From Slab to Fab - Tripod Mug

Tripod mug
Insert pre fire photo here:
Construction
What skills, techniques, or process did you employ to create your mug? In order to create the tripod mug, we used a lot of the skills that we learned in our past projects. For example, to create the tube, we beveled the sides of our slabs, that way it could form a more perfect circle. We also slipped and scored our slabs to connect the sides together. We also used the blending technique from our coil unit to blend the sides of the clay together, as well as for the foot later on. To create an angulation in the lower half of the mug, we used our own hands and applied pressure onto the clay that way it would shape it to be in the shape of our curved palm. For the handle, we created a conical shape with some clay and used our hands and water to lengthen the clay and make it soft enough to curl it. As for the decorations on my mug, I used some of the decorative flower tools, and made different sizes of the flowers and layered some of them with the smaller flowers. How does your final construction look? Also describe the difficulties in construction. My final construction of my mug has an angulation in the lower half of the body, and has a bit of a teardrop shape foot. It also has a curvy handle, along with 3 flowers (some layered) going diagonally across the mug as decoration. Some things that I struggled with during the construction process was the angulation and the handle. For the angulation, I had to be very cautious so that I didn’t apply too much pressure within one revolution. Of course the clay cracked at some points during the process, but it was a quick and easy fix as I used my metal rib and slip to smoothen it out. And for the handle, I had trouble just rolling the clay into the shape of the cone and putting enough pressure when lengthening the clay. When I was first trying to lengthen it, I applied too little pressure, so there wasn’t really a change in length, but once I applied more pressure, I was able to get my desired length for my handle.
Glazing
Insert Pre fired Glaze photo:	Insert your post fire Glaze photo:
Glaze Record and technique: Exterior: 3 coats of PC - 30 Temmoku all over the body, except for a bit of the foot. And for the flowers, I used two coats PC - 37 Smoked Sienna over two coats of PC - 30 Temmoku. Interior: 3 coats of PC - 37 Smoked Sienna, and then I did drips on the lip using PC - 30 Temmoku.
Final thoughts about your mug with a selfie out of your mug in the cafeteria: I’m quite happy with how my mug turned out. I was really surprised at how nice the temmoku came out. Initially, I was scared that the temmoku would be too dark, but I actually think it ended up making my mug look more sophisticated. I also love the light brown speckles that came out from the glaze, as it made it even more special and unique. For my flowers, I was a bit disappointed because I wanted the smoked sienna glaze to come through more, that way my flowers would be more distinct, so if I were to do this again, I would probably add another coat of smoked sienna. But nonetheless, I think it still turned out fine as there is a highlight of smoked sienna on the flowers. Also I loved the way the temmoku pulled on the edges of the flowers, making a contrast between the light and dark brown. For my interior, I liked how the smoked sienna sort of brightened up my piece on the inside a little. As for the drips, I liked how it turned out, but I think if I used more glaze to create the drips, it would’ve made the contrast and blend between the smoked sienna and temmoku more fluid. Overall though, I’m really proud of my piece and think it’s one of my best so far because I was a lot more conscious of the way I constructed it as well as the glazes I chose for it. My mom drinking out of my mug!