About Pottery Lessons

These are time estimates to become proficient in basic throwing techniques. You'll be making mushy, wobbly pots in just a few hours on the wheel. But this timeline is how long it takes to become confident and skilled in each technique.

If you follow this timeline you can become proficient in throwing pottery on the wheel in 24-60 hours, depending on how fast you learn (you know where you're at... I know I'm on the slow end).  That means that by practicing just 2 days per week for 2 hours at a time you could be making quality pottery in a couple of months.

1) Preparing Clay for Throwing

         •  Wedging, 1-2 hours

         •  Spiral Kneading, 2-4 hours

2) Centering

         •  85% centered, 4-10 hours

         •  98 - 100% centered, 1-10 additional hours

3) Opening the Form and Smoothing the Base

         •  1-3 hours

4) Pulling up the Walls

         •  Somewhat Unevenly, 2-4 hours

         •  Consistently Even (90% of the time), 3-8 additional hours

5) Shaping the Pot

         •  3 hours for a basic vase shape

6) Cutting the Rim (if necessary)

         •  1-2 hours

7) Cutting Excess of the Base of the Wall

         •  1-2 hours

8) Cutting the Pot Off the Wheel

         •  1-2 hours

9) Re-Centering Pot for Trimming on the Wheel

         •  1-4 hours

10) Trimming the Pot on the Wheel

         •  3-6 hours

I really like this kind of timeline. It gives you a range of time that it will take to learn each aspect of throwing pottery on the wheel. If you have an idea of how quick a learner you are, you can use this timeline to set goals and expectations for yourself.

These are my estimates based on teaching a lot of classes over the years. Of course, everyone learns at their own pace which is why there is such a wide range. But you can see that most people, if they dedicate the time to learning, can learn to make pottery in 24-60 hours (especially if you have a great instructor).

This may seem like a long time to someone new to pottery, but if you break it down into steps, each one becomes attainable. The time estimates assume you're actually working on the technique for that amount of time. But if you set a goal, and actually do it, you'll be amazed how quickly you will learn!