Vocabulary

Question 1

ceramic

Answer 1

having to do with clay or glass or the making of objects from clay or glass

Question 2

slip

Answer 2

clay that has been watered down

Question 3

score

Answer 3

to draw or make lines into clay

Question 4

slip/score tech

Answer 4

method used in hand building to connect two pieces of clay together

Question 5

wedging

Answer 5

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

Question 6

coil method

Answer 6

one of the oldest ways of forming pottery

Question 7

stoneware

Answer 7

high fire

Question 8

slab

Answer 8

a flattened out piece of clay

Question 9

bone dry

Answer 9

clay that is completely dried but not yet fired

Question 10

greenware

Answer 10

a term used to describe unfired clay objects in general

Question 11

bisque ware

Answer 11

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

Question 12

glaze ware

Answer 12

bisque ware that has been glazed then fired

Question 13

fettling knife

Answer 13

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

Question 14

loop tool

Answer 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

Question 15

sprigging-on

Answer 15

a term used to describe the tech of adding small clay forms as decoration on the surface of pottery forms

Question 16

Incising

Answer 16

It is a decoration technique created by carving lines into the clay or carving small areas out of the clay but not perforating it

Question 17

Kiln

Answer 17

A furnace designed specifically for heating clay to the temperatures necessary to make it permanently hard and stone like. Kilns can be electric, natural gas, wood, coal, fuel oil or propane. Materials used to heat the kiln can affect the work.

Question 18

Element

Answer 18

The heating coils of an electric kiln. (Tired or burnt-out elements referred to elements which carry to little or no electrical current for producing heat)

Question 19

Footing

Answer 19

The bottom of a piece that rests upon a surface (may be wheel thrown or hand-built). There are 2 kinds: raised and flush

Question 20

Firing

Answer 20

Clay is hardened by heating it to a high temperature, fusing the clay particles. Primitive pottery is usually fired on the ground or in pits with whatever flammable material is available. Kilns allow more efficient use of materials and more control over the atmosphere during a firing. Firing has two basic atmospheres. Oxidation and reduction, theses two atmospheres will affect the color of the final piece.

Question 21

Glaze

Answer 21

Glass-forming chemicals, usually with colorants added, that applied in liquid form to bisque ware and fired in a kiln, form a pleasing, usually glossy coating to the surface of the clay. Glaze can be colored, opaque, translucent or matte.

Question 22

Slip clay

Answer 22

Clay in liquid form

Question 23

Bat

Answer 23

A plaster disk or slab for clay work

Question 24

Casting

Answer 24

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

Question 25

China

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Conditioning coat

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Cone

Answer 27

A mixture of ceramic materials that is designed to soften and bend when the proper mixture of time and temperature is reached in the interior of the kiln.

Question 28

Cone plaque

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Cone temperature

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Earthenware

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Food-safe

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Foot

Answer 32

The base or the part of the piece of ceramic on which it rests

Question 33

Gloss

Answer 33

A shiny glass-like finish

Question 34

Kiln wash

Answer 34

The refractory coating applied to the top of the kiln shows to protect from glaze drips

Question 35

Leather-hard

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Matte

Answer 36

A soft finish with light or no shine

Question 37

Opaque

Answer 37

Color which doesn't allow other colors to show through

Question 38

Peep Holes

Answer 38

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

Question 39

Pin Holes

Answer 39

Tiny holes in the final surface finish of the glaze or underglazed

Question 40

Plasticity

Answer 40

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

Question 41

Posts

Answer 41

Articles made of refractory material which support kiln shelves during firing

Question 42

Semi-matte

Answer 42

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

Question 43

Semi-opaque

Answer 43

Colors which generally allow dark colors to show through

Question 44

Semi-transparent

Answer 44

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

Question 45

Shelf Cone Temperature

Answer 45

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

Question 46

Sponge

Answer 46

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

Question 47

Transparent

Answer 47

Clear base colors which are free for cloudiness or distortion.

Question 48

Under glaze

Answer 48

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

Question 49

Vent holes

Answer 49

Small holes made by puncturing the wet greenware with a needle tool when two pieces of ware have been attached. The small holes allow air gases to escape during firing. Also refers to peep holes in the side of the kiln.

Question 50

Pinch pots

Answer 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. Many coil-pieces are constructed on top of a pinched bottom.

Question 51

Terra cotta

Answer 51

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

Question 52

Wheel thrown

Answer 52

The term throw comes from the old English meaning. A piece of clay is placed on a potters wheel head which spins. The clay shaped by compressing while it is in motion. Often the potters will use several thrown shapes together to form one piece of(a teapot can be constructed from 3 or 4 thrown forms).

Question 53

Casting slip

Answer 53

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