1. Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High
CERAMIC BASICS
Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High

2. What is Clay?
"Dirt" covers a lot of ground, so to speak. We can break dirt into several sections: topsoil, clay, inelastic earth, and rock. Topsoil contains a lot of organic material, which makes it good for growing plants. Clays and inelastic earths are the results of decomposing rocks, in which the particle size is extremely small. Rocks include bedrock and boulders all the way down to fine sand.

3. Clay is…
Clay differs from the inelastic earths and fine sand because of its ability, when wet with the proper amount of water, to form a cohesive mass and to retain its shape when molded. This quality is known as clay’s plasticity.

4. Clay is…
When heated to high temperatures, clay also partially melts, resulting in the tight, hard rock-like substance known as ceramic material.

5. VOCABULARY Bisque: Pottery that has been fired but not yet glazed.
Ceramic: Clay products that have been fired for permanence.
Clay: Fine grained earthy materials formed by the decomposition of feldspar, a granite type rock. When combined with water, is plastic enough to be shaped and when dried and fired, become a rock-like state.
Firing: Making clay products permanent by baking at high temperatures.

6. VOCABULARY
Foot: The base, bottom, legs or ring forming the area that a ceramic piece rests upon.
Glaze: A liquid suspension of finely ground minerals which is applied on the surface of bisque fired clay. The glaze ingredients will melt together when fired to form a glossy glass-like surface.
Greenware: Clay in an unfired state.

7. VOCABULARY
Kiln: A furnace used for firing clay products; electric, gas and wood-fired.
Plasticity: The quality of clay which permits it to be readily shaped into different forms without cracking or crumbling.
Slip: Liquid clay, clay in liquid suspension, used for joining.

8. STAGES OF CERAMICS  CLAY  GREENWARE  (fired)  BISQUE
 (glaze applied)
 GLAZEWARE
 CERAMIC