Stages of Clay
Building with Clay
Glazing
Firing
Equipment
100

This is the stage of clay where clay particles are mostly suspended in water. 

Slip

100

This type of pot is the most basic structure of ceramics. It is made by rolling the clay into a ball, pushing a hole into the center, and pinching around the walls with even pressure.

Pinch pot

100

What main two types of glazes are there?

Under-glaze and over-glaze

100

What is the first firing of a clay piece called?

Bisque
100
Are clay projects that are only bisque fired food safe?

No, but they make for good planters!

200

This is the stage of clay where the clay is soft and workable. Good for building with slabs, coils, or throwing on the wheel. 

Plastic

200

This way of building with clay involves rolling clay into coils and building a form by attaching layers of coils on top of each other. 

Coil building

200

What type of glaze must you put a clear coat on top of for it to be shiny?

Underglaze

200

What do you call the level of heat that the kiln reaches?

Cone

200

What do you call a stencil that you can reuse to make a clay project that is the same size and shape over and over?

Template

300

This is the stage of clay where it becomes stiff enough to hold a shape, but is still soft enough to carve through. 

Leather Hard

300

This type of building with clay involves rolling out a slab of clay and attaching flat pieces together to create a form.

Slab building

300

If you wanted to create an intricate decorative design that does not drip down and run in the kiln, what type of glaze should you use?

Underglaze 

300

What is the second firing of a clay piece called that creates a gloss finish on fired pieces?

Glaze fire

300
What can you use to score a piece?

Anything you can scratch and create texture with

400

This is the stage of clay that the clay needs to be in to be put into the kiln safely. The clay is no longer cold to the touch because it does not contain much water. The clay cannot be carved.

Bone dry

400

To attach a piece of clay to another, what do you have to do?

SLIP and SCORE it!

400

Which type of glaze fires to a glossy finish?

Over glaze

400

What cone do you usually fire a bisque kiln to?

04

400

How do you create slip?

Add clay to water

500

This is the stage of clay after it has been put into the kiln one time. The clay body is not as fragile as it was before firing, but is still not fully vitrified. The pores of the clay are open and ready to receive glaze. 

Bisque

500

The type of surface decoration in which you attach pieces of clay to the main clay body.

Applique 

500

Which type of glaze fires to a matte finish?

Underglaze

500

What cone do you fire a low-fire glaze kiln to?

cone 05-06

500

How thick can a clay piece be when you fire it?

No more than 1/2 inch 

600

This stage of clay is the final stage. It has gone through the kiln twice. The glaze has created a glassy texture that creates a seal on the clay and the clay body is fully vitrified and rock-like.

Glaze

600

The type of surface decoration in which you carve out holes into the clay.

Piercing 

600

How many coats of glaze should there be on your clay project in most cases?

3

600

What cone do you fire a mid-range glaze firing to?

cone 6-10

600

What piece of machinery do we use to create slabs?

Slab roller