Vocabulary Gabrielle Mills

Question 1

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

Answer 1

Ceramic

Question 2

A fine, liquid form of clay applied to the surface of a vessel prior to firing; fills in pores and gives uniform color

Answer 2

Slip

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Wedging

Question 4

Long strands of clay which are laid on top of each other and joined through blending coil to coil

Answer 4

Coil Method

Question 5

High-fire clay; waterproof even without glaze

Answer 5

Stoneware

Question 6

A flattened out piece of clay; can be draped over or into forms, rolled around cylinders or built-up into geometric forms

Answer 6

Slab

Question 7

Clay that is completely dry but not yet fired

Answer 7

Bone Dry

Question 8

A term used to describe unfired clay objects in general

Answer 8

Greenware

Question 9

Clay objects that have been fired for the first time without any glazed applied to them

Answer 9

Bisque Ware/Bisque

Question 10

Bisque ware that has been glazed then fired

Answer 10

Glaze Ware

Question 11

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

Answer 11

Fettling Knife

Question 12

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 12

Loop Tool

Question 13

A term used to describe the technique of adding small clay forms as decoration on the surface of pottery forms; also called applied decoration

Answer 13

Sprigging-on

Question 14

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

Answer 14

Incising

Question 15

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

Answer 15

Kiln

Question 16

The heating coils on an electric kiln

Answer 16

Element

Question 17

The bottom of a piece that rests upon a surface

Answer 17

Footing

Question 18

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

Answer 18

Firing

Question 19

Glass-forming chemicals 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

Answer 19

Glaze

Question 20

A plaster disk or slab for clay work

Answer 20

Bat

Question 21

A clay made from a mold

Answer 21

Casting

Question 22

Liquid clay used in the process of forming objects with molds

Answer 22

Casting Slip

Question 23

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

Answer 23

China

Question 24

A thin coat of color that will soak into the greenware or bisque ware

Answer 24

Conditioning Coat

Question 25

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

Answer 25

Cone

Question 26

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

Answer 26

Cone Plaque

Question 27

The Mixture of time and temperature at which the cone will bend to show the kilns temperature on the shelf

Answer 27

Cone Temperature

Question 28

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

Answer 28

Earthenware

Question 29

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

Answer 29

Food-safe

Question 30

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

Answer 30

Foot

Question 31

A shiny, glass-like finish

Answer 31

Gloss

Question 32

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

Answer 32

Kiln Wash

Question 33

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

Answer 33

Leather-hard

Question 34

A soft finish with little or no shine

Answer 34

Matte

Question 35

Color which does not allow other colors to show through

Answer 35

Opaque

Question 36

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

Answer 36

Peep Holes

Question 37

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

Answer 37

Pin Holes

Question 38

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

Answer 38

Plasticity

Question 39

Articles made of refractory material which support kiln shelves during firing

Answer 39

Posts

Question 40

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

Answer 40

Semi-Matte

Question 41

Colors which generally allow only dark colors to show through

Answer 41

Semi-Opaque

Question 42

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

Answer 42

Semi-Transparent

Question 43

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

Answer 43

Shelf Cone Temperature

Question 44

Usually refers to a natural sponge used for cleaning and decorating greenware

Answer 44

Sponge

Question 45

Clear base colors which are free from cloudiness or distortion

Answer 45

Transparent

Question 46

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

Answer 46

Underglaze

Question 47

Small holes made by puncturing the wet greenware with a needle tool when two pieces of ware have been attached

Answer 47

Vent Holes

Question 48

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

Answer 48

Pinch Pots

Question 49

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

Answer 49

Terra cotta

Question 50

A piece of clay is placed on a potters wheel head which spins; the clay is shaped by compression while in motion

Answer 50

Wheel Thrown

Question 51

A technique of building pots using only the hands and simple tools

Answer 51

Handbuilding

Question 52

A method of shaping clay by inserting the thumb into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers.

Answer 52

Pinch

Question 53

Flat slabs of clay are pressed into molds to create various shapes and forms

Answer 53

Molding

Question 54

Method of joining two pieces of clay together creating scratches and applying slip

Answer 54

Score and Slip

Question 55

Wet, leather-hard and bone dry

Answer 55

Stages of Dryness

Question 56

A decorating technique where leather hard clay in slip and a picture in revealed by carving off the slip

Answer 56

Sgraffito

Question 57

Patterns or designs are created by brushing a wax medium over an area of clay, slip or glaze the resist the final glaze application

Answer 57

Wax Resist

Question 58

Pressing forms into clay to get decorative effects

Answer 58

Stamping

Question 59

Firing earthenware applying a tin enamel then when dry painting a design then glazing with a transparent glaze

Answer 59

Majolica

Question 60

Method of creating designs by folding different colored clays together into "rods" or bars and then slicing them

Answer 60

Millie Fiore

Question 61

A kiln firing in which there is insufficient oxygen to consume the free carbon emanating from the heated glaze and clay

Answer 61

Reduction

Question 62

A kiln firing with a full supply of oxygen

Answer 62

Oxidation

Question 63

A method of firing pottery that takes a ceramic piece in its raw state, greenware, and quickly takes the temperature up to 2000 degrees

Answer 63

Raku

Question 64

The opening at the top of a vase

Answer 64

Mouth

Question 65

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

Answer 65

Neck

Question 66

This is the main part of the vase; usually the largest part

Answer 66

Body