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POTTER'S WHEEL BASICS



1. Establish optimal wheel speed before touching the clay. 




2. Apply water (and slip) without scooping big handfuls of water onto the clay. 




3. Touch the clay gently, press harder, and hold steady. 




4. Gradually release your hands before the clay gets dry. 




5. Repeat: check wheel speed. Apply water. Touch carefully. Press, hold, and then release gently. 





Learn to recognize when clay is "centered" or symmetrical.
 

While the wheel is spinning:
 
Observe the clay. Does it look steady or wobbly?


Place your hands on the clay and close your eyes. Centered clay feels steady. 


Hold out a tool or your finger and gradually touch the clay with it. Does it touch evenly?



 

Study, coordinate, and master the relationship between:
 
Wheel speed: how fast or slow the wheel spins

 
Hand speed: the pace at which your hands travel over the clay


Pressure: how firmly or gently you press on the clay








Copyright 2003 Cinda Mefferd