In this video, I’m walking you through step one of how I form my mug shapes on the pottery wheel—basically my first real “show and tell” attempt at explaining my process out loud. I’ve taught art for years, but teaching pottery is a whole other beast, so consider this me practicing how I’d teach if I ever start offering pottery classes. I’m sharing what I do, what I’m thinking about while I’m throwing, and how I approach getting a simple mug form started on the wheel. I’m not pretending it’s perfect—this one gets a little wonky, and that’s honestly part of the point. I want you to see the real process, including the moments where things aren’t textbook, because that’s how you learn (and how I’m still learning, too). If you’re new to wheel throwing, the biggest takeaway is that consistency comes from repetition: I’m going to keep practicing, and I hope this helps you feel more confident practicing right alongside me in your own studio.