How to Make a Trumpet Vase
You can create any round shape on a pottery wheel. It is also possible to create a round piece and then alter it after it is formed. In the case of trumpet vases, no such alterations are necessary. The vase is formed or thrown on a pottery wheel and shaped with a fluted top to create the look of a trumpet. The fluted top is the only trumpet-like feature on the vase as the rest forms the cylindrical body. With some basic wheel-throwing skills, you can create a trumpet vase of a size you are comfortable with.
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Things You'll Need
- Clay
- Pottery wheel
- Wooden scraper
- Wooden pottery knife
- Sponge
- Bat (round wood as a base on the wheel head)
- Wire
- Trimming tools
Instructions
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1
Center 1 lb. of clay on the wheel. Press down with your palms, and flatten the clay to a disk. Apply pressure going from the center outward, keeping the same thickness of about an inch or less. Add lots of water to lubricate your hand as you do this. Place the bat (round piece of wood) on the clay disk, and apply some pressure to adhere it to the clay.
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2
Wet the bat and center 2 lbs. of clay for a small trumpet vase. Apply pressure with both hands toward the center as the wheel spins, making the clay assume a round shape. Press in until it has about a 4-inch diameter from bottom to top and longer wobbling from being lopsided.
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3
Press your thumb into the top to create an opening. Use your forefinger, braced by the other fingers to push in until you reach the bottom on the inside. Form the inside so that it is about an inch from the bottom.
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4
Pull the clay up into a larger cylinder by applying pressure on both sides of the wall and slowly lifting up. The wall should be thicker on the bottom than on the top so that the clay will support itself while in a wet state. Keep pulling up the clay until you have a cylindrical shape about 6 to 8 inches tall, depending on your preference.
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5
Form the lower portion of the vase to the desired shape. Keep the bottom (foot) wide enough to keep the vase stable, even when filled with water and flowers. The shape of the body above the foot can remain straight or slightly curve in as it goes up.
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6
Create the trumpet-shaped opening using the half-rounded side of the wood scraper. Hold the rounded side against the vase at the top as you expand the clay from the inside with your finger. The clay will assume the shape of the scraper, creating the shape of a horn or trumpet. Adjust the position of the scraper until the top of the vase has the flared shape.
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7
Cut the vase from the wheel using a wire. Let it dry somewhat, turn it upside down, and center it on a clay disk, such as the one you made for the bat. Use trimming tools to refine the shape and to remove excess clay and tool marks. Hollow out the bottom by a depth of 1/4 inch, leaving a 1/2-inch wide foot around the edge as a foot.
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8
Remove the vase from the wheel. It should just pop off the clay without much force. Use a damp sponge to give the vase a smooth finish and let dry. The trumpet vase is now complete and ready for firing.
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References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
