Stages of Clay
What stage is clay most fragile?
Greenware
A method of handbuilding in which you roll out flat, even sheets of clay with a rolling pin.
Slab
What wedging technique do we use in class?
Ram's Head
What is slip?
Liquid clay (clay and water).
How many times do we fire functional pieces of clay?
2
What stage of clay is bone dry?
Greenware
A handbuilding technique that involves rolling out and shaping long pieces of clay and spiraling them up to create a form.
Coil
What happens if trapped air gets fired?
It breaks/explodes.
What do you need to do each time you attach clay pieces?
Slip and score.
What do we use to fire clay?
Kiln
The stage of clay when clay is very soft and flexible and stretches without breaking.
Plastic
A way of handbuilding that involves gently and continuously pressing your thumb on the inside of a ball of clay with your fingers cupped around the outside.
Pinch pot
Why do we wedge on canvas/wedging table?
To remove excess moisture so they clay does not stick.
If you do not slip and score but your clay pieces stick together while working, what will happen to the pieces in the kiln?
They will not stay together.
What firing cycle do we use in class?
Midfire
The best stage to carve of pierce clay.
Leatherhard
What are the two tools used to roll an even slab?
Rolling pin and slats.
How many times should you wedge clay?
30-100 times.
What do you need to do when you slip and score? (2 things)
Ensure you are not trapping air and seal your seams.
What kind of clay do we use in class?
Stoneware
What are the 6 stages of clay? (you must have all!)
Slip
Plastic
Leatherhead
Greenware
Bisqueware
Glazeware
What are the two types of coils?
Exposed and unexposed.
What are the three main reasons we wedge clay?
1. Eliminate air bubbles
2. Align clay molecules
3. Remove excess mositure
What can slip be used for? (3 things)
Attaching pieces of clay.
Molds.
Decorating leatherhard clay.
What are the 3 working variables of clay?
Moisture, stage, temperature.