Ceramic/ Sculpting Terms

4. building This term refers to the one of several techniques of building pots using the only the hands and simple tools rather than the potters wheel. The term used for creating pottery using the potter's wheel is "throwing".
5. This is a decorating technique developed centuries ago. In its simplest embodiment, leather-hard clay is coated with an engobe or slip of contrasting colour and then a pattern or picture is added by carving through or scraping off the slip to reveal the clay underneath.
8. (2 words) This is another decoration method. Slip (a liquid clay) is applied to the green ware through a tube or nozzle, much like icing a cake.
11. This is the technique of pressing forms into the clay to get decorative effects.
13. (2 words) One of the stages of dryness. Clay must be in this stage in order to go into the kiln for firing.
14. In this process, tin enamel is applied to a ceramic piece, then colour is painted on it and finally, it is glazed with a clear glaze.
16. Fiore (2 words) This is a technique for creating multiples of the same design using coloured clays.
17. A glass-like surface coating for ceramics that is used to decorate and seal the pores of the fired clay.
18. This is one of the stages of dryness of clay. It refers to the state in which the clay is easily moulded and formed.

1. (2 words) One of the stages of dryness. When constructing with clay, this stage is preferable.
2. A kiln firing in which there is insufficient oxygen to consume the free carbon emanating from the heated glaze and clay, resulting in the formation of carbon monoxide. Oxygen-starved carbon monoxide pulls oxygen from the clay body and glaze, forming colour changes in the colouring oxides.
3. (2 words) In this decorative technique, patterns or designs are created by brushing a wax medium over an area of clay, slip, or glaze to resist the final glaze application when the wax is dry.
6. A kiln firing with a full supply of oxygen. Electric kilns are this type.
7. This is the process of heating the pottery to a specific temperature in order to bring about a particular change in the clay or the surface.
9. This refers to ceramic ware that has not been fired.
10. In this technique, flat slabs of clay are pressed into moulds in order to create various shapes or forms.
12. This is the technique of building ceramic forms by rolling out coils, or ropes, of clay and joining them together with the fingers or a tool.
13. This term refers to ceramic ware that has been fired once without glaze.
15. This term refers to ceramics which are made using a method of shaping clay by inserting the thumb of one hand into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers while slowly rotating the ball in the palm of the other hand.