Diana Brower

HOW TO...THROW POTS
ON THE POTTER'S WHEEL
I wanted to make a "HOW TO" poster for my Beginning Wheel Classes; so my husband took the below pictures for me one day as I was throwing in my studio.

These are the steps we learn to create a cylinder to shape mugs, vases, pitchers and bowls. Platters are thrown differently and beginners usually master cylinders before they tackle platters--but platters are really fun also!


Step 1: 
Wedge clay to remove air
 bubbles and to get clay in shape
 for throwing.  If you're making
 a set of mugs, for example,
 you wedge and then weigh
out your balls so that they
 all start out the same size.


Step 2: 
"Throw" ball of clay onto
dry bat.  Bats are great
because you can let your pot 
dry on the bat without
cutting it off the wheel
head when it's still wet. 
You just lift the bats
off the wheel!


Step 3: 
Get your hands and clay wet, turn wheel on and hold on!  Rest your elbows on your legs and be strong!  Don't let the clay move your hands and arms around! 


Step 4:
 "Cone up!"  This movement gets all the molecules moving together and it also helps to center it as you bring it back down.  I've pulled my hands away so you can see--but to cone up, squeeze your hands together and force the clay upwards.


Step 5:
  "Cone down"  As you're bringing the clay back down, you're basically centering as you go.  Note:  I'm left-handed, so my left hand is pushing down while my right holds the clay steady.  Righties should do the opposite (it's a question of strength).


Step 6: 
Center!  This is the most challenging step.  The purpose is to get the clay directly in the center of the bat so you can open it up without it flying off the bat!  Use left palm to push the clay forward as it comes around the bat; right hand keeps steady.  (Both handed people need to do it this way because of the direction that the wheel is turning).  Always keep both hands touching eachother for stability.


Step 7: 
Centered!  The only way to tell for certain is to spin the wheel and see if it wabbles side to side (it shouldn't!).


Step 8:
  "Drop A Hole" or "Dig a Well" depending upon which part of the country you learned to throw in!  It's fun to watch different potters throw because everyone adapts to their own style.  I've seen other potters use their thumbs to do this step.  Key is to go straight down and stop about 1/2" from the bottom (you can use left or right hand).


Step 9: 
View of hole when completed.



Step 10: 
Open Up Hole.  Use your strongest hand to pull the clay straight toward you, starting down near the floor (use sponge inside).  This is where you can really see that your clay is shaping into a cylinder!


Step 11:
  Action shot of opening
up hole!


Step 12:
  Compress your floor.  Use your sponge (w/ water) and go back and forth from the center to the 3:00 position and flatten the floor.  Beginners usually get "S" cracks in the floor because they don't spend enough time compressing them. 


Step 13:
  Lift your wall!  (Some people say "pull").  Don't forget to breathe!  My pottery teacher always laughed at us because we would get so nervous while lifting that we'd forget to breathe!  Add water before you start and keep your hands touching eachother while you lift for stability.  Go straight up!


Step 14:
  Lift from the bottom, straight up to the top--then start over.  This is in the middle of the 2nd lift.  Keep doing it until you get the desired height that you want and the walls are pretty even. 


Step 15:
 Here's a view after 2 full pulls.


Step 16:
  Optional--you can use a rib to straighten your walls if you like.  This action will also remove your throwing lines.


Step 17:
  Lift and shape!  Now the pot is the height that I'm looking for, so I'm lifting and pushing out from the inside to create a bowl.


Step 17, con't.  Still lifting and pushing out.   I'm pushing pretty hard from the inside.  See how the walls are getting thinner? 


Inside view of bowl after about 2 lifts while pushing.  Bowl is a "V" shape right now, but I want it to be rounded, so...


Step 18:
  Use rib on inside to round pot. 
Push gently!!


Step 19:
  Use a bit of shammy cloth to smooth the rim.


Step 20: 
Use a "J" stick to trim excess clay from your base.  Now you're done throwing!  Let dry slowly, trim again & cut off bat with wire tool, bisque fire, glaze, then high fire and you're done!  Thank you for joining me in my studio!