Pottery and Ceramics
Lera, drejskiva, glasyr, ugn — Swedish for throwing, glazing and firing.
From lump of lera to mug in the hand: throwing and hand-building, the two firings, glaze roulette at tolvhundra grader — and why opening the kiln feels som julmorgon.
- 1
lera
clay
Tip: lit. the same.
- 2
stengods
stoneware
Tip: lit. the same.
- 3
lergods
earthenware
Tip: lit. the same.
- 4
porslin
porcelain
Tip: lit. the same.
- 5
en drejskiva
a potter's wheel
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
dreja
to throw a pot
Tip: lit. the same — the verb covers it all.
- 7
centrera leran
to centre the clay
Tip: lit. the same — and it's the whole skill.
- 8
är den ocentrerad så vinglar den
if it's off-centre it wobbles
Tip: lit. the same.
- 9
öppna formen
to open the form
Tip: lit. the same.
- 10
dra upp väggarna
to pull up the walls
Tip: lit. the same.
- 11
för tunt och det rasar
too thin and it collapses
Tip: lit. the same.
- 12
bygga för hand
to hand-build
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
en rullkruka
a coil pot
Tip: lit. the same.
- 14
en knipkruka
a pinch pot
Tip: lit. the same — the first thing you ever make.
- 15
en platta
a slab
Tip: lit. the same.
- 16
lerslamma
slip
Tip: lit. the same — clay as glue.
- 17
rispa och slamma
to score and slip
Tip: lit. the same — how you join two pieces.
- 18
knåda leran
to wedge the clay
Tip: lit. the same — to get the air out.
- 19
en luftbubbla
an air bubble
Tip: lit. the same.
- 20
som exploderar i ugnen
which explodes in the kiln
Tip: lit. the same — and takes the neighbours with it.
- 21
läderhårt
leather hard
Tip: lit. the same — the stage for trimming.
- 22
svarva foten
to trim the foot
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
bentorrt
bone dry
Tip: lit. the same.
- 24
obränt gods
greenware
Tip: lit. 'unfired ware' — fragile as chalk.
- 25
en skröjbränning
a bisque firing
Tip: lit. the same — the first firing.
- 26
en glasyrbränning
a glaze firing
Tip: lit. the same.
- 27
en keramikugn
a kiln
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
sätta in i ugnen
to load the kiln
Tip: lit. the same.
- 29
tolvhundra grader
twelve hundred degrees
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
vänta på att den svalnar
to wait for it to cool
Tip: lit. the same — two days, and you can't peek.
- 31
en glasyr
a glaze
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
doppa ett gods
to dip a piece
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
pensla på den
to brush it on
Tip: lit. the same.
- 34
färgen ändras i elden
the colour changes in the fire
Tip: lit. the same — grey goes green, always a surprise.
- 35
en provplatta
a test tile
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
en spricka
a crack
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
en skevhet
a warp
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
ett gods som klarade sig
a piece that survived
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
och tre som inte gjorde det
and three that didn't
Tip: lit. the same.
- 40
öppna ugnen
to open the kiln
Tip: lit. the same — the best moment there is.
- 41
som julmorgon
like Christmas morning
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
en mugg som passar handen
a mug that fits your hand
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
en skål man äter ur varje dag
a bowl you eat from daily
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
tummarken efter den som gjort den
the thumb mark of the maker
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
inget är riktigt symmetriskt
nothing is quite symmetrical
Tip: lit. the same — and that's the point.
- 46
en nybörjarkurs
a beginner's course
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
en verkstad man hyr per timme
a studio you rent by the hour
Tip: lit. the same.
- 48
en egen hylla
a shelf of your own
Tip: lit. the same.
- 49
händerna i lera i två timmar
hands in clay for two hours
Tip: lit. the same.
- 50
och inget annat i huvudet
and nothing else in your head
Tip: lit. the same.