Once the bottom coils of the pot have stiffen enough to support the work, continue coiling the pot as desired. Additional spans can be created, as long as the clay below can support the weight as it is redistributed by the spans.
When the pot is completely built, cover it loosely with plastic and allow it to slowly dry completely. Once the pot is bone dry, it is ready to be bisqued. If your kiln controller has a "slow bisque" option, choose this. Because a pot with spans in it has more structural stress that a straight-sided pot, the slower the temperature gain in the bisque firing, the less likely it becomes that the pot will crack or break.
After the pot is bisqued, it can be decorated with underglazes and glazes. Fire the pot again to glaze maturity.
About our example pot:
Deep-Sea Vent
2009
Beth E Peterson
Mid-range stoneware clays with colored slips and clear glaze.