5 Tips & Tricks for Centering Clay on the Pottery Wheel

There always some things I miss in my more instructional videos, so, this week, I'm speaking about 5 tips and tricks I missed in my last 'How to Center Clay' video. I hope this helps! And thanks so much for watching.
If you'd like to watch those more IN-DEPTH films, you can find them here:
• • How to Centre Clay and...
• • How to Center Clay - A...
You may also be interested in my 'A Beginner's Guide' series, which you can find here:
• • How to Throw a Pot - A...
📖 • ORDER MY BOOK: geni.us/bymyhands
📢 • Find out much more about my work here: linktr.ee/floriangadsby
⏱ • Timecodes:
0:00 - Introduction
0:19 - Preparing clay
0:50 - Tip 1: Using clay that's the right consistency
3:59 - Tip 2: Make the sides and top flat
5:28 - Tip 3: How to keep your hands steady and level
7:04 - Tip 4: The Importance of wheel speed
10:08 - Tip 5: Keep the clay moving
I throw using both a Rohde HMT 500 & 600 potter's wheel and fire using Rohde kilns too, the electric is a TE-200 and the gas kiln is a KG-340.
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Instagram - / floriangadsby
TikTok - / floriangadsby
Website - www.floriangadsby.com

[@user-nt9qx7nm6q]

I've lost count of the people who have said to me that throwing on a wheel is too difficult. Your videos - not just this one - are incredibly useful for beginners like me. They explain things clearly and the repetition is very helpful. Neither of my 'teachers' is anywhere near as good - they just say 'keep trying and you will get it' (leaving out 'eventually'!), hence the people who are discouraged and give up. Were I a teacher, I would recommend all new potters look at your videos very early on. 😃

[@andrewnicon]

I took a pottery class a few weeks ago and found this to be the absolute hardest part of it. Honestly I failed and got my teacher to do it for me so I didn't waste my class trying to do it.

[@prettybyaccident]

So glad you took a class! Just wanted to say that it is completely normal to not get centering the first time! Or the first several times for that matter. Try not to be discouraged. 💚

[@floriangadsby]

You've just got to persevere! Imagine you were learning to play an instrument or a new language - at the beginning the grammar can be confusing and your scales will sound messy - but eventually things will click and start making sense, but you HAVE to make the effort to it yourself or you'll never learn. GOOD LUCK!

[@colinmoen3833]

Yeah, it's unfortunate that centering is both difficult to learn, and also the first thing you need to do before you can make something on the wheel. But keep at it! I went through several 'eureka!' moments in the span of a few months of learning which helped stave off demoralization, and even now that I'm proficient at centering, I still get a ton of value from watching videos like this. One of the beautiful parts of this craft is learning more and more tricks to make your technique more efficient and elegant over time, even after you already know how to make a bunch of forms. There's a million little wonderful moments where you say "ooh! If I do this small thing, it makes everything so much simpler and easier!"

[@RCHyperRacing]

I took ceramics back in 2021, it took me awhile to get it. Now I’m throwing pretty good (my background is photography, so I was clueless as to centering). Hang in there, things will get easier. My professor centered for me a few times when I first started. Just keep practicing, and you’ll eventually get it.

[@Kelly-kt2zs]

I am sorry you are feeling you failed during your class, that is disheartening. Feeling you failed is not pleasant, but also resides in our own perspective. Other's may not view that as a failure as you showed up and were willing to be humbled at trying something new. So many never even take that step. I am taking a clay 1 class and was the last to complete each step(haven't had my hands on clay since high school, over 20 years ago and first time working with a wheel). I find I need to learn each step especially carefully before moving to the next, where as others may learn by jumping in feet first. My inattentive adhd often leaves me focusing on and processing step 1 while others are already on step 4. However, I find it imperative to know the reason WHY you do each step, otherwise I memorize instead of learn. Some people who teach or train others, forget or skip quickly through the "whys" so I very much appreciate these tutorials especially the examples of what happens when you try the incorrect positioning of your hands or processes. The second class I missed because my back muscle was strained 15 mins before leaving for class, which really sucked and brought me down. So I will be taking time on my own to catch up, which is unfortunate, but I discovered this channel because of it, so that part is awesome. 😊 On the subject of failure, I try to tell myself first, there is no timeframe for success at something you desire to learn. Some people learn something they end up loving in their teens while some do so in their golden years. Learning faster than everyone else does not always equate with becoming more skilled in the long run. Most importantly, anyone who has ever succeeded at anything has "failed" a ridiculous amount of times before doing so. Failing is just another term for "still learning". So, what did you learn? And what can you do to get better? I personally learned I just need to practice, a lot, to get better and complete tasks at a faster pace. 😊 I hope you have gotten some more practice since your comment and you feel more empowered on your journey.

[@jakicatancabelic9436]

You described three things I am struggling with when centering clay. I wrote them down and will attach the paper in front of the wheel weeding out the "bad" habits. Thank you.

[@IndieMarkus]

Thank you for making these straight to the point, no BS videos! To anyone who has an interest to peek into this craft, I cannot recommend enough that you at least try it out in a short course at your local pottery. This weekend I my first 3-day pottery workshop, which while being relaxingly simple in essence, is so overwhelmingly daunting for a beginner. You, Florian, make throwing, centering and trimming seem so easy in your videos, but to me it was is astonishing to experience first hand that without proper technique, how much force this small, badly centered lump of clay can exert. Also it was interesting to see that the workshop facilitator (surely also a well learned craftswoman) we had, did every single step at least a little different to how you show it in your videos.

[@stack-of-all-trades6689]

Thank you so much for these videos! I miss a lot of class due to chronic illness and these tutorials have helped me make up for lost time by getting the hang of throwing MUCH sooner than I would have otherwise. My little brother, focusing mostly on ceramics at his college, didn't believe me when I told him it only took me a few hours of trial and error to produce my first decent mug and I'm positive it's because of these haha.

[@xbaczewska4197]

The 5 tips really helpful. We all encounter different pitfalls. As always, so enjoyable.

[@annamariaballerina1]

I love! I joined a studio a year ago but have been (almost entirely) teaching myself, this means developing some weird habits. I find these videos really helpful for practicing tried and true technique :)

[@bobcalhoun3714]

Just the other day I was working with a particularly difficult piece of clay and started thinking about wheel speed as this particular clay moved better at a slightly slower speed. Thanks for these tips. Clearing that bump of clay on the wheel with your thumb is fast and efficient and I'll start using it instead of reaching for a tool to do the same thing.

[@floriangadsby]

So glad to hear they've helped! A thumb can do the job well, although if you're using a particular coarse body a tool might still be the best option-a bit of clay around the skirt won't hurt, as long as it's level all the way around. Thanks for watching!

[@reidcushman3562]

I was lucky to stumble across FG's videos early on, amidst all that is out there on KZbin on any topic. I keep coming back to them; and, with every watch (and re-watch), I learn (and re-learn) something that I can take back to practice next time on the wheel. And maybe get a little better than I was before. These are a tremendous resource for a beginner such as myself. Thank you, FG. (Of course, having a great pottery prof in a studio IRL also helps. Thank you, MG.)

[@magnifiekvervloekt]

I started out with a relatively soft clay body that had no grog and found centering not the most difficult part of throwing as I always had difficulties pulling walls higher. I found myself watching your instructions on pulling and centering over and over again just so I could be sure not to miss any details (my attention span is not the best). thank you for your work, I always learn new things even from videos that are not specifically about instructions on how to throw.

[@isaac_yule]

This is an excellent video and will truly help any beginner. I wish I’d had this when I started.

[@Kraaketaer]

I'm in the middle of my first pottery course, and this is really a major challenge, so thank you for a super informative video! The techniques we've been taught don't exactly match yours, which lines up with what you said about our hands being different and needing different approaches - I've got a bit larger hands than the teachers on my course, and I think that might be making their techniques not fit me quite as well as they might (or at least it pushes me towards working on larger lumps of clay, which brings other centering issues with it). I'm also kind of shocked to see just how little build-up of slip and clay you have on your hands during this process without them being too dry to work with, which makes me wonder if this is due to different types of clay behaving differently, or whether that's all down to just technique. Either way, fascinating and super helpful!

[@JackDoesCeramics-fj6ee]

Florian, thank you for making this video. It really helps to see a pro center a lump of clay. You are so good at what you do!

[@jules6731]

Thank you for making this video! Your channel is a gem! I just started 2 months ago but my teacher didn’t really explain centering much…. No wonder my pieces are so uneven lol

[@anjaguggenheim5557]

Thanks so much for sharing your gifts and expertise, Florian 🙂

[@sarahjarden8306]

Thank you for these tips. I will try these to help me improve my throwing. Would love to see more videos like this. 😊

[@TeresaBaileypolymath]

Thank you for these details about throwing. It really helps. You are able to describe the tiny processes that you need to do to improve. That is both helpful and heartening. Your teaching and video skills are excellent!

[@victoriamiskolczy6336]

As always you are clear and succinct, and all of this information is very helpful!

[@hossorisakura6591]

if you’re thinking of doing a tip video on trimming, i would really appreciate an explanation on tap centering! you make it look so easy but i can’t get it to work :(. your videos are so amazing, they’ve helped me get so much better at clay!

[@floriangadsby]

Thank you so much! I've actually made a video on tap centring already! You can find it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpOVlWCOhr9jf7M

[@david.NHMountainHorizons]

I just started a pottery class. Thanks for making these.

[@robertobreve8623]

Really great tips that you don’t hear in centering tutorials

[@lancepopo5596]

Always looking forward for your next tutorial videos! Thanks ❤

[@GreenDayFanMT]

I always feel centered after watching your videos.

[@user-zq1fg2uz6x]

always nicely explained, thank you!

[@dianeuranowski3694]

Great video, important instruction! To me, that's why hand positions are soo important; It's great to watch videos, but it's also important to compliment that by reading books and memorizing the procedural steps in order - at least it was for me. Best to learn the right way in the first place ! Gosh, I think I wrote the steps on index cards in my own mental shorthard, with sketches, that were covered in clay finger-prints from much handling! LOL

[@mariesturm2793]

Your videos are so helpful. Thank you 🫶🏻

[@panoramicviolinist]

Some great tips. Thanks Florian

[@lcyoung4]

So helpful!!!❤

[@user-ij2um2oj7g]

Thank you!! 🙂

[@AllanRisk]

Thanks for this video. I’ll try to keep these tips in mind next time I’m at the wheel. I’m not sure if this the case, but it seems like the clay you work with, Florian, requires much less effort to manipulate than what we use in the studio where I take classes. I am getting better at centring, but the thing I find most difficult is bringing the cone down once I have formed it. It seems to take a LOT of force to make it go down; and when I do get it to move down, inevitably, at a certain point, what seemed to be nicely centred suddenly goes completely off centre and I have to start centring again. The other thing that happens is that I seem to need to use an awful lot of water: I frequently feel the clay under my left hand going dry when centring, and under my right hand when pushing the cone down. At the end of the process, the drip tray of my wheel has a good layer of slip in the bottom and sides.

[@54suzie]

I am so excited Just received my new book “By My Hands” ❤❤❤

[@54suzie]

By My Hands A Potter's Apprenticeship

[@artshaman]

Thank you for a great video!

[@floriangadsby]

Welcome! Thanks for watching. Simple tips, but they might be just what somebody learning needs.

[@amandabryan9386]

Thank you for the explanation on the extra challenge with working with firm clay. While I can’t (and likely won’t) throw with super firm clay, I now find that it’s more difficult for me to work with super soft clay because it tends to flop more. I’m thinking I just take too long to center and pull up in order to keep the clay stable. At this point, do you recommend pushing oneself to just practice with various firmness of clay in order to broaden one’s skill set? Or just stick with what feels easiest? FYI: I’ve been throwing for about 9 months now

[@mbhbYT]

Needed topic: working out the optimal relative heights for the wheel head/my seat/my (short-ish) arms/ditto legs. And maybe padding or props on the forearms section on the pan?

[@Harrietie]

Thank you

[@LordAdamGalaxy]

A tip I'd add is to be careful not to lock your left hand all the way back. It took me two months to recover after falling into this bad habit and straining my wrist. Then I did it again last week on a too - dry lump and haven't been able to throw again till today. Or maybe it's just me!

[@floriangadsby]

Great point! And something so often overlooked.

[@courtneyc_]

i'm always in awe of how your hands move so smoothly, i cant make it through one cone without needing more water, let alone walls, and by the end theres slip everywhere and it's so difficult to remove from the wheel. any thoughts on why i run out of water so fast?

[@AllanRisk]

Ha! I just posted the same question. I struggle with this as well.

[@juanQuedo]

Florian, I have a throwing subject that seems to not be covered on barely any video throughout the whole KZbin. And it is about being consistent on width. Even when measuring the opening sometimes I end up with a smaller base than I anticipated. I even wonder if during the pulling process I am pushing too hard, too far down, thus making the initial opening small...I don't even know if that is possible. Would love to see your tricks for that if any.

[@floriangadsby]

So... when you throw the initial opening and form and compress the base, that measurement, the span of the base, is as my teacher used to say, 'sacrosanct'. It sounds like you're pushing too much from the outside to find more clay to pull up into the walls, which leads me to think that you aren't throwing very flat internal bases with a good sharp corner. You will get over this issue with practice, or you can create a measuring guide so that the width of your pots remain the same. You have to be strict with yourself but don't worry about it too much - focus on producing pots that are the same width/height and eventually the bases will follow and you'll gain some more control over that facet of throwing.

[@caseypark4301]

Hi Florian how can I decide the height and width when I center the clay. Do you want the base of clay to always be wider than the final product?

[@varaludhiya]

❤❤❤ happy Diwali 🎇

[@floriangadsby]

🎉

[@Volther11]

I will try those tips on Wednesday, during pottery class. I'll be doing some cylinders with 1kg of clay. Well, trying to do cylinders.

[@mackenziemcclara5495]

You got it!! Honestly I had the hardest time learning how to pull. Don’t overthink it but be gentle and go straight up

[@prettybyaccident]

This video would have saved me so much time in 2018 when I started my pottery journey. ☠️

[@Alex_0Z]

lol when u first prepped the clay the slices looked like toast

[@floriangadsby]

Delicious gritty mud.

[@natalie9746]

ahahahah I thought that too! 🍞

[@annagray6491]

I think that is why I like porcelain it is so much more malleable and you don’t have to fight it! 😂

[@AllanRisk]

I work with porcelain as well. (Well, a cone 6 porcelain, so not pure). But I find it devilishly hard to cone down after coning up. It’s pushing down on a rock, even tho the clay is quite soft.

[@TamHopCeramic]

We are you from?

[@floriangadsby]

London, UK! I'm British.

[@2intriguing1]

So I dont need a kiln to dry, I can use that light. It looks like hes drying the vases!

[@Barbagitana]

Márter