Bellying Out

Ready to move beyond straight-sided forms?

In this online workshop, you’ll learn how to intentionally stretch clay outward to create full, rounded and beautifully balanced forms using the technique known as bellying out.

We’ll start with bowls, breaking down the relationship between pressure, speed and wall thickness so you can understand exactly what’s happening to your clay as you push it outward. From there, we’ll take those principles into taller forms such as vases and jugs, learning how to create strong curves without collapsing the walls or losing control of the rim.

You’ll discover why rim control is so important to the entire shape, how throwing down can stabilise wider or taller forms, and how to use rib tools to refine and guide your curves into smooth, continuous lines.

This workshop is suitable for beginner to intermediate potters who want to develop greater confidence with form and start creating more expressive, sculptural shapes on the wheel.

What you'll learn

• How and why bellying out works
• How to stretch clay outward without collapsing your form
• The relationship between width, height and wall thickness
• Why rim control influences the entire shape of your pot
• How throwing down can stabilise wide and tall forms
• How to use rib tools to guide and refine curves
• How to create strong bases and balanced proportions
• How to assess your forms by cutting them in half and analysing the profile