Have you ever wanted to try your hand at pottery, but weren't sure where to start?

Using a pottery wheel is the perfect way for beginners to get into the craft.

It's easy to learn, and the results can be absolutely stunning.

Keep reading for five easy steps that will help you get started on the pottery wheel today!

Step One: Gather Your Supplies

First things first, you'll need to make sure you have all of the supplies necessary for your project.

You'll need a pottery wheel (obviously), some clay, water, and a sponge.

You'll also want to make sure you have an apron or other protective clothing as clay can be messy!

Step Two: Preparing the Clay

Once you've got everything together it's time to prepare your clay.

This is an important step because it determines how well your clay will hold its shape while spinning on the wheel.

Start by kneading it in your hands until it's soft and pliable.

Next, flatten it out into a disc shape with your hands and use a rolling pin to make it even more uniform in thickness.

Finally, use your hands or tools like knives or spoons to shape the disc however you'd like before putting it onto the wheel.

Step Three: Centering Your Clay  

Now that you have your clay prepared and ready, let's move on to centering.

This means ensuring that your clay is positioned correctly so that when it spins on the wheel it doesn't wobble or fly off in any direction!

Start by wetting both sides of your clay disc with water from a sponge or spray bottle. Next, place it directly in the center of the wheel and press down firmly with both hands as if giving it a hug.

Once centered correctly, give yourself some space by moving one hand away from each side of the disc and start spinning slowly with just one finger—this should keep everything balanced while keeping a good grip on your workpiece!

Step Four: Shaping Your Piece

Now that you've got everything centered correctly and spinning smoothly, let's move on to shaping!

There are many ways you can do this depending on what kind of piece you're making (i.e., bowl vs vase).

A general rule of thumb is always start with something basic, like pushing down gently along one side of your piece and pulling up along another side in order to create curves or angles in whatever shape desired!

As long as your piece remains centered while doing this then there's no limit what kind of shapes can be created - so go wild and have fun creating something truly unique!

Conclusion

And there you have it—five easy steps that will help get any beginner started on their pottery journey today!

Remember practice makes perfect so don’t worry if at first things don’t turn out as planned--just take a deep breath, relax and give yourself plenty of time for trial-and-error until finding success with using a pottery wheel! Good luck!