Lili Krakowski on mon 20 feb 06
Bob writes:
"... what I can use to add brown to bowls and mugs. What dry chemical =
should I use? I currently have red iron oxide, black copper oxide and =
cobalt. Another question is what is the best medium to apply the color =
with slip or glaze. =20
I'll probably have many more question to come." =20
By coincidence a bit later in the DIGEST in which I read your question =
was a strong message urging people to buy the books! And I gotta tell =
you, Bob, that is what you need to do. There are plenty of great =
pottery books to be had second-hand, the libraries have them....you =
really need to do some serious reading.
I will try to answer this question. I assume you mugs and bowls are of =
white clay? And you want them to be brown. You have some iron oxide =
which gives very nice browns, the copper and cobalt would only modify =
the brown, not create it. Slip is clay in liquefied form, which may be =
simply the body clay well sieved to remove any sand or grog. If you =
have white clay you can add iron...make some tests, start with maybe 4% =
and work up to see what you like. If you have any red clay you can turn =
it into slip and use that. There are different recipes for slip--some =
are used on the clay when it leatherhard, others when the clay is dry, =
others still are put on the bisque. It depends entirely on what you want =
to achieve.
A brown glaze can be gotten by adding iron oxide to a base glaze. If =
there is no opacifier in the glaze the glaze will be brown transparent, =
a bit like a beer bottle. If you add opacifier then it will be plain =
brown. Whether it is pretty or not depends on the glaze, really.
I think you might get something very pleasing by using a transparent =
brown glaze over a brown slip. =20
I just wonder: if you want brown mugs and bowls would it not be simpler =
to just use a red body?
And I truly believe you when you say you will have more questions!
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
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