Wheel-Thrown Pottery II: Intermediate Skill Builders

Explore intermediate wheel throwing tools, including half-thickness sponges for moisture and tactile control, wooden and metal ribs, calipers for lids, throwing sticks, and foam beds.

Learn basic rib techniques for wheel-thrown pottery, using wooden and metal ribs to compress walls, remove moisture, and shape surfaces for thinner, cleaner, more defined vessels.

Learn to make a foam bat from craft foam and an old bat, and use it to even rims on organic shapes and ease trimming on the wheel.

Master foam bat trimming by centering with rings, using a Gatorade cap for downward pressure, and shaping with ribs to refine a smooth, undercut foot and organic bowl form.

Throw glaze test tiles to sample your glaze palette and test how thickness, application, and firing conditions affect adhesion, color, and the way glaze breaks on thrown vessels.

Learn spiral wedging for large clay batches by breaking clay into two sections and using down-and-away motions with two-color demonstrations to ensure fully homogenised, air-bubble-free clay ready for the wheel.

Learn coning on the wheel, or wheel wedging, to center large clay masses by sectioning the top, using natural body mass, and following the clay with controlled compression.

Learn to throw tall and short bottles on the wheel, using ribs and a throwing stick to shape, fine-tune surfaces, control wall thickness, and trim with a chuck.

learn how to trim leather-hard bottles with hard and soft chucks, centering, securing, and applying downward pressure to shape the exterior and refine the interior.

Explore the soft chuck technique to throw thick forms on the wheel, about one to one and a half inches thick, and practice centering, plastic barrier use, and lid fitting.

Learn to form an enclosed bottle with a rounded, tight top and thicker walls. Explore rib work, moisture removal, air pockets, vent holes, and trimming for a lid-ready vessel.

Explore pouring vessels, focusing on spout forming techniques—pulling, shaping, additive, and subtracting—along with lip configurations, flow control, and finishing the pitcher with balanced weight and a defined foot.

Explore four basic spout forming techniques in wheel-thrown pottery—shaping, spools, subtractive (attractive) process, and additive spouts—highlighting fluid flow, edge control, and unity of form.

Learn how to finish untrimmed pots by rounding the foot, smoothing edges, and tapping the base to create a slight concave bottom that resists wobble as the clay shrinks.

Learn to attach pulled and slab handles to thrown pitchers, align them at the center pivot for balance, and refine with scoring, slipping, and water.

Explore two basic lid types—inside flange and flange lids—and learn how a well-designed flange locks the lid to the body for a secure, wobble-free fit.

Learn to throw flat and knob-side lids for flange vessels, measure accurately, match thickness for a smooth transition, and avoid warping during cone 10 firing.

Learn to throw a rounded dome lid that counters warping by distributing weight and fits different sizes, then trim, refine the edge, attach a knob, and test fit with newspaper.

Throw lids with a flange, focusing on precise measurements and a dome-to-bowl transition, while exploring pulled and thrown handles for a unified form.

Learn to craft and fit flange lids for wheel-thrown forms, creating inside fits and subtle overhangs. Practice lifting outer walls, trimming, and checking fit to prevent warping.

Throw a lid upside down, shaping a precise internal flange and knob, then refine measurements and the inward flange to ensure a snug, slightly overhanging fit inside the jar.

Master lid construction by linking flange and dome to create large, overhung lids for decorative pieces and bottles, with precise inside measurements and clean finishing for a tight fit.

Refine wheel-thrown lids by shaping a flange that fits inside, ensuring the lip isn't too thin or sharp, and creating a tight, secure lid with inward flare and comfortable handles.

Throw an upside-down plate to create a flat top with feet for a sushi plate, then trim, smooth edges, and flip to finish with chopstick holders and wave texture details.

Create double-walled forms, including a donut and hollow ball, with overlapping seams to achieve thick, lightweight shapes and versatile uses like handles or decorative tops.

Throw a stemmed goblet using simple sectional technique in the upright position, then join a top cup to a stem for a clean, rounded bottom.

Trim the cup base to align with the stem, then join with scoring and slip for a solid, clean goblet. Use simple vertical sectionals and consider stem-off options.

Explore two simple sectional forms—a base cylinder and a neck cylinder—and learn to throw, seam, and attach to create a unified bottle with an open chamber and movement.

Learn to refine a large sectional base by removing excess clay while leather hard, and assemble top sections using a ring-on-ring connection for a strong finish.