Art and Design: Three-Dimensional Design - 4TD1 PearsonEdexcel

Ceramics

Overview

Clay remembers everything. Every thumbprint, every join made too dry, every wall left thicker on one side than the other is still there weeks later when the kiln reaches temperature, and that is when it announces itself. Ceramics is the one area of study where the material has an opinion, where a piece can be perfect on Friday and in four pieces on Monday, and where the last stage of the process is one you cannot watch and cannot undo.

This note follows a piece from wet clay to fired object: the clay bodies and what each is for, the five states clay passes through and what can be done at each, hand-building, throwing and casting, the shrinkage and drying rules that decide whether the work survives, firing, and then the whole separate discipline of surface. The specification asks here for non-functional artefacts using both form and surface quality, which means the pot does not have to hold anything. It has to be worth looking at from every side.

Objectives

Create non-functional ceramic artefacts using both form and surface quality
Use a range of ceramics materials, tools and techniques such as modelling, casting, throwing and hand-building, glazing, surface decoration/texture and firing

Lesson Note

The objective for this area of study is unusually precise: create non-functional ceramic artefacts using both form and surface quality, and use a range of ceramics materials, tools and techniques such as modelling, casting, throwing and hand-building, glazing, surface decoration and texture, and firing. Three things follow from that wording.

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Lesson Evaluation

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Ceramics. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.

You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Two parts of a clay piece should be joined when both are: A) Soft and plastic B) At leather hard, scored and slipped C) Bone dry D) Bisque fired Answer: B
Total shrinkage of a clay body from wet to fired is commonly about: A) 1 to 2 per cent B) 10 to 13 per cent C) 25 to 30 per cent D) 50 per cent Answer: B
Grog is added to a clay body in order to: A) Make it more plastic and easier to throw B) Reduce shrinkage and cracking, especially in large or thick work C) Lower the firing temperature D) Give it translucency Answer: B
A fine network of cracks across a fired glaze surface is called: A) Crawling B) Pinholing C) Crazing D) Sgraffito Answer: C
Work is bisque fired before glazing mainly because: A) It makes the piece heavier B) The porous bisque body absorbs water from the glaze and holds the glaze layer in place C) It removes the need for a second firing D) It prevents the clay from shrinking Answer: B