You Learn the Most Through Failure

This week I'm tackling a large bowl. Two kilograms of high iron stoneware, thrown and trimmed, problems are encountered and fixed and pictorial examples are shown of what I hope this piece achieves once coated in glaze and reduction fired to 1290ºC.
🐚 HOW TO SPIRAL WEDGE CLAY: • How to Spiral Wedge Clay
🏺 • If you want to learn how to throw a pot, you might like my 'A Beginner's Guide' series: • How to Throw a Pot - A...
⚙️ • Spinner tool, made by Richard Carter, (you need to DM him on Instagram to purchase one): / richardcarter6952
📖 • PRE-ORDER MY BOOK: geni.us/bymyhands (Available NOW in the UK, 14 November in the USA).
📢 • Find out much more about my work here: linktr.ee/floriangadsby
⏱ • Timecodes:
0:09 - Weighing out and wedging the clay, 2 kg
0:50 - My first failed attempt at the bowl...
1:20 - Attempt number two
5:49 - Flipping the bowl onto it's rim
6:03 - Correcting an undulation in the rim
7:45 - Adding a detail to the rim
8:54 - Turning the base of the pot
11:47 - Trimming the foot-ring
12:52 - My second error (followed by fixing it)
14:55 - The finished bowl, for now.
*It's worth noting! That you won't get the same results as I do if you're firing in oxidation. The reduction firing really helps with this process.
*I throw using both a Rohde HMT 500 & 600 potter's wheel and fire using Rohde kilns too, the electric is a TE-200 and the gas kiln is a KG-340.
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Instagram - / floriangadsby
TikTok - / floriangadsby
Website - www.floriangadsby.com

[@Angels-3xist]

I remember quoting Florian in some of my first ceramics classes and the teacher actually started incorporating his quotes into the lessons. Not only that but when going in to study at the studio, I ran into the most gifted and natural person (also a beginner) that I had met so far and he also talked about how much he had learned through florians videos. His examples are the kind that get beginners or even advanced students past complex hurdles. Both mentally and technically. Anyone who’s struggling in their classes is in the right place.

[@floriangadsby]

What a message! Thank you so much to you and your teacher, I'm lucky to have you all watching!

[@ingaashworth]

I love this style of video that showcases both your tremendous skill and the fact that things can go wrong at any level of proficiency and that you never stop learning and improving. It’s so encouraging for beginners like me - thank you Florian!

[@Poke_Gaming13]

True

[@gwingcommander]

I really love that you show both the mistakes and the successes. Makes the video so much more interesting to watch. Love your content man!

[@SydneyTravellersGuide]

that simple trick of removing misc clay from inside with the soft clay. Never thought of that! Nice!!

[@lheurebleue5025]

the fact that you show your mistakes it's so important. We love to see it. Thank you for foing that!

[@Alex_0Z]

i love your trimming style it makes each piece distinctly you!

[@revelcw]

Thanks for another amazing upload Florian! After not touching pottery for years, I've been getting back into it and watching your videos gives me so much inspiration.

[@tobiasrankin9606]

Thanks Florian for showing this in its entirety, as it helps to see how mistakes are corrected.

[@tessyoshida2003]

WHAT a legend ❤ So modest, uncomplicated and purposeful. Thanks so much for this amazing helpful legacy.

[@vanillavinepottery]

Truly a master at his craft. I can only dream of having these skills.

[@bobcalhoun3714]

Once again, I appreciate the issues that you run into and how you resolve them. Yesterday I trimmed right through the bottom of a pot that I wanted to keep, so I trimmed it down, rolled out a piece of clay on the slab roller and attached a new bottom to the pot. We'll see how that turns out?

[@dmitrykoltsov]

Just yesterday I posted on Instagram about failures. That they are fuel of our progress and the like. Geniuses are similar 😂

[@lpthomp1956]

Thank you, once again, for the detailed, articulate instructional video. Even through throwing more complex shapes, these tips help us beginners understand each aspect of the throwing process.

[@NateRidgway-gl5vq]

I agree when I go back to school I will be useing a lot of new ways of centering and a more careful throwing process

[@whisperingeaglelanders2339]

Your work is so perfect that it was a shock to see that bowl wobble 😮 I've done slab pottery and of course porcelain clay in molds but I have never made anything on a wheel. I love your videos❤ I love this bowl! I really like the turquoise color of your pots. You are an amazing artist!😊

[@xbaczewska4197]

Such a beautiful bowl. I could watch you wedge and center and cone forever. I love that you include and talk through those important steps every time, that we need to DO every time. And with those steps you have set us up to grok the more advanced moves that your videos encompass. As ever, so enjoyable and instructive.

[@paulinemegson8519]

I do love simple forms……that’s very satisfying to watch, Florian. Thank you

[@eleven3714]

“The beauty is in the details.” -Florian Gadsby, probably

[@amandabryan9386]

Good to know that those dreaded gouges in the feet (is it really plural in this case?!) of my pots is fixable. Thank you for sharing both the failure and the fix!

[@alexandraframe6493]

These videos are such a good learning experience for me. I learn new techniques, types of clay, it’s great.

[@AFIR3INSID3]

I'm new to throwing and my instructor has been showing us your videos... oh my gosh do I learn SO much here! Thank you.

[@milesch8847]

The most helpful video i could possibly ask for at this stage in my potter's journey. Thank you so much my friend! 🙏

[@Xoilen]

Learning to take failure as an opportunity to learn instead of simply getting angry at yourself or even worse, blaming something other than yourself. That’s one of the hardest lessons one can learn and a lot of people never do.

[@jackscourage]

trimming in layers is the best lesson I've gotten from your videos p. s. 12:50 felt that one in my heart sir.

[@millietansillmakes1953]

Thank you for another useful video! Sometimes I've got a thick foot to trim as well and knowing how to fix an accidental gouge will be great the next time it happens.

[@svinotha8052]

Yes,your videos were always inspiring and informative sir!! Thank you so much.

[@NateRidgway-gl5vq]

Thanks I've gotten into throwing larger pots so that I can come back to doing smaller pots with a bit more detail and I will be trying centering like you do and I was thinking about playing around with those little ridges you put on your pot also the taller feet seem a little harder but I want to try them great work and keep getting better

[@billmiller9145]

Wow, that foot repair was quite a process. Not for a beginner like me, amazing to watch nonetheless.

[@mireillepoirier414]

I learn so much from your videos. Thank you Florian.

[@beckireid4208]

you make this look so easy to do! Beautiful tutorial!🥰

[@Bomonga]

This video shows both failure and success

[@ixigraikzed87]

As always. Fascinating & so well narrated

[@tracy243]

Thank you for sharing how you fix certain mistakes/imperfections. It is very helpful especially as I am going through a bowl phase. 😂 Until next week. 👋

[@shawtravis7384]

Good job from a fine craftsman.

[@TheaMiaTh]

Hello Florian, I have started taking pottery lessons a month ago and I found your channel at the same time. I just wanted to thank you so much for these videos, I highly enjoy them and find them so useful to complete my lessons (which I take once a week). Yesterday I made my first bowl hihi. I dig too much and I'm afraid the bottom will collapse (or is it safe if my bowl made it while it's still wet ? idk) but it's by far the most symmetrical piece that I have ever made and I was really proud of myself. Also I couldn't agree more with the title of your video !!! Greetings from Paris :)

[@KieranShort]

Absolutely 100% correct!

[@BaseReality]

What are the chances of a swearing compilation? Maybe for April the 1st. Or are you able to refrain from swearing?

[@hankkingsley9183]

In the rocketry industry there is the term "failing upwards"

[@d4rkd0s]

I work with Earthenware clay, can you make some videos on that? I really find it tricky to apply your methods to my clay.

[@marianoarquesmengual1732]

You,re a human after all! ❤

[@proto204n4]

Mesmerizing as always

[@rockopaws1610]

Watching this after my ceramics class is making by back hurt again 😂

[@thegamer0946]

Florian do you ever have days where you can’t throw, and or struggle to throw? I ask becuase recently I have not been able to and generally I am a profound ceramicist but recently I have been struggling and it’s been annoying and I was wandering if you and or other potters have the same issues where there are on days and off days.

[@isaiahkepner8078]

If thats the case then I've certainly lesrned a lot wheel throwing 😂

[@braiansingh9730]

Oh well, didn't knew terracota is fired at lower temp i thought it was the exact opposite! Also, didn't knew theres a diference between earthenware and stoneware

[@Poke_Gaming13]

You are so skilled

[@ZAINABWASEEM_99]

Good job 💯👍👍👏

[@travisantoniello]

What would the glaze look like if you were to leave part of it coarsely trimmed, like at 10:00? Would love to see more of your experimentation videos!

[@AustinOrtiz-hs6fm]

your amazing at pottery

[@philphilphil]

Hi Florian, you’ve inspired me to take a pottery course. My question to you is do you ever listen to music while working?

[@carolynpearce4829]

Beautiful, as usual.

[@anceru5801]

very enjoyable

[@Claykingss]

this video usefull on the beginners sir

[@Raguthesnezeypup]

amazing

[@madisontaff7379]

What surface do you wedge on?

[@vyaspankajkumar]

What a classical

[@DrSunnyDays]

Mistakes are part of the experience

[@The_Weirdest_Guy2222]

The title of the video is true

[@ccdonuts]

I gotta say, when I went to subscribe to your channel, I was super confused. The dissonance between your subscriber count and view count is so odd, especially with the beautiful footage you take of your craft and show on your channel. The ASMR videos have great audio, the narration is even toned and calming... is there something I'm missing? Also, sidenote, 12:56? felt that sigh deep in my soul.

[@floriangadsby]

It’s because of KZbin Shorts! Videos that go viral draw in HUGE amounts of subscribers, but they don’t necessarily watch your long format content, that’s almost an entirely different audience altogether, and the two groups of subscribers get meshed together. Appreciate the kind words! 🙌🏻

[@vipersnek3141]

when parents walk in: 2:08

[@nehalnagib3783]

So try to learn 😂... and i will pray for you Alllll❤

[@Anika-Faystas]

This is a comment to raise the rating of the channel

[@donnadees1971]

I studied ceramics in school, I get scared as you take clay away.

[@Sina-kl7yj]

10:29 hahahahahah und ich dachte diese Linien wären aus versehen da und nicht mit Absicht

[@streetographer]

I should learn a lot because I fail a lot 😀

[@mothernature6973]

😮😮😮 👍👍👍👍

[@516throwapot]

that second pot was off center to start with my dude .

[@KviTka241]

Комментарий в поддержку канала

[@lovewillwinnn]

The best way to learn is not through failure, but warnings of others.

[@djlykaen]

Jeremiah Chapter 18

[@DoremiFasolatido1979]

Yeah...failure can be an important part of learning. About equally as important as the capacity to comprehend and predict. And it's only valuable if you're able to actually learn something from the failure. Sometimes, the only thing to learn is that the universe doesn't give a crap about what you want, and is going to do whatever it's going to do, regardless of anything you know or do yourself. On top of that, failure is never free of charge. Failure has a cost, failure has consequences, and sometimes (often) it costs more than someone can spare for it.

[@banzormcownage2437]

I love your videos but not seeing the finished product at the end is a bit disheartening. I can visualize based off your other work but just missing the cherry on top.

[@floriangadsby]

Well, it can’t always happen. Pots in the studio are always at some stage in the process, and whilst I do collect footage over time, not every film can be one that goes ‘from beginning to end’. Videos like that takes weeks/months to accumulate the footage and sometimes I don’t have time to create a film like that, with a narration, each week. You’ll see the bowl pop up in the future though! When it is finally glazed and fired, so not all is lost.

[@516throwapot]

AFTER 3 MINS , IF IT WONT GO BACK TO NORMAL , YOUR TRASH IT , START OVER END OF STORY,

[@normanzurich2781]

I marry you ❤❤❤

[@doltBmB]

a very dangerous myth, you learn the most through success. if you fail too much, you will become very good at failing, and you'll have to unlearn that to progress. failure always means you have to STOP right then and there and reconsider what you are doing, lest you learn something wrong.

[@ledbowman]

it's ugly

[@Misterblackcat]

You should look in the mirror, oh sorry it already broke from you

[@userzz563hV4k]

like your face