Specifications

Mold Cavity - The hollow section of a mold that is a negative of
the finished casting. That part which is filled with slip to form the
casting.
Mold Rubber - Liquid rubber used to make stamps of simple
designs or master molds.
Monochromatic - A color scheme composed of various tints,
shades and tones of a single color.
Nichrome- A heat resistant wire.
Nipples - Clay bumps left on the bottom of food and drink
containers by improper draining of the mold in pouring. Threaded
sections of pipe used to connect lamps.
Non-Toxic - That which is not toxic. Can be used with little worry
as to any contaminants and hazardous material in them.
Opacifier - A material used to make a translucent color more
opaque. White is an opacifing color.
Opaque - Not transparent; completely covers any other color
underneath; does not allow light to filter through.
Open - Refers to a color that remains the form of an insoluble
powder, workable for a long period of time.
Overglaze - Any decorating material that is applied on top of a
fired glaze and has the firing range of cone 022 to 014.
Oxidation - Combining with or reacting to oxygen; iron rust or
combining with oxygen; some green glazes may oxidize and turn
black during an 018 firing.
Palette - Glazed tile or glass on which colors are placed for
mixing and painting from.
Palette Knife - Flexible knife used for grinding color.
Parallel - Two lines that are the same distance form each other
throughout their length.
Peephole - Openings in the side of the kiln through which you can
view a pyrometric cone.
Perpendicular - A line that is at a right angle to another line.
Perspective - The science of paintings and drawing so that objects
represented have apparent depth, distance and third-dimension.
Pierced Carving - A type of design formed by cutouts in the
ware. Usually done on leatherhard greenware.
Pigments - A coloring agent; usually in the form of an insoluble
powder, ground with water, oil or acrylic.
Pinholes - A glaze defect cause by underfiring, glazing on
greenware and or condition of greenware.
Plaster - A white powder made of gypsum; quick setting when
added to water which molds are made.
Plaster Clay - A non-hardening modeling clay.
Plasticity - The pliability of modeling clay.
Plug - A cone shaped section of refractory material used to close
the peepholes in the kiln during firing.
Polish - To buff to a shine.
Pooling, Puddling - Glaze which runs to the bottom of a bowl or
dishes or fills in the crevices.
Porcelain - A high-fire translucent, vitreous body.
Porosity - The ability of an object to absorb moisture.
Posts - Square, triangular or cylindrical sections of refractory
material used to support shelves in the kiln; may be stacked.
Potters Wheel - Used for throwing clay pots; may be manually or
electrically driven.
Pottery - Any low-fire object formed from clay.
Pounce - To pat; also the powdered graphite used to transfer
pieced patterns.
Pour Gate - Area of mold that slip is poured into; area that holds
the excess slip to allow for absorption and ensure a proper casting.
Pouring - See Casting.
Press Mold - Shallow molds used by pressing soft clay in the
cavities; may also be used by pouring slip in the cavities.
Primary Colors - The three basic colors are Red, Yellow and
Blue.
Prism - Three sided glass or crystal object that breaks up light into
rainbow colors.
Pug Mill - A machine for mixing and extruding plastic clay.
Pyrometer - An instrument for measuring degrees of heat beyond
those shown on the average thermometer.
Pyrometric Cone - Pyramids; compounded of ceramic materials
controlled to melt as specific time, temperature relationships used
to control heat treatment of ceramic products.
Quill - A type of brush used for china painting.
Raw Glaze - A glaze that contains no fritted material.
Raised Paste - An overglaze material used for a base for a raised
gold design.
Red Heat - Point at which the interior walls of the kiln and the
ware glow red; 1060˚ F.
Reduction Firing - Firing with a reduced oxygen supply.
Opposite of Oxygen firing, which is what low-fire glazes need to
develop.
Refractory - Materials that are hard to melt or work.
30
Glossary