This specialist wheel-throwing course focuses entirely on the art of making bowls - from small, refined dishes to larger, more ambitious serving forms.

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We begin with very small bowls, the kind you might use for olives or dips. These simple forms allow you to concentrate on accuracy, control and consistency. From the very first session, we will steadily build skills and confidence, increasing the size of the klay and the scale of the bowls as your technique develops.

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A key emphasis of the course is learning to centre increasingly larger amounts of clay. As with any thrown piece, the quality of centring directly affects how successfully you can work at a larger scale. Strong centring skills are the foundation for confident bowl throwing.

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Before we begin throwing, we will cover two essential preparation processes:

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Clay preparation and homogenising

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We work with freshly reclaimed klay, often from beginners’ previous attempts. Because this klay has already been thoroughly worked, it is beautifully homogenised — meaning the particles are evenly distributed and free from lumps.

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Practicing Pugging, wedging and coning

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The klay is first processed through a pugmill, which produces smooth, consistent columns. We then hand-wedge the clay to refine it further. On the wheel, you will learn to cone the clay up and down several times to fully align the particles and prepare it for shaping.

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In the first session, you will throw a series of small practice bowls, spending just a few minutes on each one to focus on achieving regular, balanced forms. As we increase the size of the bowls, some collapse and failure is inevitable — and encouraged as part of the learning process. Often, when we return to smaller bowls after attempting larger ones, they feel significantly easier. Through this cycle of challenge and repetition, you will see clear progress.

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As bowls become wider and shallower, they are more prone to sagging and collapse. You will learn how to:

 

• Lift the weight of the clay from the base into the walls early in the throwing process

• Maintain even wall thickness (as sagging often occurs where thick clay meets thin clay)

• Use controlled heat-gunning techniques when widening forms towards platter shapes

 

The use of a heat gun to gently firm the klay is a valuable skill that requires judgement and practice. We will guide you in understanding when and how much heat to apply to support your form without over-drying the surface.

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Once you have created a selection of bowls, we will move on to trimming. You will learn how to create elegant, raised foot rings that elevate and refine the finished piece. We will also experiment with leaving a deliberately thicker base when throwing, allowing you to trim a more pronounced raised foot for a striking and graceful result.

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This course is ideal for improvers wanting to establish strong foundational skills, as well as for those looking to gain confidence in throwing larger forms.

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We look forward to welcoming you to the studio and exploring the craft of bowl making together.