Wheel Throwing vs Handbuilding: Where Should You Start With Pottery?
- Throw Clay LA
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
If you’re new to pottery, one of the first questions people ask is:
Should I start on the wheel, or with handbuilding?
Both are foundational ceramic techniques. Neither is “better.”But they feel very different, attract different personalities, and build different skills early on.
Let’s break down Wheel Throwing vs Handbuilding. Then we’ll help you decide with a short, just-for-fun quiz at the end.
Wheel Throwing: Structured, Rhythmic, and Skill-Driven
Wheel throwing is what most people picture when they think of pottery: wheel spinning centered clay, hands steady, forms rising from gravity working with centrifugal force.
Wheel throwing might be for you if you:
Like clear steps and defined goals
Enjoy learning through repetition
Appreciate technical challenges
Find rhythm and focus calming
What beginners learn first
Centering clay
Opening and pulling walls
Shaping simple forms (usually bowls and cylinders)
Why bowls come before plates
Bowls build vertical strength and control. Plates will come later, with more experience. they’re wider, thinner, and much more sensitive to drying and warping. Starting with bowls teaches the fundamentals plates depend on.
What surprises beginners
Progress isn’t linear
Centering is harder than it looks
Improvement comes through practice, not perfection
Handbuilding: Flexible, Expressive, and Concept-Driven
Handbuilding is pottery without the wheel. Three different techniques are used slabs, coils, to shape clay by hand; slab, pinch and coil.
Handbuilding might be for you if you:
Like creative freedom
Enjoy problem-solving and experimentation
Prefer a slower, more tactile process
Want to focus on surface, texture, and form
Common handbuilding techniques
Pinch pots
Slab construction
Coiling
Why people love starting here
Less technical setup
Easier to personalize early
Strong connection to surface design and texture
What surprises beginners
Structural strength still matters
Drying and joining require patience
Planning is just as important as improvisation
So… Wheel Throwing vs Handbuilding?
There’s no wrong answer here. Wheel Throwing vs Handbuilding isn’t really a debate because most ceramic artists develop their personal style by practicing both.
Wheel throwing builds:
Precision
Muscle memory
Symmetry awareness
Handbuilding builds:
Design thinking
Structural understanding
Surface creativity
If you’re unsure when it comes to wheel throwing vs. handbuilding, start with the one that matches how you like to learn — not what you think you should do.
Just for Fun: Which Pottery Path Fits You?
Answer instinctively — no overthinking.
1. When learning something new, you prefer to:
A) Follow steps and master them one by one
B) Explore and figure things out as you go
2. Your ideal creative session feels:
A) Focused and rhythmic
B) Open-ended and exploratory
3. You’re more motivated by:
A) Seeing measurable improvement
B) Expressing ideas and personal style
4. You’re more drawn to:
A) Repeating a form until it feels right
B) Making each piece different
5. When something doesn’t work, you usually:
A) Try again with adjustments
B) Rethink the approach entirely
Results
Mostly A’s → Start with Wheel Throwing
You’ll enjoy the structure, repetition, and technical growth.
Mostly B’s → Start with Handbuilding
You’ll thrive with flexibility, design freedom, and surface work.
A mix → You’re a Natural Hybrid
You’ll likely love doing both — and many studios encourage exactly that.
Ready to started?
Whether you’re curious to try the wheel for the first time or ready to dive deeper,
Throw Clay LA offers one-time pottery classes, 6-week courses introductory courses, 6-week continuing courses, and studio memberships.
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