6 Week Throwing for Beginners
Course Overview:
Our 6-week Beginner’s Pottery Throwing Course is designed to introduce you to the fundamental techniques of creating pottery on the wheel. Each session builds upon the previous one, ensuring that by the end of the course, you have a solid foundation in the essentials of pottery throwing, trimming, and glazing.
All our classes are delivered by our trained Tutors. We have an incredibly high standard off teaching here at Cardiff Pottery Workshops.
Course Objective: Learn the essential skills of throwing a bowl and Mug, including glazing and surface application.
Key Skills:
Basic wheel setup and functionality.
Proper techniques for centering clay.
Opening the centered clay and forming your first simple bowl.
Hands-On Practice: Each student will practice centering and throwing small bowls, receiving personalized instructions and corrections.
Refining centering skills for better efficiency.
Techniques to achieve smoother walls and consistent shapes.
Creating larger bowls with even thickness.
Hands-On Practice: Students will improve their bowl-throwing skills, aiming for larger and more uniform pieces.
Identifying the right stage to begin trimming (leather-hard state).
Using different trimming tools effectively.
Creating foot rings and smoothing surfaces.
Hands-On Practice: Participants will trim their previously thrown bowls, learning how to enhance the final shapes and aesthetics.
Techniques for opening clay for cylindrical forms.
Pulling up walls to create taller and even cylindrical shapes.
Understanding the challenges unique to cylinders and their solutions.
Hands-On Practice: Students will throw several cylinder forms, focusing on height, straightness, and wall thickness keeping 2 to decorate.
Methods for pulling and attaching handles to mugs and jugs.
Refined trimming techniques to enhance foot rings and handles.
Aesthetic considerations for symmetry and balance.
Hands-On Practice
Basics of glazing (dipping, pouring).
Using underglazes to create designs and patterns.
Mastering sgraffito: carving through underglaze to reveal contrasting clay below.
Finishing and Glazing:
Students will glaze their fired pieces and experiment with sgraffito techniques to create unique designs, preparing their items for the final kiln firing.
Course Outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will have created a variety of bowls, cylinders, and handled pieces.
A foundational understanding of throwing, trimming, and glazing techniques.
Personalized feedback to help improve skills and build confidence.
A collection of finished, glazed pieces to take home and cherish. X 2 bowls x 2 Cups.
Materials Provided:
All clay, glazes and firings.
Pottery wheels with necessary accessories.
Trimming tools and basic glazes.
Underglazes and carving tools for sgraffito technique.
Additional Information:
- Suitable for complete beginners—no prior experience needed.
- Each class session is 2 hours long, with time allocated for instruction, demonstration, and hands-on practice.
Join our 6-week Beginner’s Pottery Throwing Course to embark on your creative journey and unlock the artist within you!
Cancellations need to be made one week before the course date. To then be able to reschedule.
Further Practice Throwing 4 Week Course (Intermediate)
Course Overview:
Join our 4 further practice Throwing Course to refine your skills, embrace new challenges, and take your pottery to the next level! Kelly has been both a BA in Craft and a MA in Ceramics she has 26 years experience of working with clay. She will Guide you week by week through your fdevelopment.Our Further Practice Pottery Throwing Course is designed for individuals with some prior experience in pottery who are eager to advance their skills. Over the next 4 weeks, we’ll delve deeper into challenging techniques, including throwing large bowls, throwing off the hump, throwing plates, and mastering trimming techniques. By the end of the course, students will have produced a collection of large bowls, small forms from hump throwing, plates, and finely trimmed pieces.
Enhanced understanding and confidence in advanced throwing techniques.
Skills improvement through hands-on practice and personalized feedback.
Prepared to tackle more complex projects and further their journey in pottery making.
Course Objective:
Over the 4 weeks, we’ll delve deeper into challenging techniques, including throwing large bowls, throwing off the hump, throwing plates, and mastering trimming techniques. By the end of the course, students will have produced a collection of large pots; bowl, small forms from hump throwing, plates, and finely trimmed pieces.
Key Skills:
Proper techniques for handling and centering large lumps of clay.
Gradual opening and shaping of wider forms.
Maintaining even wall thickness to ensure structural integrity.
Hands-On Practice**: Each student will be given ample practice time to throw several large bowls, receiving personalized feedback and tips for improvement
Centering a large hump of clay that can accommodate multiple pieces.
Techniques for throwing small bowls or tea cups quickly and efficiently.
Understanding and controlling the separation process of finished pieces.
Hands-On Practice: Students will practice throwing several small pieces off the hump, focusing on speed, consistency, and form.
Techniques for opening and widening clay to create plates.
Managing the distribution of clay for even thickness across the plate.
Troubleshooting common issues like warping and cracking.
Hands-On Practice: Each participant will throw various plate forms, learning to keep the surface smooth and edges uniform.
Understanding the timing of trimming - knowing when the clay is leather-hard and ready for trimming.
Using trimming tools to shape and define foot rings and correct uneven walls.
Techniques for adding decorative elements through trimming.
Hands-On Practice: Participants will trim several pieces, receiving guidance on how to achieve precise and professional results.
Finishing and Glazing:
Students will glaze their fired pieces ready for a glazing session/ an extra glaze session included in the course price will be arranged with Kelly at the end of the course.
Materials Provided:
All clay, glaze and firings.
Pottery wheels with necessary accessories
Trimming tools
Basic glazes (for pieces to be finished after the course)
Additional Information:
Suitable for intermediate potters with a basic understanding of throwing techniques.
Each class session is 2 hours long, with dedicated time for both instruction and practice.