Art 331 Ceramics Midterm

Aesthetics

branch of philosophy that focuses on the nature of beauty, value of art, and human responses associated with them

art criticism

describing and evaluating visual arts, and making comparative judgements

bat

a flat, removable surface used to create work on pottery wheel

bisque

clay objects that have been fired once, and without a glaze

bone dry

unfired clay that is free of water and ready to fire

ceramics

art and science of forming objects from earth materials containing or combined with silica, produced with aid of heat treatment

clay body

a combination of clays and filler formulated to have certain workability and firing characteristics

coiling

method of accenting lips and handles by adding even, rope like threads of clay

crawling

separation of glaze coating from the clay body during firing caused by too heavy application

centering

the process of evenly distributed a mound of clay on the middle of a pottery wheel before drilling

dry foot

area beneath a pot or the base of a sculpture which has been thoroughly cleaned of glaze prior to firing

earthenware

a porous and relatively soft low temperature clay usually red or tan and fired below 2,000 degrees F

flux

the lowest melting compound in a glaze which causes a glass like surface and acts as a bonding agent in clay bodies

glaze

a glassy, melted coating which provides color and permanence on fired clay objects

glaze firing

the kiln firing that produces a vitrified or mature glaze melt, we glaze fire to cone ten

greenware

a general term for formed clay objects which have not been fired yet (leather hard, plastic or bone dry)

grog

crushed or ground fired clay used to reduce shrinkage and give strength to clay body

kiln

furnace made of refractory clay materials for firing ceramic wares

kiln furniture

shelves, posts, and stilts used inside a kiln that support clay products for firing

kiln wash

a white refractory protective coating used on kiln shelves and walls to prevent pots from sticking when glazes run

leather hard

the half way state between wet and dry when trimming, alteration, and carving are most easily achieved

oxidation

conditions inside a kiln when a clean bright flame burns with plenty of oxygen, and typically yields a brighter color response from glazes

plasticity

general term for wet, unused clay, allows clay to be manipulated and still maintain is shape without cracking or sagging

pin holing

small bubbles in the glaze, due to improper fit of glaze to clay body, result of trapped gases

porcelain

a high temperature clay body, the strongest of all clay bodies, white in its natural state

pug mill

machine for mixing and recycling plastic clay which compresses the body

pyrometric cone

triangular objects made of ceramic materials that are compounded to bend and melt at specific temperatures

reduction

kiln atmosphere which does not have enough oxygen in it to completely consume the fuel as it burns, due to this deficiency, the flame pulls oxygen molecules out of the clay bodies and glazes, changing their character

refractory

resistant to heat

scoring

making marks on edges of two pieces of clay to join with slip

slip

a watery, brushable clay mixture, apply to greenware as a glue agent or used as a coloring agent (glaze)

slip decoration

applying colored slip to the surface of the clay for decorative purposes

stoneware

a high temperature clay body

test tiles

used for testing the clay body surface and planned decoration material prior to producing a kiln load of work

throwing

the process of shaping clay into a form on a potter’s wheel

vitreous

hard and dense, glasslike

wareboard

a portable hard surface used to carry, store and move pottery

wax resist

the application of liquid or melted wax to the foot or body of clay objects to resist the glaze

wedging

forces out trapped air pockets, develops a uniform texture to the clay while preparing the mind for creativity

pottery tools

loop tool, potter’s thumb, rubber rib, wire tool, wooden rib, needle tool

loop tool

used to remove controlled amounts of clay through carving, trimming and hollowing out

potter’s thumb

makes the j-cut

rubber rib

used to smooth surfaces and remove imperfections, helps to fix the foot so it doesn’t scratch the table

wire tool

used to cut the clay off of the bat

wooden rib

used to shape, smooth and compress clay

needle tool

used to cut off uneven rim on the wheel, score the clay, or make designs

Parts of a clay form

foot, wall, belly, lip, neck, handle, shoulder

trimming

the process of removing excess clay from the wheel thrown piece once its leather hard to refine the shape, lighten the weight, and create a foot

three reasons to wedge

1) force out trapped air pockets

2) develop a uniform clay texture

3) be one with the clay and start the creative process

five steps of trimming feet

1) measure the thickness of the bottom using a needle tool to prevent trimming too much or making a hole

2) place pot upside down and center the pot on the wheel using your finger, then secure it place with lugs of clay

3) trim the outside of the foot with a loop tool

4) trim the inside of the foot with a loop tool

5) repeat as necessary and make sure its not too heavy, making sure to leave one lug on the wheel

serveware

functional pottery, example used to eat

sculpture

non-functional pottery, used for pleasure or enjoyment of looking