The blueprint of... Wibble pot 003

The blueprint of... is an article series in which we’re taking a closer look at an Artisan Crafts deviation and how it's made.


Today we are dissecting Wibble pot 003 by alex190381

First off, please introduce yourself?

My names Alex, I'm 28 and from the North of England, I grew up here and although its beautiful, my fiancee and I are moving to London to complete the rest of my Architecture training. Prior to my architecture training I undertook a Bachelors Degree in Homewares/furniture (3 years) which is where these ceramic products were developed. After the degree I opened a small pottery, which lasted for a couple of years and I sold my work through galleries and small craft shops around the UK. I haven't done any pottery for a long time now, as I worked for a furniture company and now work for an Architecture practice, but someday I'd like to get back on a wheel and do work for my own enjoyment. Even so, my partner says I'm a better architect than I am a potter!

Please explain what we are viewing.

This is a form that I developed on my bachelor course as part of a series of porcelain vessels and lights. They were based on the the theory that porcelain retains a "memory" of its previous form, like some plastics. Some of the forms were made by hand to reflect the forms that were in theory possible. This "wibble pot" however was a direct result of an accident in the kiln when it was fired to a temperature higher than usual. The forms were developed to make a viable product from this interesting process.
It has been likened to a stack of popadoms, tape worms, whirlwinds, the inside of an ant hill, a parking ramp and many other things but is actually two sets of graduating hoops made from very thin porcelain, over-fired in a kiln and then joined together with a low-fired glaze and then fired again.

Can you describe for a layman how it’s made?

Its actually a very simple process. I rolled out 2 sheets of porcelain until they were as thin as possible (1-2mm). I then scribed concentric circles on to each with a converted compass, one circle had a slightly smaller diameter than the other to provide an overlap in the finished assembly. Then it was a case of carefully seperating the layers out without deforming them and letting them dry. After the rings dried, they were laid out on the kiln bed and then fired beyond the recommended temperature for porcelain. The higher temperature meant that the rings lifted, twisted and warped in a variety of ways. The resulting deformed shapes were then sprayed with a low firing transparent glaze and stacked, one concentric circle interleaved with the other until a teetering whirlwind form was achieved. The whole thing was carefully placed into the kiln and fired. and thats about it, I tried many variations on the technique, but this remained the best.

What tools did you use?

Most of them were completed at the pottery I owned or the university workshops.
Rolling pin, converted compass (scalpel blade instead of pencil), kiln, oven, glaze bin.

What was your inspiration in creating this?

The original idea for the range came from my obsession with sinuous curves, landscape contours, parallel and repeating lines and the technical side of craft. So there aren't really any links apart from a google search for maps and any etchings or technical drawings you've ever seen.

How much time did it take you to make this?

Probably a week or so, although I made them in batches as the loss at all points of the manufacturing process was so high, so its difficult to tell.

Did you run into anything unexpected while creating this?

Nothing unexpected apart form the birth of the process itself. The only problems tended to be the fragility and as mentioned before the amount of breakages, misfires and getting the thickness of the glaze right to adhere to the pre fired rings. I had to heat the rings up in a small oven to get the glaze to stick in the end.

Are you happy with the result?

I love them, although I'm always frustrated by its lack of true function.

Where have you learnt your skills in this area?

Mostly at university, although there was a lot of experimentation and reading that needed to be done when dealing with your own equipment. I suspect I'll have to start learning again when I finally get my hands back in the mud.

Do you take your own photos? Any tips you want to share for presenting your work?

These were difficult to photograph so I just concentrated on using a black matt background and some strong lighting to get the best out of the convoluted shapes

What is the best tip you can give to others wanting to test this craft/material/technique?

Experiment, and don't be scared of mistakes. Also, pottery isn't just about the raw clay, its about all the little processes that go to make the finished piece. You could make something beautiful or ugly just by changing the smallest variable. Thats the most exciting thing for me.

Are you selling your work?

I used to but not anymore, I only have a few left scattered around friends and family, so they're staying firmly where they are!



Thank you alex190381 for participating and taking the time to answer my questions!
//Myana

I'd love to receive suggestions for the next "victim" to interview! Note me with a link to the deviation you'd like to know more about and I'll contact the deviant.




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