Glaze Tip #1 - Using Oxide Washes

Oxide washes can be used effectively to enhance fired surfaces. However, some care is needed in the application. Once an oxide wash has been applied to bisqued ware, you should not dip the piece into a glaze bucket. The wash is usually powdery and could wash off and contaminate the whole batch. A better way to apply glazes to bisque pieces which have an oxide wash on them is to pour the glaze on the piece over another container. If it is obvious that the glaze has oxides in it, you would discard the smaller amount

Follow up on studio glaze results

Barbara wrote to say that the fish had New Blue and Jade on them (and not running). Jo Ann also responded that she had put Gloria's on the "blister bowl" thin. That's a puzzle. Hopefully, we can do some testing and glaze making next week.

The day after

Hope everyone made it through the latest storm in good shape. Aside from being down a long driveway full of snow, we made out fine...didn't even lost power this time.

Since I had some time, I thought I would share a couple of photos of some glaze combinations I like. The glazes are ones we have in the studio. The pictures are not that great since I couldn't get out to my usual photo set up, but you can see the colors OK.

First dipped in Jade, allowed to dry, then overdipped in BTBT. Notice the BTBT has a tendency to run, but not too much. I wouldn't take the overdip near the bottom, but the bottom third could be painted on if you wanted a uniform bluish color.

 

 The plate was first dipped in Nutmeg half way, then dipped in Byrne. You can see the area in the middle where the two overlapped.

If you have any pictures of pieces with good results, please send them along ,and we'll post them for everyone to view.

Studio expansion underway!

If you have been in the studio lately you will have noticed that construction of the throwing area is progressing. The student cubbies (storage units), wall storage units and workbenches for the wheels are completed,  Next the cubbies will be bolted together and attached to the wall and power provided to the wheels. We also have a clay mixer provided by Bill van Gilder to be wired in the future. Here are some pictures of the guys at work .Peter and Bruce are also working on the project, but weren't there for the photo op.

 

Gary, Wes and Jeff working for posterity (or is it posteriority?)

Gary and Jeff doing cubbie work

 

Now the wall units

Work benches for the wheels

Cubbie units ready for attachment

Glazing results

A recent glaze firing resulted in some interesting and disappointing outcomes. This post will focus on the disappointing since you need to know about some of the glazes before doing your next glazing. If you are aware of whose pieces these are, please let me know so we can document the glazes and processes they used.

This cup may have had Gloria's overdipped with BTBT or Milky Blue. The bottom glaze ran and stuck.

 

These 3 photos are of the same bowl. Again it looks like Gloria's was used. Besides running it also blistered in the bottom. It could be both pieces with Gloria's used a thick application. Or, it could be that this batch of Gloria's is defective.

 

Another example of Gloria's running. Again thickness may be the problem.

 

Would like to know the combinations on  these. None ran and the top left and bottom right are interesting. The latter is particularly so because it looks like Nutmeg and Gloria's with no running. 

  

Milky Blue on tail, Jade on head?

 

New Blue on tail, Jade on head?