The 6 Stages of Clay:
Slip: Clay thinned with water to create a thick liquid. (CLAY GLUE) Slip is used on scored areas to bind soft pieces of clay together.
Plastic: Clay that is wet enough to work with: It will bend and shape into any form. It is FLEXIBLE.
Leather Hard: This is the stage midway between wet and dry. The clay will be stiff enough to support itself, but pliable to be bent and worked with.
Greenware/Bone Dry:: ceramic ware that is DRY but has not been fired. THIS IS THE MOST FRAGILE STAGE!!
Bisque: fired pottery that is unglazed. It can no longer be recycled or dissolved by water.
GLAZE: one way to color pottery; the pottery must be fired again after being glazed; glazing makes the pottery safe for food.
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Clay Techniques:
Incise:Using a needle tool or other pointed tool to “draw” into your clay. (Be careful not to go all the way through!)
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Carve:To remove an entire area of the surface of the clay leaving a recessed space. (This also does not go all the way through the clay)
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Applique:A decorative technique where clay shapes are attached to the clay project using the “slip and score” technique.
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Pierce:Using a sharp tool to create an opening in the clay that you can see through.
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