Hello everyone! Continuing the glaze series, this week I will discuss glazes’ physical and chemical characteristics and explain how to calculate the Seger unity molecular formula. We begin with the nature of glass and the role of glass formers. […]
Continuing our study, today I will discuss glaze theory with an emphasis on chemical elements. This technical subject requires some basic chemistry, but I will start from the beginning to make the ideas clear. […]
Hello everyone! I have been away from the blog for a while, but now I would like to introduce an important subject for potters: ceramic glaze. It is a broad, technical topic, so I will divide it into several posts. […]
A few months ago, I wrote about ash glazes. Recently, I have had some good results in this area and wanted to share the latest developments with you.
Hello everyone! Imagine finding a promising glaze recipe online, only to discover that it uses an ingredient difficult to obtain in Brazil. There is a way to approach this problem through raw-material substitution and glaze-calculation software. […]
Hello everyone! This post explores a process widely used in industrial ceramics but, I believe, less common in studio pottery: making pieces with plaster moulds. Although the method removes the individually hand-formed character of each piece, it can help produce complex forms with less labour. […]
Hello everyone! This post is a little more technical, but I hope it helps potters having trouble applying glazes. A glaze may seem too thick or too thin, prompting us to add or remove water. But there are other factors to consider. […]
Hello! I am sharing the results of my first firing. It took place in a gas-fired kiln, with an indicated target of 1,220°C and cone 6 on the middle shelf. Temperature readings and cone bending provide complementary information about the firing. […]
Hello! You have probably seen Portuguese tiles with blue decoration on white faience, or Chinese vases with blue brushwork. That blue comes from a cobalt-based pigment. This article explores its history and its use in ceramics. […]
The method for making oxblood glaze was probably discovered during the Wanli reign (1573–1620) in China. Early examples are rare. Initially difficult to control, the process was mastered during the Kanxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing dynasty, according to the account presented here. […]