Clay has been used since early times in order to create pottery vessels which can be used for practical reasons such as carrying water and storing food or for decorative use, vessels included storage jars, pots, and bowls and vase type containers.
Basic tools have been used since early production of pottery which in the main has stayed pretty much the same for centuries, hands being the most important tools of all. These tools include the potter's wheel and turntable (also known as the potters lathe) shaping tools, rolling tools, cutting, piercing and finishing tools.
Clay was primarily shaped and moulded by hand in order to create the required shape, once the shape was achieved the clay was then allowed to dry for a period before being heated to high temperatures within a kiln, the high temperatures induce changes in the status of the clay such as strength, hardening and setting of its shape.
The method of coiling was and still is used for making hollowed pottery such as jars and bowls; this method involves rolling lengths of clay which are roughly the desired thickness of the vessel being made. The length of clay is then placed in a circle or the shape which is required, layers are then built up and smoothed together for strength, often slip or slurry (a mixture of clay and water) are used in order to further smooth the creation of the vessel and also to fill in any small lines or hairline cracks which have not been sealed properly.
Another popular method of making pottery is the potter's wheel, it has many uses, the primary use of the potter's wheel is to create even pieces of pottery which are round at the base, becoming a cylindrical vessel, but they aren't used purely just to shape clay.
The potter's wheel has come on in leaps and bounds since its primitive beginnings, yet even with technology using a motor and electric foot pedal to work the wheel the principle still remains the same. The method of making or throwing a pot as they still remains the same too.
Firstly you will need clay, cutting tools, potters wheel and water as your ingredients for making the perfect piece of pottery, you will need to start with a piece of clay which is larger than you will need for your finished article. The clay has to be kneaded in order to eliminate as much air as possible and to evenly distribute moisture throughout the clay. After kneading it should be formed into a tight ball.
Now for the hard part, the clay ball then has to be centred on the potter's wheel and pressed down firmly to stay in place, you can now start your wheel turning. Use your hands to make your clay ball even, and then smoothly bring your hands up the clay to form a tip. Pressing your thumbs together gently press down on the tip to form a round again.
Once round apply a little more speed to your wheel keeping it at a constant rotation, curve your thumbs inwards to form a hole in the centre of the clay, keep working the hole to open it up, the sides should at this point still remain straight, this movement should be preformed until the bas of your pot is roughly around a quarter of an inch in thickness, providing a stable base for your pottery vessel.
Once these steps have been achieved you can start to create the shape of your pot, with one hand use a wet sponge to maintain the shape of the outside of the pot whilst the other hand presses gently on the inside of the pot gradually pulling up the sides from the base. Your pot should be worked in this method until the desired height or shape has been attained, always maintaining a suitable thickness to avoid breaking.
Once this is finished and the wheel has stopped turning, a length of wire of string should be used to release the pot base from the surface of the potter's wheel and your piece of pottery set aside to dry before firing.
It must be said that potting is a skill which has to be learnt. It is not something which simply flows and in the process of learning there will be many failed attempts which don't make the kiln. Do not be disheartened by this as practice makes perfect, you can simply pick up the clay, knead and reuse.
Other uses of the potter's wheel, once potting has been mastered include decoration, such as applying rings of colour to a pot or smoothing a dry pot prior to firing, removing tiny uneven particles from the surfaces of the pots.
Author Resource:-
Anna Stenning researches the art of making pots using a potters wheel, is it so difficult to turn a lump of clay into a beautiful piece of pottery
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