How to Open Up Centred Clay and Form the Base of a Pot - A Beginner's Guide

Learn the essential techniques for opening up centered clay and forming the base of a pot in this 15-minute instructional video. Discover how to find the center of the clay, position your arms and hands correctly, and create the initial hollow. Master the art of checking base thickness, opening up from a bird's eye view, and pulling the clay outward. Explore proper base compression, understand correct and incorrect lump cross-sections, and learn how to re-center clay when needed. Gain insights into various grips, opening techniques for bowls, plates, and lids, and finish with clean-up tips. Perfect for beginners looking to enhance their pottery skills and create a solid foundation for throwing pots.

- Introduction
- Explaining this series
- How to find the centre of the clay
- Positioning of arms and hands
- Positioning of fingers
- Pushing down to form the 'hollow' or 'well'
- Checking the base thickness
- Opening up from a birds eye view
- Pulling the clay out
- Compressing the base
- Cross section of an correct lump
- Cross section of incorrect lump
- Discussing re-centering the clay
- Discussing other grips used for this process
- Cross section for a bowl form
- How to open up for a plate
- How to open up one style of lid
- Chatting about the different ways of doing this process
- Clean up