Question:
How do I wedge clay?
How to wedge
After selecting a clay, you must wedge (knead) it to remove air bubbles and insure uniform consistency. A clay body that has been mixed properly and extruded from a de-airing pug mill is homogeneous, and because a vacuum removes most of the air, it does not usually need as much wedging for its first use. There are two common kinds of wedging, the cut wedging method associated with potters in the Western world and the spiral wedging method associated with potters in the Eastern world. The spiral method is more efficient, particularly when wedging a large chunk of clay, but the spiral method does take longer to learn. Cut wedging is only successful when the clay is very soft, so it is only recommended if you are mixing a very wet and a very dry chunk of clay for later use.
Spiral wedging
The spiral wedging method has three main steps: 1. Push a cone of clay away from your body on a horizontal surface with the heels of your hands (the left hand does most of the work). 2. A thick slab of clay is created by this pressure. Partially roll this slab of clay back onto the cone with a twisting motion of your hands. 3. Repeat the process. With each pushing motion, the tip and lower surface of the cone are partially squeezed off, leaving the form with less mass. When the rolling action takes place, new mass is added to the form.
Where to start?
Working with clay
One of the most important things to do when working with clay is to feel it. This may sound silly, but getting used to the texture and feel of the clay is important. The reason for this is actually very practical. There are many different types and qualities of clay and each type of clay is suitable for a particular task. When buying clay ask about the amount of grog that the clay contains. Grog is a hard element in the clay that determines the strength or weakness of the material. If you are going to use the clay for sculptural purposes then you need strong, flexible clay; while smoother clay with less grog may be more appropriate for pottery work.
However, there are no hard and fast rules and I have often used a clay that was deemed for pottery in my sculptural work. This is what one has to develop a "feel" for clay. It is only through actually working with the particular clay that one establishes a sense of its quality and ability.
Wedging
Incorrect methods of wedging large pieces of
clay may cause injuries, especially to the back.
Damage may occur after a period of several years.
When wedging you should be well aware of your
capabilities of lifting a piece of clay, remembering
that this weight has to be maneouvered at least 21
times before it is wedged. Back and stomach muscles
are strained if the weight is too heavy. Secondly, the
hands should be released from the piece of clay on
the downward movement, just before it makes contact
with its other half, otherwise the sudden curtailing of
momentum at table level creates jarring tremor which
is transferred through the body via the hands, the
latter of which acts as a lever and jerks the spine.
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| Guru Spotlight |
| Patricia Walters-Fischer |
