These are the three clay bodies I commonly use when I make beads. In my last post I wrote about how I was finally mixing up some of my own glazes. Like most, I started with a simple clear glossy glaze. I did not use any underglazes or stains because I wanted to see how the glaze performed on each clay body.I took some pics with my digital camera on its macro setting. There are some fine bubbles in here which are not visible to the naked eye, and only really show up on the porcelain (white) beads. Click the photo to see these beads bigger. I love the macro setting on my camera for that reason. It's like having a mini microscope. I'm not sure what the bubbles mean. It could mean that I could fire this glaze even hotter. It could mean that the beads need a longer firing time or a longer holding time or both. I don't know. I'll bring them to my professor tonight and she can enlighten me. What I'm really happiest about is that this glaze does fit these clay bodies, which all mature between cones 5 and 6. The white and the red mature at cone 5 and the light brown matures at cone 6. That is what I was hoping for the most! And yay!
Therefore, I think this glaze passes my test. It's a once fire clear glossy glaze that definitely fires to cone one and does not crackle or craze.
Maybe I'm just partial, but even you test beads are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cindi! You're the best!
ReplyDeleteI spent the morning putting decals on the white ones. Tiny pink waterlillies with pink leaves. I am glad to start making some of my own glazes. Now that I have a glossy glaze I can add colorants to it and experiment further.
Also, I am going to alter this recipe and try to make a transparent matte and satin. I don't like the glossy clear on the brown stoneware, but I do like it on the reddish brown stoneware and the white.
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