Clay A mixture of different types of clays and minerals for a specific ceramic purpose.

Plastic The condition of the clay where it is neither too wet nor too dry to work.

Leather hard Stage of the clay between plastic and bone dry (green). This is the best time for carving and burnishing clay.

Greenware (bone dry) All ceramic ware prior to firing that is totally dry. All of the moisture has evaporated from the clay. It will feel warm to the touch.

Bisqueware A piece of ceramics that has been fired once at a low temperature (1850 degrees) to remove all the moisture from the clay body and to make handling easier during the glazing.

Glaze Glaze is a layer or coating of liquid clay materials and minerals which is then fired to fuse it to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it. produces a hard, vitreous, glassy surface. The glaze may be transparent or opaque, clear or colored.

Glazeware A completed piece of pottery or ceramics with glaze on it.

Pinch Technique Using hands and fingers to pinch and thin out clay to the desired thickness and shape.

Coiling Technique A method of forming pottery or sculpture from rolls of clay melded together to create the walls.

Slab technique Using thin (1/4”) pieces of clay that have been rolled out flat.

Kiln A furnace or an ‘oven’ built of heat-resistant materials for firing pottery or sculpture.

Firing Heating the pottery or sculpture in a kiln or open fire to bring the clay or glaze to maturity.

Firing Range The range of temperatures at which clay becomes mature or glaze melts. For us it is 1850 o

Bisque fire The firing in which the temperature is brought up to a point just before vitrification sets in, around 1850 o. This is cone 04

Glaze fire The firing during which the glaze materials melt and form a glassy coating on the clay body sealing and protecting it.

Reprocessing Reclaiming clay that is either too wet or dry to be worked with. If to dry- It must be soaked in water until it breaks up and then it is poured onto plaster slabs to be dried to the proper consistency for reuse. If to wet- it is laid out on plaster slab to dry a bit for workablility.

Slip (Engobe) Clay that is at a mayonnaise consistency. Used to attach two pieces of clay together or to add decorative details.

Score Is to roughen up the surface by scratching with a sharp object so two pieces of clay attach together better.

Wedge Method of kneading clay (similar to kneading bread dough) to get rid of air bubbles, lumps, and prepares a homogeneous material.

Sgraffito Decoration produced on pottery or ceramic by scratching through a surface of plaster or glazing to reveal a different color underneath.