The Beginner's Guide to Wheel Throwing
A Complete Course for the Potter's Wheel · Essential Ceramics Skills, Volume 1
Whether you've never touched a wheel or you've been throwing for years, this complete course meets you where you are. Julia guides you from your first cylinder through decorated, fired work — covering the forms, the surface techniques, and the full decal workflow in one clear, beautifully photographed volume.
Written for the studio, not the shelf. Every chapter is built around the way Julia actually teaches — practical, honest, and designed to get clay in your hands as fast as possible.
A look inside
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Getting Centered in the Studio
p. 9
Clay types, tools and materials, studio safety, wedging, and making your first pot from start to finish.
Throwing the Basic Forms
p. 35
Step-by-step projects: Traditional Bowl, Mug, Lunch Plate, Noodle Bowl, Stacking Mug, and Pasta Plate.
Understanding Clay and Trimming
p. 68
The stages of clay, drying, trimming, and attaching handles — everything between the wheel and the kiln.
Surface Decoration
p. 93
Slip painting, slip dipping, underglaze stencils and transfers, sgraffito, and mishima.
Glazing and Firing
p. 115
Glaze application and kiln loading — plus a complete overglaze decal workshop: designing, applying, and firing at Cone 018 (pp. 130–133).
The book covers decal technique in depth.
Chapter 5 — Glazing and Firing — walks through overglaze decals from design to application to firing at Cone 018. When you're ready to print your own designs, Julia prints them for you. Letter-size sheets from $20, no setup fee, food safe.
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What the ceramics community said
An excellent guide for those aspiring to take up pottery making. Weber has successfully created a how-to book that will leave readers with the general knowledge needed to work with clay. While nothing can replace hands-on instruction, this book comes close. Libraries, teaching studios, and aspiring potters should all have this book on hand.
Clear, concise, and beautifully illustrated — a terrific primer. The sections on trimming, handles, and decoration are top notch and will help you create pots that truly sing.
A fun, one-on-one course on the fundamentals of wheel throwing. Her concise, engaging approach includes encouragement and humor at just the right times — a reminder that both successes and failures are essential to learning to throw.
Engaging from start to finish. Julia's personality comes through in both the gorgeous illustrations and playful instructions. Sections on slip decoration, glazing, and firing will prove to be a valuable reference for the novice ceramicist.
Clearly presented color photos and concise instructions make this the perfect introduction for students interested in the potter's wheel. Julia Claire Weber's friendly, encouraging voice guides readers through fun, yet impressive, projects.
An ideal DIY instructional guide and manual for aspiring pottery makers.