Wheel Throwing with one hand only, is it possible?
I’ve had a small number of customers in our beginners classes who’ve had missing fingers, born with deformities, and only had one arm. Therefore it’s not possible to throw using the same hand actions and techniques as we’d usually teach. So I set out to see how it feels to throw on the potter’s wheel using only one hand. I wanted to find out whether it is too difficult and how it can be worked around.
Is it possible to centre and wheel throw with one hand?
To test this I chose my left hand (I’m right handed). My right hand kept trying to travel over to the pot and touch it, so I had to hold my left wrist to stop it. It was relatively easy to throw with just my left hand, however when it came to lifting taller, my hand was simply not lengthy enough to grab the clay at the base and carry it up. So it may only be good for small pots, such as bowls and cups, or pieces with only 1 or 2 lifts. It would also work for plates too. However, if you have lost your hand or fingers, but still have your arm, then it would very much be possible to throw taller forms too. Checkout our video demonstrating my test below.
It is possible to throw with one hand or arm!
It may be more difficult than throwing with 2 hands, but with some adaptations of the more classic throwing techniques it is very possible to throw with only one hand. In many cases the second hand or arm just functions to help the other move steadily, Which can be achieved with one arm also. It really shows just how adaptable throwing can be and throwing pots can be achieved through different methods.
