THIS Is Why You Struggle to Center Clay on the Potter's Wheel
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- Опубликовано: 3 июн 2024
- More tips on IG: / tinkerandthink
You can see my work here: benshane.com/pottery-shop/
If you struggle to master centering clay on the potter's wheel, check out these three tips that made all the difference for me when I was learning.
@tinkerandthink on Instagram 
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If you want tips on pulling cylinders after your clay is centered, I made a short video on that! ruclips.net/video/Ow1cUkZkBpA/видео.html
I want to mention that left handed people may have trouble if the rotation of the wheel hasn't been reversed. I struggled horribly through 2 sets of beginner wheel classes. Then at the end of the 3rd try, the instructor that time finally noticed that I was a lefty, flipped a switch on the wheel and suddenly, everything got MUCH easier!!
Yes! Me too! But my wheel only runs counter clockwise, so I had to teach myself to throw “right handed”.
Really good instruction - self taught people are always the best teachers (my father was a ceramics teacher and he used to tell his students :its easy after the first 10000)
I told Dante (Earth Nation Ceramics) that you called him out. He appreciated it, watched your video, and now he wants to update his video on centering.
BTW, I am a beginner potter (got hooked by my potter son) and I needed to hear this. Now I need to get back to the wheel and try it out.
Tip three is something I had to figure out the hard way, but you are 100 percent spot on.
Incredible. Love the troubleshooting which is so hard to do without physical instruction. Self learners need this!!! Thank you
thank you so much. Awesome description. I now fully understand
All of your online teachers were also mine, and I am also mostly self taught. Great tutorial! I'm now a new subscriber!
Step one, is, game changing🎉 thank you so much! Following your channel now!
Thank you, EXTREAMELY helpful.
Thank you so much for this! Lately I’m feeling like I get worse at centering every time I try, I think it’s letting go too fast!! Also too much pressure in general, I tend to Hulk Smash all my clay… thank you for showing what it looks like when you do it “wrong”, that also helps a ton. So many videos are experienced people doing things perfectly while talking about how they do, which makes troubleshooting really difficult. I’m not that good yet, so I need to see issues that “look like” mine!
I hope it helps! I know what you mean about just watching experts, it can be really frustrating. Remember that strength is helpful, but only if you use it to be more stable! Pottery is not about moving or pushing or pulling clay, it's about making tiny adjustments to the clay and then being stable enough to not let the clay move you. Keep practicing and you'll make progress
I watch videos from all of these guys, but especially Hsin-Chuen Lin….he is a master potter….love his videos! 😊😊
Ben: I'm not going to be scandalous...
The rest of the internet: Awww :(
Right? We could use some scandal!!
Careful what you ask for...
super stinking helpful. I don't think concepts are taught enough and this was really well explained
This is the most beautiful man I've ever seen.
Real asf
Great tutorial. Thanks!
wonderful bro, keep going, man.
Thanks- this really helped ❤
ok ok thats actually real real helpful. never noticed that core part, but that super makes sense
Thank you. Very helpful.
Thanks for this! I did take a few classes, but never managed to learn centering prior to using tips I had found on RUclips. I'm a lot better at centering now than I was before, but I still found myself struggling when it came to bigger pieces. Now that I've watched your video, I see that there were a few subtleties I was missing, so I can't wait to head to the studio and apply these tips!! Thank you :)
Hope it helps! Let me know how it goes 👍
I learn so much from you. Thank you so much!
I'm glad! Thanks for letting me know. If there's something else you would like me to cover in a future video, let me know!
Omg the only person I've seen actually explain what it means to brace your arm when centering and not give a 2 second explanation. I've wasted so much clay having no idea how to brace.
Thanks for this video. I've watched some detailed instruction videos but was missing a few pieces of the puzzle this video helped unlock. Once I understood what is was meant to do not just how I was then able to feel it. Everything went so much faster and it was actually centred.
That's great! Exactly what I hope this video will do
Thank you ... I haven't tried it yet but it makes sense ❤
DAAUUUDE!!! THANK YOU!!! I never Got the one hand being the supper and the other being the pusher! I thought I was trying to make sure that I had the exact pressure on the pushing down from the top hand and the pushing the side of the clay hand!!! So much easier this way! Just subscribed.
That's awesome! Glad I could help 🙏
Thank you. That helps.
Thank you ❣️
Thank you😃
Ugh. I'm having a challenging time centering. I'm really trying to adjust my mindset because I really love hand building
Well explained, thank you.
What else would you want to see? I'm preparing to make more videos
@@tinkerandthink
I would enjoy watching a tutorial on how to pull a carafe and or bottle please.🌺🌈
@@monicaweber5098 absolutely! keep an eye out :)
@@tinkerandthink thank you🌈❤
I'm new to ceramics and not great at centering. Sooo...I have been hand building...which I love. But I am going to try your techniques and try to conquer the wheel. I'll never stop hand building...but want it to be a choice and ONE of my skills...not a necessity because I haven't conquered the potter's wheel. Thanks for the great explanation.
I applaud you! I still avoid handbuilding because it intimidates me. I hope you'll let me know how your wheel time goes!
I finally signed up for a local pottery class, something I've wanted to do for a very long time. Oh, and I'm a complete newbie. 😊 Last week was my 1st lesson and the teacher just flew through all the instructions, then put us on the wheel. I had a blast, but what a failed mess!😅 I've been watching tutorials all week. Thank you for these tips! I'm excited to put them to use in class tonight. Thank you! I just subscribed. ❤
That's awesome! How has it been going?
Tinker Thinker--- When I listened to your explanation of 'core', I applauded... I've been saying it to everyone who asks for help mastering centering. As a retired golf professional, I can tell you without debate that core strength and stability are paramount to BOTH activities. Since I have done both since childhood, I understood the relationship of arms close to and connected to the core in golf. In pottery, my left elbow is on my hip and my right on my leg. This affords me the power to use my body/core to center quickly and easily. Further, once that relationship is understood, opening, and pulling becomes SO much easier for beginners. When success is elusive, interest wanes quickly. Keep up the good work. Few instructors ever explain this very important point.
I've found core strength plus core engagement to be essential to just about everything. It's hard to teach if someone doesn't do any other activity requiring core engagement, and even harder to know if they are actually engaging their core or not. But I tell everyone to try it!
Thanks for the reply... and yes, you're right. Athletes are born with the understanding, while others must learn it! Look forward to viewing more of your videos!@@tinkerandthink
I just attended my first pottery class and I REALLY struggled with centering. The perspective of not pushing, but rather holding a steady point will help I think. Booked some studio time to add that perspective :)
Everyone struggles in the beginning! Don't be discouraged. I hope you'll let me know how it goes next time. If you take a quick video of centering, I'll be happy to give any tips that might help you!
I've only been doing ceramics for less than a year and I can tell you after a little while especially with a teacher once you pick up the basics everything starts getting easier
i never understood centring untill i used a lathe - the tool is completely ridged when it meets the rotating work the work has to become round
I agree
it would be great if you do something on pulling, cant quite get that for some reason
You got it! Stay tuned
Oh your point on bracing arm/leg/chest - I feel like I'm struggling hardcore with that. I am very physically weak and it feels like when I try to center clay I'm putting so much force in without it doing anything to the clay at all (coning is a nightmare), because if i try to just brace my body and keep my hands steady it seems impossible to keep them in the same position. Is there something I'm missing or do you just have to have some level of physical strength to do it properly
Physical strength helps, I won't lie. But it isn't the only way. A few pieces of advice:
1. Start with a round ball of clay centered on the wheel. No need to slam it down and miss the center. Plop it down and smack it down. The more centered it is to start, the better.
2. Don't try to move the whole mass of clay. Just redistribute the outer, uncentered layer. Try this: use just one finger, braced with the other hand, to press in just one place in the clay; it will center that narrow band fairly easily because you're moving so little clay at a time. Apply that principle to the whole act of centering.
3. Try different hand positiona for centering. Just watch different potters and try what they do. Everyone is different, and you may find something that feels more secure for you.
Keep trying! I hope this helps a little. Centering is very hard to learn, but once you find something that works for you it will get easier with practice.
My students and I thank you.
Damn. That's crazy.
Man, you were my first ceramics teacher
This really helped me understand centering a bit better in the physics sense thankyou, what was the name of the Asian instructor you mentioned please?
I'm glad! His name is Hsin Chuen Lin.
I think you missed a major step. When placing the clay on the wheel it helps to slap it into place all the way around. It literally pre centers the clay. I wasn’t self taught but been throwing for plus 15 years. Slapping the clay in place has you hand move the wheel then seal the bottom w your finger should really be the first step to help. All to often I see beginners just throw the clay on the wheel and it’s not even in the center of the wheel. Most people think you have to throw it down and you don’t, just set it. I never learned to push the clay across but only push down into my hand. That prevents aka pushing off the wheel which I have to say you still have to push quite ridiculously hard for that to happen. Having a good strong core does help. Strength really doesn’t mean much. I have a fellow potter and on a great day she is maybe 90 pounds and she can center 25 pounds of clay in no time, and like I we throw really dry. But I’ll have to watch a few more of your videos.
what a wonderful chanel, I souscribe & like, salam, peace from algeria
cool
what are the channels he recommended in the beginning?
One of them was Florian Gadsby, really good!
Unfortunately I have a treadle wheel so have difficulty bracing my arm against thigh because its moving! Any ideas?
I've never used a treadle, but I find that on an electric wheel I don't need to brace my arm if my core is braced. Throwing with softer clay will also mean you need less force to move it around.
@@tinkerandthink thank you 👍
What is the name of the potter, Shin Jung Li?
Hsin Chuen Lin. His channel is linked in the video when I mention him (in the upper right corner, I think)
@@tinkerandthink Thank you
such clear, concise instruction! excellent video. next time take off your shirt lol
LMAO true 😂
😂 when I'm helping newbies on the wheel, my Montra for hands on and off the clay is:
" Shhhh, go slow... you don't want to wake the baby " 🤸🤹♀️🥳🙆
😂 I like that one!
And don’t forget to breathe!
I have to remind myself that every single time I am centering as I tend to hold my breath lol
2sep22
You should almost never use your finger tips wile centering use the sturdy butt or lower palm it gives you more control and stability
Next time be scandalous!
Hmm instructions unclear. Maybe it will be okay to take off your shirt and show me
Too much talking and not any real physical demonstration. I need to see the mechanics and advice in action. Sorry this video did not help me.
Thanks for the feedback. This isn't a how to video, it's meant to help someone who has learned the basics but is still struggling. It's a video about the concepts behind centering, so it necessarily has more explaining. I tried to show what I mean by "be still" etc. And I pointed out other videos that do a good job of what you're looking for. Guess I should have taken off my shirt to demonstrate flexing your core 🤷