CERAMICS

1. CERAMICS CLAY TILES in Bas Relief

2. CLAY • Mud; moist, sticky dirt. • In ceramics, clay is fine-grained,firm earthy material that is plastic when wet, brittle when dry, and very hard when heated.

3. The most common types of ceramic clays are: • earthenware, • stoneware, and • porcelain.

4. Earthenware • Earthenware is a low-fire clay that is porous and not waterproof. • It can be made waterproof by glazing it. • You will use earthenware clay to carve a ceramic tile using your name or initial.

5. Leather-hard Your clay tile must dry slightly before you carve into it. This stage of drying is called leather-hard. There is still moisture in the clay, but it is just dry enough to hold its shape and not “slump”

6. Clay Slab • First plan on newsprint. • Begin by drawing a frame around the edge of the paper. • Draw the letter large within the frame. • Keep it simple. You will be able to add texture later for interest.

7. Clay Slab • You will be given a 1/2 inch thick clay slab, and a template. Use a clay tool and the tile template to cut your slab tile 6 inches square.

8. Clay Slab • Be careful when handling the clay slab. • Clay has a memory, so keep it flat. This helps the “warp factor” when it is time to air dry the tile.

9. Clay Tile • Use a tool to draw your design LIGHTLY into the leather-hard clay tile. Begin with a frame around the outside edge. Draw your letter large within this frame.

10. Bas Relief sculpture • With a tool, begin carving out the negative space. The remaining positive space projects from the background. • This type of carving is called bas relief sculpture.

11. Bas Relief Sculpture • Bas relief is a French term meaning "low-raised work." This art, along with high relief, is known collectively as relief sculpture -- • This sculpture is meant to be seen primarily from one direction -- as opposed to sculpture which is in the round

12. Bas Relief sculpture

13. Texture • When finished, decide where you want to add texture. • You may use the small texturing object in the baskets on the counter. • The texture adds interest to your simple design.

14. Bone Dry • When finished, your greenware tile needs to be thoroughly dry before it can be fired. • This stage of drying is called bone dry.

15. Greenware - Bisque • Unfired clay • Is called Greenware • Fired clay is called bisqueware.

16. Firing • Clay is hardened by heating it to a high temperature, thus fusing the clay particles. Temperature in kilns can reach 2500 degrees.

17. Glaze • The bisque clay tile is now ready to be glazed. • Glaze is a coating of material applied to ceramics that forms a glass-like surface when fired a second time.