Water in molecular combination within clay and glaze materials, which is driven off during the water-smoking period of the firing.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Charging
Inserting or injecting a charge of chemical material into a kiln during vapor-glazing processes.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Charge
A quantity of chemical material, usually salt or soda, which is inserted or injected into a hot kiln during vapor-glazing processes.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Chamois
Very soft, pliable animal skin—when wet works well to smooth wet clay surfaces.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic Stain
Ceramic colorants that have been fritted in order to eliminate solubility problems and give greater stability in firing and truer color before firing. Most are stable up to cone 5, many to cone 10. Can be mixed with 25—50% Ferro 3134 frit for Maiolica overglaze decoration. Most stains are ground glass and are highly toxic in inhalation.
Mixture of ceramic stains or pure coloring oxides (sometimes with a little flux) in water suspension, which can be used for overglaze brushwork, or as a patina on unglazed clay.
Metallic overglaze finish created either by painting prepared luster (metallic salt in organic binder) over previously fired glaze and firing to cone 018 or by spraying metallic salt dissolved in water into kiln and/or on to wares at low red heat, either during cooling cycle of a glaze-firing, or in a separate firing heated to that temperature.
A specialized oven or furnace used for firing clay for pottery.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic Greenware (Green)
Any dry, unfired clay form.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic Glass
Super-cooled liquid, which softens and hardens over broad range of temperature and cools to form an amorphous, noncrystalline solid. Level and rate of hardness (viscosity) controlled by temperature and by addition of fluxes and refractories, making possible the wide temperature range of ceramic clays/glazes.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic Flux
Low-melting component in clay or glaze that reacts with silica to form glass.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic Fiber
Ceramic insulating material composed of spun kaolin fibers—available in blanket form, braided tape, rigid board, and tubular flue liners. Highest insulating rating of standard refractories, but can release carcinogenic fibers.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic Drawing
The removing of wares from a kiln.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Centering Clay
Critical step in throwing, occurring during and after wheel wedging, whereby the clay mass is formed into a symmetrical lump before penetrating and raising walls.
Classic East Asian transparent or translucent glaze with small percentages of iron and/or copper and/or chrome, giving range of soft greens, blue-greens, and gray-greens. Most desirable Chinese celadons often contain minute air-bubble inclusions, giving slight opalescence.
Refractory red stoneware clay, used to obtain rich red and brown colors in high-fire clay bodies.
Source:
Clay: A Studio Handbook
Carbon Coring
Firing defect where excessively fast bisque-firing and/or excessive early reduction retard outgassing, causing carbon and sulfur to be trapped within clay body.
Water in molecular combination within clay and glaze materials, which is driven off during the water-smoking period of the firing.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Inserting or injecting a charge of chemical material into a kiln during vapor-glazing processes.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
A quantity of chemical material, usually salt or soda, which is inserted or injected into a hot kiln during vapor-glazing processes.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Very soft, pliable animal skin—when wet works well to smooth wet clay surfaces.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic colorants that have been fritted in order to eliminate solubility problems and give greater stability in firing and truer color before firing. Most are stable up to cone 5, many to cone 10. Can be mixed with 25—50% Ferro 3134 frit for Maiolica overglaze decoration. Most stains are ground glass and are highly toxic in inhalation.
Mixture of ceramic stains or pure coloring oxides (sometimes with a little flux) in water suspension, which can be used for overglaze brushwork, or as a patina on unglazed clay.
Learn more about ceramic stains in this helpful post!
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Metallic overglaze finish created either by painting prepared luster (metallic salt in organic binder) over previously fired glaze and firing to cone 018 or by spraying metallic salt dissolved in water into kiln and/or on to wares at low red heat, either during cooling cycle of a glaze-firing, or in a separate firing heated to that temperature.
Go more in depth with this great article from the Pottery Making Illustrated archives!
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
A specialized oven or furnace used for firing clay for pottery.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Any dry, unfired clay form.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Super-cooled liquid, which softens and hardens over broad range of temperature and cools to form an amorphous, noncrystalline solid. Level and rate of hardness (viscosity) controlled by temperature and by addition of fluxes and refractories, making possible the wide temperature range of ceramic clays/glazes.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Low-melting component in clay or glaze that reacts with silica to form glass.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Ceramic insulating material composed of spun kaolin fibers—available in blanket form, braided tape, rigid board, and tubular flue liners. Highest insulating rating of standard refractories, but can release carcinogenic fibers.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
The removing of wares from a kiln.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Critical step in throwing, occurring during and after wheel wedging, whereby the clay mass is formed into a symmetrical lump before penetrating and raising walls.
See this helpful article in the Pottery Making Illustrated archive!
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Classic East Asian transparent or translucent glaze with small percentages of iron and/or copper and/or chrome, giving range of soft greens, blue-greens, and gray-greens. Most desirable Chinese celadons often contain minute air-bubble inclusions, giving slight opalescence.
Try this recipe for a celadon glaze!
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
A parabolic kiln arch requiring no buttressing or steel frame; laid out by hanging a chain from two points and marking the resulting curve.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Short for castable refractory—a refractory mix that can be cast into molds to form kiln parts.
Have a look at this more in-depth article on castable refractory!
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Refractory red stoneware clay, used to obtain rich red and brown colors in high-fire clay bodies.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Firing defect where excessively fast bisque-firing and/or excessive early reduction retard outgassing, causing carbon and sulfur to be trapped within clay body.
Learn more about carbon coring here!
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook
Adjustable tool for measuring inside/outside diameters, as in making lids.
Source: Clay: A Studio Handbook