Throwing on the wheel: videos online

Peter Wang

Part 1, throwing a tall cylinder with a big lump of porcelain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMfFl4vMPR0

Part 2: making the tall cylinder into a vase form:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wmAd4ZemZY&feature=related

What I like about the above video is that the artist is willing to show you the problems that he has to solve. He almost loses the piece at one point. This video shows advanced technique, but you can recognize all the beginning steps I am teaching you.

Tony Ivie throws a basic bowl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OJyPjSn5Ow&feature=related

What I like about this one is that he starts with wedging. Note that he wets the bat down before he puts the ball of clay on it – this is because he is using a chipboard bat, which is too absorbent unless he wets first (otherwise his clay ball won't stick). With plastic bats, we don't have to worry about this.

This is a good one for when you feel frustrated:

“How to throw a pot in 15 seconds”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx1t5v66TSI

Hint: don't throw for longer than 40-50 minutes when you are learning something new. Stop after that and work on something else – handbuilding, glazing, etc.

Watch a folk potter in Greece throw a fairly complex, large vase quickly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMX9PXPtv1Q&feature=related

This potter has probably thrown the same form thousands of times over the years.

Cindy Clarke shows you how to wedge the clay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg2EPLNad_4

She shows you how to center a ball of clay approximately 2 lb. in weight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lnPOOfIJeM&feature=related

Andy Ruble's series of beginning throwing demos:

Centering:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutaeZPBoBI

Andy cones the clay up and down, then sinks a hole and opens it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bac2lc8DIWM&feature=related

Andy shows you how to collar the clay in (you don't need this to make a bowl, but it's useful for other shapes):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ6cfQI47Bs&feature=related

You can see additional steps in Andy's throwing method if you search his name in YouTube. The steps are a little different from the ones I teach, but the important things is to think in terms of steps while throwing. If you will do that, you can analyze where you are going wrong and fix it pretty quickly.

At a very relaxed pace, Simon Leach throws 3 bowls and starts another, in the duration of this 7-minute video. The stick coming in to the potter's left is a device to gauge size so that he can repeat the same height of bowl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TPLGFt7LIU&feature=related

Throwing multiples of the same type of form really does help you learn throwing techniques, as long as you keep analyzing the points where you need improvement. Making a few tries at throwing and then giving up is like making 3 shots at a basketball goal and then telling the coach you're no good at free throws. You have to practice – but keep your brain turned on.

Handles for mugs – Simon Leach shows you how to pull them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFYZwjXN1EI&feature=channel

Now Simon shows you how to attach the handles to the mugs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTkA9ohPKfU&feature=PlayList&p=68F54D537A116B57&playnext=1&index=33

I think Simon Leach's throwing videos are pretty helpful. If you like them, you can search for more of them on YouTube.