Two types of techniques you learn in pottery class are wheel throwing and handbuilding techniques. Wheel throwing refers to creating pottery by turning a mound of clay on a potter's wheel, and using your hands or tools to create round shapes–like bowls and vases–as the clay spins. Handbuilding, as the name would suggest, involves using your hands or hand tools alone to shape the clay.
Common handbuilding techniques include:
Pinching ­– Pinching refers to shaping a pot out of a single ball of clay by pressing your thumb into the center of the ball and spinning it as you press the walls out.
Coil building – Coil building involves rolling out long coils of clay and then joining them together to make a pot or dish.
Slab building – Slab building Involves rolling out clay into flat slabs or sheets, cutting the sheets into various shapes and sizes, and joining them together. This technique is ideal for geometric shapes or unusual shapes and angles difficult to create on a potter's wheel.