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underglazes: opinions?

updated sun 30 nov 97

 

Pam Myam on fri 28 nov 97

Who likes to use them, and why? What secrets do you have to share? My
personal experience with underglazes has yielded rather flat results so I use
them quite sparingly in conjunction with slips and glazes. I don't want to
limit myself through ignorance, so any suggestions of specific work to look
at would be greatly appreciated. I'd also appreciate suggestions of ideas to
try as well as cautions.
I'm working in a classroom situation, electric kiln, glazing cone 6-8. I'm
willing to take chances with my pots, just so it won't jeopardize the work of
classmates in the same kiln.

Thanks, Clayarters--fire away.

Pam
pammyam@aol.com

phyllis michele greenhouse on sat 29 nov 97

=3C/NOFILL=3E
------------------
=3EWho likes to use them, and why? What secrets do you have to share?
My

=3Epersonal experience with underglazes has yielded rather flat results so
I use

=3Ethem quite sparingly in conjunction with slips and glazes. I don't want
to

=3Elimit myself through ignorance, so any suggestions of specific work to
look

=3Eat would be greatly appreciated. I'd also appreciate suggestions of
ideas to

=3Etry as well as cautions.

=3EI'm working in a classroom situation, electric kiln, glazing cone 6-8.
I'm

=3Ewilling to take chances with my pots, just so it won't jeopardize the
work of

=3Eclassmates in the same kiln.

=3EPam


hi pam...


even tho over the course of 18 years in clay, i have focused upon 3
distinct styles of clay artwork, i must admit that my polychrome slipware
is where my truest form of self satisfaction is derived from...have been
using one form of underglaze or another ranging from =22one strokes=22 to
=22cover coats=22 to =22designer velvets=22...went thru a period (thanx =
david
keator) of mixing up batches to do polychrome slip-scraffito-raku
....altho i must admit that i was never truly satisfied with the color
brilliance that i mixed as compared with commercial products...i
primarily use multiple layers of these slips to build up upon the surface
of my pots a distinct opaqueness that is not truly realized until many
firings have transpired...i use a very small detail brush and actually
bring my urns or vessels into my bedroom and just sit and almost commune
with the pot as the hours fall away around me....one of my major works
took nine months to complete and was fired over a dozen times...to
preview the finished effect, i hold the work in progress under a stream
of running water to be able to envision what the piece will look like
upon completion with a coat of transparent glaze (prefer matt, but no
water test for this) most often i do not use an overglaze, as these
design works are not really to be used and the velvety surface that is
derived is quite pleasing....i am very much drawn to the designer velvets
with have teeny speckles of brownish black that give a bit more depth to
the otherwise, =22flat=22 surfaces....there are hundreds to choose =
from...the
covercoats and velvets have been thru a metamorphosis with the advent of
more and more potters using and studying the effects, so, what you used
to be able to apply to bisqueware, is sometimes labeled =22greenware=22 only
and you really need to adhere to the labeling instructions or you may
find yourself in the coming months with a peeling off of your
design....believe me, i've learned the hard way :( ... a great percentage
of these commercial underglazes will fire to your range, however, i only
take my ware to cone 2 as i have found those color results to be
brighter..there is some degree of burnout with the more delicate hues
when you go beyond the cone 2 range, or even colors like salmon or peach
will flux out and go yellowish gold...so, u need to experiment and find
what works for you....i guess i've always been a frustrated graphic
designer under all these layers of clay and this medium gives me the
opportunity to put that effort upon the surface of my pots and marvel at
the textilesque appearance...good luck =21


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=3Ccolor=3E=3Cparam=3Effff,0000,0000=3C/param=3Ephyllis michele greenhouse

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