The Potter's Wheel
These photographs show how a bowl is created using a potter’s wheel. The
potter begins by centering the clay (top left). He does this by placing a lump
of clay in the approximate center of the wheel, then pulls and pushes the clay
into a cylindrical shape, keeping it in the exact center of the wheel. Next, he
inserts his thumb in the top of the cylinder, creating a hole that he continues
to expand while pulling up the sides of the piece (top center). Now he begins to
shape the bowl, keeping the walls thick to allow room for widening and shaping
(top right). In the next step, he begins to form the lip, using one hand on
either side of the edge (bottom left). Next he smoothes and finishes the lip.
When the bowl is complete, it is removed from the potter’s wheel by running a
thin wire under the foot of the bowl (bottom center). In the last image we see
the completed bowl, which will now be fired in a kiln.