Ceramics basics quiz

Ceramics

Objects made of clay fired to a high temperature, over 1550 degrees F

Clay

fine grained earth materials formed by the decomposition of igneous rocks; plastic when wet; strong when dry; and rock hard when exposed to red heat (fired)

Coils

Rolled, snake-like ropes of clay, joined together to build pots

Firing

to heat in a kiln/”cooking” the clay

form

three dimensional shape and structure of an object

Glaze

“Liquid Glass” - a combination of clay particles and glass particles mixed with water that you brush onto bisqueware. During the firing process it adheres to the form, giving it a hard, durable surface.

Hand-building

Construstion processes that include pinching, coiling or biulding with slabs

Kiln

A furnace or oven built of heat resistant materials for firing pottery. Heat is produced by electricity, propane, natural gas or wood. Ours is eletric.

Pinch pot

a method of hand building that involves pinching a ball of clay strategically until a bowl-like shape is formed

Scoring

Scratching or roughing-up the clay surface; used in combination with brushed-on slip, scoring is a preparation step for joining two or more separate clay pieces together.

Slabs

rolled flat sections of clay. Slabs may be cut into shapes and joined together using the score adn slip method.

Slip

finely ground clay particles mixed with water. Slip is used for joining two pieces of clay together

Texture

the quality or feeling of a surface

wedging

a kneading process, maniupulating the clay to remove air bubbles, lumps, and excess water.

Slip

50% water, like mayo consistency. used in casting, decoration and attaching two pieces of clay together.

Plastic

25% water, quality of clay which allows it to be manipulated into different shapes without breaking or cracking.

Leather hard

10% water, stage of clay between plastic and bone dry. clay is still damp enough to join it to another using slip. in this stage details can be carved with ease.

Bone dry

0% water, completely air dried, very delicate state and can break easily. ready for firing

Work is fired

cooked in the kiln

Bisqueware

clay has been fired once and is not glazed. hard and insoluble

Glazeware

Glaze has been applied and fired a second time.