Centring is the first step of throwing: pressing a lump of clay on the spinning wheel until it runs perfectly true around the centre of the wheel head, with no wobble. Everything you throw afterwards depends on it.
What Is Centring?
An off-centre lump makes walls that are thick on one side and thin on the other, and pots that wobble, twist or collapse as you pull them up. Most beginners spend their first sessions learning to centre, and it is often the skill that suddenly clicks after a few weeks of practice.
The usual method is to brace your elbows against your body or legs, keep the clay wet but not sloppy, and press inwards and downwards with steady pressure while the wheel spins fast. Many teachers add coning, pushing the clay up into a cone and back down, to even out the clay and help it centre.
Well-wedged clay of the right softness centres much more easily than lumpy or stiff clay, so good wedging saves a lot of struggle at the wheel. Starting with a smaller ball of clay, around 500 g, also makes centring easier to learn.
This pottery glossary entry from Le Studio Art Space is general educational content. Always follow the clay, glaze and kiln makers’ data for your own materials and equipment.