Beginner Wheel Throwing with Marc Sauvage

Recommended for:For all beginners to wheel throwing. No experience is necessary.

Training objectives:

• Identify safety aspects of working with clay and around a pottery studio.
• Learn and practice the methods of:
• • Weighing and wedging clay in preparation for its use.
  • Applying the clay to the wheel.
  • Controlling the pottery wheel speed and positioning of the potters arms to facilitate throwing.
  • Centering the clay on the wheel.
  • Opening up the clay.
  • Pulling up the clay walls.
  • Shaping and refining the form with ribs, and other pottery tools.
  • Removing the form correctly from the wheel to conserve its shape.
  • Making a handle.
  • Making a lidded form (this will depend on student’s level of progression through the other stages).
  • Recognising the clay stage of ‘leatherhard’ ready for trimming the form.
  • Trimming techniques to finish off the form including making a ‘base foot’.
  • Recognising the importance of identifying your pottery form ready for firing.

It is expected that each student should be able to make at least one of: a cylinder shaped mug, a plate, a bowl and a lidded bowl by the end of this course.

Included in the workshop cost is one best piece from each category which will be bisque fired by the studio, then glazed in class by the student, before having its final glaze firing by the studio. If students would like additional pieces fired, normal firing costs will be incurred at SCart, or outside firing services can sourced by the student.