Decided to Glaze some...

Rustic Potter · #1 05-22-2012, 09:25 AM

Well, about a year ago I posted about some flower pots:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=933807

I decided to glaze some of them along with some other terra cotta. I took some cone 04 - 06 pre-mixed white glaze and added 2.5% red iron oxide and 2 % copper sulfate for color and fired them to cone 04.

They look bluer in these pictures, the glaze is actually a more copper green.

**sculpturedolls** · #2 05-22-2012, 12:34 PM

Beautiful color that you created. Pots look really refreshing with that glaze color. Did you weigh the ingredients or throw some in the mix like cooking with out measuring?

Those are big pots too so I can see you know your throwing and centering like an expert!

Rustic Potter · #3 05-22-2012, 06:18 PM

Thank you, SculptureDoll!

I did measure the colorants precisely for these pots; I had about 10 pounds of commercial dry glaze "white gloss" and "porcelain." I mixed them together and added like 97 grams for 2% and 113 grams for 2.5%.

It's really weird becausee the glaze is a true copper green in the house but a real bluish color in the bright sun - what was confusing me.

Then last night I deceded I wanted more blue and body in fte glaze so I threw in a heaping spoon of cobalt oxide and one or two of yellow ochre. The next batch is cooling off right now.

So, yeah I have been throwing pottery off and on for like over 35 years but I' m pretty out of shape because I don't get to it that often enough.

Rustic Potter · #4 05-23-2012, 08:37 AM

So here's the glaze after I altered it a little. I should have screened it because there are some bits of undissolved colorants. Oh well!

**sculpturedolls** · #5 05-23-2012, 10:42 AM

Those are sure beautiful too. A bit lighter color and more blue looking. I think I prefer the first glaze just because it's a richer color but that's just preference.

Do you dip these in a vat of glaze or hand paint? What temp are you firing to?

Rustic Potter · #6 05-23-2012, 02:03 PM

Thanks!

These are dipped into the bucket of glaze (after pouring the inside). They are bisque and glaze fired to cone 04 (terra cotta). I really shouldn't be making vases out of it because it is not fully vitreous but I couldn't resist! I should just make the planters.

Yeah, I think the original copper greenish glaze is a bit more distinctive. The interesting thing about this whole project is that I never used commercial glazes on my stoneware pottery because of the expense and because the commercial glazes often look, well, commercial! However as I get older and not so excited as I was about mixing up glazes they do have some appeal. I might get some stoneware ones, cone 5 to 6 which is what I like to make the stoneware at.

By the way, I really like your "Return of Joy" sculpture. Her face is just so expressive and the whole sculpture is fine. Excellent!

**sculpturedolls** · #7 05-26-2012, 12:38 PM

Rustic Potter,

Thank you

Hey, if you don't already have some of Mayco's Elements, they are great. They really give the look of fired in a gas kiln. You can swirl the glazes together for interesting effects. One very interesting glaze of the "Element" series is called "Copper Adventurine" (or the name is close to that). It is primarily burgundy maroon and has patches of splarkley yellow that look like gold nuggets in it.

Rustic Potter · #8 05-28-2012, 09:13 AM

Thanks, no I haven't tried those. If I do decide to go with commercial I'll probably go with Minnesota Clay because I can check them out at the showroom and they sell them in bulk. I'll do one more kiln of terra cotta then switch to stoneware for the summer. I have 2 or 300 pounds and some glaze I made up last year ready to go.

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