fill the drawn lines with underglaze using a small brush. Then, I use a finishing sponge to gently wipe away the underglaze on the surface of the wax, leaving the material in
the incisions (15). The wax helps to slow the drying process, so at this point, I leave the pot uncovered to get bone dry.
After bisque firing, I glaze the interior, pouring some glaze out through the spout to make sure it, too, is lined, and then I blow air back through to clear the holes. Most of the exterior surface will be bare porcelain that gets fluxed by the soda,
with accent glazes filling the underglaze drawings. I take a narrow brush and wax on top of the underglaze lines, so each flower petal is bound by wax. I then choose four glazes as my palette, using some that are stable and some that are more reactive
so that some glaze stays inside the flowers, but some runs down the piece. I use a thicker brush to apply ample glaze to each petal separated by wax, using a different glaze for each adjacent section. Once wadded, my teapot is ready for the soda kiln!
Special thanks to Nicole Porter and BKLYN Clay.
Kyle Brumsted is a Brooklyn-based potter originally from Ithaca, New York. He has worked as an apprentice, technician, teacher, and resident artist at studios throughout the US and Canada. Currently, he is an instructor at Greenwich House Pottery and BKLYN Clay, and a fabricator at KWH Furniture. Among many other things, he is interested in making finely crafted functional pots, building community through the joy of collective making and knowledge-sharing, and firing atmospheric kilns. See more of his work on Instagram @krumsted.
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When making work for an atmospheric firing, the unpredictable variations that the kiln can produce are my primary inspiration for surface and form. I want to make pots that will look good no matter where they are in the kiln! For this teapot, the surface will be a mixture of glaze and bare clay that can catch glaze movement, applied in a way that will still be successful if the soda effects are subtle. I use underglaze inlay to create a floral pattern that I can fill with accent glazes, the stable underglaze lines keeping the design legible if the glaze runs. Formally, the teapot body will be relatively flat and vertical to accommodate the surface design, but I like to have exaggerated components extending off the pot that might capture different local soda effects. I aim for the overall composition to be visually and functionally balanced.
I use porcelain with coarse silica sand wedged in. The sand lends some tooth to the clay during throwing and creates interesting surface interactions with the soda during the firing. The sand I use is dyed black for commercial purposes but the color burns out at bisque. Usually, I throw two teapot bodies with the same diameter opening, along with three lids and three spouts off of the hump so that I can mix and match during assembly.
Throwing the Components
Body: To throw the body, use 2 pounds (907 grams) of clay. The form will be bell shaped and will have a flange thrown into the rim opening for an inset lid. Center the clay on the wheel, then as you pull up the walls, use your outside hand to push toward the center to create a volcano shape. Decrease pressure as you approach the rim so that you have enough material to form the flange. After two pulls, once you have height but the walls are still sturdy, rough out the flange (1).
Next, pull the walls to a final thickness and shape, then use the straight edge of a metal rib to finish the exterior. Collar the rim to achieve your desired diameter (2).
Finally, refine the flange before measuring the lid opening. Make sure that the flange is a flat surface and that the vertical extension from the flange to the rim is indeed vertical or slightly open to accept a lid.
Lid: I want the shape to be recessed into the pot to provide some downward ballast while pouring, and I want to make a generous hollow knob to balance out my other exaggerated components. I prefer to throw the lid off the hump. Center a clementine-sized piece of clay on top of the hump and open it a ½ inch (1.3 cm) away from the center (3). Using the small mound left at the center, throw a tiny, closed form (4) and shape it by pinching the bottom in and use a small metal rib to round out the top. With the knob in place, pull up the walls around it, with a flat rim extension that will sit on the flange in the pot (5).
Spout: I want a long, graceful spout that extends far off the pot, and I want it to be curved so that it pours nicely. Center a small apple-sized chunk of clay on the hump and throw a volcano-shaped cylinder. Continue to collar the upper half of the cylinder, using the handle of a needle tool as a throwing stick when the opening is too small for your finger (6). I want to end up with a shape like an upside-down funnel. To bend the spout, insert a thin brush handle into the opening, and pull the upper part of the spout back toward me until the upper pitch runs even with the lower pitch (7). After removing the brush, place both of your middle fingers 1 inch (2.5 cm) down on the far side to create a pivot point, and then using your thumbs and index fingers (8), tilt the tip forward and away (9). Allow all the components to firm up to leather hard.
Handle: I want my handle to balance the spout. When looking at the silhouette, the point on the handle furthest from the pot should be roughly symmetrical with the tip of the spout. I also aim for my handle to share other qualities with my spout; thick at the attachment points tapering to thinner and narrowing at the apex. To form a handle, pull a flat strap the same thickness as the walls of your pot, tapering the edges with your thumb and index finger before cutting the handle off of the lug. As it is drying, flip the thinner portion of the handle inward toward the thicker end so that you can use the thicker end as the lower attachment point (see 14).
Assembling the Components
Finish the bottom with a stiff rib. Set the lid into the teapot body and trim it (10), so it sits level and snug in the flange, then move back to the spout.
The spout needs to be cut to fit the contour of the body and create the correct angle for pouring. The outlet of the spout should be higher than the flange inside of the pot; if it is too low, tea will spill out when the pot is full. Your first cut is at a 45° angle going from halfway up on the top side of the spout down to the base on the bottom side (11). Hold the spout up to the body, assessing the angle and scale, and keep making small cuts until it sits flush, and is straight and plumb. Then, trace the outline of the spout onto the body, create holes for liquid flow, and score and slip all attachment points (12). When attaching the spout to the body, work your way from the bottom of the spout up the sides, making sure you see slip escaping along the joint (13).
Attach the handle when it’s leather hard, making sure you align it with the spout (14).
Decorating and Glazing
After assembly, cover the teapot with plastic for at least 24 hours before decorating. For the underglaze inlay, I cover the entire body of the pot with wax, then once it’s cured, I use a needle tool to draw a flower design. Next, I take a dry brush and knock off any clay burrs around the drawing. Going section by section, I fill the drawn lines with underglaze using a small brush. Then, I use a finishing sponge to gently wipe away the underglaze on the surface of the wax, leaving the material in the incisions (15). The wax helps to slow the drying process, so at this point, I leave the pot uncovered to get bone dry.
After bisque firing, I glaze the interior, pouring some glaze out through the spout to make sure it, too, is lined, and then I blow air back through to clear the holes. Most of the exterior surface will be bare porcelain that gets fluxed by the soda, with accent glazes filling the underglaze drawings. I take a narrow brush and wax on top of the underglaze lines, so each flower petal is bound by wax. I then choose four glazes as my palette, using some that are stable and some that are more reactive so that some glaze stays inside the flowers, but some runs down the piece. I use a thicker brush to apply ample glaze to each petal separated by wax, using a different glaze for each adjacent section. Once wadded, my teapot is ready for the soda kiln!
Special thanks to Nicole Porter and BKLYN Clay.
Kyle Brumsted is a Brooklyn-based potter originally from Ithaca, New York. He has worked as an apprentice, technician, teacher, and resident artist at studios throughout the US and Canada. Currently, he is an instructor at Greenwich House Pottery and BKLYN Clay, and a fabricator at KWH Furniture. Among many other things, he is interested in making finely crafted functional pots, building community through the joy of collective making and knowledge-sharing, and firing atmospheric kilns. See more of his work on Instagram @krumsted.
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