Ceramics Vocabulary packet pages 1-3 amphora- An ancient Greek vase form that has its widest dimension in the body. It was used as an Olympic prize. bas-relief This is a low relief carving. bat This is a round disk on which a pot is thrown or placed to dry when removed from the wheel. bisque, or bisqueware This term refers to unglazed ceramic ware that has been fired to cone 04 to prepare the surface for glazing. bisque firing This is a type of firing at a low temperature to produce bisque ware. blistering This glaze imperfection refers to a pitted, craterlike surface caused by gases bursting through the glaze as it is fired; caused by too rapid firing, over firing, or glaze irregularity. burnishing This verb is the action of rubbing leather hard or dry clay with any smooth tool to polish it, to tighten the clay surface and to compress the clay particles. candling This word means drying out leather hard ceramics with the application of heat. Ceramics This noun has two definitions. It describes objects made from earthy materials with the aid of heat, or the process of making these objects. centering This verb is the action that is produced by cone up-dome down on the potter s wheel.
centrifugal force This is the power that impels an object outward from the center of rotation. clay This noun means earthy materials created by the decomposition of rock. (Hint: the answer is not clay body.) clay body This noun is any blend of clays and nonplastic materials that is workable and has certain firing properties. (Hint: the answer is not #8). Coiling This is a hand building method that begins by forming long rolls (snakes) of clay and then ends by attaching the rolls of clay with slip/score to form a container. Cone (see pyrometric cone) Crackle glaze- a glaze with deliberate crazing that forms a decorative surface. Color may be rubbed into the cracks to emphasize them. Crawling- characterized by bare, unglazed areas on fired ceramic ware, alternating with thickened areas. Can be caused by glaze solutions that are too gummy. Crazing-unintentional cracks that occur over the entire glaze s surface caused by the glaze expanding and contracting more than the clay body onto which it is painted. die this is a pattern for cutting or stamping clay, or for pressing it through an extruder to produce a desired form. drape mold (or, hump mold) This is a support inside of or over which a clay slab is draped to shape as it stiffens. extruder This is a mechanical aid for forming moist clay by pressing it through a die.
firing This is heating pottery in a kiln or open fire to bring the clay or glaze to maturity. foot This is the base of a piece of pottery. glaze This is a vitreous ceramic coating that is fused and melted onto fired ceramic ware greenware This is unfired pottery or sculpture, finished waiting to be fired. high-fire This is the range of firing from cone 2 to cone 10. kaolin This is an essential ingredient in porcelain. It is the purest white clay. It is naturally occurring. kiln This piece of equipment is a furnace or oven made of heat-resistant materials for firing ceramics or sculpture kiln furniture This noun refers to heat resistant shelves, posts and slabs that are built inside the kiln to support the ware. krater- an ancient Greek vase form used to mix or to hold liquids. It is tall with a wide mouth. kylix- an ancient Greek two handled shallow wine cup/bowl, often with a stem and a foot. lead This chemical may occur in some low-fire glazes. It is not food safe. low-fire This is the range of firing of clay and glazes in which the kiln temperature reached is in the cone 015 to cone 1 range. maturing point This is a temperature and time at which a clay or glaze reaches the desired condition (or maturation point) open firing This is firing not done in an enclosed kiln.
over fire This verb means to fire a clay body or glaze above its maturing point. peephole This noun is a hole in the door or wall of a kiln through which the ceramist can watch the pyrometric cones, the color of heat. You must wear goggles when looking into a kiln. pinch pot This is a hand building method that begins by opening the form and then continues with pulling up the walls with your fingers or with a rib tool porcelain This is a translucent, nonabsorbent clay body, usually fired at cone 10; white in color, it was first developed in China. pyrometric cones These are pyramids of specially formulated material designed to melt at designated firing temperatures. slab This word means a rolled out, flattened portion of clay. slip This is a suspension of clay in water. slip glaze This is a glaze that contains a large percentage of clay. stilts These are supports that lift up a piece of glazed pottery during glaze firing. stoneware When fired, this clay body becomes dense, but not translucent. When found in nature it is reddish in color. This is naturally occurring reddish brown clay. When fired it becomes dense and non-absorptive. It fires to a high temperature of cone 5 (2190 F). throwing This verb means forming objects on a spinning potter s wheel using a clay body
undercut This is a negative space that creates an overhang at the base of a wheel form underfire This verb means to fire clay or glaze accidentally or deliberately to a point below its maturing point. This process can turn a glossy glaze to a matte surface. vitreous This adjective means pertaining to or having the nature of glass. ware This is a general term applied to any ceramic: green, bisque or glazed state. wedging This is a method of kneading a mass of clay to expel the air and to prepare a homogeneous mixture of clays.