Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[ChocolateMouse]

I mean, it could have been a cup if I cut it and trimmed it. But I didn't. Instead I broke it on purpose.

And yeah most cups are just fancy cylinders. So this would be how a cup would be made if I were making one. But it would also be how a planter pot or any number of other cylindricalish things would be started.

Things I learned today; I don't have the finger strength to do usual beginner pottery techniques. Moving clay up is easier than down. It's hard to go straight up and down. Centering is actually rather tricky but opening it up is much harder.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

After much effort today I was able to make A Thing! :O

(Much effort on the left, A Thing on the right!)

Then I kept stretching the walls until it broke. Because that's what you're supposed to do to learn.

What does it look like when you start? I love the positivity!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

What does it look like when you start? I love the positivity!

Well I got 2-25lb bags and they look rather like this;
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...9081b59-0722-4363-a813-7f878c4f9a10_large.jpg

You use a wire to cut off a big lump of clay, usually 1-2lbs, and it's just a lump. Then you slap it about until it's a roundy lump. Then you slap it on the wheel and start squishing it around and with some effort it Does Things. Sometimes those things look good! Sometimes it twists and tears away before you even have it in the middle of the wheel. Sometimes it wobbles and falls over or goes out all sideways. Right now, since I've never done this before it's mostly the latter. I wanna say I did about 4 attempts before I was able to pull a wall and 6 before I was able to keep something standing well. (Looks like it was about 15lbs of clay to my eye.)

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

You use a wire to cut off a big lump of clay, usually 1-2lbs, and it's just a lump. Then you slap it about until it's a roundy lump. Then you slap it on the wheel and start squishing it around and with some effort it Does Things. Sometimes those things look good! Sometimes it twists and tears away before you even have it in the middle of the wheel. Sometimes it wobbles and falls over or goes out all sideways

I love this description. Very humorous to me, for some reason.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Things are good.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

And my kiln thermometer came in. Plus I made dinner with my garden veggies. All around a good day.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

It was many years ago, but I was able to play with some clay on a wheel and enjoyed it very much. Far more so than traditional sculpting. Generally textiles is my medium (quilting and all things fiber) but trying more pottery has always been high on my desire list. There are some cool art places around that you can go and paint or throw some clay as a once in a while adventure, but I'm the type that would prefer to do something like that in the comfort of my own home.
I'll be living vicariously through your adventures for now.

Our district was supposed to start several weeks ago too, on a hybrid schedule, but things just keep changing. Thankfully our internet is decent here, not fast, but ok.
I'm sorry things are so difficult there.
We are rural here but just enough on the edge to have gotten decent internet. Many kids in our district don't have internet and will also need hotspots. Meals too.
While much of what's going on will probably be a set back for kids everywhere, they are resilient and should hopefully be able to catch up when life begins to look a little calmer.

Thanks and you're so right! I know a lot of my stress is because I don't want them to fall behind but, this is out of anyone's control.
Yesterday, my kinder's teacher said he would miss credit for not turning in all the work (long story but all due to internet issues). I told her our situation and said, "I am doing my best to catch up but if something doesn't get turned in, it is what it is. I cannot lose my sanity trying to meet every single expectation."
After 3 weeks, it was mentally freeing to say it.

The teachers say it's the district putting these requirements on them - for example, they must mark a child absent if they're not on by a certain time. Many parents are calling the district and expressing their frustrations. I hope they lighten up

Everywhere is different too. I have nieces in Tennessee and they are physically back to school. It's so weird to imagine kids going back right now.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

Well I got 2-25lb bags and they look rather like this;
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...9081b59-0722-4363-a813-7f878c4f9a10_large.jpg

You use a wire to cut off a big lump of clay, usually 1-2lbs, and it's just a lump. Then you slap it about until it's a roundy lump. Then you slap it on the wheel and start squishing it around and with some effort it Does Things. Sometimes those things look good! Sometimes it twists and tears away before you even have it in the middle of the wheel. Sometimes it wobbles and falls over or goes out all sideways. Right now, since I've never done this before it's mostly the latter. I wanna say I did about 4 attempts before I was able to pull a wall and 6 before I was able to keep something standing well. (Looks like it was about 15lbs of clay to my eye.)

I really want to try it eventually. My initial idea was to make clay pots for succulents and figurines.... you think Sculpey would work for something like that?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I really want to try it eventually. My initial idea was to make clay pots for succulents and figurines.... you think Sculpey would work for something like that?

Yes! Depending on your needs you may want Sculpey III, original Sculpey or Super Sculpey. But all of them oven-dry hard/permanent, can be painted and sanded, and the first two can be carved with simple metal tools after baking. I paint my sculpey with acrylic paints which dry waterproof but are not food safe. (Acrylics are full of heavy metals and leach but have great coverage and color.) For pots you might want some sort of non toxic paints and sprays.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Getting a little further along on the schooling front. Our district is all virtual at this time and will remain so until at least mid Oct. Teachers will be going to the school buildings daily to "teach" from their classrooms. Some will have live sessions/Zoom join ins, others will video tape the lessons so the kids can watch on their schedules, and still others will check in with students individually as needed.
It doesn't seem that there will be a daily check in/homeroom type of thing, but that could be because for us it's high school, instead of the younger groups, and kids are expected to be somewhat autonomous and independent.

edit: pre-coffee typos