Art Final

Slip

The most workable state of clay, being soft, moist, and pliable, allowing it to be easily molded and shaped.

Plastic

Clay that is soft, moist, and pliable enough to be molded and shaped easily.

Leatherhard

Clay that is firm and holds its shape, but still has some moisture, making it workable.

Bone Dry

The stage of clay where it has lost all moisture and is completely dry before firing.

Bisque

The first firing of a clay piece in a kiln.

Slipping and Scoring

Techniques used to join clay pieces; scoring creates a rough surface while slipping uses a liquid clay mixture to bind them.

Purpose of Slipping and Scoring

To ensure that joined clay pieces do not break in the kiln.

High Relief

A sculptural technique in which the sculpted elements are attached to a background but project significantly from it.

Low Relief

A type of relief where the design is only slightly raised from the background.

Sunken

A type of relief where the designs are carved into the surface.

Paint vs Glaze

Paint is non-shiny, may chip, and dries quickly; glaze is glossy, takes longer to apply, and is ideal for layering colors.

Positive Space

The main subject or areas of interest in an artwork.

Negative Space

The area surrounding the main subject in an artwork, often referred to as the background.

Balance

The distribution of visual weight in artwork, categorized as symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial.

Organic Shape

Shapes that are irregular or natural, not geometric.

Geometric Shape

Shapes that are precise, often using mathematical terms, such as circles and squares.

Notan

A Japanese term meaning ‘light-dark balance’ in art.

Exposure (in Sunprints)

The duration of time the material is exposed to sunlight to develop an image.

Actual Texture

A texture that can be physically felt on the artwork's surface.

Implied Texture

The visual illusion of texture created by various art media that suggests tactile quality.

Invented Texture

Textures created by the artist, including patterns and color application.

Contour Drawing

A drawing technique that outlines shapes without shading.

Proportion

The relationship in size and scale between different elements within an artwork.

Value

The range of light to dark in art, including highlights and shadows.