An overview on the steps required to make a piece of artwork on the potters wheel.
When one looks at an artist on the potter's wheel, they may think, "Wow. How
can I do that?" It's actually quite simple. There are 4 distinct steps to
throwing.
Centering
Opening
Pulling
Trimming
Step One: Centering
Centering the clay is one of the most important steps in throwing pottery. If
your clay is not centered when you begin to pull up the piece, it will be off
balance, and you will fight the clay the whole time. You will not win in a fight
with the clay. The clay will win everytime, and it will seem like it's laughing
at you.
Here is how to do it:
When centering clay it is important to use your whole body.
Get yourself seated in a comfortable position, so that your forearm can
press against your thighs.
Once your body position is set, place the clay in the center of the wheel.
You want the clay to stick to the wheel, so the best bet is to wet your
fingers and make a circle with an X in the middle of it with them.
Then, toss the clay onto that target with enough force that the clay sticks
to the wheel.
With the wheel spinning slowly, pat the ball of clay into a cone in the
center of the wheel.
Get the wheel spinning at a moderate to fast speed. Wet your hands and the
clay. Begin to force the clay in to the center.
The left elbow is pressed into the thigh. That way, the whole body is used
to push the clay.
Then, use your left hand as a guide and push the clay down with the right
hand.
Use both hands and your body to keep your arms from moving with the clay,
press the clay on both sides to force the clay upwards.After the clay is centered, you are ready to move on to step 2.
Step Two: Opening
Opening up the center of the clay can be a tricky task. If you do not manage
to keep your hands totally still, the hole in the center will wobble around,
even though the outside of the clay appears to still be centered.
Here is how to do it:
Cross your thumbs over the center of the clay. Gently press down with your
top hand, keeping your bottom hand completely free of wobbling.
It helps to hold your arms close to your side to avoid wobbling.
Make a cone-shaped hole all the way down until theres approximately a
quarter of an inch of clay between your finger and the bat.
Spread the bottom of the hole out by pulling with both hands to widen the
opening.
If water pools at the bottom of the hole, use a sponge to soak it
up.
The walls should be about ¾ of an inch thick, and the floor ¼ of an inch
thick on order to be able to pull up.
Step Three: Pulling
If centering and opening was done well, pulling the walls up will not be too
difficult. The speed of the wheel should be at a slow to medium-fast speed.
Pulling up the walls usually will take two or three pulls. Don't try to pull
it up in one pull.
Hand placement is the key to pulling up the walls.
The thumb is placed on the outside of the pot, with the fingers at the same
height as the thumb on the inside of the pot. The other hand is locked around
the first hand in order to keep it still.
Here is how to do it:
Pull the walls up by squeezing the clay and pulling up—all in one motion.
The speed at which you pull up will be affected by the speed of your wheel.
The faster the wheel is spinning the faster you can pull up. In the beginning it
is better to start slowly. Then, when you feel more comfortable, move onto a
faster speed.
Repeat the pulling process until you get the walls to the desired height and
thickness, which is usually about ¼ of an inch.
Once you reach your desired height and thickness, trim the base of with a
wooden tool that has been cut on a diagonal.
If necessary, use a needle tool to cut away and even the top.
By applying gentle pressure on the outside of the piece, you can narrow the
opening and create a jar-like shape. Inversely, placing your fingers on the
inside of the opening and gently pushing out will widen the mouth of the piece.
Be careful. Remember your piece is spinning and if you pull too far it may
fall.
Use a wire or fish line to cut the bottom before you set this aside to firm
up. When the water evaporates, the piece will shrink. The cut will allow the
bottom to shrink and keep the bottom from cracking.
After the piece is cut and shaped, let it set until it is leather hard. Then
you are ready to trim the base.
Step Four: Trimming
Trimming is a term for shaving clay at the base of a piece. Trimming works
best when the clay is leather hard. Trimming finishes the shape of the piece as
well as finishes the base to the correct thickness.
Here is how to do it:
Turn the piece to be trimming over. Be careful not to set it down too hard
and dent the top.
Spin the wheel slowly to make sure the piece is centered. If not, adjust
accordingly.
Place balls of clay around the top of the piece (the part connected to the
wheel) to hold it in place while you trim.
If the piece has a handle or something that obstructs your ability to flip
the pot over, use a post to elevate the piece from the inside.
With the wheel spinning, draw two lines with the needle tool as to where the
inside and outside of the foot will be.
Trim the inside of the base and outside of the foot to an appropriate
thickness.
A piece with too thick a base will feel heavy and odd to hold. Too thin of a
base will be too weak, and crack in the firing.
A good thickness is approximately 1/8 of an inch thick.
To measure thickness, tap gently on the base of the pot. If it is a light
sound, the base is thin and halt trimming. If the tap feels like you are hitting
a lot of clay, keep going.
Use a sponge and your finger to smooth the area that was trimmed.
Gently remove the pot from the wheel, making sure not to damage the top, and
place it to dry until bone dry to fire it.