Useful Pottery Terms and Definitions

GREENWARE: Unfired clay or pottery. This can be in any state of wetness or dryness so long as it has not been fired in a kiln.

LEATHER HARD: Refers to a state of greenware where the clay has set up a bit and most of the moisture has evaporated. A good state to add parts, carve, or join pieces of clay together.

BONE DRY: State of greenware where the clay has “totally” dried out and is very fragile and ready to fire. The clay is no longer workable in this state.

FIRING: Heating bone dry greenware in a kiln to the point of maturity. The temperature needed to mature specific clay or glaze varies.

BISQUE: Ceramic ware (once clay) that has been fired to a low temperature, removing all the moisture from the body. The ceramic material has not yet matured and left underfired so that it can accept glaze materials better. This step is also for turning the clay from raw clay to ceramic material and ultimately makes the ceramic easy to handle for glazing.

SLIP: A suspension of clay in water used for decorating as well as a “glue” for joining parts together.

ANTHROPOMORPHIC: Ascribing human form or attributes to a being or thing not human, which resembles or is made to resemble a human form.

BANDING WHEEL: A turntable that can be revolved with one hand to turn/work a piece of clay.

RIB: A curved tool made of wood, rubber, plastic, or metal. A rib is used for scraping, smoothing, sculpting, and shaping objects.

WARE: A term designated in ceramics to refer to any clay body fired or unfired.