Centering In Ceramics

Slap centering begins the centering of the clay with dry hands and quick directed slaps to dispel high points and minimize the work of final centering.

Centering in ceramics. This is a how to video about how to center clay on the wheel. Centering is the foundation of throwing. Centering clay on the potter s wheel requires speed and lubrication. The most important part of throwing clay on the wheel.

Click for a larger image. This is a tutorial for centering clay on the pottery wheel. The ball of clay still refused to center. It will catch on your hands and go off center.

When you feel no more movement under your hand and your hand no longer moves. If this happens take the clay off your wheel wedge another piece and start over. Center your head above the wheel. Never let the clay begin to dry.

The pot is only as true and as strong as the centering. Don t overwork the clay at this step. This is a very critical step as it is the foundation of the pot. Centering pottery wheelthrowing art beginner this is a beginner centering video concentrating on the most common mistakes that i see beginners do.

Centering clay on the pottery wheel is difficult but vital part of throwing good pots. The wheel should be rotating at full speed as your center. She said if the air pocket is big enough your clay will never center because air is lighter then clay and will continually throw your clay off center. As clay dries and is fired it tends to unwind thrown spouts on a teapot can twist.

Begin by dousing the clay with a handful of water or slurry. So it goes to reason that if the clay particles are perpendicular or variously aligned in relation to the wall of the pot this unwinding would be less pronounced and the clay particles wouldn t be spiraled around the center of the foot of a pot.