Introduction to Ceramics

1. Introduction to Ceramics 3-D Art 1 with Mrs. Graves

2. Clay Methods: Pinch Nose Teapots

4. Clay Methods: Coil Crazy Coil Vase

5. Artist Research Dinner Party Plates & Installation

7. Clay Methods: Slab Textured Box with Lid

8. Upcoming Projects… Clay Methods: Modeling Self-Portrait

9. I. Vocabulary • Ceramics = A nonmetallic, inorganic material that is exposed to extreme heat. The most common ceramic material is clay, but glass, plaster, and cement are ceramic materials, too.

10. I. Vocabulary Ceramics #1

11. I. Vocabulary • Pottery = Ware, such as vases, pots, bowls, or plates, shaped from moist clay and hardened by heat.

12. I. Vocabulary Pottery #2

13. I. Vocabulary Clay #3

14. I. Vocabulary • Clay • What is it? Clay is the most universal material on earth. About 75% of the earth’s surface is clay or will eventually become clay…

15. I. Vocabulary …Clay is used to make more than just pottery. It can be found in many common items such as bricks, roof tiles, curling irons, spark plugs, and even...

16. …toothpaste! #4

17. I. Vocabulary • Where does it come from? Clay comes from a rock called feldspar.

18. #5

19. I. Vocabulary …It takes centuries of geological weathering (being rained on, smashed by glaciers, having plants decay on it, etc.) to turn this rock into dust.

20. #6 Geological weathering

21. I. Vocabulary After lying around in the bottom of swamps and lakes, the dust picks up water and forms clay.

22. I. Vocabulary • The chemistry of clay: Al2O3 ● 2SiO2 ● 2H2O

23. I. Vocabulary Al2O3 = Alumina #7

24. I. Vocabulary SiO2 = Silica #8

25. I. Vocabulary H2O = Water #9

26. II. Properties of Clay • Plastic = Plastic is defined as a material that can be molded. Clay is able to hold its form but is also able to be molded by hand. Water is necessary to make clay plastic.

27. #10Plastic

28. II. Properties of Clay • Porous = Porous means clay is full of small holes so that water can escape as the clay dries. This keeps the clay from cracking as is dries.

29. #11 Porous

30. II. Properties of Clay • Able to Vitrify = Vitrification is the conversion of clay into a hard glasslike substance when it is fired at a high temperature.

31. #12 Vitrify

32. III. Working with Clay • Forming Greenware • Hand building methods = pinch, coil, slab, and modeling. Clay can also be thrown on a pottery wheel.

33. III. Working with Clay • Preparing clay • Wedging= a large piece of clay is first cut into pieces with a cutting wire, then the pieces are rearranged and slammed together to make it easier for kneading.

34. #13 Wedging

35. III. Working with Clay • Kneading = similar to kneading bread. The clay is rolled over on itself and pressed down several times. After kneading, cut the clay with a wire to check that there are no air pockets or lumps.

36. #14 Kneading

37. Pinch method #15

38. #16 Coil method

39. #17 Slab method

40. #18 Modeling

41. III. Working with Clay • Score and slip = used to join two pieces of clay together. A fork or needle tool can be used to score (or rough up) the surface and then slip (watered down clay) is applied at the joint like glue.

42. #19 Score

43. #20 Slip

44. III. Working with Clay • Leather hard = when the clay has dried enough to be tough (like leather) but still workable. Used when building large forms.

45. #21 Leather hard

46. III. Working with Clay • Bone dry = when all of the water has evaporated from the clay and it can be fired. It can take several days for a piece to become bone dry.

47. #22 Bone dry

48. III. Working with Clay • Kiln = the equipment that heats up clay like a super-hot oven

49. #23 Inside a kiln

50. III. Working with Clay • Firing and Glazing • Bisque firing = the first firing. Our clay is bisque fired at Cone 04, which means the kiln shuts off when it reaches 1915 F. After being bisque fired the ceramic piece is called bisqueware.