Pottery

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I started taking a pottery class at the start of the new semester at school (~3 weeks ago) and was wondering who else here does/did it? Did you like it? Where you good at it?

Another question I have is I recently tried throwing for the first time (first few weeks we made tall slab pots) and I can't seem to get the hang of it. The first thing we are suppose to do with the clay after putting it on the wheel and centering it is bring it up into a cone shape and push it back down. Problem for me is, while working it up into the cone after it gets to about 4 inches across I somehow manage to rip the top of it off (oops!), the instructor told me to use more water on my hands as well as go slower, but I still do it, do you have any suggestions? The only thing I can really think of is maybe my wedging isn't good and I consistently leave an air bubble in the middle, do you think this is a possibility?

I just took a pottery class, and I loved it. Here's some tips:

1. You may need more water, but if you use too much, be sure to have a small sponge handy to soak it up.

2. Centering the clay was the hardest part for me. I finally got the hang of it, but not for a while. I had a difficult time applying the direction from the teacher to the wheel. I'm a number guy, and if he told me "apply 2.7 psi of pressure", I'd be fine. Instead he had to convey his interpretation of the feeling of the clay to me, and I had trouble understanding.

2a. I found that it was easier to center using basically one hand rather than two. My left hand formed the curve shape, and my right hand kind of guided it. There's no way to adequately explain it in writing, but if your teacher is having you use the two handed method, and you ask him about what I just said, he (or she) should understand what I mean.

3. I did have much more success with a slower wheel. Also, when bringing the clay up, be sure to go as slow as the wheel. You want the wheel to make at least one revolution for every slight movement of your hand.

4. I never had trouble with diameter, but if a piece isn't centered then it woun't get much height before wobbling out of control.

5. To tell if your piece is wedged properly: use the wire cutter to cut a wedged piece into quarters. If you see air bubbles in the middle (after cutting) then you know you need more wedging.

I can't tell you how much I loved that class. I had no experience, but managed to get an A. I loved the feel of the clay, as well as building things. I'd get so lost in my work, hours would pass, and I wouldn't have got up from the stool. I'm planning on taking a non-credit course now that I'm done.

Good luck!