A bright room with a large window showcasing a scenic view of houses and mountains. Inside, there are four pottery wheels with stools, and potted plants hanging and on the walls.

Wheel Throwing Level 1

A 5 Week Beginner Series at Pearl & Fern

Ready to dive into the world of pottery? Our Wheel Throwing Level 1 course is designed to build skills progressively. Rather than striving for perfection, students will develop confidence through repetition, observation, and experimentation.

Each project introduces new techniques while reinforcing previous skills, helping students build a strong foundation for continued growth on the pottery wheel.

Register for the next set of classes

    • Techniques: Preparing clay through wedging to remove air bubbles and improve consistency. Centering clay on the wheel. Opening and pulling the walls of a cylinder.

    • Projects: Students practice pulling cylinders (the foundation shape for almost everything).

    • Focus: Developing comfort at the wheel. Understanding clay consistency and wheel speed. Building the muscle memory needed for successful throwing.

    • Outcome: Students gain confidence with the fundamental skills of wheel throwing and evaluate their progress by cutting apart practice cylinders to examine wall thickness, shape, and technique.

    • Techniques: Refining cylinders. Opening wider forms and shaping bowls. Controlling curves while maintaining even wall thickness.

    • Projects: At least one finished cylinder. At least one finished bowl.

    • Decorative Sills: Basic rim finishing, including beveling, flaring, and rounding.

    • Focus: Learning how small movements influence form. Maintaining balance, symmetry, and control throughout the throwing process.

    • Outcome: Students begin creating intentional forms while improving consistency, control, and confidence at the wheel.

    • Techniques: Trimming and refining forms. Creating and experimenting with foot rings. Planning forms with function and aesthetics in mind.

    • Projects: Trim completed bowls and cylinders. Begin a final project (a matching pair of bowls or mugs).

    • Decorative Skills: Surface texture through carving, chattering, stamps, or other texturing techniques.

    • Focus: Transforming thrown forms into finished pieces. Learning how trimming enhances balance, proportion, and visual appeal.

    • Outcome: Students understand how thoughtful trimming and surface design elevate both the function and beauty of their work.

    • Techniques: Advanced trimming. Pulling, shaping, and attaching handles. Refining and finishing leather-hard work.

    • Projects: Complete the final matching set of bowls or mugs.

    • Decorative Skills: Underglaze decoration. Carving, stencils, slips, and other surface embellishments.

    • Focus: Integrating decoration with functional design. Creating pieces that are both comfortable to use and visually engaging.

    • Outcome: Students complete thoughtfully designed functional pottery while developing confidence in combining craftsmanship with personal artistic expression.

    • Techniques: Applying wax resist to foot rings and decorative areas. Glazing by dipping, pouring, brushing, and layering. Understanding glaze application and firing considerations.

    • Projects: Glaze all completed course work.

    • Decorative Skills: Layering glazes. Exploring how glazes interact with texture, carving, and surface design.

    • Focus: Understanding how glaze choices influence colour, texture, and the finished piece. Learning how glazing completes the ceramic process.

    • Outcome: Students complete a collection of functional pottery—including a bowl, a cylinder, and a matching set of bowls or mugs—while gaining an understanding of the complete journey from raw clay to finished ceramic work.