Wheel-Thrown Pottery for Beginners from Udemy

This course offers a thorough, well-organized, and detailed approach to the numerous aspects of the of the potter's wheel as a mode of artistic expression. Students learn through text, video demonstrations and skill building exercises that walk individuals through a strategic hierarchy of beginning forms. The class moves through studio set up and safety, construction processes, to artistic aesthetic choices.

The class is a thoughtful blend of artistic guidance and fundamental educational goals for art students, Wheel-Thrown Pottery for Beginners was developed for varying levels of art courses and for individuals wishing to pursue their own ceramic education. The class will enable you to speak knowledgeably about the medium, understand techniques, outline clear forming steps, and to expand your knowledge of the pottery’s wheel.

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to class setup and procedures for moving through the class.

Introduction to the Class

Ceramic Medium Assumptions

Professor’s Contact Information

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a strategic hierarchy of beginning forms, which allows learners to build skills progressively

Covers studio setup and safety, which are essential for anyone working with pottery equipment

Includes video demonstrations and skill-building exercises, which are helpful for visual learners

Explores vessel terminology, which is important for communicating effectively about pottery

Requires access to a pottery wheel and tools, which may be an additional expense for some students

Reviews summary

Foundational wheel pottery for beginners

According to learners, this course provides a strong foundation perfect for absolute beginners diving into wheel-thrown pottery. Students highlight the step-by-step video demonstrations and clear explanations of techniques like centering, throwing cylinders, and shaping various forms. While some found the pace suitable for self-study, a few noted that hands-on practice is essential and the course serves as a guide rather than a replacement for physical studio time. The instructor's guidance is frequently praised for being encouraging and easy to follow, making intimidating initial steps, like wedging and centering, feel achievable.

Course is a guide; practice is necessary.

"While the course is fantastic, it's crucial to understand this is a guide... you absolutely need access to a wheel and clay to truly learn."

"Watching the videos is helpful, but you only grasp the techniques by putting in the hours practicing yourself."

"The course gives you the 'how-to', but mastery comes from repetition, as is typical with pottery."

"It provided the knowledge, but the real learning happened in the studio."

Students can learn at their own speed.

"Being able to pause and rewatch the videos at my own pace was invaluable."

"The self-paced nature meant I could spend as much time as I needed on challenging techniques like centering."

"I could fit the lessons around my schedule and spend ample time practicing between modules."

Instructor is encouraging and easy to understand.

"The instructor has a calm and encouraging demeanor, which was very helpful when I was struggling with centering."

"Clear, concise instruction from someone who clearly loves pottery and knows how to teach it."

"The professor's explanations were easy to follow and not overly technical."

"I felt motivated to keep trying thanks to the instructor's positive approach."

Progressive curriculum builds skills logically.

"The course progresses logically from basic centering to cylinders, bowls, and plates. It really builds confidence."

"I appreciated how each lesson built on the previous one, allowing me to practice foundational skills before moving on."

"The syllabus structure made sense and helped me understand the flow of learning wheel throwing."

"Moving from simple forms to more complex ones felt very natural and effective."

Video demos are helpful and easy to follow.

"The video demonstrations for wedging and centering were incredibly helpful... seeing it done step-by-step made a huge difference."

"Each technique is clearly demonstrated, which is crucial for a visual skill like pottery."

"I loved the close-ups on the wheel... allowed me to really see what the instructor was doing with their hands."

"The demos explained complex movements simply."

Well-suited for those with no prior pottery experience.

"As an absolute beginner with zero experience, this course was exactly what I needed to get started."

"Highly recommend for anyone curious about wheel throwing but intimidated... it breaks it down so well."

"This course starts from the very basics, making it accessible even if you've never touched clay before."

"Perfect for my first attempt at using a pottery wheel. It clarified so much."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Wheel-Thrown Pottery for Beginners with these activities:

The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques

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Familiarize yourself with pottery terminology and techniques to better understand the course content.

View The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'The Potter's Dictionary'.
Browse the dictionary, focusing on terms related to clay, glazes, and firing.
Refer to the dictionary when encountering unfamiliar terms in the course.

Review Basic Geometry

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Refresh your understanding of basic geometric shapes to better visualize and create forms on the wheel.

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Review the properties of cylinders, spheres, cones, and other basic shapes.
Practice sketching these shapes.
Consider how these shapes can be combined to create pottery forms.

Centering Clay Practice

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Improve your centering skills through repetitive practice, a fundamental skill for wheel throwing.

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Prepare clay for throwing.
Mount the clay on the wheel.
Practice centering the clay repeatedly.
Focus on consistent pressure and body positioning.

Four other activities

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Pottery Journal

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Document your pottery journey, including successes, failures, and lessons learned, to reinforce your understanding and track your progress.

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Create a physical or digital journal.
Record each pottery session, including the date, clay type, and forms attempted.
Note any challenges encountered and solutions attempted.
Include sketches or photos of your work.

Create a Set of Cups

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Apply the skills learned in the course to create a functional set of cups, reinforcing your understanding of throwing, trimming, and handle attachment.

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Plan the design and dimensions of your cups.
Throw the cups on the wheel.
Trim the cups.
Attach handles to the cups.
Fire the cups.

Research Historical Pottery Forms

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Expand your knowledge of pottery by researching historical forms and techniques, inspiring new designs and approaches.

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Choose a historical pottery tradition or form.
Research the history, techniques, and cultural significance of the form.
Document your findings in a written report or presentation.
Consider how you can incorporate elements of the historical form into your own work.

Mastering the Potter's Wheel

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Deepen your understanding of advanced wheel-throwing techniques to expand your pottery skills.

View The Complete Guide to Low-Fire Glazes for... on Amazon

Show steps

Obtain a copy of 'Mastering the Potter's Wheel'.
Read the book, focusing on techniques that interest you.
Practice the techniques described in the book.

Career center

Learners who complete Wheel-Thrown Pottery for Beginners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Hobbyist Potter

A hobbyist potter creates pottery for personal enjoyment and artistic expression. This course helps hobbyist potters develop their skills and knowledge. The comprehensive structure walking individuals through the processes of artistic guidance and fundamental educational goals allows the hobbyist to acquire knowledge. The modules on studio setup, safety, clay properties, throwing techniques, trimming, and shaping, enable hobbyists to explore their creativity and produce high-quality ceramic pieces.

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Potter

A potter creates functional and decorative objects using clay, often specializing in wheel-thrown pieces. This course helps potters build expertise in this medium. The detailed modules on wheel-thrown pottery, including throwing cylinders, cups, bowls, plates, and flatware, enable potters to develop a comprehensive skillset. By focusing on clay properties, basic wheel tools, and vessel terminology, this course facilitates a deep understanding of the materials and techniques involved. Understanding throwing, trimming and shaping, as well as adding features like handles, as covered in this course, helps a potter create beautiful and functional objects in a studio environment.

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Ceramic Artist

A ceramic artist creates original artwork using clay and other ceramic materials. This course helps ceramic artists develop a strong foundation in wheel thrown pottery. The course's focus on studio setup and safety ensures a safe and efficient working environment. The detailed instruction on basic wheel tools, vessel terminology, and throwing basics provides a base for creating ceramic art. Instruction on wedging, centering, cylinders, trimming, shaping and making cups, bowls, plates and flatware helps develop a core skillset. The sections on stacked sculpture and historically based forms help foster creativity and an understanding of ceramic traditions. The insights into critiquing one's own work helps develop a critical eye and to refine skills.

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Ceramic Instructor

A ceramic instructor teaches pottery and ceramics techniques to students of all levels. This course helps ceramic instructors refine their understanding of wheel-thrown pottery. The course's structured approach, covering studio setup, wheel techniques, and artistic aesthetic choices, provides a framework for developing course curricula. The detailed instruction on wedging, centering, cylinders, trimming, shaping, and creating various forms such as cups, bowls, and plates, along with the instruction on critiquing, ensures that instructors can effectively communicate these skills to their students.

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Craft Fair Vendor

A craft fair vendor creates and sells handmade items, including pottery, at craft fairs and markets. This course helps craft fair vendors refine their pottery making skills. The modules on throwing cylinders, cups, bowls, plates, and flatware teaches the fundamentals for creating marketable pottery. Understanding trimming, shaping, and adding handles, as well as critiquing one's own work, ensures that vendors can create attractive, functional, and high-quality pottery to sell at craft fairs.

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Sculptor

A sculptor creates three-dimensional works of art. This course helps sculptors who work with clay refine their understanding of wheel-thrown pottery. The modules on clay properties, wheel techniques, and artistic aesthetic choices provides a foundation for incorporating wheel-thrown elements into sculptural pieces. The instruction on stacked sculpture and historically based forms foster creativity and an understanding of ceramic traditions, enabling the sculptor to expand their artistic repertoire.

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Studio Manager

A studio manager oversees the operations of an art studio, including managing equipment, supplies, and scheduling. This course may be useful for studio managers in ceramic studios, as it provides a solid foundation in pottery techniques and studio practices. The introductory modules on studio setup and safety, clay properties, and basic wheel tools allows to efficiently manage and maintain a ceramic studio. The detailed instruction on throwing various forms, trimming, and adding handles helps studio managers understand the workflow and support the artists in their studio.

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Art teacher

An art teacher educates students in various art forms, including ceramics. This course may be useful for an art teacher, as it enhances their expertise in wheel-thrown pottery. The thorough syllabus, covering studio setup, safety, basic techniques, and artistic considerations, provides valuable knowledge for developing lesson plans. The instruction on forming different shapes and critiquing work enhances an art teacher's ability to guide students in their ceramic projects.

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Studio Assistant

A studio assistant supports ceramic artists or potters by managing the studio, preparing materials, and assisting with production. This course may be useful for those aiming to become studio assistants, as it provides a well-rounded understanding of pottery techniques. The introductory modules on studio setup and safety, clay properties, and basic wheel tools allows one to efficiently maintain a ceramic studio. The instruction on throwing various forms, trimming, and adding handles helps assistants to understand and support the tasks performed by the artists they work for.

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Product Designer

A product designer creates the form and function of manufactured goods. This course may be useful for product designers interested in ceramics, as it provides an understanding of the medium and its possibilities. The modules on throwing, trimming, and shaping cups, bowls, plates, and other forms helps designers grasp both the aesthetic and practical aspects of ceramic design. The course's historical perspective, with modules on historically based forms, may inspire new design concepts.

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Art conservator

An art conservator preserves and restores works of art, including ceramics. This course may be useful for art conservators specializing in ceramics, as it provides a deep understanding of the materials and techniques involved in pottery creation. The modules on clay properties, vessel terminology, throwing techniques, trimming, and shaping enhances an art conservator's ability to assess the condition of ceramic objects. It allows one to develop appropriate conservation treatments, preserving the integrity of the artwork.

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Exhibition Designer

An exhibition designer creates and arranges displays in museums, galleries, and other exhibition spaces. This course may be useful for exhibition designers who work with ceramic art. The modules on the ceramic medium, vessel terminology, and historical forms help exhibition designers understand and contextualize ceramic pieces within an exhibit. Understanding the artistic aesthetic choices involved in creating pottery allows for a more informed and engaging presentation of the artwork.

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Art Curator

An art curator acquires, researches, and manages collections of art for museums or galleries. This course may be useful for art curators who specialize in ceramics. The modules on the ceramic medium, vessel terminology, and historical forms allows an art curator to contextualize ceramic pieces within a collection or exhibition. Knowing the artistic aesthetic choices involved in creating pottery helps curators to select and present ceramic artworks in a meaningful and informed way.

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Ceramic Mold Maker

A ceramic mold maker creates molds used in the mass production of ceramic items or for slipcasting. While not directly focused on mold making, this pottery course may be useful by providing deep base of knowledge. Understanding clay properties, vessel terminology, and different forming techniques helps mold makers design and create effective molds. The knowledge of how different forms are created on the wheel may inform the design of molds that replicate these shapes for slipcasting.

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Arts Administrator

An arts administrator manages the operational and business aspects of arts organizations. This course may be useful for arts administrators working with ceramic arts organizations. Understanding clay properties, vessel terminology, and the artistic aesthetic choices helps arts administrators better understand the artists they support. The knowledge of different forming techniques and processes provides insight into the resources and equipment needed to support a ceramic arts program or organization.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Wheel-Thrown Pottery for Beginners.

The Potter's Dictionary

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Is an invaluable resource for understanding the materials and techniques used in pottery. It provides detailed explanations of clay bodies, glazes, firing processes, and various forming methods. It useful reference tool for understanding the terminology and processes discussed in the course, and it adds depth to the existing course.

The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques

Hardcover

The Complete Guide to Low-Fire Glazes for Potters...

Save

Provides in-depth guidance on advanced wheel-throwing techniques. It covers topics such as throwing larger forms, creating complex shapes, and troubleshooting common problems. This book is more valuable as additional reading than it is as a current reference, and it adds more depth to the existing course.

The Complete Guide to Low-Fire Glazes for Potters...

Kindle Edition

Wheel-Thrown Pottery for Beginners

What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Foundational wheel pottery for beginners

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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