DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★
We’re throwing all parts for this teapot directly on the wheel head, and it’s a good exercise to practice lifting work off the wheel rather than throwing the parts on batts.
However, if you aren’t confident to do this, you can throw the parts on batts. If you don’t have a quick-fit batt mechanism for your wheel, instructions for throwing a pad for a batt can be found in issue 65, project 1.
Before you begin:
Some tips to get started
● Wear something short-sleeved when throwing to keep your hands and arms unhindered.
● As a beginner, you will find the whole process of centring much easier and far quicker if your clay is well-prepared. Knead the clay thoroughly to eliminate air bubbles and remove any unevenness that may be present. ‘Coning up’ is a process for doing this on the wheel and is practised by most experienced potters. It requires the clay to be centred first but can be bypassed in many cases if the clay is well prepared.
● Prepare several balls of clay – about 1kg (2lb) is a good starting weight.
SUITABLE CLAYS
For the beginner, the most important decision when choosing a throwing clay is that it has good plasticity (an ability to retain its shape when worked to produce a smooth and unbroken surface). Choose a smooth variety that is recommended as a good throwing body. Other vital decisions about clay will need to be made as you gain experience, but first, you need to practice.
As a beginner, you’ll find it easier to centre softer clay, but if it is too soft, it will struggle to hold its shape as the wall is pulled up in the process of throwing.
In contrast, if the clay is too hard, you will have to apply greater strength to centre and more pressure to shape the form, which can be disheartening and give a false sense of lack of ability.
It is generally considered best to begin with a softer clay to master the initial centering technique.
