Ceramic Vocabulary

Ceramics
The art of making objects out of clay.
Types of Clay
Earthenware Clay
oLow Fire, gray clay
Terra-Cotta Clay
oLow fire, red clay
Stoneware Clay
oHigh Fire, off white
Stages of Clay
The Stages of Clay
The Stages of Clay
Wet
Stage
Clay that is
soft and
flexible
and moist.
Clay in the
wet stage
is easy to
minipulate.
Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75%
water
The Stages of Clay
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Clay that is
soft and
flexible
and moist.
Clay in the
wet stage
is easy to
manipulate
. Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75%
water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold
its shape. This is
the stage you
want to build
with. This is the
stage you want to
attach new
pieces of clay to.



30% water

The Stages of Clay
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Greenware
Stage
Clay that is
soft and
flexible
and moist.
Clay in the
wet stage
is easy to
manipulate
. Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75%
water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold
its shape. This is
the stage you
want to build
with. This is the
stage you want to
attach new
pieces of clay to.



30% water

Clay that has
been dried but
not fired. This
stage is very
fragile.





0% water

The Stages of Clay
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Greenware
Stage
1
st
Firing
Clay that is
soft and
flexible
and moist.
Clay in the
wet stage
is easy to
minipulate.
Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75%
water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold
its shape. This is
the stage you
want to build
with. This is the
stage you want to
attach new
pieces of clay to.



30% water

Clay that has
been dried but
not fired. This
stage is very
fragile.





0% water

When clay
is fired it is
placed in a
KILN. A
Kiln is an
oven like
structure
used to fire
clay. When
clay is fired
it is
permanent.

The Stages of Clay
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Greenware
Stage
1
st
Firing
Bisque
Stage
Clay that is
soft and
flexible
and moist.
Clay in the
wet stage
is easy to
manipulate
. Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75%
water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold
its shape. This is
the stage you
want to build
with. This is the
stage you want to
attach new
pieces of clay to.



30% water

Clay that has
been dried but
not fired. This
stage is very
fragile.





0% water

When clay
is fired it is
placed in a
KILN. A
Kiln is an
oven like
structure
used to fire
clay. When
clay is fired
it is
permanent.

Clay that
has been
fired once
but has not
been
glazed.




0%
water

The Stages of Clay
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Greenware
Stage
1
st
Firing
Bisque
Stage
Glazing
Clay that is
soft and
flexible
and moist.
Clay in the
wet stage
is easy to
manipulate
. Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75%
water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold
its shape. This is
the stage you
want to build
with. This is the
stage you want to
attach new
pieces of clay to.



30% water

Clay that has
been dried but
not fired. This
stage is very
fragile.





0% water

When clay
is fired it is
placed in a
KILN. A
Kiln is an
oven like
structure
used to fire
clay. When
clay is fired
it is
permanent.

Clay that
has been
fired once
but has not
been
glazed.




0%
water

Glazing is the
act of painting
a thin layer of
minerals onto
the clay.
Glaze will
give color,
seal, and give
texture to the
clay.
0% water

The Stages of Clay
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Greenware
Stage
1
st
Firing
Bisque
Stage
Glazing 2
nd
Firing
Clay that is
soft and
flexible
and moist.
Clay in the
wet stage
is easy to
manipulate
. Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75%
water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold
its shape. This is
the stage you
want to build
with. This is the
stage you want to
attach new
pieces of clay to.



30% water

Clay that has
been dried but
not fired. This
stage is very
fragile.





0% water

When clay
is fired it is
placed in a
KILN. A
Kiln is an
oven like
structure
used to fire
clay. When
clay is fired
it is
permanent.

Clay that
has been
fired once
but has not
been
glazed.




0%
water

Glazing is the
act of painting
a think layer
of minerals
onto the clay.
Glaze will
give color,
seal, and give
texture to the
clay.
0% water

Clay goes
back in to
the kiln for
a second
firing,
called a
glaze fire.
The glaze
firing is
about 200
degrees
lower then
the bisque
firing.
We recycle clay by soaking the clay in a tub of
water. After a couple of days the clay can be
wedged back together and returned to the wet
stage.
Clay can be recycled!
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Greenware
Stage
1
st
Firing
Bisque
Stage
Glazing 2
nd
Firing
Clay that is
soft and
flexible and
moist. Clay
in the wet
stage is
easy to
manipulate.
Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75% water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold its
shape. This is the
stage you want to
build with. This is
the stage you want
to attach new pieces
of clay to.



30% water

Clay that has
been dried but not
fired. This stage is
very fragile.





0% water

When clay is
fired it is
placed in a
KILN. A Kiln
is an oven
like structure
used to fire
clay. When
clay is fired it
is permanent.

Clay that
has been
fired once
but has not
been
glazed.




0% water

Glazing is the
act of painting a
think layer of
minerals onto
the clay. Glaze
will give color,
seal, and give
texture to the
clay.
0% water

Clay goes
back in to
the kiln for a
second
firing, called
a glaze fire.
The glaze
firing is
about 200
degrees
lower then
the bisque
firing.
We recycle clay by soaking the clay in a tub of
water. After a couple of days the clay can be
wedged back together and returned to the wet
stage.
Clay can be recycled!
Wet
Stage
Leatherhard
Stage
Greenware
Stage
1
st
Firing
Bisque
Stage
Glazing 2
nd
Firing
Clay that is
soft and
flexible and
moist. Clay
in the wet
stage is
easy to
manipulate.
Clay is to
soft in this
stage to
build with.
75% water
Clay that is hard,
firm and will hold its
shape. This is the
stage you want to
build with. This is
the stage you want
to attach new pieces
of clay to.



30% water

Clay that has
been dried but not
fired. This stage is
very fragile.





0% water

When clay is
fired it is
placed in a
KILN. A Kiln
is an oven
like structure
used to fire
clay. When
clay is fired it
is permanent.

Clay that
has been
fired once
but has not
been
glazed.




0% water

Glazing is the
act of painting a
think layer of
minerals onto
the clay. Glaze
will give color,
seal, and give
texture to the
clay.
0% water

Clay goes
back in to
the kiln for a
second
firing, called
a glaze fire.
The glaze
firing is
about 200
degrees
lower then
the bisque
firing.
Caution!
Clay
CANNOT be
recycled
after its
been fired!
Air Bubbles
Wedging is when you knead the clay to
remove all the air bubbles.
oWhat happens when air gets trapped in the clay?
When air gets trapped in the clay the clay will essentially
explode.
Air pockets are trapped air. When the heat in the kiln
increases, the vapors in the clay will look for the weakest wall
and break it in order to escape.
Air bubbles are formed when clay is not wedged properly
Air bubbles are also formed if you do not slip and score
properly.

Techniques of Clay
Techniques of Clay
Pinch Method
oMethod of pinching and pulling the clay.
Coil Building
oRound pieces of clay that are stacked on top of
one another.
Slab Building
oFlat thick pieces of clay that are cut in patterns and
attached together.
Pottery Wheel
oA flat spinning disc used to form and shape clay.

Techniques are the way we build with clay.
Attaching Clay
Clay can only be attached in the wet stage and the leatherhard
stage.
If clay is not moist, you cant attach to it.
You cant attach to greenware clay.
oWe attach clay by slipping and scoring the clay.
Slip is a combination of clay and water that is put on the score
marks before attaching. Slip should be a frosting consistency.
Scoring is when you take a sharp tool and scratch the surface
of the clay.
You need to slip and score each piece you plan on attaching.
After you attach the two pieces, you should add a small coil
over the seam to reinforce.
Smooth the new clay to the new pieces.




Additional Terms
Form any three dimensional object.
Pattern when objects, colors, lines and shapes
repeat.
Texture the way an object feels.
Non-Functional does not work.
Functional works.

Ceramic TestReview!!!!