Clay Basics

1. ​ Clay is defined as...

• finely grained minerals or rocks suspended in water 

• the way an object feels or looks 

• a dish made of dirt 

• finely ground minerals painted onto bisque ware that melt to form a glossy surface

 ​In which stage of clay can you NOT recycle leftover clay? 

  

• leatherhard 

• greenware 

• slip 

• bisqueware 

Answer explanation

At this stage of the ceramic process, firing the bone dry clay at a high heat has caused a chemical change- transforming clay into ceramic.

 ​At which stage is the clay most fragile?

• Bisqueware

• Bone Dry

• Fired

• glazeware

 What is the process used to attach pieces of clay together? 

• clip & cut 

• slip & score 

• stick & dry

• cut & glue 

What does it mean to “fire” clay?  

• to recycle the clay 

• to heat the clay at high temperatures

  in the kiln until it is physically and chemically changes. 

• to paint the clay red

• to throw the clay away 

What is bisque firing?  

• The process of drying out the clay by leaving it out all day. 

• . 

  The second firing after you’ve added your glaze. 

• The first firing that chemically changes the clay to a ceramic.  

• Making biscuits in the oven.

Name ​two causes​ that can make your clay piece break or “explode” in the kiln.  

• Not scoring and sliping

• air bubbles or rocks

• both air bubbles or firing clay that is not bone dry

• bone dry clay

. What is glaze?  

 

• acrylic paint that dries as a plastic

• A thin coating of chemicals containing ground up glass that melt when fired

• a chemical found in clay 

   

• a tool for digging up clay

Why should glaze not be placed directly on the kiln shelf when firing?

• It will cool off the kiln

• It will fuse to the kiln shelf and stick

• Nothing will happen, it does not matter.

• It will explode

 The first physical property of clay, when clay is malleable and can be sculpted and molded into forms

• plastic

• fired

• low fired

• glazed