Potter technique: Throwing

The clay is wedged until the body is free of air. The clay ball is held within wet hands and the potter’s wheel runs at max. speed. At the bottom, the heels of the hands squeeze the lump strongly while at the top the crossed thumbs exert lighter pressure. Then the pressure of the thumbs is increased and at the same time that of the heels of the hands is reduced. This up- and- down movement continues until the lump becomes centred. Then the centre is opened up and the base widened.

The body is pulled upwards evenly from the base. The rim is held with the left hand. A cylinder appears, the rim of which is a tension ring which stabilizes the shape.

Now the cylinder is formed, it can be concave, convex or the rim is widened to make a bowl. For this purpose forming tools are used.