How to Throw Nesting Bowls
Throwing a perfectly fitted set of nesting bowls is an advanced pottery project. You first need to master the basic ability of throwing cylinders and bowls. The clay used for the nesting bowls should be of good quality and previously tested by firings. For the nesting bowls to have a perfect finish, the artist should also test out the glazes to decide, in advance, on the right glaze, combination or finish.
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Things You'll Need
- Ceramic clay
- Ruler
- Journal
- Scale
- Potter's wheel
- Potter's tool set
- Stamp
- Electric kiln
- Glaze
- High-fire gas kiln
Instructions
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1
Determine the approximate size of the nesting bowls that you want to make and the number of nesting bowls in the set. Sketching the nesting bowls in an artist's journal is helpful.
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2
Prepare chunks of clay for the nesting bowls. Experienced potters will be able to eyeball the lumps needed. Beginners might find weighing the balls of clay to be helpful. For a three-bowl large set of nesting bowls, use 6 pounds, 4 pounds and 2 pounds of clay. For a small five-bowl set, use 5 pounds, 4 pounds, 3 pounds, 2 pounds and 1 pound. Weight and composition of different clays can vary greatly. Additionally, the water content can change things significantly.
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3
Knead each ball of clay very well. Slam the ball down repeatedly, 10 to 30 times as needed, to remove all air bubbles. Air bubbles can mess up the bowls on the pottery wheel and can cause the bowls to crack or explode during the high fire process.
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4
Center the largest or smallest piece of clay on the potter's wheel. Some artists like to work from the largest nesting bowl down to the smallest bowl, while others prefer to create the smallest bowl first. Centering requires slamming the ball of clay in the middle of the wheel, so the clay stays put and does not wobble when the wheel is turned on.
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Wet your hands, run the wheel and shape the ball into a low, wide, flat cylinder. Hold the clay in your hands as the wheel is turning, press your thumbs into the middle to begin to create the bowl. Press and pull thumbs apart toward the walls of the bowl that is being formed. Continue to pull out and up slowly to form the bowl and the lip of the bowl.
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6
Create the bowl lip with your fingers or tools. Smooth the bowl sides, or add a design to the sides using your fingers or tools. Trim the bowl bottom using a trimming tool or another tool that you prefer to create the bowl pedestal or foot.
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7
Remove the bowl from the potter's wheel by lifting off the removable wheel. For small bowls, experienced artists can pull a string under the bowl and remove the bowl. Either add a new wheel or clean the wheel after the bowl is set aside. Repeat these steps for each nesting bowl. Use a ruler to make sure that the diameter of each bowl and the height of each bowl are such that they will nest into one another.
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8
Allow the bowls to get leather hard. Depending on your humidity and preference, you can cover the bowls during this process to slow the drying down, which can reduce cracking possibilities.
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9
Place leather-hard bowls gently face down (bowl top or opening down) onto the potter's wheel perfectly centered. Measure several points to make sure the bowl is centered if you need to. Then use a trimming tool to trim the inside of the bowl's foot or pedestal. Sign your name and date or stamp your piece inside the foot.
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10
Fire the bowls in an electric kiln after they are completely dry. Glaze the bowls. Then fire the bowls in a gas high-fire kiln. You'll be able to use these bowls as mixing bowls or in the oven.
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Tips & Warnings
You can add additional details, designs and cutouts during the leather-hard stage before bisque and high-firing.
To make small nesting bowls with groups or classes of children, don't use a wheel. Press clay into a small set of nesting bowls as a form, and create a miniature set. With individual small children, an experienced potter can guide their hands on a wheel. Children and teens can create nesting bowls if they have sufficient wheel experience; they might need an adult to knead the clay, center the clay, center and flip the bowls, and to bisque, glaze and high fire. Glazes can be toxic, and firing should always be handled by experienced professional artists.
Make sure to only use glazes that will be food safe after the high-fire for kitchen nesting bowls.
