by Rosanne Sloane

Created on: May 15, 2008   Last Updated: March 17, 2011

In the ceramic industry there are two types of glazes, one made from a recipe and commercial glazes. Most commercial glazes are offered in a standard pint size. For greater volume, a potter could order the glaze in a gallon or in a dry form to be mixed with water like a recipe.

Glazes made from a recipe are created from raw materials used in combination with distilled water. You would need an accurate scale for weighing out the raw materials, a sieve with a standard 80 mesh screen, a large brush for pushing the material through the sieve, a 5 gallon plastic bucket, a 2-5 gallon plunge mixer, a power drill, a respirator, and latex gloves, measuring spoons in different increments, and a 4-cup measuring cup.

Once you measure out your raw materials and water according to the recipe acquired, bend well in your bucket for glazing procedure.

Whether you are using commercial or recipe glazes, you are now ready for your application process. It is recommended that you take a damp paper towel to carefully wipe your bisque piece to ensure it is dust free. In addition it is good practice to apply wax resist to the bottom of your pieces or any particular area which you do not want glaze to adhere to. When applying the glaze to your piece if there is any overflow you can take a damp sponge ad wipe the excess glaze off your piece.

There are four basic applications: brush, spray, dipping, and pouring based on the size of your bisque clay piece and personal preference.

1. The brush or painting application has been used since the evolution of pottery. There are many different types of brushes that you can use depending the type of technique you are going to use and the size of the piece. Brush application is especially important for decorative details on your ceramic piece or being able to reach nooks and crannies. Brushing is good for building up layers of different colors and surface textures such as using the crystalline glaze technique which requires a thicker application than other types. When starting out it is a good idea to purchase a wide range of brushes such as a fan brush, hake brush, china mop brush, a flat bristle brush, and a detail craft brush set which includes different thin tips.

2. Spraying your ceramics pieces has many advantages especially for large pieces. Spraying allows an even coat of glaze over your entire piece. Spraying allows you to cover your surface gradually for color effect and a larger area more quickly than brushing. When spraying you would need a spray gun, compressor, respirator, a spray booth or good ventilation and a turntable to spin your piece as you spray.

3. If you can not afford the spraying application equipment, dipping allows you to evenly coverage over a number of similar pieces. Dipping twice allows for two different glazes to be used where you dip one side on in one color and then reverse the piece and dip the other side. This is known as double dipping. Where the two glazes meet can create a bleeding effect making each piece unique.

4. Pouring application is economical and quick for small pots. By taking a small cup of glaze and pour it on top of your piece over a larger bucket to catch the overflow. You can the swish the glaze inside your pot to create a cool effect. The pouring method is often used when coating the inside of a vase where dipping might catch an air bubble and spraying and brushing might not effectively cover the inside.

Once your piece has been covered with glaze, it is now ready for the glaze firing procedure. Please note it is imperative that you choose the correct cone for glaze to fit the cone of the clay you have used to create your piece, whether commercial or a recipe.

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