This is a common problem when centering. Whatever part of the clay your hands are on and putting pressure on you are causing to slow down as the wheel is going at a constant speed. If you hold on to one part and put too much pressure for too long it will spiral and sometimes tears off. For a better explanation try this. When your centering go ahead and put a lot of pressure on one specific part of the clay body. You will notice that the part where your hands are are going slightly slower than the bottom part of the clay, this of course what caused it to twist and part of it will come off. Now do it again but just keep moving your hands. Don't stop and don't put too much pressure.
I discovered today that centering comes much easier to me if I don't look down. I look at the wall and just use feel. Now if I can just figure out what I'm doing wrong when pulling I'd be golden!
I just spent 3 hours practicing centering and I used SO. MUCH. WATER. 🤦 Then I wondered why I couldn't get it centered and why it was so weak once I started pulling. I'm teaching myself, so this video really helped! Thank you!
I’ve watched hundreds of pottery tutorials throughout the years (love going back to basics over and over) and your videos are probably THE BEST pottery tutorial videos out there. I have had to learn so many of your “potter’s tips” the hard way myself. I’m so glad I discovered your channel. All my students will be required to watch your videos for sure. Thank you for all the work you’ve put into them.
Definitely one of the most informative and engaging videos I've come across as a beginner. The outbursts of madness on the Potter tips had me and the Mrs in stitches. Hope you continue to make these!
I started my ceramics 2 class today and I was having such a hard time with the wheel. Thank you so much for this!! You showed me I was drowning the poor thing. Super helpful!!!
Omg thank you so much for this video. I was getting really frustrated in my art class today because I kept screwing up my pieces. Thanks to this video I finally understand what I was doing wrong. Thank you so much!
Thank you for making this video. It's much more helpful to see common mistakes and how to rectify them than to see properly centered clay done many times without the possible errors. Thank you!
i just got back into a studio for the first time in over a year the other day, and i had bought some porcelain because i wanted the bright white color, and i didn’t realize that the reason i was having a particularly hard time was the clay and not because i had forgotten how to center completely!
Oh my god! You're the best! I'm a beginner in pottery and I've watched a LOT of videos about centering. Yours is the only one that helped me improve. Thank you so much.
Did I miss something? Speed is critical when centering. Start out medium-to-fast speed. After it's centered you can slow down the speed. GREAT series of videos-I appreciate your patience and explanation
Thank you for this video! I really like how thorough you are in explaining very basic things. Because there are lots of small details that turns out quite important. I'm just starting my journey into ceramics and your videos really help to understand why things happen (or not happen) the way they do when I'm throwing.
Thank you! The "Kamehameha" was the best reference ever! I've ben stuck when conning down and this helped me to understand why I was conning down wrong!
Thank you for making and sharing this video. Finally after a month's practice, i realised the tiny bit and to my utter happiness it worked. Pulling down didn't want, hands had lesser control and wobbling. I am thankful to you for showing the right way.
This is amazing! I have been struggling with centering several months. I thought that a just dont have strong arms enought so i have to practise more. After this video its easy to center. Thank you so much!!!
Could you make a video showing possible beginners practice routines? Like different beginner steps repeated over and over for practice. For example, a tutorial for how to center, and then Uncenter, center uncenter. Or open up, close, open up, close. Or pull small wall, bring back down, pull wall, repeat. This would be super helpful for beginners like me who have a wheel at home.
my daughter and i have rented a wheel and we love your guided videos, the supplier didnt provide any informative tools so you are our new teacher!!! thanks so much for keeping the demo light
Thank you so much! It is the one video that made me master the wheel after throwing balls of clay around into balls of clay. And thanks also for the wedging video, it made all the difference (which I could feel while wedging- as in clay got strangely less humid, softer, friendlier. A unique experience).
This video is amazing. Thank you. I took my first class yesterday and left with way more questions than answers. Your videos make me feel way more confident and less like never wanting to go back. Looking forward to trying out your tips next week
As I tried wheel throwing today’s and boy was it fun. I kept accidentally squeezing to hard forming walls and made weird severed donuts 😂 I really wanted to get into this, and this really helped with techniques and I will definitely apply this to next time I wheel throw!
Last Saturday I tried doing pottery for the first time and centering was so hard! The clay wouldn't go up and my teacher had to help. I still don't understand what I did wrong but I will try to implement some of this suggestions next Saturday and see what happens!
Thank you!!!!! I spent hours looking for info, and then I found your website. Know I understand. I've just started my pottery journey, and thanks to you, I think I have a better chance of improving.
Wonderful video. I’m a very new potter and I procrastinate before getting on my wheel because it doesn’t centre, or after I try pulling up the walls, my finger gets stuck and the wall flies off!
Honestly learning from your videos than my ceramics professor 👌👌👌. Your videos has been so helpful! Many of your tips and tricks has helped me lessen the learning curb in ceramics 👍💗💗.
I’ve just discovered your channel! I’m new to the pottery wheel and I’ve had a nightmare trying to understand where I’m going wrong. This is a great video, I love how you explain things! Thank you
Usually I HATE when people tell me the same thing twice or more. I'd go like "I GOT THIS! DO X, OKAY!" But you keep on repeating like 4 times and even more and I just love it because I think it makes me feel understanding. And when you repeat, I go like "ahh right, just what you said, I know that, great" :) Thanks!
I know, I just like it to to a certain degree but I've learned from teaching enough classes that you got to repeat stuff a couple times in order for things to really stick in the human brain.
So I never usually comment on videos... But I'm this instance I felt like I wanted to and needed to. I've been struggling to centre for ages - I eventually picked up my own technique but it would take a good 5-10 minutes to centre, not good! After watching this video? 10-30 seconds... Incredible! 😄 So yeh, really, just thank you!
My pinkies are so tiny I actually had to lift the pinkie that was going against the rotation and use the side of my hand lmao. Had no problems making pieces, but it was always annoying when I accidentally stabbed the clay when centering. Loved the video!
You are an amazing instructor. I really appreciate your excellent descriptions of each part of the process. The common mistakes are especially useful. So glad to have found this site. It is really helping me in a beginning pottery class.
@Earth Nation Ceramics (as FYI to add if can someplace) + ANYone seeing big cracks in the bottom of their thrown piece Donte (Dante?) and one other TH-camr really taught me how to center perfectly... I've learned much here. ONE ADDL NOTE: You teach to cone during centering , which is great, and another very important item I learned, as I skipped coning previously, is how important coning really is! Coning saves you from "S Cracks!" So if anyone is seeing cracks, big ones, in the bottom of their pieces, work on coning! I learned the hard way about S-Cracks and don't think it's specifically mentioned in the video! I was centering and not coning but I then found some of my bowls kept getting these big cracks in the bottom. Some research, a book, and then a great PDF paper on the topic of S-Cracks later, set me straight! In a nutshell... You need to cone to prevent big cracks from forming in the bottom as coning aligns the platelets in a circular pattern and ensures an even shrinkage. Many potters have ideas to stop these cracks based on no science, but as an excellent expert written article points out.... It is a scientific problem with a scientific solution. That's where I learned the term "S-Crack" and why coning really is important and a much needed part of centering.... Once I made coning a mandatory part of the process instead of skipping it (I'm oops, yeah, that was me)... I have not had a huge crack to this day! THANKS SO MUCH!
I find your push down really interesting! I have been taught to press down with one palm and cup with the other. I've never seen your method before so it's quite fascinating!
Great video! Although I consider myself an intermediate potter, I struggle with centering. Your well made video taught me that I make 2 of the 3 common mistakes you discussed in the beginning. And starting out with the pinkies sounds good. I can’t wait to try your potter tips today!
I was simply amazed! By using my pinkie first, sitting up tight to the wheel, and locking my arms into my thighs made such a difference! Dang! You’re a great teacher!!
Thank You so much for your good videos I just bought my pottery wheel the 1st week of January and because of your videos it's been easier everytime i use my wheel I wanted to show a picture of my Decorative mug i made on my 6th time using my wheel But it won't let me attach a photo So just Thank You for helping all us newbies find our clay paths lol
I recently purchased a Speedball pottery wheel after taking community ceramic class for a few months and not improving. I can Center a little better using the wheel in class, but with the Speedball my centering was worse. Your clay looked so much softer and flexible. My new bag of b-mix has nothing like your flexibility. Could that be the reason with my centering problem?
Could not center my clay for s**t in class today. 3 hours. Was on the verge of tears. Kind of funny after the fact, but I'm determined to get this right if it kills me.
I can center but I have trouble later when I begin pulling walls - it becomes uncentered at some point - do you have tips for making sure your piece does not accidentally become off center later?
Your comment it over a year old but just replying incase someone else clicks to see a reply. After pulling, if you let go too quickly it throws the clay off center. (My pottery teacher calls this “jerking off”...don’t jerk off on the pottery wheel!) Pay close attention to how quickly you release your pressure. Slower = better
First of all you are the best!! KAAAMEEHAAAMEEHAAAAAAA it is 😁😁😁 But yeah definitely guilty of using tooo much water. Thank you for all the tips they are very useful! I’ll go on with my binge watch now
Love wedging and this one, so many other beginner video series just start throwing pots and don't tell you that there's anything you need to know before that!
What causes my clay to spiral, what am I doing wrong? It mostly happens when I have a larger amount of clay. Thank you Donte
This is a common problem when centering. Whatever part of the clay your hands are on and putting pressure on you are causing to slow down as the wheel is going at a constant speed. If you hold on to one part and put too much pressure for too long it will spiral and sometimes tears off.
For a better explanation try this. When your centering go ahead and put a lot of pressure on one specific part of the clay body. You will notice that the part where your hands are are going slightly slower than the bottom part of the clay, this of course what caused it to twist and part of it will come off.
Now do it again but just keep moving your hands. Don't stop and don't put too much pressure.
I discovered today that centering comes much easier to me if I don't look down. I look at the wall and just use feel. Now if I can just figure out what I'm doing wrong when pulling I'd be golden!
@@EarthNationCeramics l0
Thank you! These are essential videos! So nice to rewatch in my learning process. Amazing videos, you’re helping so many people!
I just spent 3 hours practicing centering and I used SO. MUCH. WATER. 🤦 Then I wondered why I couldn't get it centered and why it was so weak once I started pulling.
I'm teaching myself, so this video really helped! Thank you!
The body positioning for centering I’ve heard is that you’re about to eat a big bowl of pasta in between your thighs and you don’t have a napkin.
lmao this is amazing
That's really helpful actually
Very relatable advice.
Instructions unclear, I have now consumed 5 pounds of clay
I'm in my fiftieth year of ceramics and STILL found something to learn from this amazing video, recommended to all my students now👍😁👍
I said OHHHHH so loudly when I realized what I had been doing wrong. Thank you thank you!!
If they taught like you in high school, I would be doing pottery now. never to late to do it. thank you for such a thorough lesson.
Wow, I wish my instructor actually gave me these instructions....
same, im paying college tuition for her to sit there silently and say “like that”
Right?!
Same
This guy is your instructor now
I’ve watched hundreds of pottery tutorials throughout the years (love going back to basics over and over) and your videos are probably THE BEST pottery tutorial videos out there. I have had to learn so many of your “potter’s tips” the hard way myself. I’m so glad I discovered your channel. All my students will be required to watch your videos for sure. Thank you for all the work you’ve put into them.
Your instructional style is awesome. You're really good because you show as many "non examples" as correct examples.
Definitely one of the most informative and engaging videos I've come across as a beginner. The outbursts of madness on the Potter tips had me and the Mrs in stitches. Hope you continue to make these!
I started my ceramics 2 class today and I was having such a hard time with the wheel. Thank you so much for this!! You showed me I was drowning the poor thing. Super helpful!!!
Omg thank you so much for this video. I was getting really frustrated in my art class today because I kept screwing up my pieces. Thanks to this video I finally understand what I was doing wrong. Thank you so much!
Hands down my favorite person to watch ceramic tutorials by.
You’re my favorite tutorial channel for pottery. Please don’t stop! I’ve learned a TON from you!
As long as you guys need me. I won't stop
This is the clearest explanation Ive seen or heard. Excellent
Thank you for making this video. It's much more helpful to see common mistakes and how to rectify them than to see properly centered clay done many times without the possible errors. Thank you!
i just got back into a studio for the first time in over a year the other day, and i had bought some porcelain because i wanted the bright white color, and i didn’t realize that the reason i was having a particularly hard time was the clay and not because i had forgotten how to center completely!
Oh my god! You're the best! I'm a beginner in pottery and I've watched a LOT of videos about centering. Yours is the only one that helped me improve. Thank you so much.
Did I miss something? Speed is critical when centering. Start out medium-to-fast speed. After it's centered you can slow down the speed.
GREAT series of videos-I appreciate your patience and explanation
Thank you for this video!
I really like how thorough you are in explaining very basic things. Because there are lots of small details that turns out quite important.
I'm just starting my journey into ceramics and your videos really help to understand why things happen (or not happen) the way they do when I'm throwing.
Love your videos. I am 100% beginner material and I find these really helpful. Thanks!
Thank you! The "Kamehameha" was the best reference ever! I've ben stuck when conning down and this helped me to understand why I was conning down wrong!
The best centering videos I've seen..
I cracked the code on centering thanks to this video!! You explained the principles of centering so well. Thank you!!
Your videos are the best ceramic class I've ever listened to
Thank you for making and sharing this video. Finally after a month's practice, i realised the tiny bit and to my utter happiness it worked. Pulling down didn't want, hands had lesser control and wobbling. I am thankful to you for showing the right way.
This is amazing! I have been struggling with centering several months. I thought that a just dont have strong arms enought so i have to practise more. After this video its easy to center. Thank you so much!!!
Could you make a video showing possible beginners practice routines? Like different beginner steps repeated over and over for practice. For example, a tutorial for how to center, and then Uncenter, center uncenter. Or open up, close, open up, close. Or pull small wall, bring back down, pull wall, repeat.
This would be super helpful for beginners like me who have a wheel at home.
my daughter and i have rented a wheel and we love your guided videos, the supplier didnt provide any informative tools so you are our new teacher!!! thanks so much for keeping the demo light
Thank you so much! It is the one video that made me master the wheel after throwing balls of clay around into balls of clay. And thanks also for the wedging video, it made all the difference (which I could feel while wedging- as in clay got strangely less humid, softer, friendlier. A unique experience).
Great explanation. You’re such a great teacher. It’s good to.
Watch beginning videos again.
This video is amazing. Thank you. I took my first class yesterday and left with way more questions than answers. Your videos make me feel way more confident and less like never wanting to go back. Looking forward to trying out your tips next week
As I tried wheel throwing today’s and boy was it fun.
I kept accidentally squeezing to hard forming walls and made weird severed donuts 😂 I really wanted to get into this, and this really helped with techniques and I will definitely apply this to next time I wheel throw!
Last Saturday I tried doing pottery for the first time and centering was so hard! The clay wouldn't go up and my teacher had to help. I still don't understand what I did wrong but I will try to implement some of this suggestions next Saturday and see what happens!
Thank you!!!!!
I spent hours looking for info, and then I found your website. Know I understand. I've just started my pottery journey, and thanks to you, I think I have a better chance of improving.
Wonderful video. I’m a very new potter and I procrastinate before getting on my wheel because it doesn’t centre, or after I try pulling up the walls, my finger gets stuck and the wall flies off!
Honestly learning from your videos than my ceramics professor 👌👌👌. Your videos has been so helpful! Many of your tips and tricks has helped me lessen the learning curb in ceramics 👍💗💗.
this was soooo informative! im a beginner potter and im excited to start my journey, you as my teacher yay!!!
I’ve just discovered your channel! I’m new to the pottery wheel and I’ve had a nightmare trying to understand where I’m going wrong. This is a great video, I love how you explain things! Thank you
'really expensive dirt with chemicals in it' ....... go on....
Or just dirt. That's what I throw - straight Lake Bonneville muck that I've passed thru an 80 mesh sieve.
Usually I HATE when people tell me the same thing twice or more. I'd go like "I GOT THIS! DO X, OKAY!" But you keep on repeating like 4 times and even more and I just love it because I think it makes me feel understanding. And when you repeat, I go like "ahh right, just what you said, I know that, great" :) Thanks!
I know, I just like it to to a certain degree but I've learned from teaching enough classes that you got to repeat stuff a couple times in order for things to really stick in the human brain.
Thank you so much for this super clear instructions! It’s like understanding an knowledge from inside out and outside in🤩
Thanks so much for having the clear steps and the "Potter Tips!" Love those! Keep it up!
So I never usually comment on videos... But I'm this instance I felt like I wanted to and needed to. I've been struggling to centre for ages - I eventually picked up my own technique but it would take a good 5-10 minutes to centre, not good! After watching this video? 10-30 seconds... Incredible! 😄 So yeh, really, just thank you!
Here to help
Same.. i don't comment.. but this one needs a big big thanks.
You have helped me so much. I am learning everything myself at home. Thank you so much for these videos!
Thanks for the great video, I am a beginner struggling with centering. Going to go try these techniques you demonstrated now!
Thanks! Loved the DB reference, I will be giggling to myself next week in class!!!
Great tutorial, thank you! I'm a beginner and will apply these useful suggestions.
My pinkies are so tiny I actually had to lift the pinkie that was going against the rotation and use the side of my hand lmao. Had no problems making pieces, but it was always annoying when I accidentally stabbed the clay when centering. Loved the video!
one of the very best explanations on youtube! thanks
I have never tried making pottery and I love your videos!! I hope I can take it up soon. Thank you!!
You are an amazing instructor. I really appreciate your excellent descriptions of each part of the process. The common mistakes are especially useful. So glad to have found this site. It is really helping me in a beginning pottery class.
Love all your highly educational pottery vids!😊🏺
@Earth Nation Ceramics (as FYI to add if can someplace) + ANYone seeing big cracks in the bottom of their thrown piece Donte (Dante?) and one other TH-camr really taught me how to center perfectly... I've learned much here. ONE ADDL NOTE: You teach to cone during centering , which is great, and another very important item I learned, as I skipped coning previously, is how important coning really is! Coning saves you from "S Cracks!" So if anyone is seeing cracks, big ones, in the bottom of their pieces, work on coning! I learned the hard way about S-Cracks and don't think it's specifically mentioned in the video! I was centering and not coning but I then found some of my bowls kept getting these big cracks in the bottom. Some research, a book, and then a great PDF paper on the topic of S-Cracks later, set me straight! In a nutshell... You need to cone to prevent big cracks from forming in the bottom as coning aligns the platelets in a circular pattern and ensures an even shrinkage. Many potters have ideas to stop these cracks based on no science, but as an excellent expert written article points out.... It is a scientific problem with a scientific solution. That's where I learned the term "S-Crack" and why coning really is important and a much needed part of centering.... Once I made coning a mandatory part of the process instead of skipping it (I'm oops, yeah, that was me)... I have not had a huge crack to this day! THANKS SO MUCH!
Yeah it helps a lot. It's essentially wedging on the wheel.
OMG!!!!!! I got a heart from the best TH-camr EVER!!!!!!! :-) :-) :-)
Outstanding, this is the best video I have watched
I loved how you break down the steps .
Super helpful!
You are the Bee's Knees man, thanks for all the help.
Great video! Trying to figure all of this out for the first time and most seem over my head but this was so concise and easy to understand. Thank you!
Really great man. Thanks for the thorough examples and nice explanation!!
I find your push down really interesting! I have been taught to press down with one palm and cup with the other. I've never seen your method before so it's quite fascinating!
Donte your videos are super helpful, hell yeah brother
I am Taking Ceramics in College at the moment have been struggling with centering. This Video Is going to help a ton! Thank you so much!
That's what I'm here for
I’ve been doing classes for awhile and your videos are super helpful! I’m still having some issues and I’m excited to try out your tips.
So grateful for this video! Thank you!!
Useful video. Thank you!
I just started pottery class, and this really helped me a lot,Thank you
Binging on your beginners series
So thorough! Useful for starters and teachers. Thanks for g rating content!
I'm trying to make these videos a little bit more show able in class
This was such a fun video and awesome explanation of the basic throwing techniques !!! Thanks
Thanks! Your video actually made a big change!
Great instruction for beginners! Thank you!
Amazing lesson! Thank you!
Great video! Although I consider myself an intermediate potter, I struggle with centering. Your well made video taught me that I make 2 of the 3 common mistakes you discussed in the beginning. And starting out with the pinkies sounds good. I can’t wait to try your potter tips today!
I was simply amazed! By using my pinkie first, sitting up tight to the wheel, and locking my arms into my thighs made such a difference! Dang! You’re a great teacher!!
you center different than my classes have taught! i think the way you do it is so interesting!
Thank You so much for your good videos I just bought my pottery wheel the 1st week of January and because of your videos it's been easier everytime i use my wheel I wanted to show a picture of my Decorative mug i made on my 6th time using my wheel But it won't let me attach a photo So just Thank You for helping all us newbies find our clay paths lol
Excellent lesson! You’re a good teacher. Thorough and detailed! Thank you!
I recently purchased a Speedball pottery wheel after taking community ceramic class for a few months and not improving. I can Center a little better using the wheel in class, but with the Speedball my centering was worse. Your clay looked so much softer and flexible. My new bag of b-mix has nothing like your flexibility. Could that be the reason with my centering problem?
This is sooo helpful - thank you! 😊
very helpful, and I love the attitude. I'm retired and loving getting back to serious pottery, but so much to learn (and it's here) Thank you
great thanks
At last! You really helped me!
Could not center my clay for s**t in class today. 3 hours. Was on the verge of tears. Kind of funny after the fact, but I'm determined to get this right if it kills me.
Real
Thank you that was a very informative video.... very helpful!!
I can center but I have trouble later when I begin pulling walls - it becomes uncentered at some point - do you have tips for making sure your piece does not accidentally become off center later?
Don't worry. That video is coming up
This is my problem!
Your comment it over a year old but just replying incase someone else clicks to see a reply.
After pulling, if you let go too quickly it throws the clay off center. (My pottery teacher calls this “jerking off”...don’t jerk off on the pottery wheel!) Pay close attention to how quickly you release your pressure. Slower = better
First of all you are the best!! KAAAMEEHAAAMEEHAAAAAAA it is 😁😁😁
But yeah definitely guilty of using tooo much water. Thank you for all the tips they are very useful!
I’ll go on with my binge watch now
First pottery class, gonna kill it now
CEO of “far too often.” 😂 No but seriously, thank you tremendously for making this video. Extremely helpful and educational. 😊 🙏
Thank you! I played on my wheel after watching this video and it was much easier to center today. Woohoo!
Great instructions, thank you!
This just help me so much 😅
Lovely
Great video, helped out a lot!!
Great teacher!
Watching you slap that clay never gets old 😂
Wonderful instruction! Thanks
Thank you so much. It is very helpful video.
Thank you soooooooo much!!!!! the tip on letting it go slowly is so helpful. :)
Love wedging and this one, so many other beginner video series just start throwing pots and don't tell you that there's anything you need to know before that!
Very good video. Thanks for posting it.
You are a great teacher!
great explanation. Thank you