Jessicak Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Hi all, I am a super new potter and have been throwing for about 8 months after taking some classes. Recently I just can’t seem to get my clay centered. I have done it many times before, but in the last few weeks I’m finding that it’s off centre in either the very base of my clay ball, or right in the middle. Often it will feel centered and it isn’t until I start to push down in the middle before openening up that I can feel there is a little twist in the middle. Sometimes I can push all the way down before I find the twist, but it always seems to be there. Perhaps I am trapping air when I’m coning up? I just can’t seem to work out what I am doing wrong and feel like I have read every post and watched every video. Any advice would be very much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 sounds like trapped air. make sure the ball of clay is round when you put it down. and PUT it down, not slap it down. start coning up first. might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessicak Posted August 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 7 minutes ago, oldlady said: sounds like trapped air. make sure the ball of clay is round when you put it down. and PUT it down, not slap it down. start coning up first. might work. Yep, I’m doing all of the above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 yes, i know, i went through this same thing when i stopped throwing for a long time. everything i did once i started back came out with a hollow spot on the bottom where the air was trapped. it might help to do something else for awhile just to get over the frustration. coming back later when it does not seem so urgent might make you relaxed enough to do i well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Make sure when you're coning that the bottom of the ball- the part right against the wheel head- is getting narrower as you cone up. The diameter down there should reduce by almost half. If not, that area is not getting mixed and won't center properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessicak Posted August 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 21 hours ago, neilestrick said: Make sure when you're coning that the bottom of the ball- the part right against the wheel head- is getting narrower as you cone up. The diameter down there should reduce by almost half. If not, that area is not getting mixed and won't center properly. I think I am getting it, the bottom is definitely getting narrower as I’m coning up. I have noticed that the top of my cone is always quite wobbly, I’m not sure if that could be the issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted August 11, 2020 Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 13 minutes ago, Jessicak said: I think I am getting it, the bottom is definitely getting narrower as I’m coning up. I have noticed that the top of my cone is always quite wobbly, I’m not sure if that could be the issue? You don't have to cone it super narrow. If it's tippy then it's probably too narrow. Also, as you bring it back down, make sure you're not chasing a mushroom all the way down. Don't let it mushroom out or when you get to the bottom it's going to overlap and trap some slurry in the mix, which will keep it from centering up properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinanoel Posted August 11, 2020 Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 Has your clay been sitting around for a while? I've found that if the clay is older, it requires more wedging to evenly distribute the moisture level even if it's coming straight out of the bag. Without doing that, some spots are drier than others and that will throw off a seemingly-centered pull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessicak Posted August 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 19 minutes ago, kristinanoel said: Has your clay been sitting around for a while? I've found that if the clay is older, it requires more wedging to evenly distribute the moisture level even if it's coming straight out of the bag. Without doing that, some spots are drier than others and that will throw off a seemingly-centered pull. Nope, it’s a brand new bag. I get the same issue when I use different types of clay too, and I am making sure to wedge them thoroughly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessicak Posted August 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 1 hour ago, neilestrick said: You don't have to cone it super narrow. If it's tippy then it's probably too narrow. Also, as you bring it back down, make sure you're not chasing a mushroom all the way down. Don't let it mushroom out or when you get to the bottom it's going to overlap and trap some slurry in the mix, which will keep it from centering up properly. It’s not so much tippy, more just very off centre right at the top which leads me to believe the issue is something to do with how I’m coning up and pushing down. It’s not mushrooming either, I make sure my pushes down are nice and even. I’m at quite a loss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted August 11, 2020 Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 5 minutes ago, Jessicak said: It’s not so much tippy, more just very off centre right at the top which leads me to believe the issue is something to do with how I’m coning up and pushing down. It’s not mushrooming either, I make sure my pushes down are nice and even. I’m at quite a loss! Try wedging your clay first and then not coning at all if you're having issues with your coning. Coning is not a requirement for centering, it's just one way of accomplishing a goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessicak Posted August 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2020 On 8/11/2020 at 8:43 PM, liambesaw said: Try wedging your clay first and then not coning at all if you're having issues with your coning. Coning is not a requirement for centering, it's just one way of accomplishing a goal. I’ve been trying another technique that has worked for me in the past, I can’t find where I read it though. You apply consistent pressure with both your left hand pushing against these side to centre and your right pushing down. Then when it feels mostly centred, maintain the pressure and use the fingers on your left hand to smooth any irregularities. Tried that a few times today, exactly the same thing. Clay feels centred until I push even the slightest bit into the middle to open up. Then I can tell it has a twist in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted August 14, 2020 Report Share Posted August 14, 2020 Try softer clay for now. Check basic points of anchoring body, arms hands etc Hands always linked always remove hands slowly and together Were posts here on coning down. .with good video. Search that. Practising infers you are practising correct methods so go back to basic and check yourself. No point in practising bad technique. V often, hmm, its the thrower not the clay, wheel etc etc so checkyself first:-)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted August 14, 2020 Report Share Posted August 14, 2020 I think you may find this recent thread of importance when looking for centering and throwing assistance. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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