FAIENCE:
Like DELFT ; this is an opaque metal based
[ tin or lead ] glaze creating the illusion of a white clay body. The ware
is first coated with glaze, then decorated oxides. [ often cobalt ] The
fired clay body looks white regardless of the color of the clay body.
FEATHERING:
This is a decoration technique.
The ware [ usually; plates or platters ] is coated with two or more
colors of slip or engobe;
alternating in rows, stripes or concentric circles. A feather
is pulled through the slips to combine the colors in marble like
swirling patterns.
FETTLE:
The cleaning process while a piece
is still soft enough to reform any blemishes or errors.
There is a FETTLING knife; with a thin, flat metal, dull blade, that
tappers to a blunt point.
FIRE:
The word used to refer to the process
of heatig the clay in a kiln to a temperature high enough to render it
insoluable in water and hot enough to melt glaze. Traditionally, the
kiln used a burning fuel; wood, dung, coal or gas; intense fire was used.
The term fire is used today for electric kilns that do not actually employ a
burning fuel.
FIRE CLAY:
Has a very high melting temperature.
Fireclay is used for kiln furniture, chimney flues and bricks. It is
typically biege.
FIRE PIT:
A shallow hole dug just below the grade of
the ground; used in place of a kiln. The pit is lined with sticks and medium
size branches. Pots and ceramic ware is then piled on the bed of wood. More
sticks and wood are piled over the pottery. The final layer is made of
broken pots, to reflect and contain heat. This process only reaches a
temperature of 900 to 1200 degees feirenheit. But, it is enough to vitrofy
the clay and render it insoluable in water. You cannot melt glaze in this
process. This is a traditional, primitive technique. It is still used by
modern potters for its random flame marks and smoked texture.
FIRING RANGE:
Clay bodies, glazes and slips have high and
low temperitures ranges. Earthenware,
is refered to as “low fire” [ 1873*f to 1944*f ];
stoneware; “medium fire” [ 2291*f to 2305*f ] and
poreclain: “high fire” [ 2372*f to 2426*f ]
FIRST POT:
My ceramic dictionary would not be complete
without mentioning my first pot made on a potters wheel in 1962. My mother saved it
for all to see.
For more information:
FLATWARE:
Platters, plates, saucers, trays, tiles, and the
like are called flat ware.
FLUTING:
Parallel lines or grooves cut into the
surface of the clay are called flutes. Flutes are also found on architectual
columns. Which flute came first, the pot or the column ?
FLUX:
Flux lowers the melting temperature of glaze.
Various minerals or chemicals can be added to glaze to lower the melting
temperature.
FOOT:
Over time potters have given human
attributes to pots. There is the neck, shoulder, hip, foot and toe.
In this case, the foot is what a pot stands on.
FRIT:
A glaze that has been fired and then
reground. This is done to burn
off impurities. It makes toxic components non toxic; i.e. lead.
Frit is added to glaze to stableize it.
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