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So you’re about to throw on a wheel, and you’re really excited about this, but then the second that you do, you end up having some major problems with centering clay. It’s frustrating, and it’s something that many potters have issues with when they’re beginning on the wheel. In this post, we will discuss the top problems with centering clay and throwing clay, and how to rectify them relatively easily. Why you need to Know this Centering is very important because it allows you to create a beautiful piece easily. If you don’t center well, it will cause problems, and the sad part about this is, you’ll probably never be able to achieve anything on the wheel until you know how to do this. For example, it helps with the following: Creating a base for your piece Allowing you to create just about anything on the wheelAllows for proper throwing of the clay If you know how to center the clay, you’ll be able to be successful. What it takes though, is lots of practice. You should know how to practice this and definitely do so if you haven’t already. If you’re worried about doing it wrong, then you’ll end up having problems. You should go in with the idea that this will work, and that you’re able to create the perfect items that you want to. Make Sure you’re prepared One of the key issues with centering clay is that you’re not ready for this. However, you can actually get this ready by doing a few things before you begin. Here are some beginning tips for you to keep in mind as you learn how to center clay. Always have something with shorter sleeves on to help you keep your hands out in the openIf you’re just starting out, make sure that you prepare your clay in a fit manner, and you can do so by making sure that the air bubbles are gone, and you get rid of any uneven textures that might be there You should make sure that you do this to prevent coning up, which is something that more experienced throwers use, but you’ll want to make sure that you have prepared clay before you beginMake sure you prepare a lot of different balls of clay, especially if you’re going to be practicing. Get about two pounds of it to begin. It’s not too big, but also not too small, and it makes it a lot easierIf you’re doing a lot of these, put them in a plastic bowl so that you can keep them all together and not dried out. Throw some plastic on top of them to help with this If you have these beginning actions in, you’ll be able to do a whole lot with this. Clay Breaking Probably your biggest problem is when you’re trying to use clay, and then it gets broken. This is commonly a problem when you’re trying to build the walls, 📷 especially for new potters. The solution to this is actually pretty simple, and it involves the following: Maintain steady pressure completely all the way upKeep your clay in a cone shape without the knob at the very top of it, since that tends to twist offKeep the hands in a downward tilt, not an upward one for more details, Video: https://youtu.be/rMWQ7eIbp98and information visit: https://spinningpots.com/how-to-fix-problems-centering-clay-and-throwing-clay/

Types of Clay Bodies While there are thousands of clay bodies available for purchase, the 3 basics types are porcelain, stoneware and earthenware. The maturity temperature, workability, and color of these 3 categories can vary based on what is added. Before we talk about the specific clay bodies it would be helpful to talk about the properties that define them. Earthenware Earthenware clay was one of the first clays ever used by potters. In today’s pottery world it has become one of the most commonly used clays due to the wide variety of colors within the class. The colors that can be found in Earthenware are brown, red, orange, medium grey, and white. This particular clay contains high amounts of iron and a number of mineral impurities, making it one of the easiest clays for potters to work with. Stoneware Clays Stoneware is a plastic clay that reaches its maximum hardness between 2200-2336 degrees Fahrenheit. The original colors of Stoneware is light grey or buff and turns to a neutral grey color when the clay becomes even the slightest bit moistened. Ball Clays Ball clay is a dark grey, highly plastic clay that contains very few mineral impurities. Although this particular class of clay increases plasticity when added to another type of clay, it cannot be used alone due to excessive shrinking during the firing process. Ball clay is commonly used to make a porcelain mixture with Kaolin or with Stoneware clays to make a unique finished look. Fire Clays Although fire clays are mostly clear of all mineral impurities, they obtain specks of iron which results in a speckled appearance after the clay is fired. Fire clays not only used for pottery, but also used to create cone packs that help to seal doors. Kaolin (Porcelain) Clays Kaolin is mainly used for porcelain because of its mineral purity. Kaolin comes only in light colors and are only slightly plastic, making the clay extremely difficult to work with. Because of the difficulty that comes from working with Kaolin, it is mixed with Ball clay to create the perfect porcelain mixture. Out of all classes of clay, Kaolin has the highest temperature maturity levels with Fahrenheit degrees as high as 3272 F.

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