Ceramics:

1
Ceramics

• The art or work of making pottery.

2
Properties of Clay

• Clay is made by the decomposition of rocks
  through the action of weathering.
• Through decomposition, the clay picks up various
  items like sticks, leaves, sand, and rock.
• The clay is processed to get all of the
  impurities out and then sold to us.
• This clay is then molded into sculpture.

3
Types of Sculpture
Sculpture in the Round
Relief Sculpture
4
Clay Tools

• Some Tools to Use When Working with Clay
• Your fingers
• Rolling pins
• Popsicle sticks
• Toothpicks
• Cookie cutters
• Plastic bags
• A clay cutter (wire)
• Sponges
• Glaze liquid glass
• Various items on hand carving tools, nuts and
  bolts, old toothbrushes These items will create
  texture in the clay.

5
How to work with clay
1. Plan your project.
2. Prepare the clay
3. Create your project
4. Fire the clay in the kiln.
6
Preparing the clay

• Wedging the clay Ensures that the clay has an
  even consistency.
• Blocking the clay Ensures that there are no air
  bubbles in the clay. Air bubbles will cause your
  project to blow up in the kiln.

7
Working with the clay
Hand/ Slab Building
Coiling
Wheel Thrown
Pinch Pots
8
Attaching Clay

• Score Scratching the edges of the clay that are
  to be put together. This creates grooves that
  interlock when pressed together.
• Slip Clay and water mixed together. Slip works
  like glue.
• Merge Pressing the two pieces of clay together
  and smoothing out the seam.

9
Firing The Clay

• When fired in the kiln, clay goes under a
  molecular change to make your project permanent.
• The kiln fires to over 2,000 degrees F.

10
Phases of Clay

• Greenware Dry unfired clay. The most fragile
  state of clay.
• Bisqueware Clay that has been fired once.
• Glazedware Clay that has been glazed and fired.
  Glazedware usually has a glossy appearance.