- Slipware
Slipware is a type of
pottery identified by its primary decorating process where slip is placed onto the leather-dry clay body surface by dipping, painting or splashing. Slip is an aqueous suspension of a clay body, which is a mixture ofclay s and other minerals such asquartz ,feldspar , andmica .A coating of white or coloured slip, known as an engobe, can be applied to the article to improve its appearance, to give a smoother surface to a rough body or mask an inferior colour, or for decorative effect. slips or engobes can also be applied by painting techniques, in isolation or in several layers and colors.
Sgraffito involves scratching through a layer of colouredslip to reveal a different colour or the base body underneath. Several layers of slip and/or sgraffito can be done while the pot is still in an unfired state. One colour of slip can be fired, before a second is applied, and prior to the scratching or incising decoration. This is particularly useful if the base body is not of the desired colour or texture.Some prehistoric and historic cultures used slip as the primary decorating material on their ware. These include most prehistoric cultures of the
Middle East , cultures in many areas ofAfrica , most pottery-making cultures in the Americas, earlyKorea n ware, Mycenean ware, the pottery of AncientGreece , and pre-industrialized potters in some areas ofGreat Britain , most notablyThomas Toft in theStaffordshire Potteries . Later cultures combined the use ofslip with the application of high silica glazes.See also:
Culture of Korea ,history of pottery in Palestine ,Native American pottery , andPottery of Ancient Greece .References
*Hamer, Frank and Janet. "The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques." A & C Black Publishers, Limited, London, England, Third Edition 1991. ISBN 0-8122-3112-0.
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