Ceramics Mid-Term Vocab

semester 1-haines

Rib

A wooden or metal tool for smoothing or assisting in the throwing of a pot on a wheel. This name was given to the tool because older potters used a bone for this purpose.

Boss

An age-old decorative feature; a spherical hump traditionally formed by pressing the inside of a pot but today more frequently applied to the outside.

Trimming

The only essential feature of a turning tool is a short firm cutting edge which can be held at a right-angle to the rotating pot.

Sponge stick

A natural or polyester sponge fastened to the end of a dowel or stick, and used for absorbing surplus water from pots during throwing.

Dry Foot

The bottom of a pot that has been cleaned of all glaze before firing.

Stamping

An embossed or intaglio impression can be used to build up a pattern on clay.

Matte

The non-glossy surface quality of a completely fired glaze.

Spatula

A tool with a flattened, curved and rounded end. This tool is used for designing and trimming excess fat off a spinning form on the potters wheel.

Sprig

A base-relief on a medallion made in a small press mold and stuck with slip onto a pottery surface.

Needle

“Pricker” is the American term. A fine awl for cutting clay.

Foot

It is the part of the ceramic pottery piece on which the main shape stands.

Wedge or Wedging

The process of kneading plastic clay with the fingers and heel of the hands in a spiral motion.

Pinch Technique

A hand-building method of construction where a ball of clay in the plastic state is repeadtedly pinched.

Coil Technique

A hand-building method of construction, which utilizes rolls of clay in the plastic state.

Slab Technique

A hand-building method of construction using clay in the leather-hard state that utilizes flat pieces of clay.

Throwing Technique

A hand-forming method of constuction where a ball of clay is hollowed out on a revolving wheel head.

Score

To scratch the surface of something to make it rough.

Hand Building

The forming of ceramics without a wheel, ( pinch, coil, slab).

Damp Box/Drying Cabinent

A cabinet in which is unfinished clay objects are stored to slow their drying, plastic wraps are also used.

Kiln

a furnace for firing ceramic products.

Pug Mill

a machine with paddle gear for grinding and mixing plastic clay.

Bench Wheel

A small portable turntable used for rotating pottery in any state (except slip) in order to work on or decorate the pottery.

Slab Roller

A large piece of equipment that allows the artist to flatten out clay evenly throughout.

Clay

A compound of decomposed and altered feldspathic rock consisting of aluminum along with non-plastics, such as quartz, and organic matter.

porcelain clay

pale body of primary clay with a distinctive ring when struck.

stoneware clay

secondary clays that are not as fine-grained as other clay bodies.

absorption

the capacity of a material to soak up liquid.

shrinkage

contraction of the clay or glaze in either drying or firing

Slip

A suspension of clay in water

grog

Fired clay that has been crushed into granules which may be added to clay body to increase strength control drying and reduce shrinkage

plasticity

The quality of clay that allows it to be easily shaped and maintain its form

leather-hard

The condition of raw clay when most of the moisture has evaporated leaving it still soft enough to be carved or joined to other pieces

bone dry

The condition of unfired clay that has no assorted moisture other than natural humidity.  The form is ready to bisque fire.

bisque ware

Clay that has been fired once, unglazed

blowout

The explosion of clay in the kiln caused by the sudden escape of steam resulting from rapid heating of thick clay or the presence of impurities

blistering

Air bubbles appearing in a glaze after a fast firing.