Throwing, Pulling and Lifting a Clay Cylinder with Hsin-Chuen Lin

Hsin-Chuen Lin
In this foundational lesson on throwing, pulling, and lifting a cylinder. This lesson is perfect for novice potters as well as for intermediate potters who want to tighten their technique. Check it out and then make space for your own art retreat – a day or two when you dig into this skill and master it!

If you never had a ceramics teacher take the time to patiently walk you through the foundational process of pulling a cylinder, you’ll be so glad for this focused tutorial. Lin pays special attention to hand placement during both opening and lifting and demonstrates successful opens and lifts by cutting through his pieces to show off the internal structure of the vessel walls.

Here is what Lin covers in this video:

• Opening the clay, with a focus on hand placement

• Pull the clay

• Compress the rim

• Add water or slip to the inside and outside of the vessel

• Collar the vessel

• Repeat!

• Using rib tools in the final shaping of the pot

• A wooden rib for smoothing and pulling

• A flexible metal rib to define curves