The pictures below are step by step freeze frame illustrating how to use your body properly throwing a pot on the wheel. Always start small. This demo is with a 3 lbs clay and starting with 2 lbs will be a wise choice if you are a beginner. On the upper right are 2 videos. One is 15 minutes long showing what the first lesson in our teaching studio looks like. The other video stream line all the photos below in a slide show.

Good luck!

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Place clay on bat firmly with tip pointed down																					Tap to center with dry hands while wheel is turning slowly																													Get your hands wet
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																										Push clay forward as shown (plow forward).  Wheel speed - fast
Let the clay turn while wet hand and wet clay create slurry / slip
																																																					Sit close to the wheel & anchor your elbows tightly against body
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When clay complies (feels calm), squeeze clay and cone up
																																																						Both hands are touching and elbows are against body
																											Level top of cone with thumbs pressure
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Coning down - place left hand as in previous step securing elbow into body
																												Place right hand on top of cone while interlocking with left hand
																																																							Right hand pushes down. Left hand pushes forward. Wheel speed - fast.
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Right hand touches only half of the top surface from center to edge.
																																																									Slow wheel a bit. Place thumbs in center and mark the center
																												Left hand smooths outer edge of clay with palm
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	Decisively, make a hole in center - both hands are touching each other
																																																									Pull clay out - both hands are touching each other and clay is wet
																												Leave enough clay for pot's bottom
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	Move clay evenly and keep constant distance from bottom for flat surface
																																																								Do not overhang clay . When finished pulling, let go gradually to stay in center
																										Smooth all unevenness. Make sure clay is not too dry
		Page 2
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																									Apply constant pressure on bottom. Move slowly towards center. Wheel speed - medium
																																																				Take off extra clay
	If bottom too thick or uneven pass thumbs on bottom as shown
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																									Raise the wall - squeeze clay w/ fingers using a sponge. Use fingers tips only. Hands touching
																																																				Note that the thumb is helping in squeezing clay
Compress bottom to avoid "S" cracks
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Contact clay with finger tips to avoid unnecessary friction																							The pull - squeeze and lift. Don't be afraid to be a bit aggressive. Clay needs to be wet
																																																							Smooth the rim at end of each pull
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Second pull - stay on bottom until you get desired thickness
																																																							... to avoid too much friction and possible torquing
																							As the wall gets thinner, use less finger surface contact ....
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																																							Collar top portion of cylinder in and even the rim
																					Even cylinder's rim
	Even wall of cylinder
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																																																					Note that only finger tips are touching the pot
		Shaping - Push inside of cylinder out while outside hand gently supports clay																				Touch hands as soon as able for stability
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																							Clean bottom with wooden tool. Sharpen Wooden tool every so often																																	Under cutting -Clear clay from bat for easy access to the cutting wire
Smooth rim with Chamois
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	Clear as much clay as possible to minimize trimming effort later
																					Watch the angle of the wooden tool.																																				Hold the cutting wire as shown
			Page 3
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Push the wire against the bat with thumbs or index fingers																						Run wire all the way through keeping it tight and straight																																				If throwing for practice, slice pot to view wall uniformity
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																																																											To trimming tutorial - how to trim a pot Throwing a large platter tutorial
	Good luck! Lakeside Pottery