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

Clap that has been watered down and used as glue. It is in the slip/score technique. (Liquid form of clay)

Answer 2

Slip

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Slip/Score Technique

Question 4

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

Answer 4

Wedging

Question 5

Long strands of clay are laid on top of each other and joined from blending coil to coil.

Answer 5

Coil Method

Question 6

High-fire clay. Waterproof even without glaze, sturdier than earthenware.

Answer 6

Stoneware

Question 7

Flatten out piece of clay achieved by rolling pin or slab roller. Joined together by scoring and slip. There are various uses for this.

Answer 7

Slab

Question 8

Clay that is completely dried but not yet fired.

Answer 8

Bone Dry

Question 9

A term used to describe unfired clay objects in general

Answer 9

Greenware

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Bisque Ware

Question 11

Bisque ware that has been glazed then fired

Answer 11

Glaze Ware

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

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

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 that heats clay. They can be electric, natural gas, wood, coal, fuel oil, or propane. Materials that go in this can effect the product.

Answer 15

Kiln

Question 16

The heating coils of an electric kiln

Answer 16

Element

Question 17

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

Answer 17

Footing

Question 18

Clay is hardened by heating it to a high temperature. Has two basic atmospheres: Oxidation and reduction.

Answer 18

Firing

Question 19

Glass-forming chemicals, usually with colorants added, that applied in liquid form to bisque ware and fired in a kiln, forms a glossy coating.

Answer 19

Glaze

Question 20

Clay in liquid form

Answer 20

Slip Clay

Question 21

A plaster disk or slab for clay work

Answer 21

Bat

Question 22

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

Answer 22

Casting

Question 23

Is liquid clay used in the process of forming objects with molds. Referred to as “slip”

Answer 23

Casting Slip

Question 24

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

Answer 24

China

Question 25

Glaze or underglaze. Thin coat of color that will soak in the ware.

Answer 25

Conditioning Coatq

Question 26

Mixture of ceramic materials that is designed to soften and bend, indicating when there is a proper mixture of time and temperature.

Answer 26

Cone

Question 27

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

Answer 27

Cone Plaque

Question 28

Mixture of time and temperature at which the cone will bend to show the kiln's temperature on the shelf.

Answer 28

Cone Temperature

Question 29

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

Answer 29

Earthenware

Question 30

A product that has been tested to be safe for eating food or drinking water with it.

Answer 30

Food-Safe

Question 31

Base or part of the piece that the ceramic rests on

Answer 31

Foot

Question 32

Shiny, glass-like finish

Answer 32

Gloss

Question 33

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

Answer 33

Kiln Wash

Question 34

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

Answer 34

Leather-Hard

Question 35

A soft finish with little or no shine

Answer 35

Matte

Question 36

Color which does not allow other colors to show through

Answer 36

Opaque

Question 37

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

Answer 37

Pin Holes

Question 38

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

Satin-like surface with a slight sheen

Answer 40

Semi-Matte

Question 41

Colors which generally allow only dark colors to show through

Answer 41

Semi-Opaque

Question 42

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

Answer 42

Semi-Transparent

Question 43

Cone temperature fired on shelf. Amount of heating the ware receives

Answer 43

Shelf Cone Temperature

Question 44

Sponge used for cleaning and decorating greenware. Synthetic sponges.

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

Under Glaze

Question 47

Small holes made by puncturing wet greenware. Allows air and gases to escape.

Answer 47

Vent Holes

Question 48

Pots made by pinching.

Answer 48

Pinch Pots

Question 49

Brownish-orange earthenware clay body

Answer 49

Terra cotta

Question 50

Spinning on the potter's wheel.

Answer 50

Wheel Thrown

Question 51

Using hands and simple tools to make pottery

Answer 51

Handbuilding

Question 52

Method of shaping clay by pinching.

Answer 52

Pinch

Question 53

Flat slabs of clay are pressed into molds

Answer 53

Molding

Question 54

Method of joining two pieces of clay together

Answer 54

Score and Slip

Question 55

How dry the clay is

Answer 55

Stages of Dryness

Question 56

Decorating technique developed centuries ago. Leather-hard clay is coated with an engobe or slip of color and a pattern is then carved into or scraped off.

Answer 56

Sgraffito

Question 57

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

Answer 57

Wax Resist

Question 58

Decoration method where slip is applied to greenware through a tube or nozzle.

Answer 58

Slip Trailing

Question 59

Pressing forms into the clay to get decorations

Answer 59

Stamping

Question 60

A faience, associated with wares produced in Spain, Italy, and Mexico.

Answer 60

Majolica

Question 61

Method of creating designs by folding different colored clays together into rods, then slicing them.

Answer 61

Mille Fiore

Question 62

Forms color changes, a type of kiln. Results in oxygen starved carbon that pulls oxygen from clay body to show color changes.

Answer 62

Reduction

Question 63

A kiln firing with oxygen.

Answer 63

Oxidation

Question 64

Method of firing pottery. Takes ceramic piece in its raw state, greenware, and takes the temperature up to 2000 degrees.

Answer 64

Raku

Question 65

Opening of a vase

Answer 65

Mouth

Question 66

Narrower part that leads from body to mouth

Answer 66

Neck

Question 67

Main part of the vase, largest part.

Answer 67

Body