Footring or No Footring?

In my opinion, when making functional pieces with a clay which vitrifies (meaning it doesn't absorb water like earthenware clay), whether to include a foot ring becomes a matter of personal preference. Since I work with stoneware clay, I don't necessarily need to apply glaze to the base to make the piece suitable for functional use. So, whether I add a foot ring depends on my mood, the shape of the pot and the technique I used to make it.

 

 

Let me break it down for you! When I create a flat form like a plate or platter from a slab without using a mold, just by folding the sides up, there's not much opportunity to add the foot-ring. That's because I can't flip the piece over to attach it. Plus, I prefer to dry my flat pieces right on the board they're made on to avoid moving them unnecessarily to prevent them from warping. So here's how 'the technique' decides if there'll be a foot ring or not.

 

On the other hand, when I'm using a wooden, plaster, or bisque form to make a piece, I usually have the option to flip it over the form and add a foot ring. For a lot of platters, it's usually a matter of choice and sometimes the amount of time I have available. When making a flat piece using a pottery form, it's important to let the clay set-up on the form for sometime before removing it. If I take it off too soon, especially with a foot ring, it might sag in the middle. And, when I am drying these flat pieces, I like to weigh them down to avoid warping. But if the clay hasn't had a chance to stiffen-up and is still too soft when I add the weights, it might end up sagging. So, sometimes it's just easier to skip the foot ring altogether.

 

Additionally, if I leave the piece on the form for too long, waiting for the clay to set up, it could crack while drying. So really it's a matter of time. If I have enough time to let the clay set up and remove it before I call it a day, then I'll add the foot ring.

 

Now, let's talk about the shape. When I'm making a shallow dish with slightly taller walls, I always include a foot ring for a couple of reasons. First off, I need to leave my slab on the form for a bit longer to let it set up properly. That way, when I take it off, the walls stay nice and sturdy instead of flopping over. Plus, personally, I like the look of a foot ring on such forms as they add further elevation to the piece.

 

Also, very often, for such pieces which have a bit of vertical surface, I like to use glazes which move and flow. And having that foot ring can provide a little bit of protection from the glaze dripping all the way to the kiln shelf during firing. I'll include some pictures for examples to show you what I mean!