The plate, like the bowl and cup, is one of the most common shapes we make in clay. But the making of them can at first seem challenging.

In this 3-part lesson, I'll first break down the steps for throwing, trimming and drying a place-setting of three flat-shaped plates with flat wide rims: a bread-and-butter plate, a salad or lunch plate, and a dinner plate. I'll then show you how to throw a curved-shaped plate and two simple ways to make squared plates. And lastly, throwing, trimming, and decorating larger plates and platters.

Shown and described in detail in this lesson:

- tips about clay qualities

- developing a rhythm of making to create plates that look alike

- centering large pieces of clay

- tool use and batt options

- trimming feet for waxing

- thick slip decorating

- avoiding lopsided pots… and more!