Brush-on commercial pottery glazes are perfect? Not quite!

Brushing glazes are great sometimes. But they would be even greater if the recipe was available. Then it would be possible to make it if they decide to discontinue the product. Or if your retailer does not have it. Or to make a dipping glaze version for all the times when that is the better way to apply. The glaze manufacturer did not consider glaze fit with your clay body, if they work well together it is by accident. But if you have transparent and matte base recipes that that work on your clay body then adding stains, variegators and opacifiers is easy. And making a brushing glaze version of any of them. Don't have base recipes??? Let's get started developing them with an account at insight-live.com (and the know-how you will find there)!

Related Pictures

Common dipping glazes converted to jars of high SG brushing

These are cone 6 Alberta Slip recipes that have been brushed onto the outsides of these mugs (three coats gave very thick coverage). Recipes are GA6-C Rutile Blue on the outside of the left mug, GA6-F Alberta Slip Oatmeal on the outside of the center mug and GA6-F Oatmeal over G2926B black on the outside of the right mug). These are examples of high specific gravity brushing glazes. One-pint jars are made using 500g of glaze powder, 280g of water and 75g of Laguna CMC gum solution (equivalent to 1%). Because no Veegum is being used this blender mixes to a slurry of super high 1.6 specific gravity (SG). Commercial glazes have a much lower specific gravity (thus much more water), giving better paintability and gelling but requiring more coats. Still, this approach is good for Alberta Slip because it is highly plastic and comprises the bulk of the recipe. The gum removes the need to roast 50% of it and the plasticity of the Alberta Slip helps suspend the slurry.

Links

Articles	Concentrate on One Good Glaze It is better to understand and have control of one good base glaze than be at the mercy of dozens of imported recipes that do not work. There is a lot more to being a good glaze than fired appearance.
Articles	Where do I start in understanding glazes? Break your addiction to online recipes that don't work or bottled expensive glazes. Learn why glazes fire as they do. Why each material is used. How to create perfect dipping and drying properties. Even some chemistry.
Articles	Glaze Recipes: Formulate and Make Your Own Instead The only way you will ever get the glaze you really need is to formulate your own. The longer you stay on the glaze recipe treadmill the more time you waste.
Glossary	Commercial hobby brushing glazes These are an incredible benefit to pottery beginners and pure hobbyists. But they can also be an obstacle to progress and affordability as your skills improve.
Glossary	Brushing Glaze Hobbyists and increasing numbers of potters use commercial paint-on glazes. It's convenient, there are lots of visual effects. There are also issues compared to dipping glazes. You can also make your own.
Glossary	Base Glaze Understand your a glaze and learn how to adjust and improve it. Build others from that. We have bases for low, medium and high fire.
Typecodes	A List of Classic Base Glazes for Pottery These span the range from low to high temperature. Each is a base or a base plus added pigments, variegators and/or opacifier. The glazes are suitable for functional surfaces. It would be common to buy commercial products to enhance non-functional surfaces. These are suggested package sizes for production. Cone 6 Dipping glazes or base coat dipping glazes in 2 gallon pails (~5000g powder) G2934 transparent MgO matte (also commonly mixed as a white by adding zircopax) G1214Z1 transparent Ca matte (common opacified using titanium) G2926B transparent glossy (also commonly mixed as a white by adding zircopax) GA6-B Alberta Slip base (honey transparent) MA6-C Alberta Slip floating blue GR6-M Ravenscrag floating blue G3933A Oatmeal silky matte G2926BL Jet black glossy (commonly mixed as a first coat) G2934BL Jet black matte (commonly mixed as a first coat) Black Engobes/Underglazes in 1 litre jars (~800g of powder) L3954F Black engobe or brushing underglaze for M340 at cone 6 L3954N Black engobe or brushing underglaze for H550 at cone 10R Cone 10R Dipping glazes in 2 gallon pails (~5000g powder) G1947U Base transparent glossy G2571A Dolomite transparent matte GR10-C Ravenscrag talc silky matte GR10-A Base Ravenscrag clear Low Temperature Dipping glazes in 1 gallon pails (~2500g powder) G1916Q (or variants) Cone 04 transparent base glossy G3879 (or variants) Cone 06 transparent glossy

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