Ceramic Terms to Know - Webs

This term refers to the one of several techniques of building pots using only the hands and simple tools rather than the potters wheel.

This is a technique of shaping clay by inserting the thumb of one hand into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers while slowly rotating the ball in

the palm of the other hand. This is the technique of building ceramic forms by rolling out coils, or ropes, of clay

and joining them together with the fingers or a tool. This is a technique of rolling the clay into

thin sheets of clay to be used to build art work. Slip is liquid clay. You want it to be about

the consistency of thick cream. It is used to adhere pieces of clay together. (Glue) Score and slip refers to a method of joining

two pieces of clay together. First, score the clay; this means that you make scratches in the surfaces that will be sticking together. Then you slip it; that is you wet the surface with some slip, using it like glue. Next, you press the two pieces together. It is very

important to always score and slip clay that is leather hard. If you do not, the pieces will likely pop apart when they are fired.

When speaking of clay, we refer to three basic stages of dryness: wet, leather hard, and bone dry. This is the process of heating the pottery to

a specific temperature in order to bring about a particular change in the clay or the surface. Firing of a piece is done on bone dry artwork.

This refers to ceramic ware that has not been fired.

The term bisque refers to ceramic ware that has been fired once without glaze. A glass-like surface coating for ceramics

that is used to decorate and seal the pores of the fired clay. Ceramic ware made of clay hardened by

firing Under glaze is a matte finish and can be put onto green ware or bisque ware

An object used to form clay or plaster around

A person who is skilled in a particular craft