Basics and stages

Basics and stages
Clay: An earthly substance composed of various minerals. Can be found all over the world.
Grog: tiny bits of hard fired clay, looks like sand.
Slip: liquid clay for: decoration, casting, and joining clay.
Plastic: soft workable clay.
Leather hard: half dry clay- this is the best stage to carve and fettle. The clay item can be handled and worked on without leaving finger prints but is soft enough to bend.
Bone dry: very dry brittle and chalky clay.
Bisque: once fired, unglazed clay.
Fire: (to bisque) heat clay to a very high temperature -to harden it.
Reclaim: to rework dry clay; to break it up, soak it, dry it, wedge it, use it again.
Soluble: capable of being dissolved in water.
Shards: pieces of broken pottery that has been fired.
Greenware: dry,(bonedry) unfired clay projects that will be fired.
Pottery: functional containers made of clay.
Stoneware: coarse high-firing clay. Has lots of grog in it to make it rough.
Earthenware: low firing clay about 1700 degrees. This is the clay we use in class.
Terra cotta: red earthenware clay. Red flower pots are an example of terra cotta.
Porcelain: white, highest firing clay-very fine, slick clay.

Construction
Hand building: pots which are made using only your hands and simple tools; no machines or wheels.
Pinch: pottery which is made by pinching clay between the thumb and forefinger.
Coil: a rope of clay or pottery which is made by layering ropes of clay one on top of each other.
Slab: a flat piece of clay or pottery which is made from rolled out sheets of clay.
Throwing: working clay on the potters wheel.
Casting: forming clay objects by pouring slip into a hallow plaster mold.
Score: to rough-up the clay surface for joining to pieces of clay.
Paddling: using a paddle to smooth or shape the surface of a pot.
Clay shrinkage: the contraction of clay when it dries. If shrinkage occurs to quickly the clay will crack or break.
Wedge: to mix up clay with your hands, (knead) to get the air out and mix up the clay.
Container parts: Lip: the opening, Walls: the sides, Foot: the base or bottom
Sculpture: 3 dimensional art.
Relief: a raised design on a slab.
In the round: To view an artwork from all sides.

Finishes and glazing
Texture: the roughness or smoothness of a surface.
Fettle: to smooth until shiny using a tool.
Sgraffito: decorative process- to scratch a line through a layer of slip to expose the contrasting clay below.
Motif: one unit of a pattern.
Pattern: many motifs together.
Tempera: type of paint that washes with water.
Stain: to apply a finish, then wipe off most of the material applied leaving the finish in the cracks and pores.
Wax: a wax coat that can be put on stained or painted ceramics.
Glaze: glass like coat, can be painted, dipped, or pored on. Glaze fuses to the pot when fired.
Flux: a substance which causes another to melt. Used in glaze.
Dry-foot: no glaze on the bottom of the pot.
Matte-Shiny: Matte- dull, no gloss. Shiny-gives off light, reflective, glossy.
Carving: To remove material by digging into the surface.
Porous-Waterproof: Porous- to have small holes- not waterproof.

Tools
Kiln: oven for baking clay that heats to a very hot temperature.
Stilts: prongs used to lift the clay off the kiln floor.
Cone: small three sided cone that is placed in the kiln to shut it off.
Plaster bat: a slab of plaster of paris used to partially dry slip.
Rollers: rolling pins used to make slabs.
Wedging wire: wire used to cut plastic clay when wedging.
Canvas: used under clay to keep the clay from sticking to the table.

Art terms
Realistic: to produce art that looks, reflects, and imitates the real world.
Abstract: to simplify or exaggerate shapes to emphasize form. Starts from a real object.
Non-representational: to create something that looks abstract, but did not originate from something real.
Decorative: ornamental, designed for looks.
Craftsmanship: The skill and care needed to create. To make some thing well.
Functional: can be used. Has a useful purpose.
Organic: produced by nature. Natural, free flowing.
Proportional: the relation of one thing to another in size, degree, or amount.
Unity: when several elements are tied or work together as one.
Contrast: when one element is very different than another. Black contrasts against white, rough against smooth, and color against black and white.
Form: to make the art look 3-d instead of flat.
Positive/negative: the object is the positive shape and the air and space around it is negative.
Symmetrical: To look the same on both sides.

Sculpture Terms
Additive: To make sculpture by adding material
Armature: The framework or skeleton of the artwork.
Assemblage: To add various materials not typically used in art to a sculpture.
Hole: An are without material. A void or impression in the sculpture.
Space: The area in and around the object.
Mass: The volume of the sculpture. The substance weight of the sculpture.
Scale: The dimensions and proportion of an object. The size of the object.
Subtractive: To take away from the sculpture.
Free Standing: Can stand on it’s own without any base or support.