Ceramic Vocabulary

Question 1

Having to do with clay or glass or the making of objects from clay or glass.

Answer 1

Ceramic

Question 2

Clay watered down, like glue. Fills pores on vessel. Liquid clay.

Answer 2

Slip

Question 3

To draw or make lines in clay

Answer 3

Score

Question 4

Method used in hand building to connect two pieces of clay together.

Answer 4

Slip/Score Technique

Question 5

The process of kneading the clay so as to remove air pockets and create uniform consistency of clay.

Answer 5

Wedging

Question 6

Old way to do pottery. Clay on top each other binding with coil.

Answer 6

Coil Method

Question 7

High-fire clay. Stoneware is waterproof even without glaze; the resulting ware is sturdier than earthenware.

Answer 7

Stoneware

Question 8

Flat piece of clay.

Answer 8

Slab

Question 9

Clay that is completely dried but not yet fired.

Answer 9

Bone Dry

Question 10

A term used to describe unfired clay objects in general.

Answer 10

Greenware

Question 11

Clay objects that have been fired for the first time and without any glaze applied to them.

Answer 11

Bisque Ware

Question 12

Bisque ware that has been glazed then fired.

Answer 12

Glaze Ware

Question 13

Is a special knife-like tool with a fairly flexible blade for cutting into moist and leather-hard clay.

Answer 13

Fettling Knife

Question 14

A special tool with a wooden handle and a wire loop at one or both ends, used for carving and hollowing out clay forms.

Answer 14

Loop Tool

Question 15

The technique of adding small clay forms as decoration on the surface of pottery forms; also called applied decoration.

Answer 15

Sprigging-On

Question 16

Is a decoration technique, created by carving lines into the clay or carving small areas out of the clay but not perforating it.

Answer 16

Incising

Question 17

A furnace designed specifically for heating clay to the temperatures necessary to make it permanently hard and stone like.

Answer 17

Kiln

Question 18

The heating coils of an electric kiln.

Answer 18

Element

Question 19

The bottom of a piece that rests upon a surface. Raised and flush.

Answer 19

Foot

Question 20

Clay is hardened by heating it to a high temperature, fusing the clay particles.

Answer 20

Firing

Question 21

Glass-forming chemicals that coats the clay in a glossy feel,

Answer 21

Glaze

Question 22

Clay in liquid form.

Answer 22

Slip Clay

Question 23

A plaster disk or slab for clay work.

Answer 23

Bat

Question 24

A clay form made from a mold. May also be referred to “plaster castings”

Answer 24

Casting

Question 25

Is liquid clay used in the process of forming objects with molds. Also referred to as "slip"

Answer 25

Casting Slip

Question 26

A term which usually refers to the bone china of England, but also is associated with vitreous white wares and porcelain.

Answer 26

China

Question 27

Is a thin coat of color that will soak into the greenware or bisque ware.

Answer 27

Conditioning Coat (glaze or underglaze)

Question 28

A mixture of ceramic materials that soften and bend when in a mixture of time and temperature is in the interior of the kiln.

Answer 28

Cone (Pyrometric cone)

Question 29

Is a small clay cone holder used when cones are placed on the shelf of the kiln to stand.

Answer 29

Cone Plaque

Question 30

Is the mixture of time and temperature at which the cone will bend to show the kilns temperature on the shelf.

Answer 30

Cone Temperature

Question 31

A low-fire clay body which is fired to maturity at approx. 2000 oF.

Answer 31

Earthenware

Question 32

A product that has been tested and determined to be safe for use on surfaces which come in contact with food or drink.

Answer 32

Food-safe

Question 33

A shiny, glass-like finish.

Answer 33

Gloss

Question 34

The refractory coating applied to the top of the kiln shelves to protect them from glaze drips.

Answer 34

Kiln Wash

Question 35

Greenware that is allowed to become firm but still retains its wet look.

Answer 35

Leather-hard

Question 36

A soft finish with little or no shine.

Answer 36

Matte

Question 37

Color which does not allow other colors to show through.

Answer 37

Opaque

Question 38

Small holes in the side of a kiln used for viewing shelf cones and ventilating the kiln during the firing process.

Answer 38

Peep Holes (vent holes)

Question 39

Tiny holes in the final surface finish of a glaze or Underglaze.

Answer 39

Pin Holes

Question 40

Refers to the ability of clay to be formed into a shape and retain it.

Answer 40

Plasticity

Question 41

Articles made of refractory material which support kiln shelves during firing.

Answer 41

Posts

Question 42

A satin-like surface which has a slight sheen to it.

Answer 42

Semi-Matte

Question 43

Colors which generally allow only dark colors to show through.

Answer 43

Semi-Opaque

Question 44

Slightly colored and/or speckled colors which allow most colors to show through with only slight distortions.

Answer 44

Semi-Transparent (ST)

Question 45

The cone temperature that is fired on the shelf of a kiln. The amount of heating the ware actually receives.

Answer 45

Shelf Cone Temperature

Question 46

Usually refers to a natural sponge used for cleaning and decorating greenware. There are also synthetic sponges available for ceramics.

Answer 46

Sponge

Question 47

Clear base colors which are free from cloudiness or distortion.

Answer 47

Transparent

Question 48

A color which is usually applied to greenware and in most cases is covered with a glaze.

Answer 48

Under Glaze

Question 49

Making small holes in wet greenware with a small needle so air escapes during firing.

Answer 49

Vent Holes

Question 50

Starting with a ball of clay the potter opens a hole into the ball and forms a bowl shape through a combination of stroking and pinching the clay.

Answer 50

Pinch Pots

Question 51

A brownish-orange earthenware clay body commonly used for ceramic sculpture.

Answer 51

Terra Cotta

Question 52

Clay on spinning wheel that shapes from compression while in motion.

Answer 52

Wheel thrown

Question 53

Using simple tools and hands to make pottery.

Answer 53

Handbuilding

Question 54

Pinching clay while on wheel thrown to make designs.

Answer 54

Pinch

Question 55

Technique by rolling out clay.

Answer 55

Coil

Question 56

In this technique, flat slabs of clay are pressed into molds in order to create various shapes or forms.

Answer 56

Molding

Question 57

Joining two pieces of clay together. Use slip to paste together.

Answer 57

Score and Slip

Question 58

Technique, use leather-hard clay covered in slip of different color and engrave designs reveling underneath.

Answer 58

Sgraffito

Question 59

brushing a wax medium over an area of clay, slip, or glaze to resist the final glaze application when the wax is dry makes patterns.

Answer 59

Wax Resist

Question 60

Slip is applied to the greenware through a tube or nozzle, much like icing a cake.

Answer 60

Slip Trailing

Question 61

This is the technique of pressing forms into the clay to get decorative effects.

Answer 61

Stamping

Question 62

First firing a piece of earthenware, then put a tin enamel that forms a white opaque porous surface. A design is then painted on and a transparent glaze applied than fire again.

Answer 62

Majolica

Question 63

Folding different colored clays together into "rods" or bars, then slicing them as if you were slicing rolled cookies.

Answer 63

Mille Fiore

Question 64

Cooking the pottery.

Answer 64

Firing

Question 65

Ceramic ware that has been fired once without glaze.

Answer 65

Bisque

Question 66

This refers to ceramic ware that has not been fired.

Answer 66

Greenware

Question 67

A glass-like surface coating for ceramics that is used to decorate and seal the pores of the fired clay.

Answer 67

Glaze

Question 68

A kiln firing without enough oxygen resulting in the formation of carbon monoxide which colors the glaze.

Answer 68

Reduction

Question 69

A kiln firing with a full supply of oxygen (as opposed to a reduction firing). Electric kilns are this type.

Answer 69

Oxidation

Question 70

Firing pottery that takes a ceramic piece in its raw state, greenware, and quickly

Answer 70

Raku

Question 71

The opening at the top of a vase.

Answer 71

Mouth

Question 72

The (usually) narrower part that leads from the body of the vase to the mouth.

Answer 72

Neck

Question 73

This is the main part of the vase. It is usually the largest part.

Answer 73

Body