In pottery, there are 7 stages (in general la)
1) wedge - you have the clay, you have hands: you fold-push-fold-push/massage the clay so that there is uniform consistency- no clumps, no stray weird bits, no air bubble- all of which will pose problems if not eliminated
2) centre - this happens on the wheel. centre means to keep the clay smack in the middle such that you see no 'swaying' as it rotates (easier said than done). Without this, there is not way of going to the next stage. It will keel and die.
3) throw - this normally includes the centring process as well, but it also means 'throwing' the clay walls upwards to form whatever vessel/object you want
4) trim - once the object is finished, you let it dry to a certain sturdiness, then you go back to the wheel to control the finishing surface: smooth/rough/thin/thick
5) fire - the product then goes into the kiln (oven) where it is fired once to bond the material
6) glaze - this is a form of painting with a residual liquid that is used for ceramics. this is also required to give it more lasting quality, that will not be affected by water retention.
7) fire - in it goes into the kiln again as the final step. Like a phoenix- born from fire. HUR
This was a bowl that gave me a few heart aches at various stages.
After stage 3 it came out ideal (size and thickness), to the point I was reluctant to go through stage 4.
But went with it I did, and it cracked at the top >: (always trust gut feelings)
To save it, spent about 45mins cutting out the asymmetrical edge.
In prepping for stage 6, cracks were revealed.. which meant... breaking it to be recycled, or putting glass bits to close the cracks (but also rendered it not usable for hot soups >:)
Turns out glass also posed a problem as it seeped through the cracks and melded the bowl to a clay bit (used to elevate the bowl in the kiln, such that it would not stick)
Kinda happy, kinda disappointed, but kinda happy still. WABI SABI HOKAY.