Potter3ee Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 I posted a question a few weeks ago about centering. I started doing pottery about 6 months ago and was progressing fairly well. And then suddenly i just couldn't center. No matter what I tried i just couldn't center. And it still continues. I get to kind of centered but I know i feel a wobble right at the base. I manage to make something but its a mess trying to trim because there are knots and lumps all over. And now a few times the base of my pots look like this. (attached images) What am I doing wrong? Last night I stopped the wheel after I couldnt get it to center and wired through my lump of clay in several places. There were absolutely no air pockets. I just dont understand what im doing wrong. Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Looks like to me you are leaving a bit of an the wedged area pocketed when wedging. Do you cone wedge, or rams head? I cone, get the clay to an cone, and then end up the wedging process with several short strokes where you roll and smooth the sides, and round in the bottom to a lightly domed form. You will end up with a a low bowl shape with a cone on top. This should get rid of the area you have in your pictures. If you are doing the rams head, then keep working again with shorter strokes to smooth in the sides, and just cut off the bottom, or slap it into a low dome. Hope this helps out, best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 before you set your clay on the wheel, smack it dow and roll it so it rocks. the lowest point should be the center. Check your wedging and make sure you get rid of the cavity. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Regarding your inability to center...I had that problem until I tried centering with my eyes closed. If your hands are in the right positions and the clay is close to centered when you place it, you will be able to feel the clays reaction to your efforts with closed eyes. It was fascinating the way it worked the few times I tried it. After blind centering four or five times, I have gone back to centering with open eyes and haven't had a problem at all. JohnnyK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marko Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Use a well wedged clay. Like Pres and Marcia suggest. As for the centering, I make my clay soft. But not sticky. If you are struggling with it it could be to hard. Try making three or four 1-2# balls of clay for throwing, or however a weight you feel comfortable. I think in the size of your hands matter when you are still learning to center and throw. Make each ball of clay a different degree of soft to hard. And give it a go till you find what works best. Remember, the basics of throwing are important. But once you get over that "hump" you can then move on to what pulling and shaping works for you best. Watch other in the CAD videos. you'll see the basics and then something different. Just experimenting can be as fun as it is informative. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 I did something similar when I was first learning to center clay, I think it was caused because I was squeezing the bottom to hard while trying to move the excess clay from the bottom into the cone. Just a guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Make sure you have a nice round ball when you smack it onto the wheel, so it collapses outward. You're trapping an air bubble under the clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 What Neil said. If you trap an air pocket under your clay, it's completely impossible to centre. That bump at the bottom you describe is a dead giveaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotterPutter Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 Neil is right. The side of the clay that you smack on the wheel should be rounded-off. It looks like you are putting a flat side on the wheel, and air is getting trapped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potter3ee Posted February 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 Hi everyone. So I tried some of the things that you guys suggested and I did manage to resolve the problem somewhat. Looks like it was a combination of trapping an air bubble at the bottom while smacking and also squeezing too hard at the bottom while coning up. Im still not getting it perfectly centered but its a lot better - and there was no knot at the bottom like my images - so thats good ! thanks for helping everyone. I love how helpful this community is ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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