Ceramics Final

  • Slab: an even sheet of clay made by gently throwing and/or rolling

  • Scoring: scratching into the surfaces of the clay to create a bond between two pieces 

  • Clay: a fine grained soil or water soaked earth. It can be molded when wet, but hard when fired

  • Hand Building: technique of building with clay using only the hands and simple tools rather than the potter’s wheel.

  • Shrinkage: the reduction in size of a ceramic piece after it has been fired, depending on the type of clay and method of forming, (wheel work shrinks more), somewhere around 12% to 20%

  • Slip: half water, half clay mixture that is used to attach clay to clay

  • Pinch: method of ,making pottery in which a ball of clay is pressed, pulled and pinched into a shape with the hands, using the thumb to open the center.

  • Coil Construction: creating the walls of ceramics forms by melding together ropes (coils) of clay.

  • Glaze: a coating of glass on the surface of fired work, actually fusing to the surface creating strength, making the work non-porous, and beautiful

  • Kiln: high temperature “oven” that fires clay - electric, wood burning, and gas are common types.

  • Rhythm, Emphasis (framing, implied line, directional tool, size relation), Contrast

  • Tools We Use: rib tool, pin tool, knife, exacto knife, ribbon tools, sponge, rolling pin, and wooden spoon.

  • Wedging: a kneading-like process that works to remove the air pockets out of clay before framing it


What shape should the clay make when wedging? Spiral


What are the 3 hand building techniques?

  • Pinch

  • Coil

  • Slab

    • List one project we made using these and contrast each technique


Be able to list, in order, the 6 stages of drying clay:

  1. Slip - watered down clay in a muddy form

  2. Plastic - workable stage; molding stage; can recycle; can join to other pieces

  3. Leather-hard - stiff and will hold its shape; join to other pieces; carve into; recycle

  4. Bone dry; difficult but can be carved into; very fragile; can recycle

  5. Bisqueware - fired once in kiln; can not be recycled; glazing stage

  6. Glazeware - second fire - low fire; can not be recycled


Be able to correctly order the steps of workflow: 

Form, monitor drying, bisque fire, self eval, teacher eval, glaze, glaze fire


What is the difference between the following types of clay:

  • Buff

  • Terra Cotta


Describe how to create a pinch pot.



Glazing - how many coats should you apply? What should you do to the bottom when you are finished?



What is Glaze made of?

Glaze is glass that has been modified to melt onto clay.