06x05 - Gargoyles and Chimney Pots

[bunniefuu]

This week our eight remaining
potters

face their most difficult challenge
yet,

as they get up close and personal
with creatures so ugly,

they could turn milk sour with just
a glance.

Honestly, these guys are so
grotesque

they could ward off evil spirits.

Just look there, see what I mean?

Oi! Charming.

No, not you 9W5!

I mean the gargoyles.

The potters are making gargoyles
this week.

Why do you think I'm on the roof?

To get a better signal?

Oh, yeah.

Four bars.

Welcome to the Great Pottery
Throw Down.

Last time...

You make me dance now.

...the potters faced the infamous
Raku...

I love Raku week!

The smoke, the fire.

...and a frilling and flamboyant
spot test.

Oh! Well, it's certainly more droopy
than flamboyant.

Whilst James took the hot spot...

Oh, James, that's great.

That's really great.

...Fabiola's hopes were
extinguished...

Fabiola.

It's OK.

...as she became the fourth person to
leave the pottery.

I'm gonna miss you so, so much.

This time

our potters hit the tiles

for a monstrous hand-build.

It's genuinely

disgusting and scary.

And now the gargoyle?

Hey!

And face a throw down on another
scale.

Oh, but it is a big boy.

The size of my head.

Who will be up there...

It's a really, really wonderful
piece.

...and who will come crashing down?

Babe, don't worry.

It's just a lump of clay.

It's the halfway point of the
competition

and for our eight remaining potters,

the challenges are about to reach
new heights.

Halfway there, I mean, it's only
week five

but it feels like a lot longer.

You know, in a good way.

Not in a, not in a bad, imprisoned
way.

Gargoyles, who would have thought?

It's really hard because

my style is not that at all.

It's very light-hearted and fun and,

and childlike.

Gargoyles, they're so hideous
because they scare away the demons,

so they need to be vicious.

I can't do it!

Good morning, potters, and welcome
back to the pottery.

The theme this week is Up On The
Roof i

because the judges would like you to
hand build

a mythical and fantastical gargoyle.

The gargoyles will sit upon an apex
ridge tile,

just like they would on a roof.

Now, you'll be building onto a
former

and your finished pieces will be
quite large.

So, your construction skills are
really gonna be under the spotlight.

These are once fired.

So, you won't have the usual range
of glazes to fall back on for decoration.

Give them character and expression
to really bring them to life.

OK then, potters, you've been given
three hours

to hand build your gargoyle and apex
roof tile

and your time starts

"Ow!

The potters have three hours

to make their roof tiles and
gargoyles.

Then, after they have dried to
leather-hard,

a further two and a half hours to
add the decorative detail,

that will bring their monstrous
creations

to life.

That seems like quite a long time to
make this,

but the time goes quickly in the
studio.

I'm feeling excited to be able to do
something that's technical in the base,

but the rest of it, once you get onto the
gargoyle should be a lot of fun. Should be.

Gargoyle. How difficult can it be?

So, week five - gargoyles.

We've gone a bit scary, haven't we?

We have. Do you feel like you're
being watched? Cos I do.

We're giving them the challenge of
making gargoyles on an apex tile...

Yeah. ..and it's a toughie this
week.

There's difficulties in making the
tile, alone.

There's gonna be a natural weak spot
right at the top,

so those joins in those slabs have
to be water tight...

Yeah. ..and then they're
constructing on top of that.

They've gotta really consider

the weight of their gargoyle.

You know, it doesn't wanna be too
heavy,

otherwise we're just gonna have a
flat tile.

But, we want them to really think
about the proportions, as well.

Everything about the way they look
is exaggerated,

from their eyes, their mouths, I
mean, if they've got wings.

They're all kind of bigger than you
might ordinarily expect

and that's because, usually, they're
at high level, they're on a roof,

so you're viewing them from a
distance.

We want something formidable.

I'm looking for character.

Absolutely, but the whole structure
is gonna be once fired,

our potters aren't decorating these

with glazes or colours or pigments.

So, that decoration really has to
come from those

surface textures...

This one, for example, has got all
of these lovely leaves applied

and when they catch the light they
give a real sense of depth to the surface.

This is gonna lay bare all of our
potters' skills.

They've really got to use those
beautiful textures,

lovely surfaces to enhance their
makes, cos that's all they've got.

They wanna be bold,

scary.

And fit for purpose.

I wanna be impressed.

The potters have been given sanded
terracotta clay.

Look at that.

It's a nice fake tan, innit?

Its distinctive red colour comes
from the addition of iron oxide.

Cor, this is evil stuff, you know.

We're two minutes in.

It's just, it's so messy.

I'm glad this isn't my equipment.

Traditionally used to make floor and
roof tiles,

it's strong and hard-wearing.

It's actually really nice clay,

it holds itself together quite well.

So, perfectly suited to building the
potters' formidable gargoyles

and the apex roof tiles they'll sit
upon.

I was gonna get the tile clone first
so I don't have to worry about that.

I get stressed out by everyone else
doing stuff.

I'm gonna go to my own pace today.

He says that. Give me ten minutes
till the end and I'll be

running around like a headless
chicken.

Hello, George. Hi. How are you?
Hello, George.

Hello. Tell us about your design.

Gargoyles are always, sort of, something of
the natural world that we've exaggerated,

so I went to think what's the most
terrifying thing of the natural world

and I think deep sea and I think the
Anglerfish just epitomises the deep sea.

It does. With that really
sinister... Light, yeah. ..light bulb

and its great big open jaws and its,
sort of, craggedy teeth all over the place.

Ancl how was your childhood? Fun,
yeah.

For his nightmarish Anglerfish,

George will replace the light bulb
with a bulging eyeball

and he'll cram over 50 razor-sharp
teeth

into the cavernous mouth

he'll carefully cut into the body of
his beast.

Well, as much as your animal, sort
of, defies its natural habitat,

the construction sounds like it's
gonna be defying physics.

Yeah. I mean, are there any elements
of this you find concerning?

Well, apart from the long arm coming
over the top.

Yeah. The giant mouth, the delicate
teeth, no, not really.

Apart from that, nothing!

I'm starting to relax now and just
have fun.

You're gonna go slower?

Right, how am I gonna join this?

With their slabs rolled,

the potters can cut and join their
tiles to form the apex.

So, I've made one ridge tile a
centimetre and a half bigger

and I'm gonna put just a coil along
there, so when it sits down

hopefully the coil will strengthen
that join.

And it's crucial their joins are
secure.

This tile will be the foundation
for the gargoyle.

Because you're gonna have that
weight sitting on the apex tile

you want to make sure that your tile
construction is really good,

because otherwise the weight will
cause, potentially,

the planks to sink in.

Cos they won't be fired with any
support underneath,

you'll literally just have your clay
holding that.

The drying room will also play an
important role,

helping to firm up the clay

while the potters make a start on
their gargoyle body parts.

I've got the arms,

the necks and the wings.

That will be the head of my fish.

James, however, is taking a bit of a
risk,

hoping to save himself some time.

I am doing what I probably shouldn't
do,

is I am building the gargoyle on the
top of these two tiles.

Scale-wise, I think there's not gonna
be that much weight on the top in the end,

if I can make it thin enough

and not too big.

James will model his fearsome dragon

emerging from the body of an ancient
stone monster,

but it appears he might have missed
something important.

Where are you gonna let the air
escape from the...

Thank you.

I am gonna cut bits in then. So, you hadn't really
thought about that. I hadn't thought about it at all.

Yeah, well. Obviously, the mouth is gonna be
open but I never thought about the rest of it.

What are you gonna call the dragon?

I've not, I've not thought, uh...

Ugh! That's the most important
thing. I know, I know.

As james's anonymous gargoyle starts
to take shape,

some potters are still wrestling
with their tiles.

Ah!

Let's leave that there, for a
minute.

Never mind, it's coming, it's
coming.

They're just too wet to join.

We're under time pressure, so it's
like,

"Yes, it's really nice to work with but could
you please hurry up and dry a little bit?"

Derek's tile will need to be solid
to support his gruesome gargoyle,

complete with forked tongue,

bat-like wings, a long scaly tail

and thin insect-like legs.

I notice you've got lots of delicate
wingtips... Yeah.

...and tail tips and legs. There's things
like those legs are a problem, yeah.

It's that balance of making sure
it's scary and a wonderful thing,

but also that it's a technical
engineering feat.

It's genuinely

disgusting and scary.

That's... Well, we were asked to be
scary.

What would his face look like?

And now the gargoyle?

Hey!

Lois is also going for the fear
factor,

but with a feminine twist.

My design is based on a mermaid or,
like, a siren.

People think mermaid's are, like,

really nice and just, like, a thing
that little kids like and stuff.

So, I'm quite excited to make

a fearsome mermaid.

Lois's siren of the sea will be
ominously crouched astride her tile,

clutching a fish to represent the
tortured souls of sailors

she's lured to a watery grave.

Is there gonna be much texture
involved?

I've made some little stamps for her
scales,

I've clone, like, three different
sizes. Oh!

Oh, fantastic. So, that'll be all
over her skin.

The ridge tile's based on a book

because I felt like she's come out
of this book.

It's like it might have been left at
the bottom of the ocean, you know,

and all these barnacles and things
are sort of growing up from the book

and onto her arms and things like
that. OK.

It sounds great.

While Lois's siren celebrates
fearsome femininity...

This looks scary already, like,

just no head.

Hi. Hi, Helen. Hello.

Helen's gargoyle is most definitely
male.

He's a naked oboist.

Right.

Inspired by her oboe-playing past,

Helen's monstrous musician

features an ambitious amount of
sculpted detail,

including horrible horns, clawed
feet,

demonic eyes and scaly wings.

The wings are a little bit bigger
than they are on there,

cos I want it to be really imposing.

That's what I'm a bit worried about.

OK, yeah. They're quite susceptible
to warping, to cracking, to being...

Yeah. Course, yeah.

That's a nice bottom. Bit like mine,
actually, Siobhan.

Your oboe's the same as well, isn't
it?

Slightly less noisy.

I wish.

In contrast to Helen's complex
build,

Jon's is a lot less lab our
intensive.

This is easy, I could do more of
this.

He's just,

he's made a snaky gargoyle and he's
just clone it.

That's quite good fun, I've not used
an extruder before.

It's very efficient, I think it's a
good way of getting through,

getting through making things
relatively quickly.

Jon's evil serpent will slither
atop his roof tile,

which he'll make to look like an
ancient book of mythology

using some very modern tools.

I've got loads of 3D printed kit,
again.

Wow. Wey, yes!

3D printed my life away.

I've just got a 3D printer. So, what
software do you use to model that?

Oh, my God, pottery, pottery!

Sorry, sorry, sorry, we'll chat
later, Jon.

That's a very cute looking gargoyle,

what's his name? Cutie McCutie?

Syrilthe Snake, um...

instilling fear into the hearts of
anyone who hears the name.

Fear Syril!

I think, Jon, your main worry is
making it, Syril, look scary.

So, good luck with it all, yeah.
Thanks very much. Scary, Jon, scary.

I'll try, I'll try.

Potters, you're halfway
through, halfway through.

You're halfway through. I thought
you came to give me good news.

With the clock ticking, the potters
must ensure

all their key components are made

so that they can dry, ready for the
refine stage.

Fangs.

These are my legs.

They're not really structural,
because they're so thin.

But the problem with those is,
being very thin

there's a chance that they'll just
be very brittle.

Do you still play your oboe?

Since I've been potting

I haven't played so much. My God.

I was principal oboist in the
Bahamas Concert Orchestra.

What? I know, drop the mic.

But then I was the only oboist in
the Bahamas, so...

I want Lois to make my heads for me.

Look at that, it looks incredible,
dunnit?

So, is this the scariest thing you
could think of?

No, urn, I quite like, uh, dragons.

You big old nerd.

Jon!

Found another geek for you!

How rude!

Those evenings will fly by.

Sorry guys, there's two of them now.

Really need to get on with this.

I'm trying to do a bloomin' head,
but

it's just turning out like a
dinosaur.

And Rebecca has given herself double
the work,

a two-headed gargoyle based on the
classic theme of good versus evil.

Perched on a tile representing
heaven and hell.

I got the idea from aboriginal
mythology,

they're called rainbow serpents.

So, I've got the aggressor and then
one head that's the protector.

To kind of mirror us all.

What am I?

Just the annoying bit.

You know what? It looks quite
slug-like.

I love that. Maybe that'll just be
it, like, ah.

I have a, a bad looking slug

with a gargoyle head, at the moment.

I'm not too impressed.

In the Gothic tradition,

Caitlin's designed a formidable
gargoyle to protect against evil

and she's equipped him to fight on
land, sea and air.

Ancl does your gargoyle have a name?

It does, because we battle all the
different elements in Scotland,

it's gonna be called Gus.

Excellent. Sounds good. ls Gus a
Scottish name?

Well, I'm taking it short form
Angus.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Gus the Gargoyle.

Ah! Gus the Gargoyle.

It's almost like you cut off the
heads

and like, like garroted artery and,
like, it's pumping blood.

One hour left. Gee whiz.

The potters now face a race against
the clock,

to finish making every element
needed to construct their gargoyles.

I've not clone wings this big before.

Little wings aren't gonna cut it.

These tubes are just very hard to
work with, they're very thin.

They work great in straight lines,

but they're struggling when it comes
to bending.

I'm hoping that even though my
gargoyle looks like a slug,

when I get the arms on it will come
together beautifully.

This is really hard,

I didn't anticipate this phase to be
so hard, actually.

What kind of face is your gargoyle
gonna have?

Kind of like...

While most of the potters forge ahead with
the assembly of their creepy creations,

both Derek and George are yet to
begin.

These are my Anglerfish teeth.

I can feel it's silly, cos these are
delicate.

In a great big open hole, I mean
it's, I,

I, just feel this is the thing that
could go wrong.

I tried to put the body on.

No, too wet.

So, it's in the drying room.

I think what I might do is add tiles
to the entire roof,

rather than just carving them in.

Just to get a little bit of more
detail

and possibly a bit more structural
integrity.

He's, he's looking like a slug at
the moment.

What have you based Gus on?

The ugliest thing that my brain
could conjure up, facial-wise.

Keith?

These heads, these are the most
integral part of the build.

The body's a bit too big.

It's just a disaster, the whole
thing.

Look at that arse.

Oh! I think I went out with him.

Potters, you've half an hour left.

I'm gonna go to the drying room

and slap the wings on, cos I'm
realising I'm running out of time.

Yeah, I think it will work, I just
need to get a move on, really.

In this time that I've got
remaining, I need to finish

my arms and claws and, actually, my
tail.

The master of evil himself.

The other symbol of utter terror and
horror...

...a book. A book, yes, yes.

And what would be in the book? Evil?

How to write a really strongly worded
letter, that really causes deep down angst.

Well, that's not gonna happen, is
it?

It could do with being a little bit
bigger,

but if I put horns on and
everything, should be fine.

Oh, he's only got four fingers.

He's a Simpson.

One minute left, potters.

Oh, clear, his arm's dropped off.

Oh, my God, this weighs an absolute
tonne.

Are they the wings? They're the
wings,

they might get too hard if I leave
them in.

I'm not putting anything in the
drying room.

No, neither am I.

15 seconds.

Look as they scamper in fear and
terror.

Ah-ha-ha, Syril!

Five,

four,

three,

two,

one, that's it.

Potters, well done.

Have a break, potters dismissed.

It just looks like a slug.

But I know in the refine time,

it's gonna be head down,

gonna get all those details in

and it's gonna be smashing.

Overall, I think it went quite well.

She needs a face and a head and
that's make or break, I suppose.

She's gonna be frightful.

Well clone. I know, it was really
hard that.

I really struggled with trying to
make mine look evil.

Ancl looking round the room...

.
...never a good thing.

But I'm apprehensively positive,

going into the refine stage.

As the potters wait for their
gargoyles to dry

ahead of the refine stage,

they face a monstrous second
challenge.

That looks rather large, as well,
doesn't it?

There's a big lump under there, is
that the clay?

And, as usual, it's a mystery hiding
under Hessian.

Potters, welcome back to your second
challenge.

Now this week we're keeping with the
theme of On The Roof.

Oh! This week we are going to be
making...

Oh, no.

...a chimney pot.

Oh, yeah.

That looks pretty amazing.

And here to give us a demo from
William Blyth Tile Works,

is master potter, Gabriel Nichols.

Oh, I've seen Gabriel.

Hello. Hi. I've seen him.

Gabriel has attracted an avid online
following,

who delight in watching him create
chimneys and pots,

using the time-honoured and
traditional methods

the William Blyth works have been
using since 1840.

Oh, my God. Oh, clear. Bex!

This is about 30lbs of clay.

40 kilos.

The clay I'm using

is a wild clay.

It's as dug,

we don't clean it, this is as it
comes out the ground.

Occasionally, you'll get bits of
grit in

and the odd Viking's toenail.

Now, you need to give the clay a little bit
of a slap and tickle just to wake it up.

When you're centring and working
this clay,

bring it down, almost to the same
width as your Bat

and, because it's a chimney pot, you're
going straight down to the wheel head.

You know, there's no base on this

and then you start to collar up.

So, I tend to scoop the clay and
pull it up like that.

Keep your wheel fairly slow,

don't work too fast.

You saw the original chimney, it's
got a decoration,

which is formed out the rim.

So, you've gotta make sure that you
bring up enough clay,

so that you can form the decoration.

So, my thumb is going in there

and pulling a ribbon of clay down

and bring the top rim up and out a
little bit.

OK, so now

the decoration.

Oh, isn't that clever?

It's that part of the knuckle

and you're just rolling it.

And what would that design be
called?

So, in the South it would've been a
rope twist

and in the North, cos we like our
pies, it would've been a pie crust.

Right, that's the pot finished

and then we do the, the moulding.

I'm just literally pressing the
clay into this mould.

Don't press too hard.

There's three of these, try and get
them equidistant,

but you've gotta do it all by eye.

Right, clone.

If you imagine, it's right upon the
roof,

so everything's almost gotta be
exaggerated.

It doesn't wanna be subtle.

You want the rim to be a good strong
rim,

you want straightness,

you wanna boss this clay, you've
gotta really push it and work it.

OK, thank you.

Keith, Rich and Gabriel, I'm gonna
send you off,

because this is going to be judged
blind.

So, we'll see you later on.

Potters, back to your benches.

You have been given 30 minutes

to make and decorate your chimney
pot.

And your time starts...

...now. Remove the Hessian.

Oh, my God.

Three times bigger than I've ever
thrown before. Ah, I can't even pick it up.

We can only give it a go, can't we?

Uh!

This is like the size of my head.

I'm excited.

Look at that.

Oh! It's gonna be very formal, very
tidy.

No flamboyance.

Is it really heavy? I haven't
really...

...had a good go at it yet.

Oh, but it is a big boy.

Oh, all right, I'll leave you
grunting.

You're doing great.

I think.

It's a bit gritty,

but it's quite nice. What could go
wrong?

The Bat's not on.

I'm already tired.

My arms are already aching.

Bugger it, let's use the other one.

Good to get height, but it will get
more

comments for being decorated.

Oh! Oh!

I keep forgetting to breathe.

Will you die doing this?

Well, hopefully I'll pass out onto
the clay, so

that'll soften the blow as I go
unconscious.

Oh, definitely found some of those
Viking's toenails.

Oh, gosh, it's huge.

It's lovely clay.

It smells a bit.

Mm, clay does. Yeah.

It smells really earthy.

Does it smell? No.

You've got the good clay then? Yeah.

I need to try and get it up, should
we try and go in?

He used his thumb, so I'm gonna try
that.

I'm putting all my weight into it
and it's not opening.

How'd you get your thumbs in, they
only go that much?

You have to more like get your
whole arm in there.

OK, I've got the wheel head.

It's like a flipping car tyre, it's
huge.

Arghg

Oh!

Potters, you're halfway
through.

Halfway through.

I'm getting a bit of height now,
aren't I? Now I'm back in the room.

Hello, Siobhan. Oh, hey, hey.

N ice, calm, neat.

Could you pretend to be chaotic?

I don't wanna ruin it.

Maybe just facially?

Uh...

I don't wanna touch it! I don't...

That's all my strength!

It's not even fully down.

How did he get this up?

All the hard work to date could be
lost if you make a mistake now.

Just going around in circles.

I don't want it to go out.

There we go, that's better.

Doing quite well before, but it's
really starting to,

starting to go.

Ah, no..

What, what's the time?

So, you've ten minutes left.

Ten minutes left.

Oh, bugger!

Well, I've got some height, I'm
just trying to split the rim.

I've never split a rim like this
before.

We're gonna get that big accentuated
rim that he was talking about.

We love a rim.

Oh, James has finished.

Oh, bugger off, James.

I love you all.

It's a bit...

...flamboyant, isn't it? Yeah, it is.

It's sort of gone that way again,
hasn't it, I think

that's my excuse for gravity having
an effect.

You just can't help your
flamboyance.

Just trying to get another
little tiny bit of height out of it,

before I then decorate it.

I think it's time to knuckle it.

How did he do that pinch-y bit?

The crimping's quite different to
his.

Wasn't really sure of the movement.

My decoration.

Now I've just gotta tidy up the pot
and

make it look nice.

That's a delicate one, isn't it?

Never mind.

I've still gotta do the roses,
actually.

Oh, there's a lot to do in this.

God!

I don't even know, like, I can't
even get the Bat off.

There's nothing to get the...

I can feel the tears again.

Can't get it off.

Don't worry, Bex.

Potters, you're on the
last minute now.

Last minute.

Gosh, my walls are really thick.

I'm, I don't quite look like his,
but they look like something

and they look consistent.

Is it level? I think I'm going lower
down each time, but hey h*...

I will never look at a chimney in
the same way again.

Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five,

four, three, two,

one, potters, finito.

Put down the clay.

I think you can buy chimneys, can't
you?

Babe, don't worry, it's
just a lump of clay.

Honestly.

Ancl your gargoyle's gonna be
amazing.

OK, if you could bring up your
chimney pots

to you corresponding ware board.

Why did you put us at the back?

Oh, I'm good to go, just go.

Oh! Oh!

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Gabriel will now blind judge the
chimney pots.

He's looking for clean, straight
sides,

good solid rims,

with nicely defined and proportioned
decoration.

Some amazing chimney pots.

Nice flower pot.

Love it!

Listen, Gabriel's been doing this
for 40 years.

You just merely having a go is just
fantastic.

You're an inspiration, really.

Shall we start at this end? Yeah.

Decoration hasn't quite worked, a
bit over-worked in a sense.

Looks kind of more upright than
the... Yeah.

Yeah, you haven't really got the
motion

of pulling it through.

The mouldings are all right. Could do
with a bit more definition there. Yeah.

Someone obviously really struggled with
that. Yeah, I mean it's a heavy weight.

Even for a normal apprentice, you wouldn't be
approaching this weight for at least five years.

It looked like it was going in the
right direction.

The width was right

and, in fact, the distribution of
clay is right.

You just have to get that second
pull.

That weight of clay will naturally
want to spin out

and you've gotta keep it in.

This one's good, it's a bit heavy

but that's OK.

Ancl the mouldings are quite good.

Your decoration, it's quite uniform.

Good strong rim, isn't it, on that
one? Very strong rim.

That's a, that's a nice rim.

That does resemble a chimney pot.

OK. Excellent flower pot.

I suppose that's a good example of

losing that control of the speed of
the wheel.

Yeah, so there you can obviously see

the weight of the clay and it's
started to spin out

and they haven't been able to, sort
of, pull it back in again.

Good decoration,

just needs to be a bit closer
together.

The rim, it's a little bit
peely-wally -

that's weak.

And, again, the decoration -

it's gone a bit too thin and then
when you folded it, it's torn.

Quite a nice, straight-sided form...
Yeah, no, it's a good pot.

Moving on. Superb.

Even decoration.

It's very well thrown, really, isn't
it? It is.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The moulding's
better than my one, I think.

It's a really well made pot.

The width has stopped you bringing
and gathering the clay in to form that rim.

So, you haven't really got much of a
rim.

Decoration's good.

Bit heavy, just needs a bit more,
sort of, being a bit tidier,

but no, it's a good pot.

I like this, I quite like the rim.

I was just gonna say that, I quite
like the flare on that. Yes.

Not what we asked for, but I like
it.

I think I might have to copy that
bit.

Ancl it works quite well with the
decoration.

So, yeah, I mean overall, I'm well
impressed.

Now, Gabriel, Keith and Rich will
rank the potters' chimneys

from bottom to top.

Gabriel, would you do the hon ours?

Well, number eight

is this one, who's number eight?

It's actually, it's quite a well
made pot.

Certainly managed to pull up, to
some degree,

you can see the height there.

Number seven. Jon.

A brilliant pot, just not a chimney
pot.

Would you say it's flamboyant?

It is quite flamboyant, yeah, yeah.

You know, it's good, you've
controlled the clay to some degree,

just not in the right way that we
wanted you to.

In sixth place it's Derek.

Fifth place it's Lois.

In fourth, Helen

and third Caitlin.

Number two,

the one that I'm gonna copy. George.

I like that. It's not what we
requested but

because it's so nice, we'll let you
by on that one.

Ancl the decoration, it's very bold.
That's a decent chimney pot.

And then number one.

James.

Almost perfect.

Very good decoration.

The moulding's good, decent rim,

it's a straight pot, you know, that
looks like a chimney pot.

Congratulations, James, you're Top
of the Pots.

Bloody, James.

Trouble is

we'd hate him, but he's such a nice guy

He's lovely.

He was very complimentary about my
rim.

That's an hon our that someone who's
clone it forty years

wants to copy my rim, so that's,
that's really sweet.

It has put me in a vulnerable spot,
but,

I feel like I'm growing.

So, even if it means crying through
it all,

I am still learning.

Let's hope the gargoyle is still
intact...

...or else there'll be more Timmy
Tears coming along.

With chimney making behind them,

the potters are now back to their
now leather-hard gargoyles...

Are they supposed to weigh this
much?

...which they have to finish
assembling and decorating.

I've got lots of bits.

It's gonna need
quite a lot of putting together.

The more time you spend putting together, the
less time you spend doing that lovely detail.

I think he will end up not looking
quite as evil as maybe the, the aim was.

So, I think I'll try and get that a
bit more, sort of, scary looking, so...

Yeah, I'll do what I can in that
time.

It's not coming off, is it?

I'm really hoping my little oboist

will come to life, but in a really
nasty way.

Welcome back, potters.

Your gargoyles and apex roof tiles
have been drying

and are now leather-hard and ready
to be decorated.

This is where you create all that
intricate carving and surface detail

that we've asked you for.

But be careful,

because at this stage any mishaps
can't always be easily undone.

So, take your time and think
precision and perfection.

You only have two and a half hours
to refine and decorate your pieces.

Your time starts

HOW.

My to-do list is get all the bits
on,

decorate the body

and then decorate the tile.

Looks like a cow, doesn't it?

From this angle.

A large mythical cow.

I'm just texturing these wings.

I really wanted to go dramatic, so,

just tried the extra large.

That's what I'm worried about, these
are so heavy

that they might pull off the back
of the gargoyle.

James has also made a start on the
scales of his dragon,

emerging from stone.

I'm gonna get all the texture on first. I'm
tearing the bits of clay and sticking them on.

But once I've done this,

I'll feel better,

cos it'll feel like it's starting to
come alive.

I do realise there's no face.

I'll worry about the face
afterwards.

Before George can breathe life into
his Anglerfish,

there's the small matter of
assembly.

Some people have already got things
that look like gargoyles.

I've got to put my whole gargoyle
together.

Haven't even thought about all the teeth I
need to put in, how long that's gonna take.

It'll all come together.

Ancl stress is a great motivator,
when it comes down to it.

So, I need to just refine this boy.

I'll try not to break anything.

I've got a tray of bits, that appear
to be

coming together as a thing.

Derek also has some way to go in
creating his nightmarish gargoyle.

I'm concentrating on scary, cos
that's,

that's my thing.

I'm not sure about his legs, I need
to refine these a bit.

The judges are looking for imposing
and frightening forms...

It's got a vicious looking face on
it now, so I'm quite...

The eyes look quite scary.

...with plenty of character and
detail.

She's coming to life now and she's
looking scary.

Any detail that we want to show,

we've really gotta get that in now,
so,

it's just going as fast as I can, I
think.

I've really enjoyed, lately, trying
to get better at

getting effect and creating things
with as little

touching of the clay as I can.

To see it all coming together is
really, really nice.

Can see that it's getting some texture
and there's actually a gargoyle here now.

While Lois's siren takes shape,

Gus has some identity issues to
resolve.

I wish my gargoyle didn't look like
a slug.

This is what I'm really worried about,
so because there's no decoration,

there's literally nowhere to hide.

What you see right now is what
you're gonna get if I don't get a move on

and get it looking good.

Hopefully, once we've got the wings
on then he goes from slug to gargoyle.

These faces need a bit of refining.

It's just balancing how much time
you're spending on every element.

Because I don't wanna spend too much
time, but the faces are crucial.

I mean, it just looks rubbish,
dunnit?

How're you getting on, George? All
right, um,

it's, uh... It's on. It's on.

Ancl it's got one big hole in,

um... OK, OK.

You've got quite a lot of appendages
here.

I've got a lot to get on before I
start... You've got a lot do, haven't you?

Yeah. ..refining and... Being a
dentist, as well.

Yeah. Wow. It's a bit, sort of, grouper-y
at the moment, without any teeth.

And those eyes are gonna go here.

Isn't it incredible, though, how
expressive clay can be?

Yeah. You know you just put a little
indentation in there

and then all of a sudden you've... That's why
modelling's brilliant, because it's just...

Yeah, it's lovely, and it's
immediate, isn't it? Yeah.

Well, look, I mean, you loved last
week,

you're loving this week.

Uh, well... I'm loving you loving
it.

One hour left potters,

one hour left.

He looks like a little cherub angel.

Aw!

Put the wings on and he transformed
from a slug into a gargoyle.

He's just a caterpillar evolving
into his butterfly.

I'm so emotional.

This bit and that's me done,

that's it, done.

Way'!

How can I make it look scary, like
that?

Don't have his whole eye open, like,

you want to see, like, a half
semi-circle.

Yeah, yeah!

She's good, isn't she?

He looks a bit like...

Don't you think?

Hello, James. Hi, Rich, how are you?

I'm all right. More to the point,
how are you? I'm, yeah, all right.

I would've liked it to be a little
bigger, maybe, but...

Yeah, I was gonna say, you happy
with

how the proportions are all coming
together?

At one minute, at first I was gonna
have it coming out more.

Well, hopefully, you know, you can
build some terror into that

small but perfectly formed face.
Yeah, exactly.

You want to be scared by those
little features, James.

At the start I think I hid it well,

but I was a little bit doubtful

as to whether Syril would instil
fear. Win the fear.

But actually he looks quite
ferocious now.

Are these the things that made all
the nice things? Yes.

Yeah, the texture comes out quite
well from that.

Oh, that's cool.

That is cool. Thank you. Bye-bye,
Syril.

Bye.

Yeah, that one
didn't sound very good, did it?

Right, I'm happy with those.

I just need to stick them on.

Oh...

I can't do the scary faces.

Trying to make facial
expressions with a dragon

I don't think would be easy to do,
so I'm knocking that on the head.

It's gonna be lots of teeth.

More of a science-fiction feel to
it, possibly?

I don't know!

Still the teeth are out of the
mouth.

It's the old haste and speed thing,
isn't it? Yeah.

See, that's your problem, George,
you're always rushing.

What, is that a crack?

I think it is a crack.

You really have got to make just
quick fire decisions.

Well clone, Bex.

It's looking great.

Come on, we can do this.

Got some grotesque gargoyles on the
go.

Look at Derek's. Yeah.

I'm doing me legs, I mean they look
ridiculous, but

creepy and that's the plan.

Well, what I think will happen is
those legs will dry very quickly

and that apex tile and the body will
dry far more slowly. That's right.

It could have broken legs.

Come on, you bugger.

James's gargoyle is looking great.

Wha...?

What is this?

Nightmares.

I just wonder if it's a bit too
small?

Helen's is looking great.

The moment she put those wings on...

Yeah. ..it really, sort of, came to
life.

Bit susceptible to cracking, maybe?

Hello, Eve, good Lord almighty!

Lois is looking good.

Oh!

The proportions look like they're
working well.

Oh, no!

I've never done this before, not on
this scale.

Dipping the ends of each tooth into
slip

and just hoping that a double slip
will old them all in place.

I mean, George has got so much going
on there.

George's mouth is quite clever

because it's kind of still got
structure with the teeth

and it lets all the air in and out.
Exactly.

I'm a bit concerned about, Rebecca's
proportions are overall quite small.

I don't think it looks as scary as
everybody else's.

Potters, you've ten
minutes left.

Time is of the essence.

I'm really pleased with how these
little stamps I've made are working.

It's a barnacle.

Wow, look at those teeth.

If I get time, I'll do a similar
effect on the ridge tile,

just to try and link the gargoyle to
the ridge tile a little bit more.

Oh, should I give him a scar down
his eye?

Everybody's doing amazing things.

See, I've only just lifted my head
and it's like, oh...

...sorry!

Potters, one and a half
minutes left.

I can't be upset with that.

Start putting your gargoyles into
the drying room, please.

Oh, wow, George.

Six. I can do it, I can do it.

Five.

Four.

Thought it was gonna fit. Here you
go. Thanks.

OK, come on. Three.

Run, Forrest, run! Two.

One, well done.

Well done, what a day. You've done
really, really well.

Potters dismissed.

Mine looks like me, doesn't she?

So, I focussed on the scary, so if
he comes through,

I hope his scariness will

see me through.

Gus, hang in there, you've got this.

I've got this.

And we'll be back after the firing
so, yeah.

It's judgement day...

Are we ready? Yeah.

...and the potters are about to
discover

if their gargoyles have survived
their 24-hour firing.

He's great. Oh, brilliant. Yes!

Oh, man. Look at that! Yeah!

Lois... Oh, God...

Yes!

It's all, it's all kept together.

Quite a big crack at the back.

But everyone's got a big crack at
the back, haven't they?

The potters now have 30 minutes to
prepare their beasts for judging.

It's come out nicely.

It has come out with cracks,
everybody's' come out with cracks.

There's a few stress cracks.

A bit of his tail's come off

and one of his legs is broken.

They've been given black wash to
create the lived-in look

you'd expect from a centuries-old
gargoyle.

So, it's basically like a stain.

It makes it look, sort of, old and
weathered.

Looking like it has been up there
for a couple hundred years at least.

Oh, my God, it's really black.

It'll just, sort of, sit in all the
crevices,

so when you sponge it back it will
just enhance all those surface details.

I kinda want to just give him a
shower, to be honest.

Trying not to get it on too thickly.

But I'm going to just sponge lightly
at the front,

because I don't really wanna knock
any teeth out.

Just trying to make sure I get
enough

black into all the barnacle areas.

There's a creature coming out of a
stone gargoyle,

so if I can wipe off as much as
possible off the bottom

and keep this creature quite dark,
hopefully you'll be able to see that.

It was really hard to get the teeth clone, I
had to shake into the mouth, kind of thing.

OK, I'm clone.

He's a good boy, aren't you? Good
boy!

Done as much as I can, I think, now,
so it's down to what the judges feel.

By no means am I safe,

but I'm pleased with what I've made.

That's all the potters can do.

Now, their gargoyles must face the
evil eye of the judges.

Caitlin, would you please bring your
gargoyle up to be judged.

All right wee man?

Caitlin.

Your attention to detail is just
absolutely brilliant.

We've seen your modelling skills
before.

They're fantastic.

The face itself

is just amazing, I just love that
scan

I just love that scar across his
eye.

It just really, sort of, brings the
whole thing

extra character.

The ridge tile has spread

ever so slightly, that must be under
the weight.

But I really love it.

The level of detail you've managed
to build into it

is incredible.

There's just loads to see.

How did you feel about making it?

We had some ups and downs, me and
Gus.

I thought it looked a lot like a
slug for a long time

and then I started adding bits to it
and it sort of brought together.

It's just a really, really nicely
considered piece.

Lovely.

Thank you very much. Well done,
thank you. Thank you.

The gargoyle itself is wonderfully
constructed.

I love what you've clone down here
on the tile itself.

It's just really, really wonderfully
ex*cuted.

All of the detail you've managed to
put in is great.

It's the pellets, the little pellets
of clay that you've smeared on.

It's genius, what a fantastic way of creating,
kind of, a really beautifully rich surface

that feels like a scale.

It would've been nice to have seen
it slightly larger. Yep.

More of a statement piece.

I know you had some

issues with the head.

You remodel led the head, didn't you? Yeah,
I didn't know how to make it look scary,

so I just scrapped it completely and tried
to produce something a bit more freaky.

Certainly clone that.

Quite scary.

That's come from your imagination,
which is...

...quite something really there,
James.

He does look pretty terrifying.

You've got some real movement and
some real depth in that face.

It's really quite demonic,

which is fantastic and that black pigment
has only accentuated all that mark-making.

I love the energy that you've
managed to put into the wings,

the scoring and the line-work you've
put up the back

is absolutely beautiful.

It makes them really feel like they're
being extended, almost ready for flight.

I'm amazed that the wings stayed on,

that's what I was really worried
about.

I think you've been very brave

to, kind of, create such fine detail
and fine elements in something that's

still, as an object, quite big and
quite bold.

What I love most is

the way you've treated the clay,

because, actually, the way the, sort
of, sausage has started to deform,

that tube that you've made has just
given way and started to move.

It really feels like a snake leaving
the ground... It's got, like, shape now.

...it feels really true and really
accurate.

It just looks really effective.

I love the 3D printed roller, I
think that's where...

Course you do, Rich.

You know, we will have a chat about
the 3D printing later.

But I just think that's worked
beautifully well,

it's a really simple texture,

but you've applied it really, really
perfectly.

It's just lovely to see you, sort
of, coming into this, kind of,

"Oh, I have got an imagination

"and I can put it into clay."

It's incredible, you've managed to
get

a lot of energy in there.

A lot of life, a lot of definition on the
scales and on the actual apex tile itself.

The general construction

looks really, really good.

The scale of it, you would notice
that up on a roof.

Warding off evil spirits.

Well, warding off anyone, really.
Yeah. She's pretty scary.

I think because she's, sort of,
perched over

and she's, kind of, holding the
lower aspects of the tile,

it's kind of holding the structure
in, which is really wise.

I just have to admire the sheer
volume of work.

The surfaces, the texture that
you've created.

I love the little details, like the fact
that you've just hollowed out the eyes,

so they create this, sort of, dark
recess,

because it's really menacing

and it's just a great way to create
character and depth.

It's a really, really wonderful
piece.

It's a wonderful gargoyle.

I can't see any kind of apparent
cracks or breakages,

apart from the tail.

Thank you, Keith.

Perhaps, just the overall scale...

Yeah. ..is maybe lacking slightly.

Whether it would provide that imposing
silhouette up on the roof, I don't know... Yeah.

...whether you'd, kind of, lose some
of the detail.

Yeah, the scale, but I just love
this as a sculptural piece.

I mean just as a general question -

have you learnt much about yourself?

Gosh, yeah. I've learnt that putting my
personality into my pieces is, actually,

everything.

Don't hold back, Rebecca.

Never hold back on your,

your character, cos it's fantastic,

it's really, really wonderful. Thank
you.

Thank you very much. Yeah.

It's certainly substantial, Derek.
Yeah.

Ancl it's pretty scary, I would say.

It's completely bonkers.

I was nervous

about the legs and how thin and how
fine they were.

There's a few snaps.

You have got a few stress problems
here with the legs.

If you were to do it again maybe, possibly,
you'd make those legs slightly thicker.

They do look as though they've just
been, sort of, stuck on there.

Some bits are very obviously not as
good as others.

But, I love the roof tile details.

That has just added so much, it
really plants it on the ridge tile,

which is really quite lovely.

Ancl what it does is it adds to the
story.

You can see that the gargoyle is
landed and perched on that roof

and it's broken those roof tiles and
it's looking down into your bedroom,

um, when you were a kid.

Ancl there is a real energy to it

and it's big and imposing.

You surprise me every week.

My God, this is... it's fantastic,
George.

It's absolutely wonderful.

The concept is fantastic

and the execution isn't half bad
either.

It's wonderfully expressive.

The texture you've used on the fish
itself

just really, really comes to life and these wing
like, sort of, fins that you've got on the side

hold the whole structure in place.

It's incredibly imposing

and to get all those teeth on there,

just show real tenacity and real,
sort of, well, sheer hard work.

Did you run out of time for the
tile, or...

Yeah. Yeah. It's a bit of a shame, but...
Was those teeth that did it. Yeah, that's it.

Meticulously sticking in tooth after
tooth. I was having too much fun.

Yeah, that tile is a little on the
plain side,

but my God have you made up for it
in the fish itself.

Brilliant. Thank you. Well clone,
George, thanks.

It's amazing what you achieve with

some determination, to do justice to
some of these wicked animals.

I've actually had really good fun.

A gargoyle needs to be scary,

so I didn't hit the brief in that
respect.

There were a few negatives.

My legs snapped-

But I would be hopeful I've clone
enough to stay in.

I mean, if I'm going, which I think
I am,

um, I'm going on a high,

um, and that's,

that's enough for me.

It was fun, it was fun, wasn't it?

It was fun, it was the funniest one.

Yeah. It was really fun. It was,
wasn't it?

Definitely the funniest thing we've
clone.

We're halfway through already, can
you believe it?

And we're up on the roof with
gargoyles and chimney pots.

Whose gargoyles really spoke to you
today?

Well, Lois's.

I mean that was incredible.

Crikey!

It just had such energy, such life.

She just treated every single
surface

and the quality of the build,
overall, was just really on point.

Another one, though, was George.

All that expression... Yes.
..within that fish

and that demon, sort of, eye coming
forward.

But why didn't he decorate the tile?

And Caitlin? I think her gargoyle
showed a real confidence in the making.

The apex tile had spread a little
bit

because of the, kind of, lopsided
nature of the build

but that's a fairly minor thing, it
was all well put together.

Caitlin does seem to be coming
really into her own,

she seems to be really relaxing into
her own talent.

Who do you think

could be in trouble?

Well, Rebecca. The overall proportions of
the tile to the body of the gargoyle... Yeah.

...weren't quite there. Yeah.

I mean, she came eighth in the
second challenge.

Yeah. It, it wasn't a great second
challenge for her.

Who else do you think may be further
down the list?

Derek's was scary

and it was imposing.

It just lacked that technical skill

of actually understanding what the
clay is gonna be doing when it dries out.

Sounds like you have a difficult
decision to make,

I will go and have a cuppa tea

and see you out on the tiles, huh?

He-he. On the, on the roof tiles?

I'll see you up on the roof,

where there are tiles...

Well done, potters, on another
fantastic week.

And thank you for showing us what

dark and twisted people you are.

After a long deliberation

the judges have come to a decision.

This week's Potter of the Week is...

...Lois.

Well done. Well done.

Well clone.

Really well done.

Thank you. Thanks, guys.

And now the really awful bit.

Unfortunately, we have to send
somebody from the pottery today.

The person who will be leaving us
is...

...Rebecca.

I'm so sorry Rebecca. Oh, why?

I knew, it's OK.

I think that second challenge
probably had me

for the chopping block, because it,
it was

the second time where I was bottom.

I've, it's just been the most
incredible journey

and friends for life.

Oh. Aw.

But also I just think there's a
natural

end to people's competition.

To get to week five is just
incredible.

It really is.

I've loved what you've made, it's
been wonderful to see, it really has.

Because clay is amazing and art is
amazing.

So, pick it up and have a go.

Thank you.

Well clone. Thank you. Well clone.

Fantastic, brilliant.

It's actually really difficult to
see her go, um...

She's been so supportive.

She was there, she was like my wee
mum.

It's all right!

Yeah, I couldn't be prouder of her,

but I'm gonna miss her so much.

Potter of the Week.

Great, but

me and Beck have made really good friends
so I'm really, really sad that she's going.

So, as Rebecca says goodbye to the
pottery,

Lois's gargoyle takes its hard-earned
position in the Throw Down Gallery.

I can't believe that I got Potter of
the Week again,

my family are gonna be really happy.

My son said to me, "Yeah, I think if
you apply for the Throw Down,

"you'll probably get to, like,
episode five?"

So, I've got to episode six.

So, I've beaten his expectations.

Doing things I never would of.

Never. Maybe I should believe in
myself.

Maybe, maybe I'm doing OK.

Next time... Oh!

...the potters tackle titanic table
lamps...

I'm just trying to wrestle it.

Oh, dear!

...and flex their decorative dexterity...

...with a Venetian inspired spot
test.

The only people who are gonna wear
these,

are going to dodgy sex parties.

Who will light up the pottery?

This is how you paint in a panic.
Ah!

And whose bulb is set to blow?

Oh!