BACK TO BASICS – A RETURN TO THE CYLINDER

You will need:

■ Clay – earthenware or stoneware. Any colour, but white stoneware if you want to put a celadon-type glaze on the finished item

■ Tools for throwing – water bowl, sponge, cutting wire, rib

■ Glaze of choice to suit clay type

Before you begin:

We really are going right back to the basics here, including how to centre the clay for those of you who might have missed this before. For additional help visit claycraft.co.uk/how-to

The step-by-steps will show you the basics of throwing the cylinder first, then how to stylise the shape to make it more visually interesting.

Prepare your clay by kneading it thoroughly to de-air it.

GETTING STARTED – CENTERING THE CLAY

The wheel head must be clean, dust-free and moist for the clay to adhere. Wipe over the surface with a damp sponge – DO NOT use excessive water or the clay will slide off the wheel head as it gathers speed.

Using your thumb as shown, remove excess water from the wheel head.

The underside of the ball of clay should be perfectly convex to prevent air from being trapped as it’s placed on the wheel.

Position the ball of clay at the centre of the wheel then pat it down with the palm of your hand to fix it in place. Use the concentric lines on the wheel head to position the ball as centrally as possible.

Start the