Odisha CHSE +2 Vocational Modelling and Sculpture key terms

The ability of a material such as clay or wax to be reshaped by pressure without cracking or springing back. Workable plasticity lets a modeller build, bend and refine forms before the material stiffens.

Kneading and pressing clay to remove trapped air pockets and even out moisture. Proper wedging reduces blowouts in firing and gives a consistent, cooperative body for modelling.

Clay mixed with water into a creamy liquid used to join clay pieces or to cast into moulds. As a joining agent it must match the body clay to avoid cracking at the seam.

The stage when clay has dried enough to hold its shape but still feels cool and can be carved or joined. Most trimming, incising and handle attachment happen at this stage.

Unfired clay work that is fully dry and ready for the kiln. Greenware is fragile, so it must be handled by the base and never lifted by thin projecting parts.

Clay that has been fired once without glaze, becoming porous and permanent. Bisque firing hardens a model so it can be handled, stored or used as a mould pattern.

A thermally insulated chamber used to fire clay and set plaster at controlled temperatures. Correct loading and slow cooling prevent cracking and steam explosions in thick work.

A quick-setting powder of calcined gypsum that hardens when mixed with water. It is used for waste moulds, piece moulds, direct building and casting because it captures fine surface detail.

The period between mixing plaster and the moment it hardens beyond working. Cool water slows it and warm water or dirty tools speed it, so mixing must be planned carefully.

A thin barrier such as soft soap, oil or shellac applied between a mould and the material cast into it. It prevents sticking and protects both the mould surface and the finished cast.

A rigid internal framework of wire, wood or metal pipe that supports soft modelling material. It carries the weight of clay or wax and keeps thin limbs and necks from collapsing.

A sturdy, often rotating platform on which a clay figure or relief is built and worked from all sides. A good stand allows the sculptor to turn the piece without touching the surface.

Hand tools such as wooden spatulas, wire loops, ribs and rakes used to add, scrape and smooth soft material. Each tool leaves a distinct mark, so tool choice shapes the final surface.

The first stage of building or carving, where large masses and the overall pose are blocked in quickly. Detail is deliberately postponed so proportion and balance can be judged early.

A measuring tool with two adjustable jaws or arms used to transfer distances from a model to the work. Sculptors use it to check thickness, width and corresponding points from several views.

A weighted cord hung vertically to establish true vertical alignment. It helps the sculptor check that ears, shoulders and hips sit correctly over the supporting foot or base.

A pose in which weight rests mainly on one leg, tilting the hips and shoulders in opposite directions. It gives a figure natural balance, rhythm and a lifelike sense of movement.

A rapid drawing that captures the action, flow and weight of a pose rather than outline detail. Quick sweeping lines train the eye to see the whole figure before anatomy is studied.

The visual compression of a form that points towards or away from the viewer. Drawing it correctly requires observing overlapping shapes and shortened lengths instead of assumed proportions.

The system of representing three-dimensional space on a flat surface using horizon line and vanishing points. It gives drawings of streets, rooms and plinths believable depth and scale.

The point on the horizon where parallel receding lines appear to meet in a perspective drawing. One-point and two-point construction depend on placing these points consistently.

The height of the viewer's eyes, which sets the horizon line in a drawing or photograph. Changing eye level changes how much of a form's top or underside becomes visible.

The relative size of parts to one another and to the whole figure or object. Consistent proportion, checked with calipers or a measuring stick, makes a sculpture read as believable.

A small preliminary model made to test pose, mass, composition and silhouette before full-scale work. Cheap and quick to alter, it saves material and prevents major errors later.

Establishing the main volumes and planes of a form before refining edges or surface. It keeps the whole work advancing together instead of one finished area surrounded by blanks.

The flat or gently curved facets that make up a three-dimensional surface. Seeing forms as connected planes helps the sculptor judge how light falls and where edges must be sharpened or softened.

The arrangement of strong light and dark areas to describe volume and create drama. In relief and modelling it depends on how deeply forms are undercut and how surfaces catch light.

The outer outline of a form seen against a background. A strong, readable silhouette lets a sculpture communicate its subject from a distance and in poor light.

The empty or background areas enclosed by and around a form. Sculptors shape negative space deliberately, because gaps between limbs and fingers strongly affect the composition.

Sculpture in which forms project from a flat backing panel and are viewed mainly from the front. Depth of projection determines whether it reads as low, middle or high relief.

Low relief in which forms project only slightly from the background plane. It relies on subtle modelling, shadow and compressed depth rather than undercutting to suggest volume.

A subtractive process of cutting away material such as stone or wood to reveal a form. Mistakes cannot be added back, so planning, maquettes and careful roughing out are essential.

A plaster mould made over a clay or wax model and then broken away to free the cast. It is destroyed in the process but captures fine detail cheaply for one reproduction.

A multi-part mould with sections that separate and rejoin around the pattern, allowing repeated casts. Keys and straps keep the parts aligned so seams stay thin and easy to clean.

Building a sculpture by joining found or prepared objects and materials rather than carving or modelling. The artist composes existing forms, so attachment, balance and meaning become the design problems.

A modelling material made from paper strips or pulp mixed with adhesive and pressed over a form. It is light, cheap and strong when dry, but needs a rigid armature and thorough drying to avoid mould.

A traditional Odishan cloth-based painting from the Puri region, made with natural pigments on treated cloth and outlined in fine dark lines. Its flat, decorative conventions inform relief and mural design.

A repeated decorative element drawn from regional craft traditions, such as lotus, fish, peacock or creepers. Motifs are adapted in Odishan reliefs, panels and craft objects to carry local identity.

An organised collection of a candidate's drawings, models, photographs and finished works with notes. It should show process, range and reflection, not only the most polished final pieces.

The photographic and written record of a project's stages, materials, problems and decisions. Clear documentation supports assessment and helps the candidate explain the work in a viva.