What the Flux!
(May 2023 Edition)
In this segment of What the Flux, Bill, The Glaze Guy discusses “expectations.” It was high time we talked about the elephant in the room, and that is how we all have such great expectations for the final product when it arrives on the glaze shelves, yet frequently fail to put in the work on the front end to ensure our expectations are realized each and every time. Let’s be honest, many of us hope that minor construction defects will be obscured by the glaze and we “expect” the glaze will also highlight not only our construction expertise but also our design ingenuity. Yes, we put a lot of pressure on glazes and the Kiln Gods and Goddesses to turn our craft into masterpieces; but how many of us really consistently and accurately do what is necessary to achieve our desired goals and objectives? Sometimes the process of creating often leaves us too exhausted, mentally, to properly prepare and plan for the glazing. Some of us enjoy the serendipity of the glaze experience and are comfortable relinquishing this phase to the unknown and untested and are willing to be surprised when we walk up to the glaze shelves. While others frequently ask: “What did I do wrong?” “Why didn’t my piece come out the way I wanted?” “Should I have done more test tiles, taken more notes, more photos or another glaze class?” If you are always happy with your final product then you are probably doing everything right every time and can skip this article. But if that is not you, perhaps this discussion will limit the number of times you say “WTF!” when you retrieve one of your pieces from the glaze shelf.
Bill explained there are basically four (4) things we can do, actually master, to ensure our expectations are met each time we walk into the Glaze room.
Have you thoroughly mixed the glaze? Sometimes the application of our glaze is not properly mixed or agitated before we dip the piece in the glaze. Failure to agitate the glaze with the whisks or the paddles will leave critical elements of the glaze necessary to create the desired color at the bottom of the bucket. Some glazes will settle on the bottom if you do not properly and thoroughly agitate the glaze. You will simply be glazing your piece with colored water. If you are having difficulty getting all of the “gunk” agitated, ask a staff member and they can do a power mix to stir and mix the glaze properly. A properly mixed glaze can make the difference between night and day and will eliminate one-third of the dissatisfied results. As new glaze batches are made, Bill checks all the glazes to make sure they are the right thickness. When he prepares the glazes he makes sure they are built to the recipe; however over time gravity will cause some of the solids to collect on the bottom and if this happens and you do not mix the glaze properly, you will definitely not achieve the posted look because too much of what is needed to achieve the color is either stuck on the side or at the bottom of the bucket. A thoroughly mixed glaze will make a significant difference and get you closer to your expectations.
Timing of your dip. Here is where real testing and experimentation will really come in. How long you dip your piece in the glaze will definitely affect the outcome. For example, Yellow Salt. It seems counter intuitive to me but the longer you dip the more yellow you will see in your final product and the shorter the dip the more brown that will appear. There is a Dipping Guide on the Glaze wall recommending the length of time you should dip each glaze. Use the clock on the Glaze wall or calibrate your timing technique like 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi, etc. to standardize your glazing process and help you achieve your desired result after testing, note-taking, and analyzing the process and the finished product. Know how certain glazes will look based on the length of the dip. For example, Lipstick Purple looks like crap when thin. Coleman Khaki will fire dark if thin and Sapphire Blue will turn green when thin. While trusty Waxy White will look mostly the same whether thin or heavy.
Also if you are using a darker clay long dips may result in a less desirable outcome. Don’t expect to have the same result on Black Mountain as someone using the same glaze on porcelain or B-Mix. If you want a brighter finish on a darker clay it might be a good idea to apply a thin coat of slip to your piece before leather-hard before applying the glaze.Layering. Please layer your glazes with caution. If you do not carefully apply when combining two or more runny glazes, be prepared to pay for a kiln shelf. Layering can result in a disaster because people are unfamiliar with how certain glazes work together. The more flux in the glaze the more movement in the glaze. If you don’t know how a glaze will respond when fired take these simple precautions. First do not glaze all the way down to the bottom of your piece. Use a cookie under your piece. Leave ample room for the glaze to move. Next, discover what glazes work and don’t work together. Do not put shino on top of anything because it will simply flake off. If you have questions ask staff and/or your instructor. At a community studio, mistakes become collective knowledge so look around and see what’s coming out of the kilns and talk to people. Remember there is no reward without risk. Staff has kindly created a “combo” wall of the 400 possible combinations on porcelain and recycled clay. Check it out. Also, always, always, always use a cookie.
Clay Body. Everyone has already likely determined that a clay body can make a huge difference in the final outcome. The darker the clay the less pure color you will achieve. Clays with more iron in them will interact with certain glazes resulting in a different outcome.
Remember you should be meticulous and conscientious with every step of your creative process. Put the same level of attention and care into glazing your pieces as you did to the design and construction. Have a good memory or better yet keep excellent notes. There are several apps that can assist you with recording data. Remember – garbage in, garbage out – and if you do not use the tools/apps you will not see any different results. Being “deliberate” about the entire process will definitely align your expectations with reality.
Finally, here are a few pearls of wisdom from Bill, the Glaze Guy. Use the clock, it’s there for a reason. Do not hesitate to use the hammer of no regret and when the Kiln God or Goddess gives you an offering graciously accept it. Sometimes the piece comes out looking like nothing you expected and it’s beautiful anyway.