Arts & Activities-February 1994

This video series provides abundant close-up demonstrations and verbal information that will be helpful in learning to throw functional pots on the wheel. Beginners may view the basic throwing techniques as often as needed to absorb the intricacies of centering clay, throwing a cylinder, tooling bowls, etc. More advanced potters will benefit from the clear explanations and close-up views of making and attaching handles, forming spouts on pitchers and such.

The first tape provides detailed step-by-step demonstrations on how to center the ball of clay and then throw a cylinder. In the second tape, the focus is on throwing and tooling bowls and plates, including the techniques of throwing small bowls "off-the-hump." Special attention is given to tooling a foot that fits the pot. Video host Jerry Horning also shows us how to make our own footing tools. In the third tape, we see techniques for shaping the basic cylinder form into vases and bottles. Horning then demonstrates how to make larger pots by combining two pots or adding coils to the top of the thrown pot.

How to pull and attach functional and aesthetic handles is shown in the fourth tape, while the fifth shows how to make pots with both inset and over-hung lids. The viewer also sees how to throw a pot without a base and the how to distort it into an unusual shape before adding a base. The final tape focusses on teapots and lidded pitchers. Horning demonstrates how to make and attach different types of spouts and handles, including a reed handle.

The relaxed pace and brief but to-the-point explanations enhance the extreme close-ups, making this series a valuable addition to the ceramics classroom.