Glossary
Bisque/ biscuit fire– The first firing of a ceramic piece. This is done at a low temperature to draw all of the moisture out of a cermiac piece. Once done that piece will never be able to return to it’s maliable clay form.
Greenware- Clay that hasn’t been fired and is still in its wet stage
Leather hard- Clay that still posseses moisture but is dried to the point where it is strong enough to be handled and carved without deforming
Oxide– A chemical compound used in surface design, different compounds induce different colours on a fired ceramic piece.
Paper resist– A technique to colour clay using paper to protect the clay underneath form from being coloured
Posca Pen– A superior brand of marker which is used like a pen but contains a water based pigment ink that is reminiscent of poster paint. These pens work on most surfaces and are quick drying.
Procreate– An app for creating digital illustrations and for digitally colouring handdraw pieces
Sgraffito– A surface design technique consisting of carving through a layer of colour to reveal a contrasting colour beneath.
Score and Slip– The process through which several shallow cuts are applied to a piece of greenware and a clay slip applied to join two pieces of greenware together
Slip– A clay in a very liquid form. It can be used to join pieces of greenware and by adding coloured pigment can be applied to greenware in order to colour it.
Slip casting– A reproduction technique comprising of using a mould and clay slip to create multiples of a ceramic piece.
Surface Design– The act of decorating the surface of a ceramic piece through a range of techniques including glazing, sgraffito and slip colouring.
Underglaze– Technically this refers to any product (typically in liquid form) applied to a ceramic piece to create a design before it is glazed, but I am using this term specifically with regards to commercial underglazes which you paint directly onto a pre-glazed ceramic surface
Wheel Built– The creation of ceramic pieces using a potters wheel