So, I turned my first bowl!
......Wile we are on the subject though, how can you avoid tearout around the outside of the rim? Is it just a case of light cuts with sharp tools?
Well done Gizmo. I can well recall being in the same position as that in which you find yourself now. As for your question, you've guessed the essential part of the answer, but 'd also add that whilst the cut (and therefore the tool pressure) against the bowl needs to be light, you'll need a positive hold on the tool itself, especially holding it onto the tool-rest. Then, of course, there's the issue of exactly how you present the tool to the wood.
I live out on a limb a bit, in the Snowdonia National Park, and didn't know of any other turners around here, so when i started, I had to teach myself, with assistance from books, You Tube and magazines etc. Having said that, I recently visited a professional turner who was kind enough to take me to his workshop and talk me through a few ways of using the bowl gouge. A similar visit to an AWGB member's home resulted in a demo of the use of the skew chisel, and these two experiences proved enormously beneficial. So if you can.....get in touch with a (good) turner local to you, or even go on a course. It really will help. Having said that, if you're anywhere near me, I'd be happy to help.
Keep at it!
Les