As the Pottery Wheel Turns

As an amateur self-taught potter, I have thrown clay on many different types of pottery wheels. Before we talk specifics about the pottery wheel maybe a few definitions are in order.

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Pottery Wheel: a horizontal rotating disc that allows the potter to center, open, pull, shape and form a vessel out of clay.
Splash Pan: a pan that attaches to the pottery wheel housing surrounding the wheel to catch stray clay and water that splashes off as you work the clay.
Centering: getting the clay balanced in the middle of the pottery wheel. This is done after putting the clay on the wheel, wetting your hands, spin at high speeds to eliminate the wobble. Centering is one of the toughest skills to master on the pottery wheel.
Open: this is the process following centering with the wheel turning slightly slower where the potter inserts thumb or finger in the middle of the clay body and spreading out the clay to size and prep for pulling and forming.
Pulling: once the clay is opened and the pottery wheel still turning the potter manipulates the clay with fingers of both hands, pulling the clay upwards to form the vessel.
Trimming: Once the vessel is fully pulled and shaped, the vessel is cut off the pottery wheel with a wire and set aside to dry to "leather hardness". This means the clay is firm but still pliable. The vessel is reattached to the pottery wheel using clay plugs and trimmed to a final form using potter's tools. This all sounds very simple, but it is a true art that requires skill and patience. There are plenty of wonderful potters out there to prove it.

The pottery wheel has been around since about 6500 b.c. Before that, pottery was limited to crude handmade or hand built vessels. The wheel has been instrumental in the commercialization and production of functional pottery such as bowls, plates, cups and pitchers. Turned pots are stronger than handmade objects because of the more symmetrical shape and uniform composition. Turning on the pottery wheel also lends itself to creating artistic forms.

As far as I’m concerned, you haven’t lived until you have learned technique from a knowledgeable potter, practiced until the dirt is hard to remove from under your fingernails and waited to open a kiln like it was Christmas morning!

If you have experienced this bliss, then you are ready to own your own equipment. So lets talk wheels. If you are interested in a potter’s wheel for yourself there are many things to consider: size, speed, durability and the amount of clay you think you can “center” at one time. I was raised on a Brent wheel at the community center where I first met clay. When I ventured out on my own, I could afford a self propelled (me being the self) “kick wheel”. It was a wooden frame with a wheel head attached to an axle attached to a large disc at my feet that was weighted down with bricks. As I kicked the lower wheel, the wheel head turned and before I was out of breath, the clay was finally centered. Back then my wheel was located in a dimly lit corner of my basement. I have since graduated to a studio with a large picture window, and my wheels face the great outdoors.

brentwheel Kick wheels are available and are very reasonably priced. They are motorless as the name implies, but very heavy due to the weight of the wheel that you kick. Unless you enjoy a great workout as well as an artistic experience, I would suggest a beginner or more durable standard wheel that is used by schools and art centers.

Beginners and standard wheels have motors (less power than professional models), and are easy to use. They have foot pedal power, usually are attached to some sort of seat, and have a tray with enough room for your water pan as well as some tools and clay.

When you decide you are ready then you can't beat a brent like the one pictured here for performance and dependability. Anything else will seem inadequate. Visit our friends for all your pottery supplies and your very own pottery wheel!