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Ceramics are of the earliest known fine artistry. Ceramic items can be dated back to around 30,000+ years BCE. Clay is an ideal medium to work with because of its rejuvenating properties in its pre-fired state. Clay can dry completely (bone dry) and be watered down and returned to a pliable state. Pre-fired clay can be used over and over again. On the contrary, fired clay is not able to be reclaimed. Once it has been fired, it will always stay in that state.Caution is needed when drying clay to be fired: clay can dry too fast and crack which could ruin your creation and clay needs to be completely dry before it can be fired in the kiln. If clay is not completely dry when it goes into a kiln, it will break.
Key Terms
You can find most term definitions here: www.artlex.com.
- Modeling
- Additive
- Subtractive
- Knead
- Hand-build
- Leather-hard
- Bone-dry
- Greenware
- Bisqueware
- Glaze
- Slip
- Slip and Score
- Low Relief
- High Relief
- Pottery wheel
- Throw/thrown
- Earthenware
- Stoneware
- Fire
- High fire
- Low fire
- Cone tempuratures
- Kiln
- Raku
Supplies
- Ceramic carving tools
- Wooden modeling tools
- Rolling pin
- Needle tool
- Ribbon cutting tool
- Smoothing tool
- Batt
- Lazy Susan (single level)
- Spray bottle
- Plastic sheeting or bag - (i.e. grocery bag or trash bag)
- Typical household items to carve or add design to the clay (i.e. butter knife or a lace doily - the doily could be pressed into the clay to leave behind its pattern)
Resources
- About Clay
- Learn Sculpture YouTube Channel
- How to Work With Clay
- claydemos.com
- ceramicsartsdaily.com - Pottery making techniques
- Hand-building Techniques
- Clay Sculpture - Figurines
- Clay Sculpting - Head and face
- Ceramic Art
- Polymer Clays - These are not ceramics but they use the same kinds of tools an some of the same terminology.
References
Photo credit: getty.edu - Joseph Chinard (French, 1756 - 1813), Bust of Madame Recamier,about 1801-1802, Terracotta, Object [including socle]:H: 24 7/8 x W: 12 3/4 x D: 9 1/2 in., The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Copyright © 2015 Angela Lenz
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