How to Use Throwing Sticks for Pottery

Throwing sticks allow you to shape bulbous vases with narrow necks.

Throwing sticks provide a shaping tool for clay vases and bottles with very narrow openings. Fluted pieces often have openings much too small to accept your hand, making shaping very tricky. Throwing sticks, however, are thin, curved sticks with a bulbous tip. These sticks usually fit down inside fluted pieces, allowing you to apply pressure both inside and outside the piece. This keeps the vase's walls even and prevents cracking and sagging later.

Things You'll Need

• Pliable cylindrical clay form
• Throwing wheel
• Water bowl
• Throwing stick

Instructions

1. Place a pliable, cylindrical clay form in the center of your throwing wheel. You may throw this hollow cylinder in advance and cover it with a piece of wet cheesecloth to keep it damp and malleable.

2. Turn on your throwing wheel and wet your hands. Gently smooth your hands up and down the inside of the cylinder. Gently press your fingers inside the cylinder as well; it should be wide enough, at this point, to accept your hand.

3. Place the bulbous end of your throwing stick down inside the bottom of the cylinder. Don't touch the stick to the clay, yet.

4. Gently place your hand on the outside of the bottom of the cylinder and press the bulbous end of the throwing stick to the inside of the cylinder.

5. Keep firm, gentle, even pressure on the stick and on the outside of the cylinder. Draw the stick and your hand up the inside of the cylinder, pushing the sides outward.

6. Apply more pressure to make certain sections of the cylinder wider, but only expand the sides a little at a time. When you've achieved the basic curve you want, slide the stick back to the bottom of the piece and slide it up again. When the piece is as wide as you like, stop.

References

• Ceramic Arts Daily: How to Use a Throwing Stick; Ivor Lewis; July 2010
• Big Ceramic Store; Using a Throwing Stick; John Baymore; 2000