Transform Your Cylinders: The 3 Pull Rule (2024)

Are you a pottery enthusiast looking to improve your craft? Look no further than the 3 pull rule, a technique taught to me by pottery master Cynthia Bringle during a workshop at the Penland School of Crafts in 2007. In this blog post, I'll share with you the benefits of this technique and a simple exercise to help you incorporate it into your pottery routine.

My First Big Workshop

In 2007, I attended a 2-month pottery workshop at the Penland School of Crafts in western North Carolina with Cynthia Bringle. Despite having been involved in pottery for almost a decade at that point (since high school), I had never heard of her. It turned out that she is essentially the great-aunt of the modern craft movement in pottery, and she had not taught a concentration at Penland since the 80s.

After realizing how fortunate I was, I listened carefully to Cynthia's lessons. She is a woman of action, and her hands and eyes do most of the talking. The very first thing she taught us was the 3-pull rule.

Despite our group having worked with pottery for quite some time, we were not familiar with this information, and it turned out to be revolutionary. Over the two months, I began incorporating this rule into my routine, and it completely transformed the quality of my work. I hope it does the same for you.

What is the 3 Pull Rule?

The 3-pull rule is simple: the majority of your form should be pulled up in just 3 pulls. This does not include shaping, which requires a separate effort. Begin by centering and opening the clay, then as soon as you start pulling up, aim to move as much clay as possible in the first three pulls.

Benefits

Saturation

When we first learn to throw, we may spend a lot of time pulling up. However, the more times we pull up, the more water is absorbed into the clay. Consequently, the more water our pot absorbs, the less resistant it becomes to gravity, and our ability to shape it becomes limited. With the 3 pull rule, we can minimize the number of pulls and reduce the amount of water absorbed by the clay, making it easier to shape our pots.

Efficiency

As we work on our pieces, the clay can become overworked and saturated with water, making it more prone to failure. The 3 pull rule helps us save time and avoid headaches from floppy pots by reducing the amount of time we spend on each piece.

Heavy Bottoms

One common issue that can be addressed with the 3-pull rule is heavy bottoms. When we are too timid about moving clay up from the bottom, our pots can end up thicker than we like, adding unnecessary weight and affecting the overall balance of the piece. By incorporating the 3 pull rule, we can reduce the number of pulls and create thinner, more elegant forms that are easier to trim.

Confidence

When starting to throw, most people fall into one of two camps. Some beginners are too aggressive, but the majority are too timid. Increasing the intensity of your pull can help you determine the limits of the clay and how far you can push them. Over time, this will give you more confidence on the wheel, particularly when working with different clay bodies or trying new shapes.

The Exercise

This is an excerpt from my free 3-day workshop delivered to your inbox called the Cylinder Challenge. You can learn more and sign up here.

Ready to put the 3 pull rule into practice? Try the exercise that has been incredibly impactful on my work since it was taught to me in 2007. Here's what you'll need to do:

• Wedge up three 1# balls of clay and cover them in plastic to prevent them from drying out while you work.
• Create a cylinder in three pulls. Center, open, and raise the walls of your pot using only 3 pulls, no cheating!
• Measure, take a photo, and use a wire tool to cut the cylinder in half to investigate the interior profile.
• Repeat two more times and compare your three interior profiles and your overall progress.

Feel free to cut open these cylinders at the end to compare the anatomy of each piece. You can repeat this exercise as many times as you like, or set a challenging time to beat. Over time, the 3 pull rule will help you reduce the weight of the bottoms of your pieces and gain a better understanding of what a well-thrown pot should look and feel like.

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