What's a beginner's hump and how to avoid it?

This week I show you how to make a large shallow fruit bowl on the wheel. Shallow bowls are prone to collapsing when making and so I show you some ways of minimizing this when throwing. I also show you how to avoid a "beginners hump", that persistent bump in the inside curve of the bowl that can occur when making bowls on the pottery wheel.
00:00 Begin
00:19 Let's get started
00:45 Wedging
01:04 Centring
02:44 Flattening
03:02 Opening out
03:42 Bringing up walls
04:40 Stretching the clay
06:12 Trimming the base
08:32 Dry and bisque
08:45 Glazing
10:24 Let's take a look
10:47 Support us - subs and like
If you want more info on making a chuck, watch our video on making bottles. It includes a section on making chucks: • Ceramic bottles thrown...
We have videos on making a complete porcelain butter dish, fruit juicers, side table, bird feeders, ceramic bottles, mini pots, 2 piece cake stands, mosquito coil holders, coffee pour overs, vase, single piece cake stand, large platters, throwing in a mold, uniform coffee cups, soup noodle bowls, simple porcelain trays, air dry clay (3 videos) and single piece lidded container.
Learn some beginner skills such as wedging clay, summary of throwing a pot, 3 inspirational books, summary of trimming a pot, use of water and reclaiming used clay.
View all our videos here
• Can I make a cake stan...
For all things mini, watch • Making mini pots two ways
Watch our complex form throwing videos here • Can I make a cake stan...
If you are a production potter, here are some of my projects. • Making consistent shap...
All things porcelain... • Making consistent shap...
For advanced techniques, watch • Why a single piece lid...
For hybrid projects, you must watch these:
• Can I make furniture w...
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Check out my printable summary of the steps involved in throwing a pot
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[@susanroswandowicz]

What a great tutorial. All the mistakes you were talking about I made before. Now I know better. Thank you so much 🙏🏻

[@tufts.studio]

Thanks, it's super common when making bowls, and takes a little work to get over it (excuse the pun) but a little practice will help you get there! Good luck.

[@AudreyLynnStudios]

Well done tutorial! I learned a few things! Off to the wheel! Thank you!

[@tufts.studio]

Glad it is helpful. Enjoy! 😊

[@lindatortorice9356]

Thank you for the technique lesson. And the glazing pointers.

[@tufts.studio]

You are so welcome!

[@MarvelousMarbleless]

this was a totally synchronicity! Was just thinking that my skills have leveled up but that damn hump is still following me.

[@tufts.studio]

Great! its not too hard to eliminate this problem with some deliberate practice... and bowls become much more fun! Good luck and please feel free to ask any specific questions if the technique is not clear!

[@HowieChannel1]

Phrases have more than one meaning and use. Why build a bad foundation and try to fix it afterwards when you can get it right the first time? Great explanations in the video!

[@tufts.studio]

Thanks. Yes regarding the interior of a bowl... that's the theory, however sometimes you have to find ways to work around limitations in skills.

[@dorisparker811]

This is my first time watching you. I LOVE your wheel! I've never seen this one. A Bailey is the closest to this that I've seen. What is it?

[@tufts.studio]

Thanks for watching! My wheel is a brent C wheel. It's quite old. I purchased it second hand in the 90's and not a hiccup since! At the time I thought it was on the expensive size .... but now I realize what a bargain it was. I have also never seen one with a fixed splash pan like this. Its huge and very functional. I have always wondered if perhaps someone added it after purchase? but not sure.

[@davezad]

Doesn't a beginners hump refer to the initial difficulty of learning any skill? I'm not sure it's a literal hump in your bowls. Round wooden ribs for shaping are ideal to form an uninterrupted curve on a wide shallow bowl. Something I've discovered is you can take a second pass at shaping later on, after the pot has dried a bit, just before you go to wire it off. Put it back on the wheel. By now, the walls are more stiff and less prone to collapsing under pressure. If there are any irregularities in the curve (like a hump), you can compress and erase them with a rib tool.

[@tufts.studio]

You make three excellent points.
Firstly, My teacher (many years ago....) used to refer to this hump as a "devil's hump". A few weeks ago I noticed a student struggling with this hump over a series of bowls and decided to make a video. So I did a search to see if I remembered correctly and found that it is commonly referred to as a beginners hump. see ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/How-to-Throw-a-Wide-Shallow-Bowl
Secondly - yes a rib, wooder or otherwise will help, however if push into the curve of your bowl at this stage without support, you risk collapsing your bowl. You must support the bowl on the outside, either with hands, sponge or ever a second rib. Also leaving extra clay at the outer foot of the bowl to support the bowl when making will help.
Thirdly, yes you could rework the interior when a little firmer, however I try to teach my students to get the interior curve of the bowl right in the throwing. It's the thing that makes the bowl!
Finally, yes of course, a beginner hump has a much broader meaning.... but I also like the idea that potters have their own little literal beginner's hump to get over!