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Question:

Do you know a lot about ceramics?

I have a ceramics test coming up soon and I can't remember anything. Couldyou tell me what all the different stages of clay are. And what are the different glazes? And when do u fire them? And when we did our first pots we dipped our pots into this bucket of what a think was an underglaze is that what at was? Could u just please tell me everything you know about ceramics!? Please and Thank You!!

Answer:

If you 'can't remember anything' how on earth do you expect us to provide you with answers for you to recall, unless you intend being lazy and just C P them? IF so, shame on you. There's only ONE way and that is study, study, study. Make flash cards with colours and temperatures, names of glazes, etc.
I'm not sure what I can tell you that will really help you, but I'll give it a shot. When you're working with your clay, it's in a damp/wet/workable state. As it begins to dry, it becomes leather hard, and then eventually bone dry. There are a million different types of glazes, so I can't name all of those for you. They vary according to brand, low/high fire, whether or not they are a resistant, special effects, etc. You fire (bisque) the pieces first when they are between leather hard and bone dry. After they have been bisqued, you apply the glazes and fire them again. You can fire in between glazes if you need (multiple fires). As for what you dipped the pot into, I really can't tell you. Could have been slip, glaze, pigment, anything really. Hope that helps somewhat.
Well as a fellow procrastinator i feel for you! haha, but i know that there are three different grades of ceramics Earthenware, which is fired at the lowest temperatures on the cone scale, being cone 06 to cone 07 (that's pronounces cone oh-six and cone oh-seven). then there is stoneware which is fired in the middle can't remember the temperatures at which this is fired, then there is the last grade called, porcelain. the clay goes from wet to dry. the final stage before glazing is called bone dry then after under-glazing and glazing several coats, then letting dry it is time to fire those bad boys!! :) hope this helps at all.

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