Working from the Top Down

Once your hump is centred, you do not open it from the bottom the way you would a standard piece. Instead, you work only with the clay at the top of the hump, leaving the rest undisturbed below.

Opening the Top of the Hump

Press your fingers into the very top of the hump: only 2-4 cm deep, depending on the piece size.
Open and pull walls using the same technique you use for standard throwing, but in miniature.
The base of your piece sits a few centimetres above the wheel head, riding on the hump beneath it.

Keeping Your Hands Low

Resist the temptation to let your hands drift down the hump. Your lower hand should stay at the level where the piece begins. If you grip too low, you will destabilise the hump and it will wobble.

Cutting Off

When the piece is finished:

With the wheel spinning slowly, bring a wire tool in at the base of the piece, right where it meets the remaining hump.
Pull the wire through in one smooth motion while the wheel turns. This gives a clean spiral cut.
Slide the piece off the hump with wet hands or a flexible plastic rib, onto a waiting bat or board.
Re-compress and re-shape the top of the hump as needed, then throw the next piece.

Pro Tip

Pieces cut off the hump are harder to trim in the traditional way: the base is often slightly domed from the hump's curve. Many potters use off-the-hump pieces for forms where a foot ring is optional, like small sake cups or thumb pots.

Did You Know?

The tradition of throwing small, repeated forms off the hump connects to the broader history of studio pottery, where efficiency and rhythm are valued alongside craftsmanship. Bernard Leach, who studied under Japanese masters, championed this kind of disciplined production throwing in his influential workshops at St Ives.

Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes

Cutting too low into the hump: Keep cut location tight to the piece base.
Letting hands drift down the mound: Stay at the active zone to avoid destabilizing the hump.
Rushing transfer after cut-off: Use controlled lift and prepared boards to prevent distortion.
Ignoring top compression after each piece: Re-compress before beginning the next form.

Practice Exercise

Do a focused cut-off drill: throw and cut ten mini forms with only transfer and top reset as the target skill. Evaluate base quality and deformation rate. This isolates the hardest part of hump workflow.