CERAMICS ONE
COURSE SYLLABUS
BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL ART DEPARTMENT
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Snyder
EMAIL: jeremy.snyder@mybedford.us
WEBSITE: http://mrsnyderbhs2015-16.weebly.com/
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CLASSROOM RULES AND POLICIES
1. WHAT DID YOU SAY?: No side conversation will be tolerated when the teacher is talking. This is not a lecture
course so when I have something to say, I guarantee it is important. It is in your best interest to pay attention.
2. GOOD WORK HABITS: Unless a new project is being presented (it will be announced), you are expected to get
your work out immediately and begin.
3. USE YOUR TIME WISELY: You will be given points on participation so I strongly suggest you start immediately,
and work until I call for clean-up (usually around 7 minutes before the bell rings). Fully cleaning your work area
also counts as participation.
4. NO BAD LANGUAGE: There will be no inappropriate language allowed. This is a creative environment and I
expect each of you to do your best in keeping it that way.
5. DID THE BELL RING?: You are to remain in your seats until the bell rings, which means there will be no lining up
at the door early.
6. CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS!!!: The custodians work very hard to keep this room in good shape, but the degree
to which they take care of this place depends on how much consideration we show for them. At all times please
be conscious of your own impact on the room, and always clean up your own mess thoroughly! Whether you are
handbuilding at your table, drying clay on the plaster blocks, or glazing with paintbrushes, don’t leave cleanup
for anyone else.
7. RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE: To ensure we are not simply throwing money away, I ask that you religiously save
scraps of clay and place them in the recycling bin (also known as the slop bucket). As long as clay is unfired, it
can be soaked in water and reused. Please don’t ever throw clay in the garbage.
8. KEEP CLAY OUT OF THE SINK: To prevent clogging the sink, please be sure to scrape off all tools, plastic ware
boards, hands, etc. before you wash them in the sink. Remember we can recycle any and all unfired clay.
9. PLASTIC BAGS: We use plastic bags to keep your clay moist and workable. You must wrap your work everyday to
control drying. The less air surrounding your project, the better. If you don’t wrap your work and it dries out,
you will start over.
10. THE KILN CART / WARE CART: The kiln cart is for work that is ready to be fired. By placing work on this cart, you
are acknowledging that everything has been done to properly finish the work before firing. Please make sure
this is the case. If you did not finish the bottom of your project, if your project is cracked or broken, or if your
name is not on your project, it will not be fired.
11. PUT THINGS BACK WHERE THEY GO: When you use canvas, slab rollers, rolling pins, scrapers, slip containers,
water containers, bowls, newspaper, glaze, paintbrushes, books, etc., see that they are put back where they
belong. This is to ensure that when you need something, you can find it.
12. Students will be expected to adhere to all rules and policies as outlined in the student handbook available on the
BHS website.
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SAFE MATERIALS HANDLING
 AVOID MAKING DUST: One of the greatest hazards in a ceramics studio is dust. If exposed to clay dust for a
prolonged period of time it can be hazardous to your health. For your safety and the safety of others including
myself, I ask that you always try to reduce the amount of dust you create. If sanding greenware, I ask you to use
a wet paper towel to clean it up. After using the plaster blocks, always make sure to scrape off excess clay and
lightly sponge them down. If sweeping up any dry clay residue from the counter or floor, lightly spray with water
to keep down the dust. Again this is to ensure that we are all working in the safest environment possible.
 FOOD OR DRINKS: Clay dust, and glaze powders do not make very healthy condiments. Make every effort not
ingest the materials. ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT: we have one glaze that contains lead. It is called
Palladium. NO project finished with this glaze can be used as dinnerware. Please be conscious of this
precaution, and plan accordingly.
 SLIPPERY FLOOR: Please avoid any accumulations of water on the floor, especially when clay is present. This
combination produces a very slippery surface. The floors are cleaned on a regular basis, but between cleanings
you must deal with all clay or slip that you deposit on the floor.
HANDBUILDING: GUIDELINES AND SUGGESTIONS
1. CLAY CONSISTENCY: Always start with well-wedged clay of an appropriate stiffness or softness for the desired
project.
2. FORMING METHOD: Use the method appropriate for the forms you wish to make – for organic shapes use coil,
pinch, or soft slab, for geometric shapes use stiff slab.
3. AWARENESS OF SURFACE EFFECTS: With an appropriate forming method, and sensitivity to the surface created
during initial construction, subsequent surface finishing may not be necessary. The forming or assembly process
itself can often create patterns or marks that are very pleasing. However you may need to clean up such areas,
i.e. between exposed coils.
4. CONCENTRATION OF PRESSURE POINTS: Every part of your hand is useful. Remember that for every action,
there is a reaction. Keep in mind the consequences of every type of pressure that you apply to the clay.
5. WALL THICKNESS: Make pieces only as thick as necessary. Extra thickness does not increase structural integrity.
In tall pieces you may wish to make the lower walls slightly thicker, but otherwise maintain uniform thickness.
For our purposes, even a very large piece should not be more that ¾” thick ANYWHERE.
6. BASE SUPPORT AND BOTTOM: Always construct forms on a plastic wareboard. With coil or slab work, always
build on top of a bottom slab of clay. Whenever possible, have single slab or base support all parts of a piece. For
example, if you are building an animal form with delicate legs, incorporate a base as part of the piece, thereby
supporting and protecting the legs.
7. CLOSED SPACES: Never create completely closed spaces, as they will explode in the kiln. Always make breather
holes. Tiny pinholes are adequate, but make several in case one becomes clogged.
8. JOINING: Always join clay aggressively and firmly in a way that is appropriate for the consistency of the clay.
Never press clay straight together without proper preparation, as this will result in the alignment of particles in a
FRACTURE PLANE. When joining soft clay without slip, always smear the clay together and blend the seams
inside and out to insure thorough interlocking of particles. With stiffer clay, always score and slip immediately
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joining the pieces with firm pressure. In joining component parts or slabs, score the inside of the joint and press
in a small coil of soft clay along the seam. Pieces joined together should be the same consistency and stiffness.
When assembling leather hard pieces fit them carefully before joining – do not expect slip to fill any voids. Do
not attempt to join pieces which have dried beyond leather hard.
9. AVOID USING WATER: Do not use water to smooth or finish a piece as you work on it; it will just soften the clay
and make it harder to work on. Do not use water in place of slip when joining pieces; it will lubricate the clay and
encourage the formation of a fracture plane. You may use water (sparingly applied with a sponge, brush, or
spray bottle) to slow down the drying process if it is proceeding to rapidly.
10. WORKING IN STAGES: Each part should be done at the appropriate stage of softness or hardness. When
constructing large shapes consider the clay’s ability to support higher sections. Do not attempt to keep working
beyond the clay’s ability to support itself. With large pieces, cover the surfaces where more parts are to be
joined, and allow the rest of the piece to stiffen before continuing.
11. FINISH THE BOTTOM: This is probably the MOST overlooked flaw in student work. Whether a nonfunctional
sculptural form or a functional vessel, a sloppily finished bottom edge can ruin the appearance of an otherwise
attractive form. We will not fire any work where the bottom and lower edge have not been properly finished.
VOCABULARY
APPLIQUE: Low-relief clay shapes added to scored slipped leather hard surface for decoration.
BAT: Disc of wood, plastic, or plaster which is placed on wheel-head, and upon which clay forms are
thrown. Upon completion, forms are lifted from wheel on bat, avoiding damage or warping.
BISQUE FIRING: Initial kiln firing in which clay sinters without vitrifying, and though very
porous, will
no longer soften in water.
BLEACH TEST: Test used to determine a critical stage in drying of greenware. If a dab of water darkens the
surface, the clay may no longer be joined or repaired.
BLISTERING: Glaze defect where fired glaze surface contains bubbles, which often break open to leave
sharp-edged craters in surface.
BONE DRY: Completely dry state (and extremely brittle) clay must reach before firing.
BURNISHING: Method of polishing leather hard clay by rubbing with smooth hard object such as spoon
back or polished rock.
COIL: Long thin rope-like roll of clay, usually assembled in successive layers to build up wall of a vessel or
sculpture.
FOOT: Base of a ceramic piece.
GLAZE: Glass-like coating of ceramic materials that melts smooth and bonds to the clay surface in a glaze
firing.
GLAZE FIRING: Kiln firing in which glazes are melted to form a smooth glass like surface.
GREENWARE: Any unfired clay form.
GROG: Hard-fired clay which has been ground fine and is used in clay bodies to reduce shrinkage and give
structure for throwing and handbuilding.
HANDBUILDING: Forming clay by hand without the wheel. Includes pinch, coil, and slab construction.
HIGH FIRE: High temperature firing (usually above cone 5 – 2185 degrees F) for glaze firing stoneware or
porcelain.
IMPRESSING: Technique for decorating still-plastic clay pieces by pressing textured objects or shapes into
the surface.
INCISING: Engraving (shallow carving) a design into unfired clay.
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LEATHER HARD: Condition of clay where it has stiffened but is still damp; last stage of drying where two
pieces of clay can be joined.
LOW FIRE: Low temperature firing for bisque firing all types of clay or for glaze firing earthenware and
terra cotta.
OXIDATION: Any chemical reaction in which atoms or molecules combine with oxygen atoms. The
combustion of fuel is an oxidation reaction. In firing, any kiln atmosphere with abundance of oxygen to
combust the fuel and oxidize the ceramic materials. (Includes all electric firing.)
PADDLING: Technique of shaping a soft leather hard piece by gently hitting with a wooden paddle to
create flat facets.
PINCHING: Handbuilding method where a lump of clay is formed by pinching repeatedly between thumb
and fingers.
PLASTICITY: Quality of damp clay of being workable without cracking.
RAKU: Japanese firing process using very refractory claybody, where work is removed from kiln while redhot and cooled quickly, often by quenching in water. In American raku, wares are often subjected to post
firing smoking by placing in containers of combustible materials, which blackens raw clay and surface
cracks in glaze.
RIB: Wide flat hand-held tool with a straight, curved, or profiled edge, used to smooth or shape clay
surfaces.
ROULETTE: Small wheel with raised pattern around the rim, which when rolled along a clay surface leaves
a band of relief pattern. (Formed in clay and bisque-fired)
SCORING: Process of scratching surface of wet or leather hard clay before applying slip and joining pieces.
SGRAFFITO: Decorating technique achieved by scratching through a layer of slip or glaze before firing to
expose contrasting claybody beneath.
SHRINKAGE: Permanent contraction of the clay in both drying and firing stages. Overall may be as much as
18 percent.
SLAB: A flat piece of clay with even thickness.
SLAB ROLLER: A mechanized but usually manually operated device for rolling out large uniform slabs of
clay.
SLIP: Clay and water mixture, usually the consistency of thick cream, used to join clay pieces together after
scoring surfaces.
STONEWARE: High fired VITREOUS ware, literally as hard and durable as stone. Matures from 2200degrees 2400 F.
UNGERGLAZES: Low fire colored slip applied to bisque ware then coated with clear transparent glaze to
finish, available in a wide palette of colors.
VITREOUS; VITRIFIED; VITRIFICATION: Fired clay which has been fused together completely so that all
pores are closed and body is impervious to water.
WEDGING: Process of kneading the clay with the hands to remove air bubbles, and to insure a
homogenous mass.
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