Trimming is the refining of the shape that was created in the throwing process. I wait until the clay is no longer sticky to the touch but still moist enough to be flexible. The goal of this stage of the piece is to refine the shape by removing every bit of clay that does not belong. The process of trimming usually breaks down into three tasks: evening the walls ,dressing the bottom of the piece, and ensuring lids fit.

jar after trimming

The lid and galley of a piece should be about the same size from the throwing process, but sometimes adjustments are needed to ensure that the works and looks as good as possible. i want to make sure the weight feels appropriate for the size of the piece, and that the lid and the galley that it fits into are the same thickness.

 

Even thickness is important because it helps a piece feel right in use and prevents drying issues caused by uneven thickness. To test the thickness of a wall, I will thump it with my finger and listen to the pitch that it makes. thicker sections will be lower pitched and more muted than thinner sections. I then take a mental note of the sound near the top of the piece and trim the rest of the walls to that pitch. I may sometimes leave the bottom of a piece intentionally thick to create a foot.

 

Creating a foot is a way to address the bottom of a piece. a foot elevates a piece and gives it a more elegant look. Even if i do not take the effort to give a piece a foot, I will still give it an undercut to provide a visual separation from whatever surface it rests on. During this part of trimming, my goal is to create a definitive end to a piece. I will also compress the bottom to help prevent cracking and to give it a refined look.

 

 

The whole process usually does not take me much time for a normal sized piece, because I take steps in the throwing process to minimize trimming. larger pieces will take more trimming because I will intentionally leave extra clay in places to support the piece as it dries. The time it takes from throwing to trimming can take from half a day to two depending on the temperature and the moisture in the air.