Pottery Terms Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is a bagwall used for?

To store tools

To deflect the flame from the ware inside the kiln (correct)

To support the structure of the kiln

To keep clay items warm

What is a bat in pottery?

A flat disc made out of plaster, wood, or plastic affixed to the wheel head.

Define batch in pottery.

A mixture of weighed materials such as a batch of glaze or slip or a clay body.

What does a banding wheel do?

It is used for finishing or decorating pottery. Signup and view all the answers

What is bisque pottery?

Pottery that has been fired once, without glaze. Signup and view all the answers

What does bone dry refer to in pottery?

Completely air dried. Signup and view all the answers

What is burnishing?

A rubbing process that polishes the outside skin of a clay pot, reducing its porosity. Signup and view all the answers

What are calipers used for in pottery?

To measure the diameter of round forms. Signup and view all the answers

What does centering mean in pottery?

A technique to move the clay to a symmetrical rotating axis in the middle of a wheel head. Signup and view all the answers

What is clay made of?

Alumina + silica + water. Signup and view all the answers

What is a coil in pottery?

A piece of clay rolled like a rope. Signup and view all the answers

Define crazing.

The cracking of a glaze on a fired pot. Signup and view all the answers

What does a damper do in a kiln?

Used to close or partially close the flue of a kiln. Signup and view all the answers

What is earthenware?

A low-fired clay body, glazed pottery fired to a temperature of 1,830 - 2,010 degrees Fahrenheit. Signup and view all the answers

What does firing mean in pottery?

To heat a clay object in a kiln to a specific temperature. Signup and view all the answers

What is glaze in pottery?

A thin coating of glass developed in clay ware by the fusion of inorganic materials under heat. Signup and view all the answers

What is greenware?

Unfired pottery ready to be bisque fired. Signup and view all the answers

Define vitrification.

The firing of pottery to the point of glossification. Signup and view all the answers

What is a rib in pottery?

A rubber, metal, or wooden tool used to facilitate wheel throwing. Signup and view all the answers

What is wedging?

A method of kneading clay to make it homogenous. Signup and view all the answers

What type of clay is kaolin?

Clay used to make fine china with a white porcelain finish. Signup and view all the answers

What is stoneware clay?

Clay that produces dark, opaque pottery. Signup and view all the answers

What is slip?

Clay mixed with water with a mayonnaise consistency. Signup and view all the answers

What is reduction in firing?

Firing with reduced oxygen in the kiln. Signup and view all the answers

What is terra cotta?

Earthenware clay that is brownish-orange. Signup and view all the answers

Define raku.

Japanese method for firing clay. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a matte glaze?

A dull glaze surface Signup and view all the answers

What is a chuck in pottery?

A form that can hold a pot upside-down while trimming. Signup and view all the answers

Define engobe.

Colored clay slip used to decorate greenware or leather hard pieces before bisque firing. Signup and view all the answers

What is a frit in pottery?

A glaze material derived from flux and silica melted together and reground into powder. Signup and view all the answers

What does soaking refer to in firing?

Maintaining a low steady heat in the early stages of firing. Signup and view all the answers

What is a triple beam scale used for?

To weigh clay when making multiple sets of something. Signup and view all the answers

What is matte glaze known for?

A glaze with medium reflectance, between matte and gloss. Signup and view all the answers

Porcelain is a type of low-fired clay.

False Signup and view all the answers

The foot of a pot is typically referred to as the base.

True Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Pottery Terms Overview

Bagwall: Interior wall in a kiln directing flame away from pottery.
Bat: Flat disc for throwing pieces on a pottery wheel, made of plaster, wood, or plastic.
Batch: Weighed mixture of materials for glaze, slip, or clay body.
Banding Wheel: Hand-operated revolving wheel for finishing or decorating pottery.
Bisque: Pottery fired once without glaze, before vitrification stage.
Bisque Fire: Initial firing of pottery without glaze, allows for use of slips.
Bone Dry: Completely air-dried state of clay, ready for firing.
Burnishing: Process of polishing clay pot surface to reduce porosity, using a smooth tool.
Calipers: Tool for measuring diameters of round forms for fitting lids and joints.
Centering: Technique to position clay at the wheel's axis for even shaping.
Chuck: Device that holds a pot upside down for trimming.
Clay: Composite material of alumina, silica, and water.
Clay Body: Blend of clays and minerals for specific ceramic uses (e.g., porcelain).
Coil: Rolled clay strand used in pottery construction.
Compress: Technique for consolidating clay particles by applying pressure.
Composite Pots: Pots assembled from separate thrown or hand-built pieces.
Cone-Pyrometric: Clay and glaze pyramid used to indicate firing temperature in kilns.
Crazing: Glaze cracking due to differential shrinkage during cooling.
Crawling: Defect in glaze caused by oil or grease preventing adhesion on pottery.
Damper: Refractory clay slab used to regulate kiln airflow.
Dry Foot: Keeping the base of a pot glaze-free through waxing or removal.
Earthenware: Low-fired clay body, with typical firing temperatures of 1,830 to 2,010°F.
Englobe: Colored slip for decorating greenware prior to bisque firing.
Fire: Heating clay objects in a kiln to specific temperatures.
Firebrick: Insulation bricks capable of withstanding high kiln temperatures.
Firing Range: Temperature scope where clay matures or glaze melts.
Flux: Agent that facilitates the melting of silica into glaze.
Foot: The base part of a ceramic form.
Frit: Ground mixture of melted flux and silica used in glazes.
Glaze: Glass coating applied to pottery, created through the fusion of inorganic materials.
Glaze Firing: Final firing stage where glaze is fused to pottery.
Glaze Gloss: Shiny reflective finish on glazed pottery.
Greenware: Unfired pottery ready for the bisque firing stage.
Grog: Ground fired clay added to clay bodies for texture or strength.
Kiln: Structure for firing pottery and fusing materials with heat.
Kiln Furniture: Refractory shelves and posts for organization of pottery in kilns.
Kiln Wash: Protective coating on kiln shelves to prevent glaze drips.
Leather Hard: Stage of clay between plastic and bone dry, allowing for joining pieces with slip.
Majolica: Italian tin-glazed pottery characterized by colorful decoration.
Matte Glaze: Non-reflective glaze finish requiring careful cooling.
Mold: Shaped form for casting clay, providing precise outlines for pieces.
Maturing Point: Temperature at which clay hardens and becomes durable.
Opaque Glaze: Non-transparent glaze that conceals underlying materials.
Oxidation: Firing process with adequate oxygen supply, enhancing color vibrancy.
Peephole: Small opening in a kiln for monitoring the firing process.
Porcelain: Fine white stoneware made from a specific mixture of clays and minerals.
Pug: Process of mixing clay.
Pug Mill: Machine designed for mixing and recycling clay.
Reduction: Firing process with limited oxygen, affecting the glaze colors.
Rib: Tool made of rubber, metal, or wood used for shaping clay during wheel throwing.
Satin Glaze: Mid-spectrum glaze between matte and glossy finishes.
Slip: Mixture of clay and water used for casting and decoration.
Slurry: Thickened slip mixture.
Soaking: Method of holding low heat in early firing to ensure uniform temperature.
Stain: Colored oxide and water mixture for enhancing bisque wear.
Stoneware: High-fired ceramic ware, resulting in durable pottery.
Throwing: Technique of shaping clay on a potter's wheel.
Vitrification: Firing process that turns clay into a glass-like substance.
Wedging: Kneading clay to eliminate air pockets and achieve uniform consistency.
Kaolin: White clay used to produce fine china.
Terra Cotta: Earthenware characterized by its brownish-orange color.
Raku: Traditional Japanese firing method.
Stoneware Clay: Produces robust and opaque pottery products.
Triple Beam Scale: Traditional tool used for weighing clay accurately.
Bourdon Tube: Device for measuring gas or liquid pressure.
Biscuit/Bisque Pottery: Pottery that has been fired once but remains unglazed.
Fire Brick: Refractory ceramic block specifically for kiln construction.
Hard Brick: Structural firebrick providing support in kilns.
Soft Brick: Insulating firebrick ideal for heat retention in kilns.
Plastilina: Modeling clay material favored by sculptors due to its oil and wax content.
Luting: Joining smaller clay pieces to larger ones using slip for cohesion.

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Test your knowledge of essential pottery terms with these flashcards. Each card features a specific term along with its definition, helping you deepen your understanding of pottery techniques and materials. Perfect for students and pottery enthusiasts alike!