Wheelwork can be used to create wares with radial symmetry on the vertical axis. These can then be altered by pressing, bulging, carving, fluting and by other methods making the wares more visually interesting. Often, thrown pieces are further modified by making handles, lids, feet, spouts and other functional aspects are added using the techniques of hand work. The process constitutes of:
• Throwing : Placing the ball of clay in the center of the wheel head (though the word ‘throwing’ is used for pot-making on wheel in general).
• Centering: Pressing the ball of clay downward and inward into perfect rotational symmetry.
• Opening : Making a hollow in the center of the solid ball of clay.
• Flooring : Making the flat bottom inside the pot.
• Pulling : Drawing up and shaping the walls to an even thickness.
• Shaping : Giving the pot the desired shape by applying varying pressure on the inside and outside of the pot.
Hump throwing
Instead of making one pot at a time and removing it from the wheel, hump throwing is done to make many small pots from a big lump of clay. The steps followed are the same as in throwing a bigger pot. These are removed one after the other from the lump by using a thread. This, undoubtedly, needs a lot of practice. It is a faster way of ‘production’ and saves the time of putting clay on the wheel each time for making a pot.
