Pottery Tools
Which tool is commonly used to shape and smooth clay on a pottery wheel?
Rib
Which stage of clay is somewhat dry and it is good for carving?
Leather hard
What is a fundamental pottery technique used to join two pieces of clay securely?
Slip and Score
Scoring: Scratching or roughening the surfaces of the clay where they’ll be joined.
Slip: A liquid mixture of clay and water, used like glue between the scored surfaces.
What is the name of the flat, circular, metal spinning surface upon which a pot is formed on the potter's wheel?
Wheel head
What is a glaze defect where the glaze pulls away from the surface during firing, leaving bare patches of exposed clay?
Crawling
What tool do potters use to cut the piece from the band wheel?
Wire cutter
What do we call clay which can be used as a pottery glue?
Slip
What are 3 types of hand building techniques in pottery?
1. Coil Building
2. Slab Building
3. Pinch Pot Building Technique
What is the name of a wooden or plastic base for throwing on potter's wheel?
Bat
What is the name of the ceramic defect where flakes of glaze peel off the edges of a piece—often dramatically and sometimes dangerously?
Shivering
Which tool is used to create fine details or pierce clay in pottery?
Needle tool
What do you call clay which has been fired once in the kiln and cannot be turned into wet clay?
Bisqueware (Bisque)
What is a crucial step in clay preparation that ensures your clay is ready for sculpting or throwing?
Wedging
It is done to remove air bubbles, align particles, and create a uniform texture. It makes the clay more workable and prevents cracks or explosions during firing.
What is the next stage after coning clay on potter's wheel called?
Opening
What is the name of the problem with glaze when fine cracks due to mismatch in thermal expansion between glaze and clay appear?
Crazing
What is the main purpose of the serrated rib?
score clay for joining
What is the name for clay which has been fired again with glaze?
Glazeware
In pinch pot hand building technique what is the second stage of working with clay after wedging?
Rolling clay into a ball
What are the 3 types of pottery wheels?
kick wheel, treadle wheel, electric wheel
Can you name 5 glaze finishes?
matte
satin/semi matte
glossy
lustre
transparent
opaque
crackle
raku (Crackled and unpredictable; often smoky or metallic due to rapid cooling)
Which tool is commonly used to apply decorative slip designs on pottery?
Slip trailer
How many stages of clay do we have? Can you name the stages.
6 stages
1.Slip, 2.Plastic, 3.Leather hard,
4.Bone dry/Greenware, 5.Bisqueware,
6. Glazeware
What are non-recyclable stages of pottery building?
Bisqueware
Glazeware
What are 6 stages of throwing? Can you name them.
1. Centering
2. Coning
3. Opening
4. Pulling
5. Shaping
6. Trimming
Can you name 5 glazing techniques?
Dipping
Brushing
Pouring
Spraying
Wax Resist
Glaze Trailing
Sponging/Stippling
Underglaze
Splattering