Lezioni di Tornio! Come Centrare lArgilla sul Tornio. (Tornio per Ceramica Economico)

then let’s start this video on centering. centering is the fundamental phase of wheel throwing, because if we do not have a centering we cannot create any object. in the centering phase we can push the wheel slightly faster. the first the first operation we do is with the left hand to lightly crush the clay downwards we make a pressure from top to bottom and the right hand will be fixed on the plate, the little finger firmly on the plate, the other hands envelop the clay. let’s see. we push with this part with this part here down and do, let’s say, the first press. now a fundamental part to succeed in centering is that of tapering upwards and then flattening downwards.

it is a phase that we should repeat many 01:10 - times also because it is useful, because in this way the humidity is evenly distributed in the clay. because when we wet the clay a little and repeat the movements, then downwards and then upwards, in these movements here the water will position itself uniformly throughout the clay body. then let’s see how: let’s bring it back down and go slowly. there are always pushes down here. then let’s imagine starting from this phase here, so what do I do? the right hand is placed with the little finger in this way at the base of the plate, the left hand is placed slightly ahead of the right one. imagine as if there was a straight line that crosses the center of the wheel and our hands, the right and the left are parallel, are always parallel and almost never invade the space of the other hand. they are parallel to this center line.

so what are we doing? the 02:28 - right hand squeezes as if this were a tube of toothpaste to be squeezed, while the left hand with this part here pushes towards the right hand, pushes towards the inside of the right hand. both together go upwards. so I leave this hand a little more open so you can see, the right hand is holding the tube and goes up, the left pushes the clay to the right hand like this here. when when we want to remove our hands from the clay we imagine that there is still some clay, we open gently so as not to decentralize the clay mass. when instead we want to go down, we want to go down, we want to push the clay down what we do is position ourselves with this part here of the left hand on the tip of the clay, in theory together with the thumb of the right hand, half space one, half the other and push by tightening the abdominals. we push the left hand down, the right hand contains the clay, we push with the left hand, when the right hand manages to touch the plate it stops in this position in order to absorb, let’s say so as to mold the shape of the clay that wants to go outwards and lock it in one place.

the left with this part pushes the right with the thumb, 04:08 - always squeezing this base in order to keep it flat. then the left pushes down, the right is stationary. the hand decides where the clay goes, it is not the clay that moves our hand. you see the little finger and the ring finger and the middle and index finger are still and are placed diagonally and practically make this angle and this angle is what the clay mass will then take. let’s start again! then we bring back the right hand.

what does it do? squeezes the tube, I show it to you 04:54 - only with my right hand, and goes upwards. alone it cannot do the job well, it also takes the left hand, especially when the clayey mass becomes a little bigger. here I am using about a kilo of clay. on these super cheap wheels, so you can see how it can safely handle the load of a kilo or more. the right hand squeezes the tube, the left accompanies it, squeezes it towards the right hand, they meet and the thumb of the right hand is always on the base so as to always make it flat in order to avoid forming a hollow on the base. we repeat the operation. then I push with my little finger and make a slight hollow at the base, the right hand is the operation it does: it squeezes the tube in this way.

now let’s also put the left and see how it will be easier. look, I put the right with the left. the left hand pushes towards the center and therefore thins this cone even more. you will see how one time after another, after carrying out these operations a few times the clay will be much softer. do not exaggerate to put too much water otherwise it will be too soft and could collapse but it will still be easier to center. in this case I am going down so the left hand pushes down, the right hand contains the thumb that is above together with this part of the left hand.

as soon as the right hand manages to reach the plate it stops, 07:02 - makes strength. I practically have my arm that is strong enough, it places itself on the plate of the wheel and does not let the clay go outside the limit that gives it the hand. try again. I go up, I squeeze with both of them, I carry upwards, directly I go downwards and try to center. when I think that I have centered this clayey mass and I want to remove my hands, I always gently bring them outwards. after the opening phase, I can also slow down the wheel a little to do the other phases.

let’s repeat the conicization once again, 07:58 - let’s do it a little faster. let’s put some water. let’s try to make a cone a little higher. I always avoid that any depression forms on the tip of the clay. I need it nice plate. I wet the clay a little more. with the little finger I push inwards a little and create this hollow and with the left hand I push towards the center, and I measure the strength in order to maintain this conical shape. I might as well do it even higher, and now carry it down. bring down again, the right hand now, this one, stops in that position.

the left hand wraps the clay also stops it in this point here, 09:31 - the thumb of the right hand flattens the tip, and I have centered my clay. now I am ready for the opening phase, which we will see in detail in an upcoming video. so once I have centered my clay mass I can do the following operation which is the opening. So a piece of advice that I give you, go and review all the steps I just did on the wheel and repeat them many times. the only way to learn centering is by repetition. the more repetition we do the sooner we learn. there is no secret about centering.

no 10:28 - particular strength is needed but only practice is needed to understand how to put your hands. clearly this is my way of centering. there are many others. maybe in some other video we will see someone else. if you liked this video, put a like, share, subscribe to the channel so as not to miss any of the videos I will publish on what is my greatest passion: ceramics! centering, opening, tapering, raising. centering, opening, tapering, raising. if you learn this mantra the master of the wheel you will become. .