CERAMIC BASICS

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CERAMIC BASICS

• Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High

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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.

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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 clays plasticity.

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Clay is

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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STAGES OF CERAMICS

• ? CLAY
• ? GREENWARE
• ? (fired)
• ? BISQUE
• ? (glaze applied)
• ? GLAZEWARE
• ? (fired)
• ? CERAMIC