CERAMICS VOCABULARY

What are ceramics? Ceramics and ceramic art in the art world means artwork made out of clay bodies and fired to form a ceramic. Some ceramic pieces are classified as fine art, while many others can be classified as one of the decorative, industrial or applied arts (the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use).

How long have humans been working with ceramics? The craft of ceramics has been practiced throughout history by almost every known culture. Some of the earliest work came from the Middle East and dates back to 5000 BC.

What are ceramics used for? Ceramic objects were made most often for functional use—drinking, eating, cooking, or ritual. Ceramics along with other crafts were called the functional arts or applied arts because they “applied” to everyday necessities. However, they were never created to be strictly utilitarian. Hand-crafted ceramics are beautiful and are meant to be admired for their form and decoration and as the individual expression of their creator.

Form vs. Function Contemporary ceramics has evolved, and often the functional becomes the sculptural and the sculptural becomes the functional. Contemporary ceramic artists have found a balance between form and decoration—one does not exist without the other.

Time line: How long have humans been working clay? BC 0 AD ___________________________________

Humans have been working with clay since about 6000-4000BC…so that’s over 8000 years?

Where do we see clay or ceramics used around us?

Where do we see clay or ceramics used around us? Space ships-exterior tile Hemi car/ truck engines Tile for flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, roofing tiles Toilets and some sinks Daily dishes-bowls, plates, coffee cups, etc. Bricks for homes and sidewalks

Where in history has clay or ceramics been used?

Egyptian Canopic Jars

Incan Ceramics

Aztec Ceramics

Greek Ceramics

African Ceramics

I. CLAY BODIES/ TYPES OF CLAY: What type of clay do we use in our art class? A. White Earthenware B. White Stoneware C. Terracotta D. Porcelain E. Red Earthenware We use… LOW-FIRE WHITE EARTHENWARE

II. CONSISTENICES/ STAGES: (In order of wettest to driest)

Plastic- (plasticity, can be modeled like play-dough) Extremely fresh or soft clay. Doesn’t need to be scored & slipped to join pieces. Has the ability to be modeled or shaped without cracking.

Leather hard- (same flexibility as a slice of cheese) Much of the moisture has evaporated and shrinking has just ended, but the clay is not totally dry. Best stage for carving and burnishing (“polishing clay”). Must use scoring & slipping during this stage to attach or join pieces.

Bone-dry- (resembles the texture and color of a bone) Clay objects have lost all moisture; they are 98% moisture free. Pale gray in color, appears chalky. Cannot attach or join clay during this stage.

Greenware- Unfired pottery or sculpture, dry clay objects. Appears green in color, due to wetness.

Bisqueware- Clay that has been fired one time; unglazed clay. Often appears pink in color (when using white earthenware or stoneware). Bisque firing- the process of firing ware at a low temperature.

Glazeware Clay objects that have been painted with glaze and then fired.

IV. HAND BUILDING METHODS:

Pinching- (pinch pot) an ancient hand building method of forming clay by pushing out the walls to create a vessel.

Coiling (coil pot) - an ancient hand building method of forming pottery by building up walls with ropelike rolls of clay and then smoothing over the joints.

Slab (slab construction) - a large flat piece of clay formed by rolling, a technique used in hand building, in which forms are created by joining flat pieces of clay. The pieces are thinned with a rolling pin or slab roller.

V. OTHER FORMING METHODS:

Wheel Thrown- Clay vessels or objects created on a potters wheel, by the centrifugal force of the wheel spinning and the force of the hands pushing and pulling on clay.

VI. TECHINQUES & SURFACES:

Slip- (Works like glue) Clay in a liquid suspension; used for adhering pieces. Used in making ceramic objects by casting. Used to create decoration by painting or slip-trailing.

Scoring- (Roughing or scratching clay) Technique used for attaching two pieces of clay together. Surfaces are scratched with a tool, then slip is added between the two, then they are joined firmly together.

C. Slip and Score- And smooth…the 3 S’s …techniques used to keep clay pieces to stay together. If you don’t do it pieces may fall off or pop off your ceramic projects

Glaze- (A thin coating of glass on the surface of pottery) A liquid composed of glass particles, which is applied to ceramic ware. During the firing process the ware is fired to a temperature at which the glaze ingredients will melt together to form a glassy surface. Glaze can be applied by brushing, pouring, or spraying ware.

Dry-footing- removing all of the glaze from the bottom of a ceramic ware before firing. What happens if you don’t dry foot???

Types of glaze- Gloss/Satin- glazes with a shiny or glossy surface. Matte- glaze with a dull or rough surface. Stains- A diluted coloring oxide like cobalt or copper used to produce a color, similar to watercolors. Velvet under glaze- pure color glaze, has a matte finish.

Kiln- the oven like structure clay objects are fired in. Low-fire- used in the Middle & High Schools High-fire-used in High School

VIII. FIRING: What energy source do we use to fire our projects? How hot does a conventional oven (your oven at home) get?

Thermal shock- the stress to which ceramic material is subjected, when sudden changes occur in the heat during firing or cooling. Can cause cracks, fractures, or breaks.

Maturing point (maturity)- Amount of “heat work” needed to correctly mature clay or glazes. The temperature or time at which a clay body develops the desirable characteristics of maximum non-porosity and hardness; or the point at which the glaze ingredients enter into a complete fusion.

Golden Rules of Clay: 1. Clay must be thoroughly covered up with a plastic bag to keep it from drying out (You are responsible for it…not the teacher). Coils should be no thicker than your thumb. You must slip and score pieces of clay to connect them (plastic or leatherhard). Trapped air can cause clay to explode. Use 2-3 even coats of glaze. Don’t glaze the bottom-dry-foot the piece.

Golden Rules of Clay: continued 6. Always handle your project with 2 hands at all times. NEVER HANDLE ANOTHER PERSONS WORK! 7. Do not throw or pretend to throw clay. 8. Clay stays in the art room! 9. Always put your name on the bottom of your project (check your bag also). 10. You are responsible for cleaning up your own mess…even if the bell has rung! wash your table, don’t leave paper towels in or around the sink put clay tools where they belong use team work, never put clay in the sink.