Re-centering

[MeggyPeggy]

Hello everyone,

Newbie! So hope this is in the right place :).
I’m really hoping for some advice on ‘re-centreing’ clay please.

In short, I can consistently centre clay without any trouble. My problems start when I begin to open the clay out.
Sometimes I’m fine and the whole process goes smoothly, leaving me with a nice (albeit modest - I am a beginner ;-) pot at the end of it! But other times I cannot get past the opening out process without somehow moving it off centre and, once off, I can’t seem to get it re-centred without beginning the whole process all over again.

I make certain to keep the clay wet and I’m always careful to take my hands away slowly and carefully so as not to cause freshly centred clay to be pushed/pulled off centre. I also cone it thoroughly before beginning (and surprisingly I have little trouble (usually none at all) keeping it centered during the coning process). But I still manage to offset it somehow when opening out.

My teacher has showed me various ways of opening out clay and the same thing happens no matter which technique I use.
Her advice is to ‘keep hold of it for a few rotations to steady it and re-center it’ but that doesn’t appear to be solving the problem so either I’m completely misinterpreting her, or something in my head hasn’t quite clicked yet.

Could anyone offer any advice, tips or suggestions? Really anything would be of great help!!!

[Critchley]

(welcome) nice to see you here. Sorry I can't help as I am no potter but we have some lovely potters here who will be along with advice before long I know.

[Daesul]

Without actually watching you, I can't say what it is you might be doing wrong. And of course, once you have opened out, as you have discovered, it's nigh on impossible to re-centre.

I take it you keep your arms down on the edge of the tray to keep your hands from moving whilst you're opening out? I always open out at a slight angle, i.e. narrow at the base and wider at the top, like an upside down cone, that way you don't get any suction when you remove your finger/thumb from the pot's middle.

It may just be something that will correct itself with practice.

I hope you get it sorted soon. Maybe your teacher can watch you and spot what's going wrong?

[MeggyPeggy]

Thanks very much for the welcome and response :D!

I think perhaps you're correct in saying it's something that will (hopefully!!!) right itself with practice.

My teacher has watched me several times but only says to "keep hold of it for a few rotations." I've tried doing this (and when I do release I do so slowly and carefully) but so far it's not helped.

The fact that I can have successful throwing sessions 50% of the time says to me I'm probably doing something inconsistently (like making sure my arms are securely supported) - so yes, practice sounds the likely answer.

Though any further tips and hints always welcome!!!

Incidently, do you know WHY I'm moving the clay off centre when I open out or/and pull up? What could I doing that would be causing me getting off centre??

[Daesul]

You must somehow be moving your hands whist still touching the clay, I can't think of any other reason. But as I said before, without actually seeing you doing it, I can't really tell.

Anyway, take heart - it still sometimes happens to me and I've been throwing for 28 years!

[Lilac Moon]

Hi welcome to the forum......you know what they say.

If at first you dont succeed, try try try try try try try try try and all that.....:) just dont give up and you will be surprised at how quickly you will get the hang of it..

[MeggyPeggy]

Thanks very much :)!

What a lovely, friendly forum!

[pollypolkadot]

We gained a kick wheel this week from freecycle -(what a lovely system!), my partner has always sculpted, whilst I have not touched clay since leaving school. However both of us would now happily abanden the children, the housework, our jobs and all other cares in life, just to spend time center-ing the clay. What an addictive occupation!