Glaze is the glass coating on the surface of pottery items. It can give the surface a glossy, matte, smooth, textured, opaque, or clear finish. Varying glaze compositions result in different glaze outcomes after firing. Each component has its function that like magic, transforms the glaze’s appearance after firing. Pottery glazes consist of three basic…
One of the first pieces of pottery I made in pre-school involved melting marbles in pottery. However, mixing glass with ceramics is not just for kid’s projects. It is a technique much used by potters and can create lovely results in a few simple steps. To melt marbles in pottery, make a small shallow dish…
Sgraffito pottery is really quite simple to make. However, it can be extremely satisfying and lovely to look at. Like most techniques in pottery, there are several ways of approaching sgraffito. When I became interested in it my first question was how do you make sgraffito pottery? These are three of the sgraffito techniques I…
Making terra sigillata takes time and effort. Combining the ingredients is simple. Reducing the thin slip to a usable consistency takes quite a long time. So, it’s important that when you use this liquid gold, you use it well. This raises the question of when to apply terra sigillata to the best effect. Terra sigillata…
There are a lot of different accounts of how to make terra sigillata available. Some of these methods seem more precise than others. There also seems to be quite a bit of conflicting information. So, I did some research into the various recommendations made by different potters and cherry-picked the best suggestions. I tested these…
The terms oxide and stain, or ‘ceramic stains’ are often used interchangeably by potters. If you are new to the exciting world of ceramic pigments, you may have wondered what oxides and stains are. Perhaps you have pondered on the difference between oxides and stains and been left none the wiser. This article is all…
Learning to use glaze is an exciting and creative time. Glaze can create an unending number of effects and finishes. However, you may have come across alarming information that glaze can be toxic. You may be handling glaze in its powdered form or a liquid state. Either way, it’s important to ask the question, is…
These days, underglaze is usually applied first and then a clear or semi-transparent glaze is applied on top. But what happens if you do the reverse? Can you put underglaze on top of glaze? Yes, you can put underglaze on top of glaze. However, it depends on what underglaze you use, and the combination of…
Airbrushing underglaze is a great way to add sharp lines, shadows, shades, and color gradients to your pottery. On the surface, airbrushing seems like a simple process. You load the airbrush with underglaze and you spray, right? Well, not exactly. There are a few things that it’s helpful to know from the off. These will…
Burnishing pottery involves rubbing it before it’s been fired so that the surface is smooth and shiny. There are lots of ways to burnish, and one of the easiest ways is burnishing pottery with a plastic bag. This might sound strange, but it does work. What is Burnishing Pottery? Burnishing clay is a way of…
Raku firing is quite different from regular firing in a gas or electric kiln. If you are new to raku, this may have left you wondering if raku glazing techniques are different too. When I started out in raku, I was left with similar questions. I wanted to know exactly how to glaze raku pottery…
Slip and underglaze are just two of the many ways you can decorate pottery. But, what is the difference between slip and underglaze? And which one should you use on your pottery? Slip and underglaze are both made of a mixture of clay and water. However, slip contains more clay and can add texture to…