More Majolica Decorating Color chat

David Gamble, lowfire clay artist, Skutt kiln expert, did an article a while back. I don’t remember where – someone out there remember? Tell us! – about the various products for decorating on majolica glaze. I asked David to recap his experiences for us. He said: When I did all my tests I found GDC’s seemed the best… Continue reading More Majolica Decorating Color chat

AMACO GDC Majolica Colors Sail into the Sunset

AMACO has announced that it’s GDC line of color for majolica decoration will be discontinued in December. It may be available through specific suppliers through the following year, but production will cease. These have been my go-to colors, supplemented here and there, for a number of years, so I’m sad to see them go. It was not a profitable line… Continue reading AMACO GDC Majolica Colors Sail into the Sunset

Working with drop molds with Chris Pickett

The web site is the 21st-century’s business card. UF Ceramics MFA alumnus Chris Pickett has a snappy new web site designed by UF Graphic Design student Marisa Falcigno. Marisa worked as a graphic designer before deciding to return to school for MFA study. She’s been a great consultant and designer for many people affiliated with Ceramics, and… Continue reading Working with drop molds with Chris Pickett

Feldspar changes

Somone just asked me about a spar substitution. My experience is that for many applications, spar substitutions within the categories of soda spars or pot (potassium) spars have some leeway and will often endure substitutions fairly easily. Unless they don’t. The “pot” or “soda” spar refers to the dominant flux in the feldspar. I suggest… Continue reading Feldspar changes

Blinded by Science

There are a couple of guys from Alfred who have a forward clay company, Matt and Dave’s Clay. I haven’t met then face-to-face, but they’re fun, lively guys, at least on the internet. For those of you who wonder about the materials WHY in ceramics, they have a Science page on their clay web site. Included… Continue reading Blinded by Science

Video clip on flocculating glaze on Ceramic Arts Daily!

Thanks to Donna Chung for letting me know that Ceramic Arts Daily posted a video clip from the DVD I did for them. It’s a demo on flocculating glaze. Check it out. One of my favorite visual demos. http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramic-supplies/ceramic-glaze/video-of-the-week-how-to-flocculate-a-ceramic-glaze-for-better-coverage/

More testing

There’s a glaze that has been used by sculpture people for a fleshy surface. Lately Drew Avakian at UF has been looking into it for his constructed pottery. I like the waxy look, an tried it with iron. at 5% iron, it has dramatic thin-to-thick changes from rust to creamy, showing dark slip and breaking a bit on… Continue reading More testing

Testing for treasure

Clean Creek Products is a company that markets materials reclaimed from coal mining. They’ve had a booth at NCECA to showcase their iron and manganese. There is a show coming up that features these materials, and I’ve been working with their iron and manganese to try to get something pretty in a glaze. On top of most… Continue reading Testing for treasure