Karen and Cliff Sandlin on mon 5 nov 01
Thank you Lou!
I really appreciate your lesson on centering. Someone else also wrote
about holding steady, which is where I went wrong. I had forgotten to
BRACE my hand. I was Pushing in, instead of just centering and since I
was not braced, I kept going off center.
I printed your lesson and put it out in the garage with my glaze book so
if I ever forget again, I can refer to it.
Karen
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On
Behalf Of Lou Roess
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2001 12:51 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: A lesson on centering for beginners
One of the joys of pottery is that there are a hundred ways to Sunday
to do
anything associated with it. And in case anyone's looking for another
slant
on centering for beginners, here it is.
First, as so many have said, have your clay at the right
consistency.
Too hard clay will fight you all the way and win. If it's too soft, you
can
center it and then let it sit a while to stiffen up. If it's too hard
it
just gets harder.
Use a bat to throw on. Then you can take the bat off and set your
finished piece aside for a short while. When it has dried out a bit,
put the
bat back on the wheel, undercut with a wire and remove your piece to a
ware
board. Later, when you have more experience you can use stiffer clay
and
remove your pieces immediately, just like the big boys and girls do.
Have the clay in the shape of a ball before you put it on the wheel.
Don't use too small or too large a piece of clay. Both are more
difficult to
center for beginners. Use a piece about the size of a grapefruit until
you
get the hang of it. Slap it into shape in your hands, then place it on
the
bat.
I like to roll the bottom of the ball around a bit first to make
it
slightly conical. Then when you put it on the bat, point down, you tend
to
squeeze any air out, not trap it under the clay. And you don't have to
"throw" the clay down as so many instructors teach. It's very hard to
throw
it down and be accurate about where it will land and it's just about
impossible if the wheel is turning and centrifugal force is also
affecting
the ball of clay.
Press down on the clay with the palms of your hands and pull toward
you
with your fingers while you turn the ball (which will also turn the
wheel
head). You are adhering it firmly to the bat, centering it even more,
and
and also shaping it into a flat mound. (No power to the wheel yet.) Be
sure
to pull in any blobs of clay that stick out to the side, especially
those
down near the wheel head..
Next, wet your hands and/or the clay and start the wheel. Let the
clay
run around inside your hands, thumbs on top. You are applying gentle
pressure but you're not trying to center yet, just smoothing off the
rough
edges.
At this point the clay is very close to being centered and you have
expended little or no effort.
Pull your stool as close to the wheel as it will go and sit as far
forward as you can.
Wet down the clay if it is the least bit dry. A dry ball of clay
will
stick to your hands and pull itself off center.
Tuck your left elbow into your left hip joint, and place the palm of
your
left hand on the left side of the clay near the front, with the fingers
pointing away from you and held away from the clay. You have just one
contact point, the heel of your hand.
Start the wheel and lean on the clay. You are not pushing with your
arm,
you are leaning your whole body forward and because your arm is tucked
solidly into your hip joint, the arm is exerting pressure on the heel of
your
hand and thus on the clay. The clay is centered when it runs smoothly
around
without pushing back on your hand. Usually just a few rotations is all
it
takes to center. I find that a faster speed makes it easier to center,
but
that seems to be a matter of opinion.
You can try this with two hands, but sometimes one hand will be
centering
while the other will be pushing it off center. If you can apply even
pressure, it's a good method. Just put the heels of both hands on the
clay,
tuck both elbows in and lean.
Keep the clay lubricated so it doesn't 'catch' on your hands and
uncenter itself.
Lean back and slowly remove your hand from the clay. E-e-ease your
hands off the clay, both while centering and later while throwing.
Removing
your hands quickly will often put perfectly centered clay off center
again.
Keep the wheel head clean by wiping the slurry off of it and your
hands
as you go along. Otherwise you will not want to have the sides of your
hands
down on the wheel head because it will be so gritty. You'll end up with
clay
which is centered at the top but may not be at the bottom.
Once you have the clay centered, stop. If you keep working with it,
you
will only throw it off again. (Ask someone to let you put your hands
around
clay that is already centered so you can recognize the feeling.)
Realize that when you open the clay it will probably go slightly off
center again. This happens to the best of us. It's a matter of knowing
how
to get it back on center - no problem. With your cupped hands on the
outside and your thumbs on the inside of the opened doughnut, press in
and
down gently until it is centered again. You may have to do this several
times
in the course of opening and pulling.
If the piece is farther along, more of a cylinder, press the outside
with
cupped hands to recenter. Don't get so attached to every piece you make
that
you spend inordinate amounts of time on an off center pot trying to
'fix'
it. It's probably a waste of time.
Practice by making up six balls of clay. Center one as best you can
in a
few minutes, cut it off the bat and center another. Keep doing this
until
you've used all six pieces. If you feel comfortable with centering at
this
point, open the last ball and make a pot. If you aren't sure, make six
more
balls of clay and do it again. Don't plan on making finished pieces -
this
is practice.
A musician puts in hours of practice and hits lots of bad notes
before
gaining a degree of proficiency, and a whittler throws away a lot of
whistles
before he learns to make one that works. but beginning potters never
think of
just practicing. If they get something that even remotely resembles a
pot
they want to keep it, I suppose because they aren't sure thay can do it
again. But the best way to learn to do it again and do it better is to
practice.
This has turned into a longer lecture than I originally planned, but
I
hope it helps someone.
Regards, Lou in Parachute (it's in Colorado)
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Lou Roess on mon 5 nov 01
One of the joys of pottery is that there are a hundred ways to Sunday to do=
=20
anything associated with it. And in case anyone=E2=80=99s looking for anoth=
er slant=20
on centering for beginners, here it is.
First, as so many have said, have your clay at the right consistency. =20
Too hard clay will fight you all the way and win. If it=E2=80=99s too soft,=
you can=20
center it and then let it sit a while to stiffen up. If it=E2=80=99s too ha=
rd it=20
just gets harder.
Use a bat to throw on. Then you can take the bat off and set your=20
finished piece aside for a short while. When it has dried out a bit, put th=
e=20
bat back on the wheel, undercut with a wire and remove your piece to a ware=20
board. Later, when you have more experience you can use stiffer clay and=20
remove your pieces immediately, just like the big boys and girls do.
Have the clay in the shape of a ball before you put it on the wheel. =20
Don=E2=80=99t use too small or too large a piece of clay. Both are more dif=
ficult to=20
center for beginners. Use a piece about the size of a grapefruit until you=20
get the hang of it. Slap it into shape in your hands, then place it on the=20
bat. =20
I like to roll the bottom of the ball around a bit first to make it=20
slightly conical. Then when you put it on the bat, point down, you tend to=20
squeeze any air out, not trap it under the clay. And you don=E2=80=99t have=20=
to=20
=E2=80=9Cthrow=E2=80=9D the clay down as so many instructors teach. It=E2=
=80=99s very hard to throw=20
it down and be accurate about where it will land and it=E2=80=99s just about=
=20
impossible if the wheel is turning and centrifugal force is also affecting=20
the ball of clay. =20
Press down on the clay with the palms of your hands and pull toward you=20
with your fingers while you turn the ball (which will also turn the wheel=20
head). You are adhering it firmly to the bat, centering it even more, and =20
and also shaping it into a flat mound. (No power to the wheel yet.) Be sure=20
to pull in any blobs of clay that stick out to the side, especially those=20
down near the wheel head..
Next, wet your hands and/or the clay and start the wheel. Let the clay=20
run around inside your hands, thumbs on top. You are applying gentle=20
pressure but you=E2=80=99re not trying to center yet, just smoothing off the=
rough=20
edges.
At this point the clay is very close to being centered and you have=20
expended little or no effort. =20
Pull your stool as close to the wheel as it will go and sit as far=20
forward as you can.
Wet down the clay if it is the least bit dry. A dry ball of clay will=20
stick to your hands and pull itself off center.
Tuck your left elbow into your left hip joint, and place the palm of you=
r=20
left hand on the left side of the clay near the front, with the fingers=20
pointing away from you and held away from the clay. You have just one=20
contact point, the heel of your hand. =20
Start the wheel and lean on the clay. You are not pushing with your arm,=
=20
you are leaning your whole body forward and because your arm is tucked=20
solidly into your hip joint, the arm is exerting pressure on the heel of you=
r=20
hand and thus on the clay. The clay is centered when it runs smoothly aroun=
d=20
without pushing back on your hand. Usually just a few rotations is all it=20
takes to center. I find that a faster speed makes it easier to center, but=20
that seems to be a matter of opinion.
You can try this with two hands, but sometimes one hand will be centerin=
g=20
while the other will be pushing it off center. If you can apply even=20
pressure, it=E2=80=99s a good method. Just put the heels of both hands on t=
he clay,=20
tuck both elbows in and lean.
Keep the clay lubricated so it doesn=E2=80=99t =E2=80=98catch=E2=80=99 o=
n your hands and=20
uncenter itself.
Lean back and slowly remove your hand from the clay. E-e-ease your=20
hands off the clay, both while centering and later while throwing. Removing=
=20
your hands quickly will often put perfectly centered clay off center again.=20=
=20
Keep the wheel head clean by wiping the slurry off of it and your hands=20
as you go along. Otherwise you will not want to have the sides of your hands=
=20
down on the wheel head because it will be so gritty. You=E2=80=99ll end up=20=
with clay=20
which is centered at the top but may not be at the bottom. =20
Once you have the clay centered, stop. If you keep working with it, yo=
u=20
will only throw it off again. (Ask someone to let you put your hands aroun=
d=20
clay that is already centered so you can recognize the feeling.) =20
Realize that when you open the clay it will probably go slightly off=20
center again. This happens to the best of us. It=E2=80=99s a matter of kno=
wing how=20
to get it back on center - no problem. With your cupped hands on the=20
outside and your thumbs on the inside of the opened doughnut, press in and=20
down gently until it is centered again. You may have to do this several time=
s=20
in the course of opening and pulling.
If the piece is farther along, more of a cylinder, press the outside wit=
h=20
cupped hands to recenter. Don=E2=80=99t get so attached to every piece you=20=
make that=20
you spend inordinate amounts of time on an off center pot trying to =E2=80=
=98fix=E2=80=99=20
it. It=E2=80=99s probably a waste of time.
Practice by making up six balls of clay. Center one as best you can in a=
=20
few minutes, cut it off the bat and center another. Keep doing this until=20
you=E2=80=99ve used all six pieces. If you feel comfortable with centering a=
t this=20
point, open the last ball and make a pot. If you aren=E2=80=99t sure, make=20=
six more=20
balls of clay and do it again. Don=E2=80=99t plan on making finished pieces=
- this=20
is practice.=20
A musician puts in hours of practice and hits lots of bad notes before=20
gaining a degree of proficiency, and a whittler throws away a lot of whistle=
s=20
before he learns to make one that works. but beginning potters never think o=
f=20
just practicing. If they get something that even remotely resembles a pot=20
they want to keep it, I suppose because they aren=E2=80=99t sure thay can d=
o it=20
again. But the best way to learn to do it again and do it better is to=20
practice.
This has turned into a longer lecture than I originally planned, but I=20
hope it helps someone.
Regards, Lou in Parachute (it=E2=80=99s in Colorado)
Gerard Carriere on tue 6 nov 01
While teaching centering, I became aware that one of the most important
points of the exercise is showing the appprentice that you must push the
ball of clay about 1/2 inch or 1 cm past its true center and then release
slowly. I also show them what happens if I release suddenly and cause the
clay ball to be lobsided. I had done that for years without noticing that
it's one of the main movements of centering among many others. G=C3=A9rar=
d =C3=A0
No=C3=ABlville
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