Quiz 1

Question 1

Functional

Answer 1

Work that is primarily used for the preparation, presentation and storage of food. Also referred to as Pottery.

Question 2

Non-functional

Answer 2

Work that bears resemblance to functional work, but in all practical scenarios cannot be
used. Sometimes referred to as decorative. Example: a teapot that is 3 feet tall

Question 3

Sculptural

Answer 3

Work that may or may not be representational. Work who’s formal and/or conceptual
properties adhere more to the tradition of Sculpture than the tradition of Ceramics

Question 4

clay

Answer 4

Fine-grained sediment, with particle-size less than two-thousandths of a millimeter, and
which becomes plastic when wet.

Question 5

body

Answer 5

The term used to describe clay and any inclusions present in it, particularly prior to firing,
though it may also be used to describe the finished product (the body of a pot)

Question 6

Plasticity

Answer 6

The ability of clay to be molded and maintain its shape. It is the result of water being
present between the clay particles, allowing them to glide over one other

Question 7

Slip

Answer 7

A smooth mixture of clay and water that can be applied to the surface of work to create
color and texture. Also used as an adhesive to attach two or more forms together.

Question 8

slurry

Answer 8

Similar to Slip, but not as homogenous. This is what is left in your bucket after hours of throwing and is added to dry clay for recycling or reuse

Question 9

leather-hard

Answer 9

The stage reached in the drying of clay when most of the physical water has evaporated. It is at this stage that most surface treatments, joining and additions are made. CANNOT BE RE-MOISTENED BACK INTO WORKING CLAY. If this stage is reached and the work is not
of a viable quality, it should be recycled by placing it in the Slurry Bin

Question 10

greenware

Answer 10

Also known as Bone Dry. This is when all of the physical water has evaporated. The clay
has changed color and is now very fragile. The work is ready to be bisque fired or
recycled

Question 11

bisque

Answer 11

Refers to both a firing process (bisque firing) and the work itself (bisque ware). It is the process of removing the chemical water present in the work and converting the clay to ceramic. Once the work has been bisque-fired, it is ready to be glazed. BISQUE WARE WILL NEVER BE CLAY AGAIN, SO DO NOT PLACE IT IN THE SLURRY BIN FOR RECYCLING. IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT, THROW IT IN THE DUMPSTER

Question 12

glazeware

Answer 12

Ceramic work that has been covered with a mixture made of silica, fluxes, and metallic
oxides (known as Glaze) and becomes vitrified or glasslike when fired to the desired
temperature

Question 13

shrinkage

Answer 13

The physical change to the clay as it dries. The physical water evaporates and the clay
particles are gradually brought into contact with one another. The finer the clay, the
greater the shrinkage. Thin areas of a vessel dry more quickly than thick areas, creating
stresses resulting in cracks. Clay also shrinks in the firing process, at temperatures in
excess of about 1650F.
The clay you use shrinks approx. 8-12%. Plan accordingly

Question 14

firing

Answer 14

The process whereby clay is converted to ceramic. A temperature in excess of 1000F is required to drive off chemically combined water from the clay molecules and make them
ceramic; when this process has occurred, the clay will be hard and will never become
plastic clay again. There are many different types of firing methods. The first firing is
referred to as the Bisque Firing and the second firing is referred to as the Glaze Firing, which can be either Reduction or Oxidation.

Question 15

cone

Answer 15

The common reference term for a Pyrometric Cone manufactured by the Orton Cone Company. It is a triangular shaped piece of ceramic materials carefully formulated to melt
at a specific temperature. They are placed in the kiln to monitor temperature.
At Creighton the majority of your work is bisque fired to 04 (cone “oh” four) and glaze fired to either 6 (cone six) in Oxidation or 10 (cone ten) in Reduction.
Cones range from 022, which bends at approx. 1100F, to 42, which bends at approx. 3600F. Ceramic Artists work with cones between 016 and 12.
There is no 0. For example, this is how cones are identified from the lowest melting temperature to the highest: 022, 021, 020 …..01, 1, 2….10…

Question 16

kiln

Answer 16

A structure for firing ceramics made out of refractory (heat resistant) materials.

Question 17

reduction firing

Answer 17

Atmosphere inside the kiln when it has been deprived of most of the oxygen, NOT ALL
THE OXYGEN because no oxygen = no fire. This atmosphere causes desirable chemical reactions in the clay body and glazes. For example: Copper Oxide may turn red in a Reduction firing. Usually done in a fuel-burning kiln, such as natural gas or wood

Question 18

oxidation firing

Answer 18

Oxygen rich atmosphere inside the kiln. Causes desirable chemical reactions n the clay body and glazes. For example: Copper oxide turns green in an Oxidation firing. Usually done in an electric kiln

Question 19

wedging

Answer 19

Method of preparing clay for working by hand or on the wheel. The clay is cut, slammed
and kneaded to make it homogenous and to force out any trapped air

Question 20

hand building

Answer 20

Any method of forming that does not directly utilize the potter’s wheel.

Question 21

scoring

Answer 21

Process of scratching the surfaces of two pieces of clay for the purpose of attaching. After the pieces are scored, slip is applied and the two are joined. Usually referred to as “slipping and scoring”. This process is not required if the two pieces to be joined are wet clay

Question 22

coiling

Answer 22

Vessel forming through the use of coils of clay stacked on top of one another.
May or may not be smoothed out to form a uniform surface.

Question 23

slab

Answer 23

Vessel forming when clay is rolled out into sheets and cut to the desired shape. May be
stiff (when geometric forms with sharply delineated edges are desired) or soft (when smooth transitions are desired).

Question 24

extrusion

Answer 24

Vessel forming through the use of an Extruder. Clay is placed inside the machine and forced through an opening of the desired shape. Extruded clay can then be cut and pieced together into a variety of forms

Question 25

pinching

Answer 25

Vessel forming where the clay is compressed between the fingers.

Question 26

mold

Answer 26

Use of a stiff form to press or drape clay into or onto and then released when it reaches the desired state, these types of Molds are referred to as Slump, Hump or Press Molds. Molds may also be made of plaster and used to cast slip

Question 27

modeling

Answer 27

Sculpture process allowing the maker to add, remove and reform elements of the work. Most commonly used in figurative Ceramic sculpture

Question 28

throwing

Answer 28

Any method of forming which utilizes the potter’s wheel.

Question 29

centering

Answer 29

Act of condensing a ball of clay into the center of the wheel through the combination of the centrifugal force generated by the movement of the wheel and the force exerted by the potter

Question 30

opening

Answer 30

The second stage of forming works on the wheel. The potter places a tool (usually a finger or two) into the center of the clay, forcing the displacement of the clay and creating the base of the vessel. Compression of the base is vital at this stage to avoid cracks in the finished piece.

Question 31

raising

Answer 31

Displacing the clay by pressing from the outside of the clay with one’s dominant hand, with the other hand placed on the inside for support. Fingers from both hands are compressed together against the clay as they slowly move upward creating the walls of the vessel.

Question 32

shaping

Answer 32

Using tools (usually ribs) to refine the vessel into the desired form.

Question 33

trimming

Answer 33

This term usually refers to the process of removing excess clay from the base of a wheel thrown pot when it has become leather-hard. The leather-hard pot is placed upside down on the wheel, re-centered, and then tools are used to remove the excess clay and/or to cut in a foot on the bottom of the pot. This term can also refer to the use of the throwing knife to remove excess wet clay from the base of a pot prior to cutting the pot off the wheel with a wire.

Question 34

finishing

Answer 34

Term used to refer to the final stages of forming (regardless of method used). Refers to smoothing out rough edges and surfaces and clearing away of any debris. All work to be fired in this course must go through the process of Finishing!

Question 35

sgraffito

Answer 35

A minimum of one slip, of a different color, is applied to the surface of the work when it is at the leather-hard state. The slip is allowed to set up (not dry out). When the slip has set a tool is used to carve away the slip revealing the color of the clay underneath. Particularly useful if line drawings or patterns are desired

Question 36

incising

Answer 36

Done usually at the leather-hard state. Clay is carved away from the surface using a variety of tools, depending on the desired effect.

Question 37

mishima

Answer 37

A technique developed in Korea. A pattern is incised into the surface of a vessel; slip (usually of a different color) is applied over the incised design. Once the slip has set, the surface is scraped away until it is smooth, revealing the pattern underneath. Also called Inlay.

Question 38

sprigging

Answer 38

An embossing technique where desired additions to the work are made with a mold and then pressed onto the surface of a leather-hard vessel

Question 39

resist

Answer 39

Use of a stencil (usually made of paper), tape or wax to mask areas of a vessel’s surface. In the case of a paper stencil on leather-hard clay, the stencil is applied to the surface with a damp sponge, slip is applied to the desired area, once the slip has set the stencil is removed. At the Bisque state any resistant material can be applied to the surface of the pot, such as tape or wax. In the case of wax, the surface of the bisque ware is first coated with a base glaze, wax is applied to the desired area and allowed to dry. Once the wax is dry the work is coated with another layer of glaze.

Question 40

wire

Answer 40

Used to cut desired amounts of clay as well as remove work from the wheel.

Question 41

rib

Answer 41

May be made of wood, metal, rubber or plastic. Used to compress or shape clay on the wheel. Also used to shape, remove or smooth clay during the hand-building process.

Question 42

needle tool

Answer 42

Used for scoring, cutting and piercing clay and to gauge its thickness.

Question 43

throwing knife

Answer 43

Made of wood and primarily used to trim excess wet clay at the base of a vessel before it is removed from the wheel.

Question 44

sponge

Answer 44

Used to clean up the wheel and remove excess water from inside a vessel. Used during the throwing of large vessels when it is difficult to keep the surface of the clay moist.

Question 45

rasp

Answer 45

Used to trim away excess clay and refine forms when the clay is at the leather-hard state. Can also be used to add decorative texture

Question 46

finishing tool

Answer 46

Includes a variety of tools which create desired effects in the final stages of constructing clay work.

Question 47

trimming tools

Answer 47

Used for trimming, incising, sgraffito, and carving techniques. May also be referred to as Ribbon Tools

Question 48

canvas

Answer 48

Used on surfaces to ease release of the clay.

Question 49

bat

Answer 49

Surface placed on the wheel for throwing. Can be easily removed and is primarily used for large scale work or work that is difficult to remove from the wheel when it is wet such as large bowls, plates and platters. Bats should NEVER be used for general storage of in progress work unless it is necessary due to its scale

Question 50

calipers

Answer 50

Used to gauge the width of an opening when making lidded forms.

Question 51

fettling knife

Answer 51

Primarily used to cut soft slabs.

Question 52

utility knife

Answer 52

Used to cut and trim leather hard clay. DO NOT use Utility Knives on a canvas surface.

Question 53

cracks

Answer 53

May be caused during any stage of the ceramic process. Usually the result of poor compression of the clay particles during throwing, resulting in separation upon drying. Cracks may occur when two pieces of clay are joined and dried too quickly or unevenly, attached without enough slip, scoring, or one or both pieces were too dry to attach from the beginning. Also occurs in work that is poorly handled in the process. Can be due to excessive weight or pressure on areas of the work.

Question 54

dunting

Answer 54

A type of crack that occurs from stresses caused during firing and cooling. These cracks appear as long, clean, body cracks with sharp edges. If the ware is glazed, the glaze edges are sharp. They may be vertical, horizontal, or spiral.

Question 55

bloating

Answer 55

Blistering of a pot wall during firing, caused by the expansion of unreleased gases after fusion has begun. This defect is usually the result of over-firing.

Question 56

pinholing

Answer 56

A glaze defect primarily caused when impurities in the clay body did not completely burn away during the bisque firing. This defect could also be the result of a glaze cooling too rapidly once it has reached peak temperature. This defect appears like tiny eruptions or bubbles on the glazed surface and may have sharp edges. Sometimes this defect can be corrected by firing the piece again. If the defect cannot be corrected the piece may need to be thrown away.

Question 57

crawling

Answer 57

Glaze defect when the glaze separates from the vessel surface. Usually caused by oil or dirt on the surface of the bisque ware prior to glazing and/or glaze that has been applied too thick. However “defective” it is sometimes desirable, and glazes are formulated to crawl on purpose

Question 58

shivering

Answer 58

Glaze defect where the clay shrinks at a higher rate than the glaze causing the glaze to flake or peel off after firing

Question 59

crazing

Answer 59

A glaze defect characterized by a network of cracks; occurs when the glaze shrinks more than the clay, typically caused during rapid cooling

Question 60

blow-up/blow-out

Answer 60

Contrary to popular belief, trapped air does not cause clay to “blow-up”. If clay is not completely bone dry, the water present will create steam causing the piece to “blow- up/blow-out”. This will occur in the early stages of firing, usually around 200F (boiling point of water).