Slip (ceramics)

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A slip is a thin liquid clay used for coating ceramics prior to firing. The slip is often of a different color than the underlying clay of the ceramic.

A slip is made by mixing clays and other minerals with water, and usually a deflocculant such as sodium silicate. The addition of a defloculant allows the water content to be kept to a minimum which reduces the amount of shrinkage when slipcasting. The mixing can be by hand or more usually in a blunger.

Slip can be used decoratively when placed onto the leather-dry clay body surface by dipping, painting or splashing, this is often described as slipware. Slip is also used as a sort of glue; two pieces of clay are "scored" (slashed shallowly), slip is applied to both pieces, and then the two pieces of clay are joined. This is almost always necessary when manually attaching pieces such as handles, spouts, and other pieces of clay added to the body.